Josh Donaldson vs Deacon White: Career Stats Comparison
Deacon White has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Josh Donaldson played 2010–2023 as a hitter; Deacon White played 1871–1890 as a hitter.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
Josh Donaldson (2010–2023) and Deacon White (1871–1890) — they broke in during the 2010s and the 1870s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Josh Donaldson finished with 1,310 hits and 279 home runs; Deacon White finished with 2,067 hits and 24 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Josh Donaldson, with 279 to Deacon White's 24.
- Who had the higher OPS? Josh Donaldson, with .847 to Deacon White's .740.
- Who had the higher batting average? Deacon White, with .312 to Josh Donaldson's .261.
- Who had more hits? Deacon White, with 2,067 to Josh Donaldson's 1,310.
- Who drove in more runs? Deacon White, with 988 to Josh Donaldson's 816.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Deacon White, with 19,258 career PIV to Josh Donaldson's 18,424.
- Who won more championships? Deacon White, with 1 World Series title to Josh Donaldson's 0.
Josh Donaldson
Deacon White
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Josh Donaldson and Deacon White. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 14 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other one is a counting total on which fewer is not an achievement, so no one is awarded it. Counting stats reward longevity, and strikeouts are left unmarked because a longer career accumulates more of them. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, and the 2010s and the 1870s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Josh Donaldson | Deacon White |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,384 | Leads: 1,560 |
| At-Bats | 5,022 | Leads: 6,624 |
| Runs | 816 | Leads: 1,140 |
| Hits | 1,310 | Leads: 2,067 |
| Doubles | Leads: 287 | 270 |
| Triples | 12 | Leads: 98 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 279 | 24 |
| RBI | 816 | Leads: 988 |
| Walks | Leads: 725 | 308 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,221 | 221 |
| Stolen Bases | 40 | Leads: 70 |
| Batting Avg | .261 | Leads: .312 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .358 | .346 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .489 | .393 |
| OPS | Leads: .847 | .740 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Deacon White edges Josh Donaldson 19,258 to 18,424 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Deacon White played 20 seasons to Josh Donaldson's 15, while Josh Donaldson carries the higher per-season figure (1,228 to 963). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
PIV is computed through the 2025 season. The career totals on this page include 2026 to date, so PIV does not yet reflect the 2026 season.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Josh Donaldson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Deacon White — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Deacon White leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Josh Donaldson owns home runs, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Deacon White. PIV agrees: Deacon White grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Josh Donaldson and Deacon White careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Deacon White's ended in 1890, and Josh Donaldson debuted in 2010. The two careers are close in length, 1,384 games for Josh Donaldson and 1,560 for Deacon White across 15 and 20 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Josh Donaldson struck out more than walked (1,221 to 725), while Deacon White walked more often than struck out (308 walks, 221 strikeouts). Josh Donaldson is the more power-leaning hitter, with 279 of 1,310 hits leaving the park. Josh Donaldson's slugging percentage of .489 tops Deacon White's .393.
Josh Donaldson vs Deacon White: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Josh Donaldson or Deacon White?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Deacon White leads Josh Donaldson in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Josh Donaldson or Deacon White hit more home runs?
- Josh Donaldson, with 279 to Deacon White's 24.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Josh Donaldson, with .847 to Deacon White's .740.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Deacon White, with .312 to Josh Donaldson's .261.
- Who had more hits?
- Deacon White, with 2,067 to Josh Donaldson's 1,310.