Edwin Encarnacion vs Buster Posey: Career Stats Comparison
Edwin Encarnacion has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Edwin Encarnacion played 2005–2020 as a hitter; Buster Posey played 2009–2021 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
Edwin Encarnacion (2005–2020) and Buster Posey (2009–2021) — both broke in during the 2000s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Edwin Encarnacion finished with 1,832 hits and 424 home runs; Buster Posey finished with 1,500 hits and 158 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Edwin Encarnacion, with 424 to Buster Posey's 158.
- Who had the higher OPS? Edwin Encarnacion, with .846 to Buster Posey's .831.
- Who had the higher batting average? Buster Posey, with .302 to Edwin Encarnacion's .260.
- Who had more hits? Edwin Encarnacion, with 1,832 to Buster Posey's 1,500.
- Who drove in more runs? Edwin Encarnacion, with 1,261 to Buster Posey's 729.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Edwin Encarnacion, with 22,361 career PIV to Buster Posey's 15,615.
- Who won more championships? Buster Posey, with 3 World Series titles to Edwin Encarnacion's 0.
Edwin Encarnacion
Buster Posey
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Edwin Encarnacion and Buster Posey. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Edwin Encarnacion | Buster Posey |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,960 | 1,371 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,040 | 4,970 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,099 | 663 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,832 | 1,500 |
| Doubles | Leads: 370 | 293 |
| Triples | Leads: 10 | 9 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 424 | 158 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,261 | 729 |
| Walks | Leads: 903 | 540 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,426 | 721 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 61 | 23 |
| Batting Avg | .260 | Leads: .302 |
| On-Base % | .350 | Leads: .372 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .496 | .460 |
| OPS | Leads: .846 | .831 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Edwin Encarnacion outpaces Buster Posey 22,361 to 15,615 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Edwin Encarnacion played 18 seasons to Buster Posey's 12, while Buster Posey carries the higher per-season figure (1,301 to 1,242). 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).
Edwin Encarnacion — top 3 seasons by OPS
Buster Posey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Edwin Encarnacion leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Buster Posey owns batting average and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Edwin Encarnacion. PIV agrees: Edwin Encarnacion grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Edwin Encarnacion and Buster Posey careers compare
The careers of Edwin Encarnacion (2005–2020) and Buster Posey (2009–2021) overlapped from 2009 to 2020, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 1,960 games against 1,371 across 18 and 12 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Buster Posey's edges on the table are batting average (.302 to .260) and on-base percentage (.372 to .350). Edwin Encarnacion struck out more than walked (1,426 to 903); Buster Posey struck out more than walked (721 to 540). Edwin Encarnacion is the more power-leaning hitter, with 424 of 1,832 hits leaving the park. In on-base percentage, Buster Posey holds the edge, .372 to .350.
Edwin Encarnacion vs Buster Posey: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Edwin Encarnacion or Buster Posey?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Edwin Encarnacion leads Buster Posey in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Edwin Encarnacion or Buster Posey hit more home runs?
- Edwin Encarnacion, with 424 to Buster Posey's 158.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Edwin Encarnacion, with .846 to Buster Posey's .831.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Buster Posey, with .302 to Edwin Encarnacion's .260.
- Who had more hits?
- Edwin Encarnacion, with 1,832 to Buster Posey's 1,500.