Rick Ferrell vs Johnny Mize: Career Stats Comparison
Johnny Mize has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Rick Ferrell played 1929–1947 as a hitter; Johnny Mize played 1936–1953 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
Rick Ferrell (1929–1947) and Johnny Mize (1936–1953) — they broke in during the 1920s and the 1930s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Rick Ferrell finished with 1,692 hits and 28 home runs; Johnny Mize finished with 2,011 hits and 359 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Johnny Mize, with 359 to Rick Ferrell's 28.
- Who had the higher OPS? Johnny Mize, with .959 to Rick Ferrell's .741.
- Who had the higher batting average? Johnny Mize, with .312 to Rick Ferrell's .281.
- Who had more hits? Johnny Mize, with 2,011 to Rick Ferrell's 1,692.
- Who drove in more runs? Johnny Mize, with 1,337 to Rick Ferrell's 734.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Johnny Mize, with 43,061 career PIV to Rick Ferrell's 6,474.
- Who won more championships? Johnny Mize, with 5 World Series titles to Rick Ferrell's 0.
Rick Ferrell
Johnny Mize
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rick Ferrell and Johnny Mize. 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 1920s and the 1930s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Rick Ferrell | Johnny Mize |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,884 | 1,884 |
| At-Bats | 6,028 | Leads: 6,443 |
| Runs | 687 | Leads: 1,118 |
| Hits | 1,692 | Leads: 2,011 |
| Doubles | 324 | Leads: 367 |
| Triples | 45 | Leads: 83 |
| Home Runs | 28 | Leads: 359 |
| RBI | 734 | Leads: 1,337 |
| Walks | Leads: 931 | 856 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 277 | 524 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 29 | 28 |
| Batting Avg | .281 | Leads: .312 |
| On-Base % | .378 | Leads: .397 |
| Slugging % | .363 | Leads: .562 |
| OPS | .741 | Leads: .959 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Johnny Mize outpaces Rick Ferrell 43,061 to 6,474 — driven by per-season impact — 2,691 PIV per season to 308 — rather than by longevity, since Johnny Mize played 16 seasons to Rick Ferrell's 21. 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).
Rick Ferrell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Johnny Mize — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Johnny Mize leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Rick Ferrell owns stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Johnny Mize. PIV agrees: Johnny Mize grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Rick Ferrell and Johnny Mize careers compare
From 1936 through 1947, Rick Ferrell and Johnny Mize were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 1,884 games for Rick Ferrell and 1,884 for Johnny Mize across 21 and 16 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Rick Ferrell's edges on the table are walks (931 to 856) and stolen bases (29 to 28). Rick Ferrell walked more often than struck out (931 walks, 277 strikeouts); Johnny Mize walked more often than struck out (856 walks, 524 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Johnny Mize's hits: 28 of 1,692 for Rick Ferrell, 359 of 2,011 for Johnny Mize.
Rick Ferrell vs Johnny Mize: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rick Ferrell or Johnny Mize?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Johnny Mize leads Rick Ferrell in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Rick Ferrell or Johnny Mize hit more home runs?
- Johnny Mize, with 359 to Rick Ferrell's 28.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Johnny Mize, with .959 to Rick Ferrell's .741.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Johnny Mize, with .312 to Rick Ferrell's .281.
- Who had more hits?
- Johnny Mize, with 2,011 to Rick Ferrell's 1,692.