Rick Ferrell vs Will Smith: Career Stats Comparison
Rick Ferrell 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; Will Smith has played 2019–present 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 Will Smith (2019–present) — they broke in during the 1920s and the 2010s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Rick Ferrell finished with 1,692 hits and 28 home runs; Will Smith has 722 hits and 138 home runs through October 12, 2026. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Will Smith, with 138 to Rick Ferrell's 28.
- Who had the higher OPS? Will Smith, with .829 to Rick Ferrell's .741.
- Who had the higher batting average? Rick Ferrell, with .281 to Will Smith's .263.
- Who had more hits? Rick Ferrell, with 1,692 to Will Smith's 722.
- Who drove in more runs? Rick Ferrell, with 734 to Will Smith's 476.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Will Smith, with 7,878 career PIV to Rick Ferrell's 6,474.
- Who won more championships? Will Smith, with 3 World Series titles to Rick Ferrell's 0.
Rick Ferrell
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rick Ferrell and Will Smith. 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 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Will Smith is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Rick Ferrell | Will Smith |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,884 | 795 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 6,028 | 2,743 |
| Runs | Leads: 687 | 448 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,692 | 722 |
| Doubles | Leads: 324 | 137 |
| Triples | Leads: 45 | 10 |
| Home Runs | 28 | Leads: 138 |
| RBI | Leads: 734 | 476 |
| Walks | Leads: 931 | 364 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 277 | 599 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 29 | 12 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .281 | .263 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .378 | .358 |
| Slugging % | .363 | Leads: .471 |
| OPS | .741 | Leads: .829 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Will Smith leads Rick Ferrell 7,878 to 6,474 — driven by per-season impact — 1,125 PIV per season to 308 — rather than by longevity, since Will Smith played 7 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
Will Smith — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rick Ferrell leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Will Smith owns home runs and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rick Ferrell. Note that PIV actually grades Will Smith ahead, which means Rick Ferrell's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Rick Ferrell and Will Smith careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Rick Ferrell's ended in 1947, and Will Smith debuted in 2019. The table compares 1,884 games of Rick Ferrell with 795 of Will Smith across 21 and 7 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. The green cells for Will Smith are home runs (138 to 28), slugging percentage (.471 to .363), and OPS (.829 to .741). At the plate, Rick Ferrell walked more often than struck out (931 walks, 277 strikeouts), while Will Smith struck out more than walked (599 to 364). Will Smith is the more power-leaning hitter, with 138 of 722 hits leaving the park. Will Smith's slugging percentage of .471 tops Rick Ferrell's .363. Because Will Smith is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Rick Ferrell vs Will Smith: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rick Ferrell or Will Smith?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rick Ferrell leads Will Smith in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Rick Ferrell or Will Smith hit more home runs?
- Will Smith, with 138 to Rick Ferrell's 28.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Will Smith, with .829 to Rick Ferrell's .741.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Rick Ferrell, with .281 to Will Smith's .263.
- Who had more hits?
- Rick Ferrell, with 1,692 to Will Smith's 722.