Cecil Fielder vs Keith Hernandez: Career Stats Comparison
Keith Hernandez 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). Cecil Fielder played 1985–1998 as a hitter; Keith Hernandez played 1974–1990 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
Cecil Fielder (1985–1998) and Keith Hernandez (1974–1990) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Cecil Fielder finished with 1,313 hits and 319 home runs; Keith Hernandez finished with 2,182 hits and 162 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Cecil Fielder, with 319 to Keith Hernandez's 162.
- Who had the higher OPS? Cecil Fielder, with .827 to Keith Hernandez's .821.
- Who had the higher batting average? Keith Hernandez, with .296 to Cecil Fielder's .255.
- Who had more hits? Keith Hernandez, with 2,182 to Cecil Fielder's 1,313.
- Who drove in more runs? Keith Hernandez, with 1,071 to Cecil Fielder's 1,008.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Keith Hernandez, with 25,249 career PIV to Cecil Fielder's 13,970.
- Who won more championships? Keith Hernandez, with 2 World Series titles to Cecil Fielder's 1.
Cecil Fielder
Keith Hernandez
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Cecil Fielder and Keith Hernandez. 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 1980s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Cecil Fielder | Keith Hernandez |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,470 | Leads: 2,088 |
| At-Bats | 5,157 | Leads: 7,370 |
| Runs | 744 | Leads: 1,124 |
| Hits | 1,313 | Leads: 2,182 |
| Doubles | 200 | Leads: 426 |
| Triples | 7 | Leads: 60 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 319 | 162 |
| RBI | 1,008 | Leads: 1,071 |
| Walks | 693 | Leads: 1,070 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,316 | 1,012 |
| Stolen Bases | 2 | Leads: 98 |
| Batting Avg | .255 | Leads: .296 |
| On-Base % | .345 | Leads: .384 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .482 | .436 |
| OPS | Leads: .827 | .821 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Keith Hernandez outpaces Cecil Fielder 25,249 to 13,970 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,403 PIV per season to 931, across 18 seasons to 15. 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).
Cecil Fielder — top 3 seasons by OPS
Keith Hernandez — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Keith Hernandez leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Cecil Fielder owns home runs and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Keith Hernandez. PIV agrees: Keith Hernandez grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Cecil Fielder and Keith Hernandez careers compare
The careers of Cecil Fielder (1985–1998) and Keith Hernandez (1974–1990) overlapped from 1985 to 1990, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 1,470 games against 2,088 across 15 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Cecil Fielder are home runs (319 to 162), slugging percentage (.482 to .436), and OPS (.827 to .821). At the plate, Cecil Fielder struck out more than walked (1,316 to 693), while Keith Hernandez walked more often than struck out (1,070 walks, 1,012 strikeouts). Cecil Fielder is the more power-leaning hitter, with 319 of 1,313 hits leaving the park.
Cecil Fielder vs Keith Hernandez: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Cecil Fielder or Keith Hernandez?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Keith Hernandez leads Cecil Fielder in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Cecil Fielder or Keith Hernandez hit more home runs?
- Cecil Fielder, with 319 to Keith Hernandez's 162.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Cecil Fielder, with .827 to Keith Hernandez's .821.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Keith Hernandez, with .296 to Cecil Fielder's .255.
- Who had more hits?
- Keith Hernandez, with 2,182 to Cecil Fielder's 1,313.