Cecil Fielder vs Fred McGriff: Career Stats Comparison
Fred McGriff has the better career line of the two, leading 14 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; Fred McGriff played 1986–2004 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 Fred McGriff (1986–2004) — both broke in during the 1980s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Cecil Fielder finished with 1,313 hits and 319 home runs; Fred McGriff finished with 2,490 hits and 493 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Fred McGriff, with 493 to Cecil Fielder's 319.
- Who had the higher OPS? Fred McGriff, with .886 to Cecil Fielder's .827.
- Who had the higher batting average? Fred McGriff, with .284 to Cecil Fielder's .255.
- Who had more hits? Fred McGriff, with 2,490 to Cecil Fielder's 1,313.
- Who drove in more runs? Fred McGriff, with 1,550 to Cecil Fielder's 1,008.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Fred McGriff, with 37,233 career PIV to Cecil Fielder's 13,970.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Cecil Fielder
Fred McGriff
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Cecil Fielder and Fred McGriff. 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 | Cecil Fielder | Fred McGriff |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,470 | Leads: 2,460 |
| At-Bats | 5,157 | Leads: 8,757 |
| Runs | 744 | Leads: 1,349 |
| Hits | 1,313 | Leads: 2,490 |
| Doubles | 200 | Leads: 441 |
| Triples | 7 | Leads: 24 |
| Home Runs | 319 | Leads: 493 |
| RBI | 1,008 | Leads: 1,550 |
| Walks | 693 | Leads: 1,305 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,316 | 1,882 |
| Stolen Bases | 2 | Leads: 72 |
| Batting Avg | .255 | Leads: .284 |
| On-Base % | .345 | Leads: .377 |
| Slugging % | .482 | Leads: .509 |
| OPS | .827 | Leads: .886 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Fred McGriff outpaces Cecil Fielder 37,233 to 13,970 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,773 PIV per season to 931, across 21 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
Fred McGriff — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Fred McGriff leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Cecil Fielder owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Fred McGriff. PIV agrees: Fred McGriff 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 Fred McGriff careers compare
Cecil Fielder and Fred McGriff were active at the same time between 1986 and 1998. Fred McGriff has the far longer record, 2,460 games against 1,470 across 15 and 21 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Fred McGriff leads every scored row of the table. At the plate, Cecil Fielder struck out more than walked (1,316 to 693), and Fred McGriff struck out more than walked (1,882 to 1,305). Fred McGriff's on-base percentage of .377 tops Cecil Fielder's .345. Best seasons: 1990 for Cecil Fielder (.969 OPS, 51 HR, 132 RBI, .277 avg) and 1994 for Fred McGriff (1.012 OPS, 34 HR, 94 RBI, .318 avg).
Cecil Fielder vs Fred McGriff: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Cecil Fielder or Fred McGriff?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Fred McGriff leads Cecil Fielder in 14 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Cecil Fielder or Fred McGriff hit more home runs?
- Fred McGriff, with 493 to Cecil Fielder's 319.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Fred McGriff, with .886 to Cecil Fielder's .827.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Fred McGriff, with .284 to Cecil Fielder's .255.
- Who had more hits?
- Fred McGriff, with 2,490 to Cecil Fielder's 1,313.