Nellie Fox vs Ketel Marte: Career Stats Comparison
Nellie Fox 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). Nellie Fox played 1947–1965 as a hitter; Ketel Marte has played 2015–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
Nellie Fox (1947–1965) and Ketel Marte (2015–present) — they broke in during the 1940s and the 2010s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Nellie Fox finished with 2,663 hits and 35 home runs; Ketel Marte has 1,413 hits and 193 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? Ketel Marte, with 193 to Nellie Fox's 35.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ketel Marte, with .815 to Nellie Fox's .710.
- Who had the higher batting average? Nellie Fox, with .288 to Ketel Marte's .277.
- Who had more hits? Nellie Fox, with 2,663 to Ketel Marte's 1,413.
- Who drove in more runs? Nellie Fox, with 790 to Ketel Marte's 663.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ketel Marte, with 11,947 career PIV to Nellie Fox's 1,100.
Ketel Marte
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Nellie Fox and Ketel Marte. 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 1940s and the 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Ketel Marte is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Nellie Fox | Ketel Marte |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,367 | 1,371 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,232 | 5,096 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,279 | 766 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,663 | 1,413 |
| Doubles | Leads: 355 | 301 |
| Triples | Leads: 112 | 46 |
| Home Runs | 35 | Leads: 193 |
| RBI | Leads: 790 | 663 |
| Walks | Leads: 719 | 522 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 216 | 895 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 76 | 69 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .288 | .277 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .348 | .347 |
| Slugging % | .363 | Leads: .468 |
| OPS | .710 | Leads: .815 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ketel Marte outpaces Nellie Fox 11,947 to 1,100 — driven by per-season impact — 1,086 PIV per season to 58 — rather than by longevity, since Ketel Marte played 11 seasons to Nellie Fox's 19. 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).
Nellie Fox — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ketel Marte — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Nellie Fox leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Ketel Marte owns home runs and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Nellie Fox. Note that PIV actually grades Ketel Marte ahead, which means Nellie Fox's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Nellie Fox and Ketel Marte careers compare
Nellie Fox (1947–1965) was finished before Ketel Marte (2015–present) arrived, so they never shared a league. Nellie Fox has the far longer record, 2,367 games against 1,371 across 19 and 11 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Where Ketel Marte comes out ahead, it is in home runs (193 to 35), slugging percentage (.468 to .363), and OPS (.815 to .710). Plate discipline differs: Nellie Fox walked more often than struck out (719 walks, 216 strikeouts), but Ketel Marte struck out more than walked (895 to 522). Ketel Marte is the more power-leaning hitter, with 193 of 1,413 hits leaving the park. Nellie Fox's on-base percentage of .348 tops Ketel Marte's .347. Because Ketel Marte is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Nellie Fox vs Ketel Marte: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Nellie Fox or Ketel Marte?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Nellie Fox leads Ketel Marte in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Nellie Fox or Ketel Marte hit more home runs?
- Ketel Marte, with 193 to Nellie Fox's 35.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ketel Marte, with .815 to Nellie Fox's .710.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Nellie Fox, with .288 to Ketel Marte's .277.
- Who had more hits?
- Nellie Fox, with 2,663 to Ketel Marte's 1,413.