Julio Franco vs Jeff Kent: Career Stats Comparison
Julio Franco has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Julio Franco played 1982–2007 as a hitter; Jeff Kent played 1992–2008 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
Julio Franco (1982–2007) and Jeff Kent (1992–2008) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1990s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Julio Franco finished with 2,586 hits and 173 home runs; Jeff Kent finished with 2,461 hits and 377 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Jeff Kent, with 377 to Julio Franco's 173.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jeff Kent, with .855 to Julio Franco's .782.
- Who had the higher batting average? Julio Franco, with .298 to Jeff Kent's .290.
- Who had more hits? Julio Franco, with 2,586 to Jeff Kent's 2,461.
- Who drove in more runs? Jeff Kent, with 1,518 to Julio Franco's 1,194.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jeff Kent, with 22,166 career PIV to Julio Franco's 14,957.
- Who won more championships? Jeff Kent, with 1 World Series title to Julio Franco's 0.
Julio Franco
Jeff Kent
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Julio Franco and Jeff Kent. 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 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Julio Franco | Jeff Kent |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,527 | 2,298 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,677 | 8,498 |
| Runs | 1,285 | Leads: 1,320 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,586 | 2,461 |
| Doubles | 407 | Leads: 560 |
| Triples | Leads: 54 | 47 |
| Home Runs | 173 | Leads: 377 |
| RBI | 1,194 | Leads: 1,518 |
| Walks | Leads: 917 | 801 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,341 | 1,522 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 281 | 94 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .298 | .290 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .365 | .356 |
| Slugging % | .417 | Leads: .500 |
| OPS | .782 | Leads: .855 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jeff Kent outpaces Julio Franco 22,166 to 14,957 — driven by per-season impact — 1,167 PIV per season to 598 — rather than by longevity, since Jeff Kent played 19 seasons to Julio Franco's 25. 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).
Julio Franco — top 3 seasons by OPS
Jeff Kent — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jeff Kent leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and OPS, while Julio Franco owns hits, stolen bases, and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jeff Kent. PIV agrees: Jeff Kent grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Julio Franco and Jeff Kent careers compare
From 1992 through 2007, Julio Franco and Jeff Kent were in the majors together. With 2,527 games against 2,298 across 25 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Julio Franco struck out more than walked (1,341 to 917); Jeff Kent struck out more than walked (1,522 to 801). Jeff Kent is the more power-leaning hitter, with 377 of 2,461 hits leaving the park. Julio Franco was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Jeff Kent holds the edge, .500 to .417.
Julio Franco vs Jeff Kent: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Julio Franco or Jeff Kent?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Julio Franco leads Jeff Kent in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Julio Franco or Jeff Kent hit more home runs?
- Jeff Kent, with 377 to Julio Franco's 173.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jeff Kent, with .855 to Julio Franco's .782.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Julio Franco, with .298 to Jeff Kent's .290.
- Who had more hits?
- Julio Franco, with 2,586 to Jeff Kent's 2,461.