Mark Grace vs Rafael Palmeiro: Career Stats Comparison
Rafael Palmeiro 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). Mark Grace played 1988–2003 as a hitter; Rafael Palmeiro played 1986–2005 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
Mark Grace (1988–2003) and Rafael Palmeiro (1986–2005) — both broke in during the 1980s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Mark Grace finished with 2,445 hits and 173 home runs; Rafael Palmeiro finished with 3,020 hits and 569 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Rafael Palmeiro, with 569 to Mark Grace's 173.
- Who had the higher OPS? Rafael Palmeiro, with .885 to Mark Grace's .825.
- Who had the higher batting average? Mark Grace, with .303 to Rafael Palmeiro's .288.
- Who had more hits? Rafael Palmeiro, with 3,020 to Mark Grace's 2,445.
- Who drove in more runs? Rafael Palmeiro, with 1,835 to Mark Grace's 1,146.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rafael Palmeiro, with 42,814 career PIV to Mark Grace's 21,759.
- Who won more championships? Mark Grace, with 1 World Series title to Rafael Palmeiro's 0.
Mark Grace
Rafael Palmeiro
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Mark Grace and Rafael Palmeiro. 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 | Mark Grace | Rafael Palmeiro |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,245 | Leads: 2,831 |
| At-Bats | 8,065 | Leads: 10,472 |
| Runs | 1,179 | Leads: 1,663 |
| Hits | 2,445 | Leads: 3,020 |
| Doubles | 511 | Leads: 585 |
| Triples | Leads: 45 | 38 |
| Home Runs | 173 | Leads: 569 |
| RBI | 1,146 | Leads: 1,835 |
| Walks | 1,075 | Leads: 1,353 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 642 | 1,348 |
| Stolen Bases | 70 | Leads: 97 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .303 | .288 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .383 | .371 |
| Slugging % | .442 | Leads: .515 |
| OPS | .825 | Leads: .885 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rafael Palmeiro outpaces Mark Grace 42,814 to 21,759 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,141 PIV per season to 1,360, across 20 seasons to 16. 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).
Mark Grace — top 3 seasons by OPS
Rafael Palmeiro — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rafael Palmeiro leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Mark Grace owns batting average and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rafael Palmeiro. PIV agrees: Rafael Palmeiro grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Mark Grace and Rafael Palmeiro careers compare
From 1988 through 2003, Mark Grace and Rafael Palmeiro were in the majors together. With 2,245 games against 2,831 across 16 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Mark Grace are triples (45 to 38), batting average (.303 to .288), and on-base percentage (.383 to .371). At the plate, Mark Grace walked more often than struck out (1,075 walks, 642 strikeouts), and Rafael Palmeiro walked more often than struck out (1,353 walks, 1,348 strikeouts). Rafael Palmeiro is the more power-leaning hitter, with 569 of 3,020 hits leaving the park. In on-base percentage, Mark Grace holds the edge, .383 to .371.
Mark Grace vs Rafael Palmeiro: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mark Grace or Rafael Palmeiro?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rafael Palmeiro leads Mark Grace in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Mark Grace or Rafael Palmeiro hit more home runs?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with 569 to Mark Grace's 173.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with .885 to Mark Grace's .825.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Mark Grace, with .303 to Rafael Palmeiro's .288.
- Who had more hits?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with 3,020 to Mark Grace's 2,445.