Hank Greenberg vs Mike Piazza: Career Stats Comparison
Hank Greenberg has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Hank Greenberg played 1930–1947 as a hitter; Mike Piazza played 1992–2007 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
Hank Greenberg (1930–1947) and Mike Piazza (1992–2007) — they broke in during the 1930s and the 1990s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Hank Greenberg finished with 1,628 hits and 331 home runs; Mike Piazza finished with 2,127 hits and 427 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Mike Piazza, with 427 to Hank Greenberg's 331.
- Who had the higher OPS? Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Mike Piazza's .922.
- Who had the higher batting average? Hank Greenberg, with .313 to Mike Piazza's .308.
- Who had more hits? Mike Piazza, with 2,127 to Hank Greenberg's 1,628.
- Who drove in more runs? Mike Piazza, with 1,335 to Hank Greenberg's 1,276.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Hank Greenberg, with 43,523 career PIV to Mike Piazza's 30,988.
- Who won more championships? Hank Greenberg, with 2 World Series titles to Mike Piazza's 0.
Hank Greenberg
Mike Piazza
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Hank Greenberg and Mike Piazza. 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 1930s and the 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Hank Greenberg | Mike Piazza |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,394 | Leads: 1,912 |
| At-Bats | 5,193 | Leads: 6,911 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,051 | 1,048 |
| Hits | 1,628 | Leads: 2,127 |
| Doubles | Leads: 379 | 344 |
| Triples | Leads: 71 | 8 |
| Home Runs | 331 | Leads: 427 |
| RBI | 1,276 | Leads: 1,335 |
| Walks | Leads: 852 | 759 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 844 | 1,113 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 58 | 17 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .313 | .308 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .412 | .377 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .605 | .545 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.017 | .922 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hank Greenberg outpaces Mike Piazza 43,523 to 30,988 — driven by per-season impact — 3,348 PIV per season to 1,722 — rather than by longevity, since Hank Greenberg played 13 seasons to Mike Piazza's 18. 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).
Hank Greenberg — top 3 seasons by OPS
Mike Piazza — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hank Greenberg leads in runs, stolen bases, batting average, and OBP, while Mike Piazza owns hits, home runs, and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Hank Greenberg. PIV agrees: Hank Greenberg grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Hank Greenberg and Mike Piazza careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Hank Greenberg's ended in 1947, and Mike Piazza debuted in 1992. With 1,394 games against 1,912 across 13 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Plate discipline differs: Hank Greenberg walked more often than struck out (852 walks, 844 strikeouts), but Mike Piazza struck out more than walked (1,113 to 759). On the peak-season lists, Hank Greenberg's best year is 1938 at 1.122 OPS and Mike Piazza's is 1997 at 1.070 OPS; Hank Greenberg has the stronger single season.
Hank Greenberg vs Mike Piazza: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Hank Greenberg or Mike Piazza?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Hank Greenberg leads Mike Piazza in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Hank Greenberg or Mike Piazza hit more home runs?
- Mike Piazza, with 427 to Hank Greenberg's 331.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Hank Greenberg, with 1.017 to Mike Piazza's .922.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Hank Greenberg, with .313 to Mike Piazza's .308.
- Who had more hits?
- Mike Piazza, with 2,127 to Hank Greenberg's 1,628.