Ken Griffey vs Rogers Hornsby: Career Stats Comparison
Ken Griffey and Rogers Hornsby are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Ken Griffey played 1989–2010 as a hitter; Rogers Hornsby played 1915–1937 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
Ken Griffey (1989–2010) and Rogers Hornsby (1915–1937) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1910s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Ken Griffey finished with 2,781 hits and 630 home runs; Rogers Hornsby finished with 2,930 hits and 301 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Ken Griffey, with 630 to Rogers Hornsby's 301.
- Who had the higher OPS? Rogers Hornsby, with 1.010 to Ken Griffey's .907.
- Who had the higher batting average? Rogers Hornsby, with .358 to Ken Griffey's .284.
- Who had more hits? Rogers Hornsby, with 2,930 to Ken Griffey's 2,781.
- Who drove in more runs? Ken Griffey, with 1,836 to Rogers Hornsby's 1,584.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rogers Hornsby, with 68,443 career PIV to Ken Griffey's 43,975.
- Who won more championships? Rogers Hornsby, with 1 World Series title to Ken Griffey's 0.
Ken Griffey
Rogers Hornsby
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ken Griffey and Rogers Hornsby. 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 1910s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ken Griffey | Rogers Hornsby |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,671 | 2,259 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,801 | 8,173 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,662 | 1,579 |
| Hits | 2,781 | Leads: 2,930 |
| Doubles | 524 | Leads: 541 |
| Triples | 38 | Leads: 169 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 630 | 301 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,836 | 1,584 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,312 | 1,038 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,779 | 679 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 184 | 135 |
| Batting Avg | .284 | Leads: .358 |
| On-Base % | .370 | Leads: .434 |
| Slugging % | .538 | Leads: .577 |
| OPS | .907 | Leads: 1.010 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rogers Hornsby outpaces Ken Griffey 68,443 to 43,975 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,852 PIV per season to 1,912, across 24 seasons to 23. 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).
Ken Griffey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Rogers Hornsby — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rogers Hornsby leads in hits, batting average, OBP, and OPS, while Ken Griffey owns home runs, RBI, and runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rogers Hornsby. PIV agrees: Rogers Hornsby grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ken Griffey and Rogers Hornsby careers compare
No season is shared: Rogers Hornsby played 1915–1937, Ken Griffey 1989–2010. With 2,671 games against 2,259 across 23 and 24 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Plate discipline differs: Ken Griffey struck out more than walked (1,779 to 1,312), but Rogers Hornsby walked more often than struck out (1,038 walks, 679 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Ken Griffey's hits: 630 of 2,781 for Ken Griffey, 301 of 2,930 for Rogers Hornsby. On the bases, Ken Griffey stole more often per game played (184 steals in 2,671 games for Ken Griffey, 135 in 2,259 for Rogers Hornsby). Rogers Hornsby's on-base percentage of .434 tops Ken Griffey's .370.
Ken Griffey vs Rogers Hornsby: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Ken Griffey or Rogers Hornsby hit more home runs?
- Ken Griffey, with 630 to Rogers Hornsby's 301.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Rogers Hornsby, with 1.010 to Ken Griffey's .907.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Rogers Hornsby, with .358 to Ken Griffey's .284.
- Who had more hits?
- Rogers Hornsby, with 2,930 to Ken Griffey's 2,781.