Ken Griffey vs Reggie Jackson: Career Stats Comparison
Ken Griffey 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). Ken Griffey played 1989–2010 as a hitter; Reggie Jackson played 1967–1987 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 Reggie Jackson (1967–1987) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Ken Griffey finished with 2,781 hits and 630 home runs; Reggie Jackson finished with 2,584 hits and 563 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 Reggie Jackson's 563.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ken Griffey, with .907 to Reggie Jackson's .846.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ken Griffey, with .284 to Reggie Jackson's .262.
- Who had more hits? Ken Griffey, with 2,781 to Reggie Jackson's 2,584.
- Who drove in more runs? Ken Griffey, with 1,836 to Reggie Jackson's 1,702.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ken Griffey, with 43,975 career PIV to Reggie Jackson's 41,801.
- Who won more championships? Reggie Jackson, with 5 World Series titles to Ken Griffey's 0.
Ken Griffey
Reggie Jackson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ken Griffey and Reggie Jackson. 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 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ken Griffey | Reggie Jackson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,671 | Leads: 2,820 |
| At-Bats | 9,801 | Leads: 9,864 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,662 | 1,551 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,781 | 2,584 |
| Doubles | Leads: 524 | 463 |
| Triples | 38 | Leads: 49 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 630 | 563 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,836 | 1,702 |
| Walks | 1,312 | Leads: 1,375 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,779 | 2,597 |
| Stolen Bases | 184 | Leads: 228 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .284 | .262 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .370 | .356 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .538 | .490 |
| OPS | Leads: .907 | .846 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ken Griffey edges Reggie Jackson 43,975 to 41,801 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Ken Griffey played 23 seasons to Reggie Jackson's 21, while Reggie Jackson carries the higher per-season figure (1,991 to 1,912). 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
Reggie Jackson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ken Griffey leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Reggie Jackson owns stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ken Griffey. PIV agrees: Ken Griffey 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 Reggie Jackson careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Reggie Jackson's ended in 1987, and Ken Griffey debuted in 1989. The two careers are close in length, 2,671 games for Ken Griffey and 2,820 for Reggie Jackson across 23 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Ken Griffey struck out more than walked (1,779 to 1,312), and Reggie Jackson struck out more than walked (2,597 to 1,375). Reggie Jackson was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Best seasons: 1994 for Ken Griffey (1.076 OPS, 40 HR, 90 RBI, .323 avg) and 1969 for Reggie Jackson (1.018 OPS, 47 HR, 118 RBI, .275 avg).
Ken Griffey vs Reggie Jackson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ken Griffey or Reggie Jackson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ken Griffey leads Reggie Jackson in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ken Griffey or Reggie Jackson hit more home runs?
- Ken Griffey, with 630 to Reggie Jackson's 563.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ken Griffey, with .907 to Reggie Jackson's .846.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ken Griffey, with .284 to Reggie Jackson's .262.
- Who had more hits?
- Ken Griffey, with 2,781 to Reggie Jackson's 2,584.