Ken Griffey vs Scott Rolen: Career Stats Comparison
Ken Griffey has the better career line of the two, leading 13 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; Scott Rolen played 1996–2012 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 Scott Rolen (1996–2012) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1990s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Ken Griffey finished with 2,781 hits and 630 home runs; Scott Rolen finished with 2,077 hits and 316 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 Scott Rolen's 316.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ken Griffey, with .907 to Scott Rolen's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ken Griffey, with .284 to Scott Rolen's .281.
- Who had more hits? Ken Griffey, with 2,781 to Scott Rolen's 2,077.
- Who drove in more runs? Ken Griffey, with 1,836 to Scott Rolen's 1,287.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ken Griffey, with 43,975 career PIV to Scott Rolen's 20,867.
- Who won more championships? Scott Rolen, with 1 World Series title to Ken Griffey's 0.
Ken Griffey
Scott Rolen
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ken Griffey and Scott Rolen. 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 | Ken Griffey | Scott Rolen |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,671 | 2,038 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,801 | 7,398 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,662 | 1,211 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,781 | 2,077 |
| Doubles | Leads: 524 | 517 |
| Triples | 38 | Leads: 43 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 630 | 316 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,836 | 1,287 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,312 | 899 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,779 | 1,410 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 184 | 118 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .284 | .281 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .370 | .364 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .538 | .490 |
| OPS | Leads: .907 | .855 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ken Griffey outpaces Scott Rolen 43,975 to 20,867 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,912 PIV per season to 1,098, across 23 seasons to 19. 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
Scott Rolen — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ken Griffey leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Scott Rolen owns no headline categories. 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 Scott Rolen careers compare
Ken Griffey and Scott Rolen were active at the same time between 1996 and 2010. With 2,671 games against 2,038 across 23 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Scott Rolen's edges on the table are triples (43 to 38). Ken Griffey struck out more than walked (1,779 to 1,312); Scott Rolen struck out more than walked (1,410 to 899). Ken Griffey is the more power-leaning hitter, with 630 of 2,781 hits leaving the park. Ken Griffey was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Ken Griffey's slugging percentage of .538 tops Scott Rolen's .490.
Ken Griffey vs Scott Rolen: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ken Griffey or Scott Rolen?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ken Griffey leads Scott Rolen in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ken Griffey or Scott Rolen hit more home runs?
- Ken Griffey, with 630 to Scott Rolen's 316.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ken Griffey, with .907 to Scott Rolen's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ken Griffey, with .284 to Scott Rolen's .281.
- Who had more hits?
- Ken Griffey, with 2,781 to Scott Rolen's 2,077.