Ken Griffey Jr. vs Larry Walker: Career Stats Comparison
Ken Griffey Jr. and Larry Walker are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Ken Griffey Jr. played 1989–2010 as a hitter; Larry Walker played 1989–2005 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
Ken Griffey Jr. (1989–2010) and Larry Walker (1989–2005) — both debuted in the 1980s. Ken Griffey Jr. finished with 2,781 hits and 630 home runs; Larry Walker finished with 2,160 hits and 383 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Neither — they split the 12 scored categories 6–6.
- Who hit more home runs? Ken Griffey Jr., with 630 to Larry Walker's 383.
- Who had the higher OPS? Larry Walker, with .965 to Ken Griffey Jr.'s .907.
- Who had the higher batting average? Larry Walker, with .313 to Ken Griffey Jr.'s .284.
- Who had more hits? Ken Griffey Jr., with 2,781 to Larry Walker's 2,160.
- Who drove in more runs? Ken Griffey Jr., with 1,836 to Larry Walker's 1,311.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ken Griffey Jr., with 43,975 career PIV to Larry Walker's 42,378.
Ken Griffey Jr.
Larry Walker
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ken Griffey Jr. and Larry Walker. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. 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 | Ken Griffey Jr. | Larry Walker |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,671 | 1,988 |
| At-Bats not scored | 9,801 | 6,907 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,662 | 1,355 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,781 | 2,160 |
| Doubles | Leads: 524 | 471 |
| Triples | 38 | Leads: 62 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 630 | 383 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,836 | 1,311 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,312 | 913 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,779 | 1,231 |
| Stolen Bases | 184 | Leads: 230 |
| Batting Avg | .284 | Leads: .313 |
| On-Base % | .370 | Leads: .400 |
| Slugging % | .538 | Leads: .565 |
| OPS | .907 | Leads: .965 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ken Griffey Jr. edges Larry Walker 43,975 to 42,378 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Ken Griffey Jr. played 22 seasons to Larry Walker's 17, while Larry Walker carries the higher per-season figure (2,493 to 1,999). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Ken Griffey Jr. — top 3 seasons by OPS
Larry Walker — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Ken Griffey Jr. and Larry Walker split the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card 6-6. On the raw scoreboard neither has the edge. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Ken Griffey Jr. higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ken Griffey Jr. and Larry Walker careers compare
Ken Griffey Jr. and Larry Walker were active at the same time between 1989 and 2005. The two careers are close in length, 2,671 games for Ken Griffey Jr. and 1,988 for Larry Walker across 22 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Ken Griffey Jr. struck out more than walked (1,779 to 1,312), and Larry Walker struck out more than walked (1,231 to 913). Larry Walker was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Larry Walker owns the better peak by OPS: 1.076 OPS in 1994 for Ken Griffey Jr. against 1.172 OPS in 1997 for Larry Walker.
Ken Griffey Jr. vs Larry Walker: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ken Griffey Jr. or Larry Walker?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, neither leads: they split the 12 scored categories 6–6.
- Did Ken Griffey Jr. or Larry Walker hit more home runs?
- Ken Griffey Jr., with 630 to Larry Walker's 383.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Larry Walker, with .965 to Ken Griffey Jr.'s .907.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Larry Walker, with .313 to Ken Griffey Jr.'s .284.
- Who had more hits?
- Ken Griffey Jr., with 2,781 to Larry Walker's 2,160.