Ken Griffey vs Carl Yastrzemski: Career Stats Comparison
Carl Yastrzemski has the better career line of the two, leading 10 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; Carl Yastrzemski played 1961–1983 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 Carl Yastrzemski (1961–1983) — 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; Carl Yastrzemski finished with 3,419 hits and 452 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 Carl Yastrzemski's 452.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ken Griffey, with .907 to Carl Yastrzemski's .841.
- Who had the higher batting average? Carl Yastrzemski, with .285 to Ken Griffey's .284.
- Who had more hits? Carl Yastrzemski, with 3,419 to Ken Griffey's 2,781.
- Who drove in more runs? Carl Yastrzemski, with 1,844 to Ken Griffey's 1,836.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Carl Yastrzemski, with 54,310 career PIV to Ken Griffey's 43,975.
Ken Griffey
Carl Yastrzemski
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ken Griffey and Carl Yastrzemski. 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 | Carl Yastrzemski |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,671 | Leads: 3,308 |
| At-Bats | 9,801 | Leads: 11,988 |
| Runs | 1,662 | Leads: 1,816 |
| Hits | 2,781 | Leads: 3,419 |
| Doubles | 524 | Leads: 646 |
| Triples | 38 | Leads: 59 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 630 | 452 |
| RBI | 1,836 | Leads: 1,844 |
| Walks | 1,312 | Leads: 1,845 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,779 | 1,393 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 184 | 168 |
| Batting Avg | .284 | Leads: .285 |
| On-Base % | .370 | Leads: .379 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .538 | .462 |
| OPS | Leads: .907 | .841 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Carl Yastrzemski leads Ken Griffey 54,310 to 43,975 — driven by per-season impact — 2,361 PIV per season to 1,912 — rather than by longevity, since Carl Yastrzemski played 23 seasons to Ken Griffey's 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
Carl Yastrzemski — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Carl Yastrzemski leads in hits, RBI, runs, and batting average, while Ken Griffey owns home runs, stolen bases, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Carl Yastrzemski. PIV agrees: Carl Yastrzemski 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 Carl Yastrzemski careers compare
Carl Yastrzemski (1961–1983) was finished before Ken Griffey (1989–2010) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 2,671 games against 3,308 across 23 and 23 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Ken Griffey are home runs (630 to 452), stolen bases (184 to 168), and slugging percentage (.538 to .462). At the plate, Ken Griffey struck out more than walked (1,779 to 1,312), while Carl Yastrzemski walked more often than struck out (1,845 walks, 1,393 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Ken Griffey's hits: 630 of 2,781 for Ken Griffey, 452 of 3,419 for Carl Yastrzemski.
Ken Griffey vs Carl Yastrzemski: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ken Griffey or Carl Yastrzemski?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Carl Yastrzemski leads Ken Griffey in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ken Griffey or Carl Yastrzemski hit more home runs?
- Ken Griffey, with 630 to Carl Yastrzemski's 452.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ken Griffey, with .907 to Carl Yastrzemski's .841.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Carl Yastrzemski, with .285 to Ken Griffey's .284.
- Who had more hits?
- Carl Yastrzemski, with 3,419 to Ken Griffey's 2,781.