Bryce Harper vs Buster Posey: Career Stats Comparison
Bryce Harper 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). Bryce Harper has played 2012–present as a hitter; Buster Posey played 2009–2021 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
Bryce Harper (2012–present) and Buster Posey (2009–2021) — they broke in during the 2010s and the 2000s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Bryce Harper has 1,956 hits and 392 home runs through October 12, 2026; Buster Posey finished with 1,500 hits and 158 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Bryce Harper, with 392 to Buster Posey's 158.
- Who had the higher OPS? Bryce Harper, with .902 to Buster Posey's .831.
- Who had the higher batting average? Buster Posey, with .302 to Bryce Harper's .279.
- Who had more hits? Bryce Harper, with 1,956 to Buster Posey's 1,500.
- Who drove in more runs? Bryce Harper, with 1,138 to Buster Posey's 729.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Bryce Harper, with 34,405 career PIV to Buster Posey's 15,615.
- Who won more championships? Buster Posey, with 3 World Series titles to Bryce Harper's 0.
Bryce Harper
Buster Posey
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Bryce Harper and Buster Posey. 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 2010s and the 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Bryce Harper is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Bryce Harper | Buster Posey |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,947 | 1,371 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,012 | 4,970 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,247 | 663 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,956 | 1,500 |
| Doubles | Leads: 433 | 293 |
| Triples | Leads: 27 | 9 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 392 | 158 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,138 | 729 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,212 | 540 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,802 | 721 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 159 | 23 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .302 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .386 | .372 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .516 | .460 |
| OPS | Leads: .902 | .831 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bryce Harper outpaces Buster Posey 34,405 to 15,615 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,458 PIV per season to 1,301, across 14 seasons to 12. 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).
Bryce Harper — top 3 seasons by OPS
Buster Posey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bryce Harper leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Buster Posey owns batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bryce Harper. PIV agrees: Bryce Harper grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Bryce Harper and Buster Posey careers compare
From 2012 through 2021, Bryce Harper and Buster Posey were in the majors together. With 1,947 games against 1,371 across 14 and 12 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Buster Posey are batting average (.302 to .279). Bryce Harper struck out more than walked (1,802 to 1,212); Buster Posey struck out more than walked (721 to 540). Home runs make up a larger share of Bryce Harper's hits: 392 of 1,956 for Bryce Harper, 158 of 1,500 for Buster Posey. Bryce Harper was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Bryce Harper holds the edge, .516 to .460. Bryce Harper's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Bryce Harper vs Buster Posey: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bryce Harper or Buster Posey?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bryce Harper leads Buster Posey in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Bryce Harper or Buster Posey hit more home runs?
- Bryce Harper, with 392 to Buster Posey's 158.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Bryce Harper, with .902 to Buster Posey's .831.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Buster Posey, with .302 to Bryce Harper's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Bryce Harper, with 1,956 to Buster Posey's 1,500.