Gabby Hartnett vs Buster Posey: Career Stats Comparison
Gabby Hartnett has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Gabby Hartnett played 1922–1941 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
Gabby Hartnett (1922–1941) and Buster Posey (2009–2021) — they broke in during the 1920s and the 2000s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Gabby Hartnett finished with 1,912 hits and 236 home runs; 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? Gabby Hartnett, with 236 to Buster Posey's 158.
- Who had the higher OPS? Gabby Hartnett, with .858 to Buster Posey's .831.
- Who had the higher batting average? Buster Posey, with .302 to Gabby Hartnett's .297.
- Who had more hits? Gabby Hartnett, with 1,912 to Buster Posey's 1,500.
- Who drove in more runs? Gabby Hartnett, with 1,179 to Buster Posey's 729.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Gabby Hartnett, with 20,627 career PIV to Buster Posey's 15,615.
- Who won more championships? Buster Posey, with 3 World Series titles to Gabby Hartnett's 0.
Gabby Hartnett
Buster Posey
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Gabby Hartnett 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 1920s and the 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Gabby Hartnett | Buster Posey |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,990 | 1,371 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 6,432 | 4,970 |
| Runs | Leads: 867 | 663 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,912 | 1,500 |
| Doubles | Leads: 396 | 293 |
| Triples | Leads: 64 | 9 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 236 | 158 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,179 | 729 |
| Walks | Leads: 703 | 540 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 697 | 721 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 28 | 23 |
| Batting Avg | .297 | Leads: .302 |
| On-Base % | .370 | Leads: .372 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .489 | .460 |
| OPS | Leads: .858 | .831 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Gabby Hartnett leads Buster Posey 20,627 to 15,615 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Gabby Hartnett played 20 seasons to Buster Posey's 12, while Buster Posey carries the higher per-season figure (1,301 to 1,031). 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).
Gabby Hartnett — top 3 seasons by OPS
Buster Posey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Gabby Hartnett leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Buster Posey owns batting average and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Gabby Hartnett. PIV agrees: Gabby Hartnett grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Gabby Hartnett and Buster Posey careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Gabby Hartnett's ended in 1941, and Buster Posey debuted in 2009. The two careers are close in length, 1,990 games for Gabby Hartnett and 1,371 for Buster Posey across 20 and 12 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Buster Posey comes out ahead, it is in batting average (.302 to .297) and on-base percentage (.372 to .370). At the plate, Gabby Hartnett walked more often than struck out (703 walks, 697 strikeouts), while Buster Posey struck out more than walked (721 to 540). Gabby Hartnett's slugging percentage of .489 tops Buster Posey's .460.
Gabby Hartnett vs Buster Posey: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Gabby Hartnett or Buster Posey?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Gabby Hartnett leads Buster Posey in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Gabby Hartnett or Buster Posey hit more home runs?
- Gabby Hartnett, with 236 to Buster Posey's 158.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Gabby Hartnett, with .858 to Buster Posey's .831.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Buster Posey, with .302 to Gabby Hartnett's .297.
- Who had more hits?
- Gabby Hartnett, with 1,912 to Buster Posey's 1,500.