Rickey Henderson vs Derek Jeter: Career Stats Comparison
Rickey Henderson has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Rickey Henderson played 1979–2003 as a hitter; Derek Jeter played 1995–2014 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
Rickey Henderson (1979–2003) and Derek Jeter (1995–2014) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1990s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Rickey Henderson finished with 3,055 hits and 297 home runs; Derek Jeter finished with 3,465 hits and 260 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Rickey Henderson, with 297 to Derek Jeter's 260.
- Who had the higher OPS? Rickey Henderson, with .820 to Derek Jeter's .817.
- Who had the higher batting average? Derek Jeter, with .310 to Rickey Henderson's .279.
- Who had more hits? Derek Jeter, with 3,465 to Rickey Henderson's 3,055.
- Who drove in more runs? Derek Jeter, with 1,311 to Rickey Henderson's 1,115.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rickey Henderson, with 37,642 career PIV to Derek Jeter's 24,469.
- Who won more championships? Derek Jeter, with 5 World Series titles to Rickey Henderson's 2.
Rickey Henderson
Derek Jeter
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rickey Henderson and Derek Jeter. 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 1970s and the 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Rickey Henderson | Derek Jeter |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 3,081 | 2,747 |
| At-Bats | 10,961 | Leads: 11,195 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,295 | 1,923 |
| Hits | 3,055 | Leads: 3,465 |
| Doubles | 510 | Leads: 544 |
| Triples | 66 | 66 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 297 | 260 |
| RBI | 1,115 | Leads: 1,311 |
| Walks | Leads: 2,190 | 1,082 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,694 | 1,840 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 1,406 | 358 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .310 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .401 | .377 |
| Slugging % | .419 | Leads: .440 |
| OPS | Leads: .820 | .817 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rickey Henderson outpaces Derek Jeter 37,642 to 24,469 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,298 PIV per season to 1,223, across 29 seasons to 20. 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).
Rickey Henderson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Derek Jeter — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rickey Henderson leads in home runs, runs, stolen bases, and OBP, while Derek Jeter owns hits, RBI, and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rickey Henderson. PIV agrees: Rickey Henderson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Rickey Henderson and Derek Jeter careers compare
From 1995 through 2003, Rickey Henderson and Derek Jeter were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 3,081 games for Rickey Henderson and 2,747 for Derek Jeter across 29 and 20 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Plate discipline differs: Rickey Henderson walked more often than struck out (2,190 walks, 1,694 strikeouts), but Derek Jeter struck out more than walked (1,840 to 1,082). On the bases, Rickey Henderson stole more often per game played (1,406 steals in 3,081 games for Rickey Henderson, 358 in 2,747 for Derek Jeter). Derek Jeter's slugging percentage of .440 tops Rickey Henderson's .419.
Rickey Henderson vs Derek Jeter: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rickey Henderson or Derek Jeter?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rickey Henderson leads Derek Jeter in 7 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Rickey Henderson or Derek Jeter hit more home runs?
- Rickey Henderson, with 297 to Derek Jeter's 260.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Rickey Henderson, with .820 to Derek Jeter's .817.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Derek Jeter, with .310 to Rickey Henderson's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Derek Jeter, with 3,465 to Rickey Henderson's 3,055.