Rogers Hornsby vs Albert Pujols: Career Stats Comparison
Albert Pujols has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Rogers Hornsby played 1915–1937 as a hitter; Albert Pujols played 2001–2022 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
Rogers Hornsby (1915–1937) and Albert Pujols (2001–2022) — they broke in during the 1910s and the 2000s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Rogers Hornsby finished with 2,930 hits and 301 home runs; Albert Pujols finished with 3,384 hits and 703 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Albert Pujols, with 703 to Rogers Hornsby's 301.
- Who had the higher OPS? Rogers Hornsby, with 1.010 to Albert Pujols's .918.
- Who had the higher batting average? Rogers Hornsby, with .358 to Albert Pujols's .296.
- Who had more hits? Albert Pujols, with 3,384 to Rogers Hornsby's 2,930.
- Who drove in more runs? Albert Pujols, with 2,218 to Rogers Hornsby's 1,584.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rogers Hornsby, with 68,443 career PIV to Albert Pujols's 58,591.
- Who won more championships? Albert Pujols, with 2 World Series titles to Rogers Hornsby's 1.
Rogers Hornsby
Albert Pujols
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rogers Hornsby and Albert Pujols. 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 1910s and the 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Rogers Hornsby | Albert Pujols |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,259 | Leads: 3,080 |
| At-Bats | 8,173 | Leads: 11,421 |
| Runs | 1,579 | Leads: 1,914 |
| Hits | 2,930 | Leads: 3,384 |
| Doubles | 541 | Leads: 686 |
| Triples | Leads: 169 | 16 |
| Home Runs | 301 | Leads: 703 |
| RBI | 1,584 | Leads: 2,218 |
| Walks | 1,038 | Leads: 1,373 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 679 | 1,404 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 135 | 117 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .358 | .296 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .434 | .374 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .577 | .544 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.010 | .918 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rogers Hornsby leads Albert Pujols 68,443 to 58,591 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,852 PIV per season to 2,547, across 24 seasons to 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).
Rogers Hornsby — top 3 seasons by OPS
Albert Pujols — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rogers Hornsby leads in stolen bases, batting average, OBP, and OPS, while Albert Pujols owns hits, home runs, and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rogers Hornsby. PIV agrees: Rogers Hornsby grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Rogers Hornsby and Albert Pujols careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Rogers Hornsby's ended in 1937, and Albert Pujols debuted in 2001. With 2,259 games against 3,080 across 24 and 23 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Plate discipline differs: Rogers Hornsby walked more often than struck out (1,038 walks, 679 strikeouts), but Albert Pujols struck out more than walked (1,404 to 1,373). Albert Pujols is the more power-leaning hitter, with 703 of 3,384 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Rogers Hornsby stole more often per game played (135 steals in 2,259 games for Rogers Hornsby, 117 in 3,080 for Albert Pujols). In slugging percentage, Rogers Hornsby holds the edge, .577 to .544.
Rogers Hornsby vs Albert Pujols: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rogers Hornsby or Albert Pujols?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Albert Pujols leads Rogers Hornsby in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Rogers Hornsby or Albert Pujols hit more home runs?
- Albert Pujols, with 703 to Rogers Hornsby's 301.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Rogers Hornsby, with 1.010 to Albert Pujols's .918.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Rogers Hornsby, with .358 to Albert Pujols's .296.
- Who had more hits?
- Albert Pujols, with 3,384 to Rogers Hornsby's 2,930.