Rogers Hornsby vs Mike Schmidt: Career Stats Comparison
Rogers Hornsby 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; Mike Schmidt played 1972–1989 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 Mike Schmidt (1972–1989) — they broke in during the 1910s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Rogers Hornsby finished with 2,930 hits and 301 home runs; Mike Schmidt finished with 2,234 hits and 548 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Mike Schmidt, with 548 to Rogers Hornsby's 301.
- Who had the higher OPS? Rogers Hornsby, with 1.010 to Mike Schmidt's .908.
- Who had the higher batting average? Rogers Hornsby, with .358 to Mike Schmidt's .267.
- Who had more hits? Rogers Hornsby, with 2,930 to Mike Schmidt's 2,234.
- Who drove in more runs? Mike Schmidt, with 1,595 to Rogers Hornsby's 1,584.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rogers Hornsby, with 68,443 career PIV to Mike Schmidt's 49,630.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Rogers Hornsby
Mike Schmidt
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Rogers Hornsby and Mike Schmidt. 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 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Rogers Hornsby | Mike Schmidt |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,259 | Leads: 2,404 |
| At-Bats | 8,173 | Leads: 8,352 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,579 | 1,506 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,930 | 2,234 |
| Doubles | Leads: 541 | 408 |
| Triples | Leads: 169 | 59 |
| Home Runs | 301 | Leads: 548 |
| RBI | 1,584 | Leads: 1,595 |
| Walks | 1,038 | Leads: 1,507 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 679 | 1,883 |
| Stolen Bases | 135 | Leads: 174 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .358 | .267 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .434 | .380 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .577 | .527 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.010 | .908 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rogers Hornsby outpaces Mike Schmidt 68,443 to 49,630 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,852 PIV per season to 2,757, across 24 seasons to 18. 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
Mike Schmidt — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rogers Hornsby leads in hits, runs, batting average, and OBP, while Mike Schmidt owns home runs, RBI, and stolen bases. 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 Mike Schmidt careers compare
Rogers Hornsby (1915–1937) was finished before Mike Schmidt (1972–1989) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 2,259 games against 2,404 across 24 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Rogers Hornsby walked more often than struck out (1,038 walks, 679 strikeouts), while Mike Schmidt struck out more than walked (1,883 to 1,507). Mike Schmidt is the more power-leaning hitter, with 548 of 2,234 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Mike Schmidt stole more often per game played (135 steals in 2,259 games for Rogers Hornsby, 174 in 2,404 for Mike Schmidt). Rogers Hornsby's slugging percentage of .577 tops Mike Schmidt's .527.
Rogers Hornsby vs Mike Schmidt: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rogers Hornsby or Mike Schmidt?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rogers Hornsby leads Mike Schmidt in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Rogers Hornsby or Mike Schmidt hit more home runs?
- Mike Schmidt, with 548 to Rogers Hornsby's 301.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Rogers Hornsby, with 1.010 to Mike Schmidt's .908.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Rogers Hornsby, with .358 to Mike Schmidt's .267.
- Who had more hits?
- Rogers Hornsby, with 2,930 to Mike Schmidt's 2,234.