Monte Irvin vs Joe Medwick: Career Stats Comparison
Joe Medwick has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Monte Irvin played 1949–1956 as a hitter; Joe Medwick played 1932–1948 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
Monte Irvin (1949–1956) and Joe Medwick (1932–1948) — they broke in during the 1940s and the 1930s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Monte Irvin finished with 1,091 hits and 140 home runs; Joe Medwick finished with 2,471 hits and 205 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Joe Medwick, with 205 to Monte Irvin's 140.
- Who had the higher OPS? Monte Irvin, with .886 to Joe Medwick's .867.
- Who had the higher batting average? Joe Medwick, with .324 to Monte Irvin's .306.
- Who had more hits? Joe Medwick, with 2,471 to Monte Irvin's 1,091.
- Who drove in more runs? Joe Medwick, with 1,383 to Monte Irvin's 693.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Joe Medwick, with 28,897 career PIV to Monte Irvin's 15,659.
- Who won more championships? Monte Irvin, with 2 World Series titles to Joe Medwick's 1.
Monte Irvin
Joe Medwick
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Monte Irvin and Joe Medwick. 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 1940s and the 1930s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Monte Irvin | Joe Medwick |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,055 | Leads: 1,984 |
| At-Bats | 3,570 | Leads: 7,635 |
| Runs | 593 | Leads: 1,198 |
| Hits | 1,091 | Leads: 2,471 |
| Doubles | 159 | Leads: 540 |
| Triples | 46 | Leads: 113 |
| Home Runs | 140 | Leads: 205 |
| RBI | 693 | Leads: 1,383 |
| Walks | Leads: 484 | 437 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 231 | 551 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 54 | 42 |
| Batting Avg | .306 | Leads: .324 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .392 | .362 |
| Slugging % | .494 | Leads: .505 |
| OPS | Leads: .886 | .867 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Joe Medwick outpaces Monte Irvin 28,897 to 15,659 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,445 PIV per season to 870, across 20 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).
Monte Irvin — top 3 seasons by OPS
Joe Medwick — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Joe Medwick leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Monte Irvin owns stolen bases, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Joe Medwick. PIV agrees: Joe Medwick grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Monte Irvin and Joe Medwick careers compare
No season is shared: Joe Medwick played 1932–1948, Monte Irvin 1949–1956. The table compares 1,055 games of Monte Irvin with 1,984 of Joe Medwick across 18 and 20 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. The green cells for Monte Irvin are walks (484 to 437), stolen bases (54 to 42), and on-base percentage (.392 to .362). Plate discipline differs: Monte Irvin walked more often than struck out (484 walks, 231 strikeouts), but Joe Medwick struck out more than walked (551 to 437). Monte Irvin is the more power-leaning hitter, with 140 of 1,091 hits leaving the park.
Monte Irvin vs Joe Medwick: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Monte Irvin or Joe Medwick?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Joe Medwick leads Monte Irvin in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Monte Irvin or Joe Medwick hit more home runs?
- Joe Medwick, with 205 to Monte Irvin's 140.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Monte Irvin, with .886 to Joe Medwick's .867.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Joe Medwick, with .324 to Monte Irvin's .306.
- Who had more hits?
- Joe Medwick, with 2,471 to Monte Irvin's 1,091.