Monte Irvin vs Johnny Mize: Career Stats Comparison
Johnny Mize has the better career line of the two, leading 13 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; Johnny Mize played 1936–1953 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 Johnny Mize (1936–1953) — 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; Johnny Mize finished with 2,011 hits and 359 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Johnny Mize, with 359 to Monte Irvin's 140.
- Who had the higher OPS? Johnny Mize, with .959 to Monte Irvin's .886.
- Who had the higher batting average? Johnny Mize, with .312 to Monte Irvin's .306.
- Who had more hits? Johnny Mize, with 2,011 to Monte Irvin's 1,091.
- Who drove in more runs? Johnny Mize, with 1,337 to Monte Irvin's 693.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Johnny Mize, with 43,061 career PIV to Monte Irvin's 15,659.
- Who won more championships? Johnny Mize, with 5 World Series titles to Monte Irvin's 2.
Monte Irvin
Johnny Mize
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Monte Irvin and Johnny Mize. 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 | Johnny Mize |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,055 | Leads: 1,884 |
| At-Bats | 3,570 | Leads: 6,443 |
| Runs | 593 | Leads: 1,118 |
| Hits | 1,091 | Leads: 2,011 |
| Doubles | 159 | Leads: 367 |
| Triples | 46 | Leads: 83 |
| Home Runs | 140 | Leads: 359 |
| RBI | 693 | Leads: 1,337 |
| Walks | 484 | Leads: 856 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 231 | 524 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 54 | 28 |
| Batting Avg | .306 | Leads: .312 |
| On-Base % | .392 | Leads: .397 |
| Slugging % | .494 | Leads: .562 |
| OPS | .886 | Leads: .959 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Johnny Mize outpaces Monte Irvin 43,061 to 15,659 — driven by per-season impact — 2,691 PIV per season to 870 — rather than by longevity, since Johnny Mize played 16 seasons to Monte Irvin's 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
Johnny Mize — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Johnny Mize leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Monte Irvin owns stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Johnny Mize. PIV agrees: Johnny Mize 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 Johnny Mize careers compare
Monte Irvin and Johnny Mize were active at the same time between 1949 and 1953. The table compares 1,055 games of Monte Irvin with 1,884 of Johnny Mize across 18 and 16 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. The green cells for Monte Irvin are stolen bases (54 to 28). Monte Irvin walked more often than struck out (484 walks, 231 strikeouts); Johnny Mize walked more often than struck out (856 walks, 524 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Johnny Mize's hits: 140 of 1,091 for Monte Irvin, 359 of 2,011 for Johnny Mize. In slugging percentage, Johnny Mize holds the edge, .562 to .494.
Monte Irvin vs Johnny Mize: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Monte Irvin or Johnny Mize?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Johnny Mize leads Monte Irvin in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Monte Irvin or Johnny Mize hit more home runs?
- Johnny Mize, with 359 to Monte Irvin's 140.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Johnny Mize, with .959 to Monte Irvin's .886.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Johnny Mize, with .312 to Monte Irvin's .306.
- Who had more hits?
- Johnny Mize, with 2,011 to Monte Irvin's 1,091.