Derek Jeter vs Jeff Kent: Career Stats Comparison
Derek Jeter has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Derek Jeter played 1995–2014 as a hitter; Jeff Kent played 1992–2008 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
Derek Jeter (1995–2014) and Jeff Kent (1992–2008) — both broke in during the 1990s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Derek Jeter finished with 3,465 hits and 260 home runs; Jeff Kent finished with 2,461 hits and 377 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Jeff Kent, with 377 to Derek Jeter's 260.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jeff Kent, with .855 to Derek Jeter's .817.
- Who had the higher batting average? Derek Jeter, with .310 to Jeff Kent's .290.
- Who had more hits? Derek Jeter, with 3,465 to Jeff Kent's 2,461.
- Who drove in more runs? Jeff Kent, with 1,518 to Derek Jeter's 1,311.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Derek Jeter, with 24,469 career PIV to Jeff Kent's 22,166.
- Who won more championships? Derek Jeter, with 5 World Series titles to Jeff Kent's 1.
Derek Jeter
Jeff Kent
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Derek Jeter and Jeff Kent. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Derek Jeter | Jeff Kent |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,747 | 2,298 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 11,195 | 8,498 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,923 | 1,320 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,465 | 2,461 |
| Doubles | 544 | Leads: 560 |
| Triples | Leads: 66 | 47 |
| Home Runs | 260 | Leads: 377 |
| RBI | 1,311 | Leads: 1,518 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,082 | 801 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,840 | 1,522 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 358 | 94 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .310 | .290 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .377 | .356 |
| Slugging % | .440 | Leads: .500 |
| OPS | .817 | Leads: .855 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Derek Jeter leads Jeff Kent 24,469 to 22,166 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,223 PIV per season to 1,167, across 20 seasons to 19. 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).
Derek Jeter — top 3 seasons by OPS
Jeff Kent — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Derek Jeter leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Jeff Kent owns home runs, RBI, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Derek Jeter. PIV agrees: Derek Jeter grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Derek Jeter and Jeff Kent careers compare
Derek Jeter and Jeff Kent were active at the same time between 1995 and 2008. The two careers are close in length, 2,747 games for Derek Jeter and 2,298 for Jeff Kent across 20 and 19 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Derek Jeter struck out more than walked (1,840 to 1,082); Jeff Kent struck out more than walked (1,522 to 801). Jeff Kent is the more power-leaning hitter, with 377 of 2,461 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Derek Jeter stole more often per game played (358 steals in 2,747 games for Derek Jeter, 94 in 2,298 for Jeff Kent).
Derek Jeter vs Jeff Kent: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Derek Jeter or Jeff Kent?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Derek Jeter leads Jeff Kent in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Derek Jeter or Jeff Kent hit more home runs?
- Jeff Kent, with 377 to Derek Jeter's 260.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jeff Kent, with .855 to Derek Jeter's .817.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Derek Jeter, with .310 to Jeff Kent's .290.
- Who had more hits?
- Derek Jeter, with 3,465 to Jeff Kent's 2,461.