Derek Jeter vs Eddie Mathews: Career Stats Comparison
Derek Jeter 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). Derek Jeter played 1995–2014 as a hitter; Eddie Mathews played 1952–1968 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 Eddie Mathews (1952–1968) — they broke in during the 1990s and the 1950s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Derek Jeter finished with 3,465 hits and 260 home runs; Eddie Mathews finished with 2,315 hits and 512 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Eddie Mathews, with 512 to Derek Jeter's 260.
- Who had the higher OPS? Eddie Mathews, with .885 to Derek Jeter's .817.
- Who had the higher batting average? Derek Jeter, with .310 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits? Derek Jeter, with 3,465 to Eddie Mathews's 2,315.
- Who drove in more runs? Eddie Mathews, with 1,453 to Derek Jeter's 1,311.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Eddie Mathews, with 45,555 career PIV to Derek Jeter's 24,469.
- Who won more championships? Derek Jeter, with 5 World Series titles to Eddie Mathews's 2.
Derek Jeter
Eddie Mathews
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Derek Jeter and Eddie Mathews. 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 1990s and the 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Derek Jeter | Eddie Mathews |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,747 | 2,391 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 11,195 | 8,537 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,923 | 1,509 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,465 | 2,315 |
| Doubles | Leads: 544 | 354 |
| Triples | 66 | Leads: 72 |
| Home Runs | 260 | Leads: 512 |
| RBI | 1,311 | Leads: 1,453 |
| Walks | 1,082 | Leads: 1,444 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,840 | 1,487 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 358 | 68 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .310 | .271 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .377 | .376 |
| Slugging % | .440 | Leads: .509 |
| OPS | .817 | Leads: .885 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Eddie Mathews outpaces Derek Jeter 45,555 to 24,469 — driven by per-season impact — 2,531 PIV per season to 1,223 — rather than by longevity, since Eddie Mathews played 18 seasons to Derek Jeter's 20. 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
Eddie Mathews — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Derek Jeter leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Eddie Mathews owns home runs, RBI, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Derek Jeter. Note that PIV actually grades Eddie Mathews ahead, which means Derek Jeter's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Derek Jeter and Eddie Mathews careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Eddie Mathews's ended in 1968, and Derek Jeter debuted in 1995. With 2,747 games against 2,391 across 20 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Derek Jeter struck out more than walked (1,840 to 1,082); Eddie Mathews struck out more than walked (1,487 to 1,444). Home runs make up a larger share of Eddie Mathews's hits: 260 of 3,465 for Derek Jeter, 512 of 2,315 for Eddie Mathews. On the bases, Derek Jeter stole more often per game played (358 steals in 2,747 games for Derek Jeter, 68 in 2,391 for Eddie Mathews). Eddie Mathews's slugging percentage of .509 tops Derek Jeter's .440.
Derek Jeter vs Eddie Mathews: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Derek Jeter or Eddie Mathews?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Derek Jeter leads Eddie Mathews in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Derek Jeter or Eddie Mathews hit more home runs?
- Eddie Mathews, with 512 to Derek Jeter's 260.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Eddie Mathews, with .885 to Derek Jeter's .817.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Derek Jeter, with .310 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits?
- Derek Jeter, with 3,465 to Eddie Mathews's 2,315.