Derek Jeter vs Rafael Palmeiro: Career Stats Comparison
Derek Jeter and Rafael Palmeiro are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Derek Jeter played 1995–2014 as a hitter; Rafael Palmeiro played 1986–2005 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 Rafael Palmeiro (1986–2005) — they broke in during the 1990s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Derek Jeter finished with 3,465 hits and 260 home runs; Rafael Palmeiro finished with 3,020 hits and 569 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Rafael Palmeiro, with 569 to Derek Jeter's 260.
- Who had the higher OPS? Rafael Palmeiro, with .885 to Derek Jeter's .817.
- Who had the higher batting average? Derek Jeter, with .310 to Rafael Palmeiro's .288.
- Who had more hits? Derek Jeter, with 3,465 to Rafael Palmeiro's 3,020.
- Who drove in more runs? Rafael Palmeiro, with 1,835 to Derek Jeter's 1,311.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Rafael Palmeiro, with 42,814 career PIV to Derek Jeter's 24,469.
- Who won more championships? Derek Jeter, with 5 World Series titles to Rafael Palmeiro's 0.
Derek Jeter
Rafael Palmeiro
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Derek Jeter and Rafael Palmeiro. 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 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Derek Jeter | Rafael Palmeiro |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,747 | Leads: 2,831 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 11,195 | 10,472 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,923 | 1,663 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,465 | 3,020 |
| Doubles | 544 | Leads: 585 |
| Triples | Leads: 66 | 38 |
| Home Runs | 260 | Leads: 569 |
| RBI | 1,311 | Leads: 1,835 |
| Walks | 1,082 | Leads: 1,353 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,840 | 1,348 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 358 | 97 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .310 | .288 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .377 | .371 |
| Slugging % | .440 | Leads: .515 |
| OPS | .817 | Leads: .885 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rafael Palmeiro outpaces Derek Jeter 42,814 to 24,469 — driven by per-season impact — 2,141 PIV per season to 1,223 — rather than by longevity, since Rafael Palmeiro played 20 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
Rafael Palmeiro — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Derek Jeter leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Rafael Palmeiro 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 Rafael Palmeiro 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 Rafael Palmeiro careers compare
The careers of Derek Jeter (1995–2014) and Rafael Palmeiro (1986–2005) overlapped from 1995 to 2005, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,747 games against 2,831 across 20 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Derek Jeter struck out more than walked (1,840 to 1,082), while Rafael Palmeiro walked more often than struck out (1,353 walks, 1,348 strikeouts). Rafael Palmeiro is the more power-leaning hitter, with 569 of 3,020 hits leaving the park. Derek Jeter was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Derek Jeter vs Rafael Palmeiro: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Derek Jeter or Rafael Palmeiro hit more home runs?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with 569 to Derek Jeter's 260.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with .885 to Derek Jeter's .817.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Derek Jeter, with .310 to Rafael Palmeiro's .288.
- Who had more hits?
- Derek Jeter, with 3,465 to Rafael Palmeiro's 3,020.