Derek Jeter vs Phil Rizzuto: Career Stats Comparison
Derek Jeter has the better career line of the two, leading 14 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; Phil Rizzuto played 1941–1956 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 Phil Rizzuto (1941–1956) — they broke in during the 1990s and the 1940s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Derek Jeter finished with 3,465 hits and 260 home runs; Phil Rizzuto finished with 1,588 hits and 38 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Derek Jeter, with 260 to Phil Rizzuto's 38.
- Who had the higher OPS? Derek Jeter, with .817 to Phil Rizzuto's .706.
- Who had the higher batting average? Derek Jeter, with .310 to Phil Rizzuto's .273.
- Who had more hits? Derek Jeter, with 3,465 to Phil Rizzuto's 1,588.
- Who drove in more runs? Derek Jeter, with 1,311 to Phil Rizzuto's 563.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Derek Jeter, with 24,469 career PIV to Phil Rizzuto's 662.
- Who won more championships? Phil Rizzuto, with 8 World Series titles to Derek Jeter's 5.
Derek Jeter
Phil Rizzuto
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Derek Jeter and Phil Rizzuto. 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 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Derek Jeter | Phil Rizzuto |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,747 | 1,661 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 11,195 | 5,816 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,923 | 877 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,465 | 1,588 |
| Doubles | Leads: 544 | 239 |
| Triples | Leads: 66 | 62 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 260 | 38 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,311 | 563 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,082 | 651 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,840 | 398 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 358 | 149 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .310 | .273 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .377 | .351 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .440 | .355 |
| OPS | Leads: .817 | .706 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Derek Jeter outpaces Phil Rizzuto 24,469 to 662 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,223 PIV per season to 51, across 20 seasons to 13. 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
Phil Rizzuto — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Derek Jeter leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Phil Rizzuto owns no headline categories. 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 Phil Rizzuto careers compare
Phil Rizzuto (1941–1956) was finished before Derek Jeter (1995–2014) arrived, so they never shared a league. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Derek Jeter appeared in 2,747 games to Phil Rizzuto's 1,661. Every scored category on the table goes to Derek Jeter. Plate discipline differs: Derek Jeter struck out more than walked (1,840 to 1,082), but Phil Rizzuto walked more often than struck out (651 walks, 398 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Derek Jeter's hits: 260 of 3,465 for Derek Jeter, 38 of 1,588 for Phil Rizzuto.
Derek Jeter vs Phil Rizzuto: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Derek Jeter or Phil Rizzuto?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Derek Jeter leads Phil Rizzuto in 14 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Derek Jeter or Phil Rizzuto hit more home runs?
- Derek Jeter, with 260 to Phil Rizzuto's 38.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Derek Jeter, with .817 to Phil Rizzuto's .706.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Derek Jeter, with .310 to Phil Rizzuto's .273.
- Who had more hits?
- Derek Jeter, with 3,465 to Phil Rizzuto's 1,588.