Derek Jeter vs Jim Thome: 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; Jim Thome played 1991–2012 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 Jim Thome (1991–2012) — 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; Jim Thome finished with 2,328 hits and 612 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Jim Thome, with 612 to Derek Jeter's 260.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jim Thome, with .956 to Derek Jeter's .817.
- Who had the higher batting average? Derek Jeter, with .310 to Jim Thome's .276.
- Who had more hits? Derek Jeter, with 3,465 to Jim Thome's 2,328.
- Who drove in more runs? Jim Thome, with 1,699 to Derek Jeter's 1,311.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jim Thome, with 51,664 career PIV to Derek Jeter's 24,469.
- Who won more championships? Derek Jeter, with 5 World Series titles to Jim Thome's 0.
Derek Jeter
Jim Thome
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Derek Jeter and Jim Thome. 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 | Jim Thome |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,747 | 2,543 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 11,195 | 8,422 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,923 | 1,583 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,465 | 2,328 |
| Doubles | Leads: 544 | 451 |
| Triples | Leads: 66 | 26 |
| Home Runs | 260 | Leads: 612 |
| RBI | 1,311 | Leads: 1,699 |
| Walks | 1,082 | Leads: 1,747 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,840 | 2,548 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 358 | 19 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .310 | .276 |
| On-Base % | .377 | Leads: .402 |
| Slugging % | .440 | Leads: .554 |
| OPS | .817 | Leads: .956 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jim Thome outpaces Derek Jeter 51,664 to 24,469 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,067 PIV per season to 1,223, across 25 seasons to 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
Jim Thome — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jim Thome leads in home runs, RBI, OBP, and OPS, while Derek Jeter owns hits, runs, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jim Thome. PIV agrees: Jim Thome 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 Jim Thome careers compare
From 1995 through 2012, Derek Jeter and Jim Thome were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,747 games for Derek Jeter and 2,543 for Jim Thome across 20 and 25 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Derek Jeter struck out more than walked (1,840 to 1,082), and Jim Thome struck out more than walked (2,548 to 1,747). Jim Thome is the more power-leaning hitter, with 612 of 2,328 hits leaving the park. Derek Jeter was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Derek Jeter vs Jim Thome: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Derek Jeter or Jim Thome?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Derek Jeter leads Jim Thome in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Derek Jeter or Jim Thome hit more home runs?
- Jim Thome, with 612 to Derek Jeter's 260.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jim Thome, with .956 to Derek Jeter's .817.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Derek Jeter, with .310 to Jim Thome's .276.
- Who had more hits?
- Derek Jeter, with 3,465 to Jim Thome's 2,328.