Derek Jeter vs Ted Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Ted Williams 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; Ted Williams played 1939–1960 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 Ted Williams (1939–1960) — they broke in during the 1990s and the 1930s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Derek Jeter finished with 3,465 hits and 260 home runs; Ted Williams finished with 2,654 hits and 521 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Ted Williams, with 521 to Derek Jeter's 260.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ted Williams, with 1.116 to Derek Jeter's .817.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ted Williams, with .344 to Derek Jeter's .310.
- Who had more hits? Derek Jeter, with 3,465 to Ted Williams's 2,654.
- Who drove in more runs? Ted Williams, with 1,839 to Derek Jeter's 1,311.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ted Williams, with 96,302 career PIV to Derek Jeter's 24,469.
- Who won more championships? Derek Jeter, with 5 World Series titles to Ted Williams's 0.
Derek Jeter
Ted Williams
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Derek Jeter and Ted Williams. 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 1930s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Derek Jeter | Ted Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,747 | 2,292 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 11,195 | 7,706 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,923 | 1,798 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,465 | 2,654 |
| Doubles | Leads: 544 | 525 |
| Triples | 66 | Leads: 71 |
| Home Runs | 260 | Leads: 521 |
| RBI | 1,311 | Leads: 1,839 |
| Walks | 1,082 | Leads: 2,021 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,840 | 709 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 358 | 24 |
| Batting Avg | .310 | Leads: .344 |
| On-Base % | .377 | Leads: .482 |
| Slugging % | .440 | Leads: .634 |
| OPS | .817 | Leads: 1.116 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ted Williams outpaces Derek Jeter 96,302 to 24,469 — driven by per-season impact — 5,069 PIV per season to 1,223 — rather than by longevity, since Ted Williams played 19 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
Ted Williams — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ted Williams leads in home runs, RBI, batting average, and OBP, 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 Ted Williams. PIV agrees: Ted Williams 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 Ted Williams careers compare
No season is shared: Ted Williams played 1939–1960, Derek Jeter 1995–2014. The two careers are close in length, 2,747 games for Derek Jeter and 2,292 for Ted Williams across 20 and 19 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Plate discipline differs: Derek Jeter struck out more than walked (1,840 to 1,082), but Ted Williams walked more often than struck out (2,021 walks, 709 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Ted Williams's hits: 260 of 3,465 for Derek Jeter, 521 of 2,654 for Ted Williams. Derek Jeter was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Ted Williams holds the edge, .634 to .440.
Derek Jeter vs Ted Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Derek Jeter or Ted Williams?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ted Williams leads Derek Jeter in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Derek Jeter or Ted Williams hit more home runs?
- Ted Williams, with 521 to Derek Jeter's 260.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ted Williams, with 1.116 to Derek Jeter's .817.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ted Williams, with .344 to Derek Jeter's .310.
- Who had more hits?
- Derek Jeter, with 3,465 to Ted Williams's 2,654.