Jeff Kent vs Barry Larkin: Career Stats Comparison
Jeff Kent 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). Jeff Kent played 1992–2008 as a hitter; Barry Larkin played 1986–2004 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
Jeff Kent (1992–2008) and Barry Larkin (1986–2004) — they broke in during the 1990s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Jeff Kent finished with 2,461 hits and 377 home runs; Barry Larkin finished with 2,340 hits and 198 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Jeff Kent, with 377 to Barry Larkin's 198.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jeff Kent, with .855 to Barry Larkin's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average? Barry Larkin, with .295 to Jeff Kent's .290.
- Who had more hits? Jeff Kent, with 2,461 to Barry Larkin's 2,340.
- Who drove in more runs? Jeff Kent, with 1,518 to Barry Larkin's 960.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jeff Kent, with 22,166 career PIV to Barry Larkin's 17,788.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Jeff Kent
Barry Larkin
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jeff Kent and Barry Larkin. 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 | Jeff Kent | Barry Larkin |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,298 | 2,180 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,498 | 7,937 |
| Runs | 1,320 | Leads: 1,329 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,461 | 2,340 |
| Doubles | Leads: 560 | 441 |
| Triples | 47 | Leads: 76 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 377 | 198 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,518 | 960 |
| Walks | 801 | Leads: 939 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,522 | 817 |
| Stolen Bases | 94 | Leads: 379 |
| Batting Avg | .290 | Leads: .295 |
| On-Base % | .356 | Leads: .371 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .500 | .444 |
| OPS | Leads: .855 | .815 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jeff Kent leads Barry Larkin 22,166 to 17,788 — driven by per-season impact — 1,167 PIV per season to 936 — rather than by longevity, since Jeff Kent played 19 seasons to Barry Larkin's 19. 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).
Jeff Kent — top 3 seasons by OPS
Barry Larkin — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jeff Kent leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and OPS, while Barry Larkin owns runs, stolen bases, and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jeff Kent. PIV agrees: Jeff Kent grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jeff Kent and Barry Larkin careers compare
From 1992 through 2004, Jeff Kent and Barry Larkin were in the majors together. With 2,298 games against 2,180 across 19 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Plate discipline differs: Jeff Kent struck out more than walked (1,522 to 801), but Barry Larkin walked more often than struck out (939 walks, 817 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Jeff Kent's hits: 377 of 2,461 for Jeff Kent, 198 of 2,340 for Barry Larkin. Barry Larkin was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Jeff Kent's slugging percentage of .500 tops Barry Larkin's .444.
Jeff Kent vs Barry Larkin: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jeff Kent or Barry Larkin?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jeff Kent leads Barry Larkin in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jeff Kent or Barry Larkin hit more home runs?
- Jeff Kent, with 377 to Barry Larkin's 198.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jeff Kent, with .855 to Barry Larkin's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Barry Larkin, with .295 to Jeff Kent's .290.
- Who had more hits?
- Jeff Kent, with 2,461 to Barry Larkin's 2,340.