Jeff Kent vs Edgar Martinez: Career Stats Comparison
Jeff Kent has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Edgar Martinez played 1987–2004 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 Edgar Martinez (1987–2004) — 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; Edgar Martinez finished with 2,247 hits and 309 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 Edgar Martinez's 309.
- Who had the higher OPS? Edgar Martinez, with .933 to Jeff Kent's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average? Edgar Martinez, with .312 to Jeff Kent's .290.
- Who had more hits? Jeff Kent, with 2,461 to Edgar Martinez's 2,247.
- Who drove in more runs? Jeff Kent, with 1,518 to Edgar Martinez's 1,261.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Edgar Martinez, with 41,586 career PIV to Jeff Kent's 22,166.
- Who won more championships? Jeff Kent, with 1 World Series title to Edgar Martinez's 0.
Jeff Kent
Edgar Martinez
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jeff Kent and Edgar Martinez. 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 | Edgar Martinez |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,298 | 2,055 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,498 | 7,213 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,320 | 1,219 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,461 | 2,247 |
| Doubles | Leads: 560 | 514 |
| Triples | Leads: 47 | 15 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 377 | 309 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,518 | 1,261 |
| Walks | 801 | Leads: 1,283 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,522 | 1,202 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 94 | 49 |
| Batting Avg | .290 | Leads: .312 |
| On-Base % | .356 | Leads: .418 |
| Slugging % | .500 | Leads: .515 |
| OPS | .855 | Leads: .933 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Edgar Martinez outpaces Jeff Kent 41,586 to 22,166 — driven by per-season impact — 2,310 PIV per season to 1,167 — rather than by longevity, since Edgar Martinez played 18 seasons to Jeff Kent'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
Edgar Martinez — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jeff Kent leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Edgar Martinez owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jeff Kent. Note that PIV actually grades Edgar Martinez ahead, which means Jeff Kent's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jeff Kent and Edgar Martinez careers compare
From 1992 through 2004, Jeff Kent and Edgar Martinez were in the majors together. With 2,298 games against 2,055 across 19 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Jeff Kent struck out more than walked (1,522 to 801), while Edgar Martinez walked more often than struck out (1,283 walks, 1,202 strikeouts). Edgar Martinez's slugging percentage of .515 tops Jeff Kent's .500. Edgar Martinez owns the better peak by OPS: 1.021 OPS in 2000 for Jeff Kent against 1.107 OPS in 1995 for Edgar Martinez.
Jeff Kent vs Edgar Martinez: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jeff Kent or Edgar Martinez?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jeff Kent leads Edgar Martinez in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jeff Kent or Edgar Martinez hit more home runs?
- Jeff Kent, with 377 to Edgar Martinez's 309.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Edgar Martinez, with .933 to Jeff Kent's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Edgar Martinez, with .312 to Jeff Kent's .290.
- Who had more hits?
- Jeff Kent, with 2,461 to Edgar Martinez's 2,247.