Jeff Kent vs Joe Mauer: Career Stats Comparison
Jeff Kent has the better career line of the two, leading 11 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; Joe Mauer played 2004–2018 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 Joe Mauer (2004–2018) — they broke in during the 1990s and the 2000s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Jeff Kent finished with 2,461 hits and 377 home runs; Joe Mauer finished with 2,123 hits and 143 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 Joe Mauer's 143.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jeff Kent, with .855 to Joe Mauer's .827.
- Who had the higher batting average? Joe Mauer, with .306 to Jeff Kent's .290.
- Who had more hits? Jeff Kent, with 2,461 to Joe Mauer's 2,123.
- Who drove in more runs? Jeff Kent, with 1,518 to Joe Mauer's 923.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jeff Kent, with 22,166 career PIV to Joe Mauer's 20,061.
- Who won more championships? Jeff Kent, with 1 World Series title to Joe Mauer's 0.
Jeff Kent
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jeff Kent and Joe Mauer. 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 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jeff Kent | Joe Mauer |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,298 | 1,858 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,498 | 6,930 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,320 | 1,018 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,461 | 2,123 |
| Doubles | Leads: 560 | 428 |
| Triples | Leads: 47 | 30 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 377 | 143 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,518 | 923 |
| Walks | 801 | Leads: 939 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,522 | 1,034 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 94 | 52 |
| Batting Avg | .290 | Leads: .306 |
| On-Base % | .356 | Leads: .388 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .500 | .439 |
| OPS | Leads: .855 | .827 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jeff Kent leads Joe Mauer 22,166 to 20,061 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Jeff Kent played 19 seasons to Joe Mauer's 15, while Joe Mauer carries the higher per-season figure (1,337 to 1,167). 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
Joe Mauer — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jeff Kent leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Joe Mauer owns batting average and OBP. 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 Joe Mauer careers compare
The careers of Jeff Kent (1992–2008) and Joe Mauer (2004–2018) overlapped from 2004 to 2008, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,298 games against 1,858 across 19 and 15 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Joe Mauer's edges on the table are walks (939 to 801), batting average (.306 to .290), and on-base percentage (.388 to .356). At the plate, Jeff Kent struck out more than walked (1,522 to 801), and Joe Mauer struck out more than walked (1,034 to 939). Home runs make up a larger share of Jeff Kent's hits: 377 of 2,461 for Jeff Kent, 143 of 2,123 for Joe Mauer.
Jeff Kent vs Joe Mauer: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jeff Kent or Joe Mauer?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jeff Kent leads Joe Mauer in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jeff Kent or Joe Mauer hit more home runs?
- Jeff Kent, with 377 to Joe Mauer's 143.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jeff Kent, with .855 to Joe Mauer's .827.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Joe Mauer, with .306 to Jeff Kent's .290.
- Who had more hits?
- Jeff Kent, with 2,461 to Joe Mauer's 2,123.