Jeff Kent vs Ben Zobrist: 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; Ben Zobrist played 2006–2019 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 Ben Zobrist (2006–2019) — 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; Ben Zobrist finished with 1,566 hits and 167 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 Ben Zobrist's 167.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jeff Kent, with .855 to Ben Zobrist's .783.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jeff Kent, with .290 to Ben Zobrist's .266.
- Who had more hits? Jeff Kent, with 2,461 to Ben Zobrist's 1,566.
- Who drove in more runs? Jeff Kent, with 1,518 to Ben Zobrist's 768.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jeff Kent, with 22,166 career PIV to Ben Zobrist's 10,712.
- Who won more championships? Ben Zobrist, with 2 World Series titles to Jeff Kent's 1.
Jeff Kent
Ben Zobrist
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jeff Kent and Ben Zobrist. 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 | Ben Zobrist |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,298 | 1,651 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,498 | 5,880 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,320 | 884 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,461 | 1,566 |
| Doubles | Leads: 560 | 349 |
| Triples | Leads: 47 | 44 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 377 | 167 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,518 | 768 |
| Walks | 801 | Leads: 832 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,522 | 994 |
| Stolen Bases | 94 | Leads: 116 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .290 | .266 |
| On-Base % | .356 | Leads: .357 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .500 | .426 |
| OPS | Leads: .855 | .783 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jeff Kent outpaces Ben Zobrist 22,166 to 10,712 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,167 PIV per season to 714, across 19 seasons to 15. 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
Ben Zobrist — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jeff Kent leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Ben Zobrist owns stolen bases 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 Ben Zobrist careers compare
The careers of Jeff Kent (1992–2008) and Ben Zobrist (2006–2019) overlapped from 2006 to 2008, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 2,298 games for Jeff Kent and 1,651 for Ben Zobrist across 19 and 15 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Ben Zobrist comes out ahead, it is in walks (832 to 801), stolen bases (116 to 94), and on-base percentage (.357 to .356). Jeff Kent struck out more than walked (1,522 to 801); Ben Zobrist struck out more than walked (994 to 832). Jeff Kent is the more power-leaning hitter, with 377 of 2,461 hits leaving the park.
Jeff Kent vs Ben Zobrist: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jeff Kent or Ben Zobrist?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jeff Kent leads Ben Zobrist in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jeff Kent or Ben Zobrist hit more home runs?
- Jeff Kent, with 377 to Ben Zobrist's 167.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jeff Kent, with .855 to Ben Zobrist's .783.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jeff Kent, with .290 to Ben Zobrist's .266.
- Who had more hits?
- Jeff Kent, with 2,461 to Ben Zobrist's 1,566.