Harmon Killebrew vs Johnny Mize: Career Stats Comparison
Harmon Killebrew and Johnny Mize are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Harmon Killebrew played 1954–1975 as a hitter; Johnny Mize played 1936–1953 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
Harmon Killebrew (1954–1975) and Johnny Mize (1936–1953) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1930s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Harmon Killebrew finished with 2,086 hits and 573 home runs; Johnny Mize finished with 2,011 hits and 359 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Harmon Killebrew, with 573 to Johnny Mize's 359.
- Who had the higher OPS? Johnny Mize, with .959 to Harmon Killebrew's .884.
- Who had the higher batting average? Johnny Mize, with .312 to Harmon Killebrew's .256.
- Who had more hits? Harmon Killebrew, with 2,086 to Johnny Mize's 2,011.
- Who drove in more runs? Harmon Killebrew, with 1,584 to Johnny Mize's 1,337.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Harmon Killebrew, with 48,240 career PIV to Johnny Mize's 43,061.
- Who won more championships? Johnny Mize, with 5 World Series titles to Harmon Killebrew's 0.
Harmon Killebrew
Johnny Mize
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Harmon Killebrew and Johnny Mize. 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 1950s and the 1930s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Harmon Killebrew | Johnny Mize |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,435 | 1,884 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,147 | 6,443 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,283 | 1,118 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,086 | 2,011 |
| Doubles | 290 | Leads: 367 |
| Triples | 24 | Leads: 83 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 573 | 359 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,584 | 1,337 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,559 | 856 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,699 | 524 |
| Stolen Bases | 19 | Leads: 28 |
| Batting Avg | .256 | Leads: .312 |
| On-Base % | .376 | Leads: .397 |
| Slugging % | .509 | Leads: .562 |
| OPS | .884 | Leads: .959 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Harmon Killebrew leads Johnny Mize 48,240 to 43,061 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Harmon Killebrew played 22 seasons to Johnny Mize's 16, while Johnny Mize carries the higher per-season figure (2,691 to 2,193). 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).
Harmon Killebrew — top 3 seasons by OPS
Johnny Mize — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Harmon Killebrew leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Johnny Mize owns stolen bases, batting average, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Harmon Killebrew. PIV agrees: Harmon Killebrew grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Harmon Killebrew and Johnny Mize careers compare
No season is shared: Johnny Mize played 1936–1953, Harmon Killebrew 1954–1975. The two careers are close in length, 2,435 games for Harmon Killebrew and 1,884 for Johnny Mize across 22 and 16 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Harmon Killebrew struck out more than walked (1,699 to 1,559), while Johnny Mize walked more often than struck out (856 walks, 524 strikeouts). Harmon Killebrew is the more power-leaning hitter, with 573 of 2,086 hits leaving the park. Best seasons: 1961 for Harmon Killebrew (1.012 OPS, 46 HR, 122 RBI, .288 avg) and 1939 for Johnny Mize (1.070 OPS, 28 HR, 108 RBI, .349 avg).
Harmon Killebrew vs Johnny Mize: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Harmon Killebrew or Johnny Mize hit more home runs?
- Harmon Killebrew, with 573 to Johnny Mize's 359.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Johnny Mize, with .959 to Harmon Killebrew's .884.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Johnny Mize, with .312 to Harmon Killebrew's .256.
- Who had more hits?
- Harmon Killebrew, with 2,086 to Johnny Mize's 2,011.