Harmon Killebrew vs Joe Morgan: Career Stats Comparison
Joe Morgan has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Harmon Killebrew played 1954–1975 as a hitter; Joe Morgan played 1963–1984 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 Joe Morgan (1963–1984) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Harmon Killebrew finished with 2,086 hits and 573 home runs; Joe Morgan finished with 2,517 hits and 268 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 Joe Morgan's 268.
- Who had the higher OPS? Harmon Killebrew, with .884 to Joe Morgan's .819.
- Who had the higher batting average? Joe Morgan, with .271 to Harmon Killebrew's .256.
- Who had more hits? Joe Morgan, with 2,517 to Harmon Killebrew's 2,086.
- Who drove in more runs? Harmon Killebrew, with 1,584 to Joe Morgan's 1,133.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Harmon Killebrew, with 48,240 career PIV to Joe Morgan's 39,255.
- Who won more championships? Joe Morgan, with 2 World Series titles to Harmon Killebrew's 0.
Harmon Killebrew
Joe Morgan
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Harmon Killebrew and Joe Morgan. 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 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Harmon Killebrew | Joe Morgan |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,435 | Leads: 2,649 |
| At-Bats | 8,147 | Leads: 9,277 |
| Runs | 1,283 | Leads: 1,650 |
| Hits | 2,086 | Leads: 2,517 |
| Doubles | 290 | Leads: 449 |
| Triples | 24 | Leads: 96 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 573 | 268 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,584 | 1,133 |
| Walks | 1,559 | Leads: 1,865 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,699 | 1,015 |
| Stolen Bases | 19 | Leads: 689 |
| Batting Avg | .256 | Leads: .271 |
| On-Base % | .376 | Leads: .392 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .509 | .427 |
| OPS | Leads: .884 | .819 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Harmon Killebrew leads Joe Morgan 48,240 to 39,255 — driven by per-season impact — 2,193 PIV per season to 1,784 — rather than by longevity, since Harmon Killebrew played 22 seasons to Joe Morgan's 22. 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
Joe Morgan — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Joe Morgan leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Harmon Killebrew owns home runs, RBI, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Joe Morgan. Note that PIV actually grades Harmon Killebrew ahead, which means Joe Morgan's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Harmon Killebrew and Joe Morgan careers compare
From 1963 through 1975, Harmon Killebrew and Joe Morgan were in the majors together. With 2,435 games against 2,649 across 22 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Harmon Killebrew's edges on the table are home runs (573 to 268), RBI (1,584 to 1,133), and slugging percentage (.509 to .427). At the plate, Harmon Killebrew struck out more than walked (1,699 to 1,559), while Joe Morgan walked more often than struck out (1,865 walks, 1,015 strikeouts). Harmon Killebrew is the more power-leaning hitter, with 573 of 2,086 hits leaving the park. Joe Morgan was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Harmon Killebrew vs Joe Morgan: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Harmon Killebrew or Joe Morgan?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Joe Morgan leads Harmon Killebrew in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Harmon Killebrew or Joe Morgan hit more home runs?
- Harmon Killebrew, with 573 to Joe Morgan's 268.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Harmon Killebrew, with .884 to Joe Morgan's .819.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Joe Morgan, with .271 to Harmon Killebrew's .256.
- Who had more hits?
- Joe Morgan, with 2,517 to Harmon Killebrew's 2,086.