Harmon Killebrew vs Joey Votto: Career Stats Comparison
Harmon Killebrew and Joey Votto 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; Joey Votto played 2007–2023 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 Joey Votto (2007–2023) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 2000s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Harmon Killebrew finished with 2,086 hits and 573 home runs; Joey Votto finished with 2,135 hits and 356 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 Joey Votto's 356.
- Who had the higher OPS? Joey Votto, with .920 to Harmon Killebrew's .884.
- Who had the higher batting average? Joey Votto, with .294 to Harmon Killebrew's .256.
- Who had more hits? Joey Votto, with 2,135 to Harmon Killebrew's 2,086.
- Who drove in more runs? Harmon Killebrew, with 1,584 to Joey Votto's 1,144.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Harmon Killebrew, with 48,240 career PIV to Joey Votto's 43,852.
Harmon Killebrew
Joey Votto
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Harmon Killebrew and Joey Votto. 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 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Harmon Killebrew | Joey Votto |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,435 | 2,056 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,147 | 7,252 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,283 | 1,171 |
| Hits | 2,086 | Leads: 2,135 |
| Doubles | 290 | Leads: 459 |
| Triples | Leads: 24 | 22 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 573 | 356 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,584 | 1,144 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,559 | 1,365 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,699 | 1,640 |
| Stolen Bases | 19 | Leads: 80 |
| Batting Avg | .256 | Leads: .294 |
| On-Base % | .376 | Leads: .409 |
| Slugging % | .509 | Leads: .511 |
| OPS | .884 | Leads: .920 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Harmon Killebrew leads Joey Votto 48,240 to 43,852 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Harmon Killebrew played 22 seasons to Joey Votto's 17, while Joey Votto carries the higher per-season figure (2,580 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
Joey Votto — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Joey Votto leads in hits, stolen bases, batting average, and OBP, while Harmon Killebrew owns home runs, RBI, and runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Joey Votto. Note that PIV actually grades Harmon Killebrew ahead, which means Joey Votto's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Harmon Killebrew and Joey Votto careers compare
No season is shared: Harmon Killebrew played 1954–1975, Joey Votto 2007–2023. With 2,435 games against 2,056 across 22 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Harmon Killebrew struck out more than walked (1,699 to 1,559); Joey Votto struck out more than walked (1,640 to 1,365). Harmon Killebrew is the more power-leaning hitter, with 573 of 2,086 hits leaving the park. In on-base percentage, Joey Votto holds the edge, .409 to .376. On the peak-season lists, Harmon Killebrew's best year is 1961 at 1.012 OPS and Joey Votto's is 2012 at 1.041 OPS; Joey Votto has the stronger single season.
Harmon Killebrew vs Joey Votto: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Harmon Killebrew or Joey Votto hit more home runs?
- Harmon Killebrew, with 573 to Joey Votto's 356.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Joey Votto, with .920 to Harmon Killebrew's .884.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Joey Votto, with .294 to Harmon Killebrew's .256.
- Who had more hits?
- Joey Votto, with 2,135 to Harmon Killebrew's 2,086.