Barry Larkin vs Joe Mauer: Career Stats Comparison
Barry Larkin 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). Barry Larkin played 1986–2004 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
Barry Larkin (1986–2004) and Joe Mauer (2004–2018) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 2000s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Barry Larkin finished with 2,340 hits and 198 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? Barry Larkin, with 198 to Joe Mauer's 143.
- Who had the higher OPS? Joe Mauer, with .827 to Barry Larkin's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average? Joe Mauer, with .306 to Barry Larkin's .295.
- Who had more hits? Barry Larkin, with 2,340 to Joe Mauer's 2,123.
- Who drove in more runs? Barry Larkin, with 960 to Joe Mauer's 923.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Joe Mauer, with 20,061 career PIV to Barry Larkin's 17,788.
- Who won more championships? Barry Larkin, with 1 World Series title to Joe Mauer's 0.
Barry Larkin
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Barry Larkin 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 1980s and the 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Barry Larkin | Joe Mauer |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,180 | 1,858 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,937 | 6,930 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,329 | 1,018 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,340 | 2,123 |
| Doubles | Leads: 441 | 428 |
| Triples | Leads: 76 | 30 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 198 | 143 |
| RBI | Leads: 960 | 923 |
| Walks | 939 | 939 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 817 | 1,034 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 379 | 52 |
| Batting Avg | .295 | Leads: .306 |
| On-Base % | .371 | Leads: .388 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .444 | .439 |
| OPS | .815 | Leads: .827 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Joe Mauer leads Barry Larkin 20,061 to 17,788 — driven by per-season impact — 1,337 PIV per season to 936 — rather than by longevity, since Joe Mauer played 15 seasons to Barry Larkin's 19. 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).
Barry Larkin — top 3 seasons by OPS
Joe Mauer — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Barry Larkin leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Joe Mauer owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Barry Larkin. Note that PIV actually grades Joe Mauer ahead, which means Barry Larkin's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Barry Larkin and Joe Mauer careers compare
Barry Larkin and Joe Mauer were active at the same time between 2004 and 2004. The two careers are close in length, 2,180 games for Barry Larkin and 1,858 for Joe Mauer across 19 and 15 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Joe Mauer comes out ahead, it is in batting average (.306 to .295), on-base percentage (.388 to .371), and OPS (.827 to .815). Plate discipline differs: Barry Larkin walked more often than struck out (939 walks, 817 strikeouts), but Joe Mauer struck out more than walked (1,034 to 939). Barry Larkin was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Barry Larkin vs Joe Mauer: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Barry Larkin or Joe Mauer?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Barry Larkin leads Joe Mauer in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Barry Larkin or Joe Mauer hit more home runs?
- Barry Larkin, with 198 to Joe Mauer's 143.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Joe Mauer, with .827 to Barry Larkin's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Joe Mauer, with .306 to Barry Larkin's .295.
- Who had more hits?
- Barry Larkin, with 2,340 to Joe Mauer's 2,123.