Barry Larkin vs Lance Parrish: Career Stats Comparison
Barry Larkin has the better career line of the two, leading 12 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; Lance Parrish played 1977–1995 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 Lance Parrish (1977–1995) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Barry Larkin finished with 2,340 hits and 198 home runs; Lance Parrish finished with 1,782 hits and 324 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Lance Parrish, with 324 to Barry Larkin's 198.
- Who had the higher OPS? Barry Larkin, with .815 to Lance Parrish's .753.
- Who had the higher batting average? Barry Larkin, with .295 to Lance Parrish's .252.
- Who had more hits? Barry Larkin, with 2,340 to Lance Parrish's 1,782.
- Who drove in more runs? Lance Parrish, with 1,070 to Barry Larkin's 960.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Barry Larkin, with 17,788 career PIV to Lance Parrish's 6,792.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Barry Larkin
Lance Parrish
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Barry Larkin and Lance Parrish. 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 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Barry Larkin | Lance Parrish |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,180 | 1,988 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,937 | 7,067 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,329 | 856 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,340 | 1,782 |
| Doubles | Leads: 441 | 305 |
| Triples | Leads: 76 | 27 |
| Home Runs | 198 | Leads: 324 |
| RBI | 960 | Leads: 1,070 |
| Walks | Leads: 939 | 612 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 817 | 1,527 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 379 | 28 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .295 | .252 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .371 | .313 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .444 | .440 |
| OPS | Leads: .815 | .753 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Barry Larkin outpaces Lance Parrish 17,788 to 6,792 — driven by per-season impact — 936 PIV per season to 340 — rather than by longevity, since Barry Larkin played 19 seasons to Lance Parrish's 20. 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
Lance Parrish — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Barry Larkin leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Lance Parrish owns home runs and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Barry Larkin. PIV agrees: Barry Larkin grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Barry Larkin and Lance Parrish careers compare
Barry Larkin and Lance Parrish were active at the same time between 1986 and 1995. The two careers are close in length, 2,180 games for Barry Larkin and 1,988 for Lance Parrish across 19 and 20 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Lance Parrish are home runs (324 to 198) and RBI (1,070 to 960). Plate discipline differs: Barry Larkin walked more often than struck out (939 walks, 817 strikeouts), but Lance Parrish struck out more than walked (1,527 to 612). Home runs make up a larger share of Lance Parrish's hits: 198 of 2,340 for Barry Larkin, 324 of 1,782 for Lance Parrish.
Barry Larkin vs Lance Parrish: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Barry Larkin or Lance Parrish?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Barry Larkin leads Lance Parrish in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Barry Larkin or Lance Parrish hit more home runs?
- Lance Parrish, with 324 to Barry Larkin's 198.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Barry Larkin, with .815 to Lance Parrish's .753.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Barry Larkin, with .295 to Lance Parrish's .252.
- Who had more hits?
- Barry Larkin, with 2,340 to Lance Parrish's 1,782.