Barry Larkin vs Scott Rolen: Career Stats Comparison
Barry Larkin has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Scott Rolen played 1996–2012 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 Scott Rolen (1996–2012) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1990s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Barry Larkin finished with 2,340 hits and 198 home runs; Scott Rolen finished with 2,077 hits and 316 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Scott Rolen, with 316 to Barry Larkin's 198.
- Who had the higher OPS? Scott Rolen, with .855 to Barry Larkin's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average? Barry Larkin, with .295 to Scott Rolen's .281.
- Who had more hits? Barry Larkin, with 2,340 to Scott Rolen's 2,077.
- Who drove in more runs? Scott Rolen, with 1,287 to Barry Larkin's 960.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Scott Rolen, with 20,867 career PIV to Barry Larkin's 17,788.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Barry Larkin
Scott Rolen
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Barry Larkin and Scott Rolen. 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 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Barry Larkin | Scott Rolen |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,180 | 2,038 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,937 | 7,398 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,329 | 1,211 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,340 | 2,077 |
| Doubles | 441 | Leads: 517 |
| Triples | Leads: 76 | 43 |
| Home Runs | 198 | Leads: 316 |
| RBI | 960 | Leads: 1,287 |
| Walks | Leads: 939 | 899 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 817 | 1,410 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 379 | 118 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .295 | .281 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .371 | .364 |
| Slugging % | .444 | Leads: .490 |
| OPS | .815 | Leads: .855 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Scott Rolen leads Barry Larkin 20,867 to 17,788 — driven by per-season impact — 1,098 PIV per season to 936 — rather than by longevity, since Scott Rolen played 19 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
Scott Rolen — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Barry Larkin leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Scott Rolen owns home runs, RBI, 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 Scott Rolen 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 Scott Rolen careers compare
The careers of Barry Larkin (1986–2004) and Scott Rolen (1996–2012) overlapped from 1996 to 2004, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,180 games against 2,038 across 19 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Plate discipline differs: Barry Larkin walked more often than struck out (939 walks, 817 strikeouts), but Scott Rolen struck out more than walked (1,410 to 899). Scott Rolen is the more power-leaning hitter, with 316 of 2,077 hits leaving the park. Barry Larkin was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Scott Rolen's slugging percentage of .490 tops Barry Larkin's .444.
Barry Larkin vs Scott Rolen: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Barry Larkin or Scott Rolen?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Barry Larkin leads Scott Rolen in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Barry Larkin or Scott Rolen hit more home runs?
- Scott Rolen, with 316 to Barry Larkin's 198.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Scott Rolen, with .855 to Barry Larkin's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Barry Larkin, with .295 to Scott Rolen's .281.
- Who had more hits?
- Barry Larkin, with 2,340 to Scott Rolen's 2,077.