Barry Larkin vs Arky Vaughan: 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; Arky Vaughan played 1932–1948 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 Arky Vaughan (1932–1948) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1930s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Barry Larkin finished with 2,340 hits and 198 home runs; Arky Vaughan finished with 2,103 hits and 96 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 Arky Vaughan's 96.
- Who had the higher OPS? Arky Vaughan, with .859 to Barry Larkin's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average? Arky Vaughan, with .318 to Barry Larkin's .295.
- Who had more hits? Barry Larkin, with 2,340 to Arky Vaughan's 2,103.
- Who drove in more runs? Barry Larkin, with 960 to Arky Vaughan's 926.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Arky Vaughan, with 28,350 career PIV to Barry Larkin's 17,788.
- Who won more championships? Barry Larkin, with 1 World Series title to Arky Vaughan's 0.
Barry Larkin
Arky Vaughan
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Barry Larkin and Arky Vaughan. 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 1930s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Barry Larkin | Arky Vaughan |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,180 | 1,817 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,937 | 6,622 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,329 | 1,173 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,340 | 2,103 |
| Doubles | Leads: 441 | 356 |
| Triples | 76 | Leads: 128 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 198 | 96 |
| RBI | Leads: 960 | 926 |
| Walks | Leads: 939 | 937 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 817 | 276 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 379 | 118 |
| Batting Avg | .295 | Leads: .318 |
| On-Base % | .371 | Leads: .406 |
| Slugging % | .444 | Leads: .453 |
| OPS | .815 | Leads: .859 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Arky Vaughan outpaces Barry Larkin 28,350 to 17,788 — driven by per-season impact — 2,025 PIV per season to 936 — rather than by longevity, since Arky Vaughan played 14 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
Arky Vaughan — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Barry Larkin leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Arky Vaughan 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 Arky Vaughan 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 Arky Vaughan careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Arky Vaughan's ended in 1948, and Barry Larkin debuted in 1986. The two careers are close in length, 2,180 games for Barry Larkin and 1,817 for Arky Vaughan across 19 and 14 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Barry Larkin walked more often than struck out (939 walks, 817 strikeouts); Arky Vaughan walked more often than struck out (937 walks, 276 strikeouts). Barry Larkin is the more power-leaning hitter, with 198 of 2,340 hits leaving the park. Barry Larkin was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Barry Larkin vs Arky Vaughan: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Barry Larkin or Arky Vaughan?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Barry Larkin leads Arky Vaughan in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Barry Larkin or Arky Vaughan hit more home runs?
- Barry Larkin, with 198 to Arky Vaughan's 96.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Arky Vaughan, with .859 to Barry Larkin's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Arky Vaughan, with .318 to Barry Larkin's .295.
- Who had more hits?
- Barry Larkin, with 2,340 to Arky Vaughan's 2,103.