Barry Larkin vs Willie Wells: 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; Willie Wells played ?–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 Willie Wells (?–1948) — their careers are worth a careful side-by-side. Barry Larkin finished with 2,340 hits and 198 home runs; Willie Wells finished with 1,319 hits and 145 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 Willie Wells's 145.
- Who had the higher OPS? Willie Wells, with .943 to Barry Larkin's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average? Willie Wells, with .327 to Barry Larkin's .295.
- Who had more hits? Barry Larkin, with 2,340 to Willie Wells's 1,319.
- Who drove in more runs? Barry Larkin, with 960 to Willie Wells's 875.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willie Wells, with 21,549 career PIV to Barry Larkin's 17,788.
- Who won more championships? Barry Larkin, with 1 World Series title to Willie Wells's 0.
Barry Larkin
Willie Wells
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Barry Larkin and Willie Wells. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Barry Larkin | Willie Wells |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,180 | 1,068 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,937 | 4,030 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,329 | 956 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,340 | 1,319 |
| Doubles | Leads: 441 | 267 |
| Triples | Leads: 76 | 70 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 198 | 145 |
| RBI | Leads: 960 | 875 |
| Walks | Leads: 939 | 497 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 817 | 10 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 379 | 176 |
| Batting Avg | .295 | Leads: .327 |
| On-Base % | .371 | Leads: .407 |
| Slugging % | .444 | Leads: .536 |
| OPS | .815 | Leads: .943 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie Wells leads Barry Larkin 21,549 to 17,788 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Willie Wells played 27 seasons to Barry Larkin's 19, while Barry Larkin carries the higher per-season figure (936 to 798). 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
Willie Wells — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Barry Larkin leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Willie Wells 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 Willie Wells 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 Willie Wells careers compare
Willie Wells (?–1948) was finished before Barry Larkin (1986–2004) arrived, so they never shared a league. Barry Larkin has the far longer record, 2,180 games against 1,068 across 19 and 27 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. The green cells for Willie Wells are batting average (.327 to .295), on-base percentage (.407 to .371), and slugging percentage (.536 to .444). Barry Larkin walked more often than struck out (939 walks, 817 strikeouts); Willie Wells walked more often than struck out (497 walks, 10 strikeouts). Barry Larkin was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In on-base percentage, Willie Wells holds the edge, .407 to .371.
Barry Larkin vs Willie Wells: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Barry Larkin or Willie Wells?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Barry Larkin leads Willie Wells in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Barry Larkin or Willie Wells hit more home runs?
- Barry Larkin, with 198 to Willie Wells's 145.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Willie Wells, with .943 to Barry Larkin's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Willie Wells, with .327 to Barry Larkin's .295.
- Who had more hits?
- Barry Larkin, with 2,340 to Willie Wells's 1,319.