Barry Larkin vs Michael Young: 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; Michael Young played 2000–2013 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 Michael Young (2000–2013) — 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; Michael Young finished with 2,375 hits and 185 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 Michael Young's 185.
- Who had the higher OPS? Barry Larkin, with .815 to Michael Young's .787.
- Who had the higher batting average? Michael Young, with .300 to Barry Larkin's .295.
- Who had more hits? Michael Young, with 2,375 to Barry Larkin's 2,340.
- Who drove in more runs? Michael Young, with 1,030 to Barry Larkin's 960.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Barry Larkin, with 17,788 career PIV to Michael Young's 9,102.
- Who won more championships? Barry Larkin, with 1 World Series title to Michael Young's 0.
Barry Larkin
Michael Young
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Barry Larkin and Michael Young. 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 | Michael Young |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,180 | 1,970 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,937 | 7,918 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,329 | 1,137 |
| Hits | 2,340 | Leads: 2,375 |
| Doubles | 441 | 441 |
| Triples | Leads: 76 | 60 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 198 | 185 |
| RBI | 960 | Leads: 1,030 |
| Walks | Leads: 939 | 575 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 817 | 1,235 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 379 | 90 |
| Batting Avg | .295 | Leads: .300 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .371 | .346 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .444 | .441 |
| OPS | Leads: .815 | .787 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Barry Larkin outpaces Michael Young 17,788 to 9,102 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 936 PIV per season to 607, across 19 seasons to 15. 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
Michael Young — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Barry Larkin leads in home runs, runs, stolen bases, and OBP, while Michael Young owns hits, RBI, and batting average. 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 Michael Young careers compare
The careers of Barry Larkin (1986–2004) and Michael Young (2000–2013) overlapped from 2000 to 2004, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,180 games against 1,970 across 19 and 15 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Michael Young's edges on the table are hits (2,375 to 2,340), RBI (1,030 to 960), and batting average (.300 to .295). Plate discipline differs: Barry Larkin walked more often than struck out (939 walks, 817 strikeouts), but Michael Young struck out more than walked (1,235 to 575).
Barry Larkin vs Michael Young: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Barry Larkin or Michael Young?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Barry Larkin leads Michael Young in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Barry Larkin or Michael Young hit more home runs?
- Barry Larkin, with 198 to Michael Young's 185.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Barry Larkin, with .815 to Michael Young's .787.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Michael Young, with .300 to Barry Larkin's .295.
- Who had more hits?
- Michael Young, with 2,375 to Barry Larkin's 2,340.