Derrek Lee vs Leron Lee: Career Stats Comparison
Derrek Lee has the better career line of the two, leading 14 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Derrek Lee played 1997–2011 as a hitter; Leron Lee played 1969–1976 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
Derrek Lee (1997–2011) and Leron Lee (1969–1976) — they broke in during the 1990s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Derrek Lee finished with 1,959 hits and 331 home runs; Leron Lee finished with 404 hits and 31 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Derrek Lee, with 331 to Leron Lee's 31.
- Who had the higher OPS? Derrek Lee, with .859 to Leron Lee's .682.
- Who had the higher batting average? Derrek Lee, with .281 to Leron Lee's .250.
- Who had more hits? Derrek Lee, with 1,959 to Leron Lee's 404.
- Who drove in more runs? Derrek Lee, with 1,078 to Leron Lee's 152.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Derrek Lee, with 21,677 career PIV to Leron Lee's 449.
- Who won more championships? Derrek Lee, with 1 World Series title to Leron Lee's 0.
Derrek Lee
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Derrek Lee and Leron Lee. 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 1990s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Derrek Lee | Leron Lee |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,942 | 614 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 6,962 | 1,617 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,081 | 173 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,959 | 404 |
| Doubles | Leads: 432 | 83 |
| Triples | Leads: 30 | 13 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 331 | 31 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,078 | 152 |
| Walks | Leads: 874 | 133 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,622 | 315 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 104 | 19 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .281 | .250 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .365 | .307 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .495 | .375 |
| OPS | Leads: .859 | .682 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Derrek Lee outpaces Leron Lee 21,677 to 449 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,275 PIV per season to 45, across 17 seasons to 10. 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).
Derrek Lee — top 3 seasons by OPS
Leron Lee — top 2 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Derrek Lee leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Leron Lee owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Derrek Lee. PIV agrees: Derrek Lee grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Derrek Lee and Leron Lee careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Leron Lee's ended in 1976, and Derrek Lee debuted in 1997. The table compares 1,942 games of Derrek Lee with 614 of Leron Lee across 17 and 10 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Derrek Lee leads every scored row of the table. Derrek Lee struck out more than walked (1,622 to 874); Leron Lee struck out more than walked (315 to 133). Derrek Lee is the more power-leaning hitter, with 331 of 1,959 hits leaving the park. Derrek Lee was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Derrek Lee vs Leron Lee: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Derrek Lee or Leron Lee?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Derrek Lee leads Leron Lee in 14 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Derrek Lee or Leron Lee hit more home runs?
- Derrek Lee, with 331 to Leron Lee's 31.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Derrek Lee, with .859 to Leron Lee's .682.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Derrek Lee, with .281 to Leron Lee's .250.
- Who had more hits?
- Derrek Lee, with 1,959 to Leron Lee's 404.