Russell Martin vs Buster Posey: Career Stats Comparison
Russell Martin has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Russell Martin played 2006–2019 as a hitter; Buster Posey played 2009–2021 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
Russell Martin (2006–2019) and Buster Posey (2009–2021) — both broke in during the 2000s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Russell Martin finished with 1,416 hits and 191 home runs; Buster Posey finished with 1,500 hits and 158 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Russell Martin, with 191 to Buster Posey's 158.
- Who had the higher OPS? Buster Posey, with .831 to Russell Martin's .746.
- Who had the higher batting average? Buster Posey, with .302 to Russell Martin's .248.
- Who had more hits? Buster Posey, with 1,500 to Russell Martin's 1,416.
- Who drove in more runs? Russell Martin, with 771 to Buster Posey's 729.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Buster Posey, with 15,615 career PIV to Russell Martin's 4,238.
- Who won more championships? Buster Posey, with 3 World Series titles to Russell Martin's 0.
Russell Martin
Buster Posey
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Russell Martin and Buster Posey. 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 | Russell Martin | Buster Posey |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,693 | 1,371 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 5,701 | 4,970 |
| Runs | Leads: 803 | 663 |
| Hits | 1,416 | Leads: 1,500 |
| Doubles | 255 | Leads: 293 |
| Triples | 9 | 9 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 191 | 158 |
| RBI | Leads: 771 | 729 |
| Walks | Leads: 792 | 540 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,211 | 721 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 101 | 23 |
| Batting Avg | .248 | Leads: .302 |
| On-Base % | .349 | Leads: .372 |
| Slugging % | .397 | Leads: .460 |
| OPS | .746 | Leads: .831 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Buster Posey outpaces Russell Martin 15,615 to 4,238 — driven by per-season impact — 1,301 PIV per season to 303 — rather than by longevity, since Buster Posey played 12 seasons to Russell Martin's 14. 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).
Russell Martin — top 3 seasons by OPS
Buster Posey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Buster Posey leads in hits, batting average, OBP, and OPS, while Russell Martin owns home runs, RBI, and runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Buster Posey. PIV agrees: Buster Posey grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Russell Martin and Buster Posey careers compare
The careers of Russell Martin (2006–2019) and Buster Posey (2009–2021) overlapped from 2009 to 2019, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 1,693 games against 1,371 across 14 and 12 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Russell Martin struck out more than walked (1,211 to 792), and Buster Posey struck out more than walked (721 to 540). On the bases, Russell Martin stole more often per game played (101 steals in 1,693 games for Russell Martin, 23 in 1,371 for Buster Posey). In slugging percentage, Buster Posey holds the edge, .460 to .397.
Russell Martin vs Buster Posey: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Russell Martin or Buster Posey?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Russell Martin leads Buster Posey in 7 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Russell Martin or Buster Posey hit more home runs?
- Russell Martin, with 191 to Buster Posey's 158.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Buster Posey, with .831 to Russell Martin's .746.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Buster Posey, with .302 to Russell Martin's .248.
- Who had more hits?
- Buster Posey, with 1,500 to Russell Martin's 1,416.