Don Mattingly vs Mo Vaughn: Career Stats Comparison
Don Mattingly has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Don Mattingly played 1982–1995 as a hitter; Mo Vaughn played 1991–2003 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
Don Mattingly (1982–1995) and Mo Vaughn (1991–2003) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1990s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Don Mattingly finished with 2,153 hits and 222 home runs; Mo Vaughn finished with 1,620 hits and 328 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Mo Vaughn, with 328 to Don Mattingly's 222.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mo Vaughn, with .906 to Don Mattingly's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average? Don Mattingly, with .307 to Mo Vaughn's .293.
- Who had more hits? Don Mattingly, with 2,153 to Mo Vaughn's 1,620.
- Who drove in more runs? Don Mattingly, with 1,099 to Mo Vaughn's 1,064.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mo Vaughn, with 24,784 career PIV to Don Mattingly's 21,189.
Don Mattingly
Mo Vaughn
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Don Mattingly and Mo Vaughn. 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 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Don Mattingly | Mo Vaughn |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,785 | 1,512 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,003 | 5,532 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,007 | 861 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,153 | 1,620 |
| Doubles | Leads: 442 | 270 |
| Triples | Leads: 20 | 10 |
| Home Runs | 222 | Leads: 328 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,099 | 1,064 |
| Walks | 588 | Leads: 725 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 444 | 1,429 |
| Stolen Bases | 14 | Leads: 30 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .307 | .293 |
| On-Base % | .358 | Leads: .383 |
| Slugging % | .471 | Leads: .523 |
| OPS | .830 | Leads: .906 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mo Vaughn leads Don Mattingly 24,784 to 21,189 — driven by per-season impact — 2,065 PIV per season to 1,514 — rather than by longevity, since Mo Vaughn played 12 seasons to Don Mattingly'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).
Don Mattingly — top 3 seasons by OPS
Mo Vaughn — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mo Vaughn leads in home runs, stolen bases, OBP, and OPS, while Don Mattingly owns hits, RBI, and runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Mo Vaughn. PIV agrees: Mo Vaughn grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Don Mattingly and Mo Vaughn careers compare
Don Mattingly and Mo Vaughn were active at the same time between 1991 and 1995. With 1,785 games against 1,512 across 14 and 12 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Plate discipline differs: Don Mattingly walked more often than struck out (588 walks, 444 strikeouts), but Mo Vaughn struck out more than walked (1,429 to 725). Mo Vaughn is the more power-leaning hitter, with 328 of 1,620 hits leaving the park. On the peak-season lists, Don Mattingly's best year is 1986 at .967 OPS and Mo Vaughn's is 1996 at 1.003 OPS; Mo Vaughn has the stronger single season.
Don Mattingly vs Mo Vaughn: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Don Mattingly or Mo Vaughn?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Don Mattingly leads Mo Vaughn in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Don Mattingly or Mo Vaughn hit more home runs?
- Mo Vaughn, with 328 to Don Mattingly's 222.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mo Vaughn, with .906 to Don Mattingly's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Don Mattingly, with .307 to Mo Vaughn's .293.
- Who had more hits?
- Don Mattingly, with 2,153 to Mo Vaughn's 1,620.