Joe Mauer vs Buster Posey: Career Stats Comparison
Joe Mauer has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Joe Mauer played 2004–2018 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
Joe Mauer (2004–2018) and Buster Posey (2009–2021) — both broke in during the 2000s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Joe Mauer finished with 2,123 hits and 143 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? Buster Posey, with 158 to Joe Mauer's 143.
- Who had the higher OPS? Buster Posey, with .831 to Joe Mauer's .827.
- Who had the higher batting average? Joe Mauer, with .306 to Buster Posey's .302.
- Who had more hits? Joe Mauer, with 2,123 to Buster Posey's 1,500.
- Who drove in more runs? Joe Mauer, with 923 to Buster Posey's 729.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Joe Mauer, with 20,061 career PIV to Buster Posey's 15,615.
- Who won more championships? Buster Posey, with 3 World Series titles to Joe Mauer's 0.
Buster Posey
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Joe Mauer 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 | Joe Mauer | Buster Posey |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,858 | 1,371 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 6,930 | 4,970 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,018 | 663 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,123 | 1,500 |
| Doubles | Leads: 428 | 293 |
| Triples | Leads: 30 | 9 |
| Home Runs | 143 | Leads: 158 |
| RBI | Leads: 923 | 729 |
| Walks | Leads: 939 | 540 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,034 | 721 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 52 | 23 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .306 | .302 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .388 | .372 |
| Slugging % | .439 | Leads: .460 |
| OPS | .827 | Leads: .831 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Joe Mauer leads Buster Posey 20,061 to 15,615 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,337 PIV per season to 1,301, across 15 seasons to 12. 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).
Joe Mauer — top 3 seasons by OPS
Buster Posey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Joe Mauer leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Buster Posey owns home runs and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Joe Mauer. PIV agrees: Joe Mauer grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Joe Mauer and Buster Posey careers compare
The careers of Joe Mauer (2004–2018) and Buster Posey (2009–2021) overlapped from 2009 to 2018, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 1,858 games against 1,371 across 15 and 12 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Buster Posey comes out ahead, it is in home runs (158 to 143), slugging percentage (.460 to .439), and OPS (.831 to .827). At the plate, Joe Mauer struck out more than walked (1,034 to 939), and Buster Posey struck out more than walked (721 to 540). Home runs make up a larger share of Buster Posey's hits: 143 of 2,123 for Joe Mauer, 158 of 1,500 for Buster Posey.
Joe Mauer vs Buster Posey: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Joe Mauer or Buster Posey?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Joe Mauer leads Buster Posey in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Joe Mauer or Buster Posey hit more home runs?
- Buster Posey, with 158 to Joe Mauer's 143.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Buster Posey, with .831 to Joe Mauer's .827.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Joe Mauer, with .306 to Buster Posey's .302.
- Who had more hits?
- Joe Mauer, with 2,123 to Buster Posey's 1,500.