Brian McCann vs Buster Posey: Career Stats Comparison
Brian McCann has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Brian McCann played 2005–2019 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
Brian McCann (2005–2019) and Buster Posey (2009–2021) — both broke in during the 2000s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Brian McCann finished with 1,590 hits and 282 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? Brian McCann, with 282 to Buster Posey's 158.
- Who had the higher OPS? Buster Posey, with .831 to Brian McCann's .789.
- Who had the higher batting average? Buster Posey, with .302 to Brian McCann's .262.
- Who had more hits? Brian McCann, with 1,590 to Buster Posey's 1,500.
- Who drove in more runs? Brian McCann, with 1,018 to Buster Posey's 729.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Buster Posey, with 15,615 career PIV to Brian McCann's 9,133.
- Who won more championships? Buster Posey, with 3 World Series titles to Brian McCann's 1.
Brian McCann
Buster Posey
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Brian McCann 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 | Brian McCann | Buster Posey |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,755 | 1,371 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 6,067 | 4,970 |
| Runs | Leads: 742 | 663 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,590 | 1,500 |
| Doubles | Leads: 294 | 293 |
| Triples | 5 | Leads: 9 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 282 | 158 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,018 | 729 |
| Walks | Leads: 640 | 540 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,054 | 721 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 25 | 23 |
| Batting Avg | .262 | Leads: .302 |
| On-Base % | .337 | Leads: .372 |
| Slugging % | .452 | Leads: .460 |
| OPS | .789 | Leads: .831 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Buster Posey outpaces Brian McCann 15,615 to 9,133 — driven by per-season impact — 1,301 PIV per season to 609 — rather than by longevity, since Buster Posey played 12 seasons to Brian McCann's 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).
Brian McCann — top 3 seasons by OPS
Buster Posey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Brian McCann leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Buster Posey owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Brian McCann. Note that PIV actually grades Buster Posey ahead, which means Brian McCann's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Brian McCann and Buster Posey careers compare
The careers of Brian McCann (2005–2019) and Buster Posey (2009–2021) overlapped from 2009 to 2019, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 1,755 games for Brian McCann and 1,371 for Buster Posey across 15 and 12 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Brian McCann struck out more than walked (1,054 to 640), and Buster Posey struck out more than walked (721 to 540). Brian McCann is the more power-leaning hitter, with 282 of 1,590 hits leaving the park. Buster Posey's slugging percentage of .460 tops Brian McCann's .452.
Brian McCann vs Buster Posey: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Brian McCann or Buster Posey?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Brian McCann leads Buster Posey in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Brian McCann or Buster Posey hit more home runs?
- Brian McCann, with 282 to Buster Posey's 158.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Buster Posey, with .831 to Brian McCann's .789.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Buster Posey, with .302 to Brian McCann's .262.
- Who had more hits?
- Brian McCann, with 1,590 to Buster Posey's 1,500.