Brian McCann vs Ben Zobrist: Career Stats Comparison
Brian McCann and Ben Zobrist are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Brian McCann played 2005–2019 as a hitter; Ben Zobrist played 2006–2019 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 Ben Zobrist (2006–2019) — 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; Ben Zobrist finished with 1,566 hits and 167 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 Ben Zobrist's 167.
- Who had the higher OPS? Brian McCann, with .789 to Ben Zobrist's .783.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ben Zobrist, with .266 to Brian McCann's .262.
- Who had more hits? Brian McCann, with 1,590 to Ben Zobrist's 1,566.
- Who drove in more runs? Brian McCann, with 1,018 to Ben Zobrist's 768.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ben Zobrist, with 10,712 career PIV to Brian McCann's 9,133.
- Who won more championships? Ben Zobrist, with 2 World Series titles to Brian McCann's 1.
Brian McCann
Ben Zobrist
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Brian McCann and Ben Zobrist. 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 | Ben Zobrist |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,755 | 1,651 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 6,067 | 5,880 |
| Runs | 742 | Leads: 884 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,590 | 1,566 |
| Doubles | 294 | Leads: 349 |
| Triples | 5 | Leads: 44 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 282 | 167 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,018 | 768 |
| Walks | 640 | Leads: 832 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,054 | 994 |
| Stolen Bases | 25 | Leads: 116 |
| Batting Avg | .262 | Leads: .266 |
| On-Base % | .337 | Leads: .357 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .452 | .426 |
| OPS | Leads: .789 | .783 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ben Zobrist leads Brian McCann 10,712 to 9,133 — driven by per-season impact — 714 PIV per season to 609 — rather than by longevity, since Ben Zobrist played 15 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
Ben Zobrist — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ben Zobrist leads in runs, stolen bases, batting average, and OBP, while Brian McCann owns hits, home runs, and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ben Zobrist. PIV agrees: Ben Zobrist grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Brian McCann and Ben Zobrist careers compare
The careers of Brian McCann (2005–2019) and Ben Zobrist (2006–2019) overlapped from 2006 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 1,651 for Ben Zobrist across 15 and 15 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Brian McCann struck out more than walked (1,054 to 640); Ben Zobrist struck out more than walked (994 to 832). Home runs make up a larger share of Brian McCann's hits: 282 of 1,590 for Brian McCann, 167 of 1,566 for Ben Zobrist.
Brian McCann vs Ben Zobrist: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Brian McCann or Ben Zobrist hit more home runs?
- Brian McCann, with 282 to Ben Zobrist's 167.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Brian McCann, with .789 to Ben Zobrist's .783.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ben Zobrist, with .266 to Brian McCann's .262.
- Who had more hits?
- Brian McCann, with 1,590 to Ben Zobrist's 1,566.