Willie McCovey vs Joey Votto: Career Stats Comparison
Willie McCovey 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). Willie McCovey played 1959–1980 as a hitter; Joey Votto played 2007–2023 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
Willie McCovey (1959–1980) and Joey Votto (2007–2023) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 2000s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Willie McCovey finished with 2,211 hits and 521 home runs; Joey Votto finished with 2,135 hits and 356 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Willie McCovey, with 521 to Joey Votto's 356.
- Who had the higher OPS? Joey Votto, with .920 to Willie McCovey's .889.
- Who had the higher batting average? Joey Votto, with .294 to Willie McCovey's .270.
- Who had more hits? Willie McCovey, with 2,211 to Joey Votto's 2,135.
- Who drove in more runs? Willie McCovey, with 1,555 to Joey Votto's 1,144.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willie McCovey, with 47,331 career PIV to Joey Votto's 43,852.
Willie McCovey
Joey Votto
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Willie McCovey and Joey Votto. 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 1950s and the 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Willie McCovey | Joey Votto |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,588 | 2,056 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,197 | 7,252 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,229 | 1,171 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,211 | 2,135 |
| Doubles | 353 | Leads: 459 |
| Triples | Leads: 46 | 22 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 521 | 356 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,555 | 1,144 |
| Walks | 1,345 | Leads: 1,365 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,550 | 1,640 |
| Stolen Bases | 26 | Leads: 80 |
| Batting Avg | .270 | Leads: .294 |
| On-Base % | .374 | Leads: .409 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .515 | .511 |
| OPS | .889 | Leads: .920 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie McCovey edges Joey Votto 47,331 to 43,852 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Willie McCovey played 23 seasons to Joey Votto's 17, while Joey Votto carries the higher per-season figure (2,580 to 2,058). 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).
Willie McCovey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Joey Votto — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Willie McCovey leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Joey Votto owns stolen bases, batting average, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Willie McCovey. PIV agrees: Willie McCovey grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Willie McCovey and Joey Votto careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Willie McCovey's ended in 1980, and Joey Votto debuted in 2007. With 2,588 games against 2,056 across 23 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Willie McCovey struck out more than walked (1,550 to 1,345); Joey Votto struck out more than walked (1,640 to 1,365). Willie McCovey is the more power-leaning hitter, with 521 of 2,211 hits leaving the park. Willie McCovey's slugging percentage of .515 tops Joey Votto's .511. On the peak-season lists, Willie McCovey's best year is 1969 at 1.108 OPS and Joey Votto's is 2012 at 1.041 OPS; Willie McCovey has the stronger single season.
Willie McCovey vs Joey Votto: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Willie McCovey or Joey Votto?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Willie McCovey leads Joey Votto in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Willie McCovey or Joey Votto hit more home runs?
- Willie McCovey, with 521 to Joey Votto's 356.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Joey Votto, with .920 to Willie McCovey's .889.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Joey Votto, with .294 to Willie McCovey's .270.
- Who had more hits?
- Willie McCovey, with 2,211 to Joey Votto's 2,135.