Willie McCovey vs Robin Yount: Career Stats Comparison
Robin Yount 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; Robin Yount played 1974–1993 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 Robin Yount (1974–1993) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Willie McCovey finished with 2,211 hits and 521 home runs; Robin Yount finished with 3,142 hits and 251 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 Robin Yount's 251.
- Who had the higher OPS? Willie McCovey, with .889 to Robin Yount's .772.
- Who had the higher batting average? Robin Yount, with .285 to Willie McCovey's .270.
- Who had more hits? Robin Yount, with 3,142 to Willie McCovey's 2,211.
- Who drove in more runs? Willie McCovey, with 1,555 to Robin Yount's 1,406.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willie McCovey, with 47,331 career PIV to Robin Yount's 18,665.
Willie McCovey
Robin Yount
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Willie McCovey and Robin Yount. 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 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Willie McCovey | Robin Yount |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,588 | Leads: 2,856 |
| At-Bats | 8,197 | Leads: 11,008 |
| Runs | 1,229 | Leads: 1,632 |
| Hits | 2,211 | Leads: 3,142 |
| Doubles | 353 | Leads: 583 |
| Triples | 46 | Leads: 126 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 521 | 251 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,555 | 1,406 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,345 | 966 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,550 | 1,350 |
| Stolen Bases | 26 | Leads: 271 |
| Batting Avg | .270 | Leads: .285 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .374 | .342 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .515 | .430 |
| OPS | Leads: .889 | .772 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie McCovey outpaces Robin Yount 47,331 to 18,665 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,058 PIV per season to 933, across 23 seasons to 20. 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
Robin Yount — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Willie McCovey leads in home runs, RBI, OBP, and OPS, while Robin Yount owns hits, runs, and stolen bases. 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 Robin Yount careers compare
From 1974 through 1980, Willie McCovey and Robin Yount were in the majors together. With 2,588 games against 2,856 across 23 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Willie McCovey struck out more than walked (1,550 to 1,345), and Robin Yount struck out more than walked (1,350 to 966). Home runs make up a larger share of Willie McCovey's hits: 521 of 2,211 for Willie McCovey, 251 of 3,142 for Robin Yount. Robin Yount was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Willie McCovey's on-base percentage of .374 tops Robin Yount's .342.
Willie McCovey vs Robin Yount: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Willie McCovey or Robin Yount?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Robin Yount leads Willie McCovey in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Willie McCovey or Robin Yount hit more home runs?
- Willie McCovey, with 521 to Robin Yount's 251.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Willie McCovey, with .889 to Robin Yount's .772.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Robin Yount, with .285 to Willie McCovey's .270.
- Who had more hits?
- Robin Yount, with 3,142 to Willie McCovey's 2,211.