Joe Medwick vs Jackie Robinson: Career Stats Comparison
Joe Medwick has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Joe Medwick played 1932–1948 as a hitter; Jackie Robinson played 1947–1956 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 Medwick (1932–1948) and Jackie Robinson (1947–1956) — they broke in during the 1930s and the 1940s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Joe Medwick finished with 2,471 hits and 205 home runs; Jackie Robinson finished with 1,568 hits and 141 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Joe Medwick, with 205 to Jackie Robinson's 141.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jackie Robinson, with .887 to Joe Medwick's .867.
- Who had the higher batting average? Joe Medwick, with .324 to Jackie Robinson's .313.
- Who had more hits? Joe Medwick, with 2,471 to Jackie Robinson's 1,568.
- Who drove in more runs? Joe Medwick, with 1,383 to Jackie Robinson's 764.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Joe Medwick, with 28,897 career PIV to Jackie Robinson's 25,382.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Joe Medwick
Jackie Robinson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Joe Medwick and Jackie Robinson. 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 1930s and the 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Joe Medwick | Jackie Robinson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,984 | 1,418 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,635 | 5,006 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,198 | 974 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,471 | 1,568 |
| Doubles | Leads: 540 | 287 |
| Triples | Leads: 113 | 55 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 205 | 141 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,383 | 764 |
| Walks | 437 | Leads: 756 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 551 | 291 |
| Stolen Bases | 42 | Leads: 203 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .324 | .313 |
| On-Base % | .362 | Leads: .410 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .505 | .477 |
| OPS | .867 | Leads: .887 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Joe Medwick leads Jackie Robinson 28,897 to 25,382 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Joe Medwick played 20 seasons to Jackie Robinson's 11, while Jackie Robinson carries the higher per-season figure (2,307 to 1,445). 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 Medwick — top 3 seasons by OPS
Jackie Robinson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Joe Medwick leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Jackie Robinson owns stolen bases, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Joe Medwick. PIV agrees: Joe Medwick grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Joe Medwick and Jackie Robinson careers compare
From 1947 through 1948, Joe Medwick and Jackie Robinson were in the majors together. With 1,984 games against 1,418 across 20 and 11 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Jackie Robinson's edges on the table are walks (756 to 437), stolen bases (203 to 42), and on-base percentage (.410 to .362). Plate discipline differs: Joe Medwick struck out more than walked (551 to 437), but Jackie Robinson walked more often than struck out (756 walks, 291 strikeouts). On the bases, Jackie Robinson stole more often per game played (42 steals in 1,984 games for Joe Medwick, 203 in 1,418 for Jackie Robinson).
Joe Medwick vs Jackie Robinson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Joe Medwick or Jackie Robinson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Joe Medwick leads Jackie Robinson in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Joe Medwick or Jackie Robinson hit more home runs?
- Joe Medwick, with 205 to Jackie Robinson's 141.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jackie Robinson, with .887 to Joe Medwick's .867.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Joe Medwick, with .324 to Jackie Robinson's .313.
- Who had more hits?
- Joe Medwick, with 2,471 to Jackie Robinson's 1,568.