Joe Medwick vs Arky Vaughan: 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; Arky Vaughan played 1932–1948 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 Arky Vaughan (1932–1948) — both broke in during the 1930s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Joe Medwick finished with 2,471 hits and 205 home runs; Arky Vaughan finished with 2,103 hits and 96 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 Arky Vaughan's 96.
- Who had the higher OPS? Joe Medwick, with .867 to Arky Vaughan's .859.
- Who had the higher batting average? Joe Medwick, with .324 to Arky Vaughan's .318.
- Who had more hits? Joe Medwick, with 2,471 to Arky Vaughan's 2,103.
- Who drove in more runs? Joe Medwick, with 1,383 to Arky Vaughan's 926.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Joe Medwick, with 28,897 career PIV to Arky Vaughan's 28,350.
- Who won more championships? Joe Medwick, with 1 World Series title to Arky Vaughan's 0.
Joe Medwick
Arky Vaughan
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Joe Medwick and Arky Vaughan. 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 | Joe Medwick | Arky Vaughan |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,984 | 1,817 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,635 | 6,622 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,198 | 1,173 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,471 | 2,103 |
| Doubles | Leads: 540 | 356 |
| Triples | 113 | Leads: 128 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 205 | 96 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,383 | 926 |
| Walks | 437 | Leads: 937 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 551 | 276 |
| Stolen Bases | 42 | Leads: 118 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .324 | .318 |
| On-Base % | .362 | Leads: .406 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .505 | .453 |
| OPS | Leads: .867 | .859 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Joe Medwick edges Arky Vaughan 28,897 to 28,350 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Joe Medwick played 20 seasons to Arky Vaughan's 14, while Arky Vaughan carries the higher per-season figure (2,025 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
Arky Vaughan — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Joe Medwick leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Arky Vaughan owns stolen bases and OBP. 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 Arky Vaughan careers compare
Joe Medwick and Arky Vaughan were active at the same time between 1932 and 1948. The two careers are close in length, 1,984 games for Joe Medwick and 1,817 for Arky Vaughan across 20 and 14 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Arky Vaughan are triples (128 to 113), walks (937 to 437), and stolen bases (118 to 42). Plate discipline differs: Joe Medwick struck out more than walked (551 to 437), but Arky Vaughan walked more often than struck out (937 walks, 276 strikeouts).
Joe Medwick vs Arky Vaughan: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Joe Medwick or Arky Vaughan?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Joe Medwick leads Arky Vaughan in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Joe Medwick or Arky Vaughan hit more home runs?
- Joe Medwick, with 205 to Arky Vaughan's 96.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Joe Medwick, with .867 to Arky Vaughan's .859.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Joe Medwick, with .324 to Arky Vaughan's .318.
- Who had more hits?
- Joe Medwick, with 2,471 to Arky Vaughan's 2,103.