Kevin Mitchell vs Dave Parker: Career Stats Comparison
Dave Parker has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Kevin Mitchell played 1984–1998 as a hitter; Dave Parker played 1973–1991 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
Kevin Mitchell (1984–1998) and Dave Parker (1973–1991) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Kevin Mitchell finished with 1,173 hits and 234 home runs; Dave Parker finished with 2,712 hits and 339 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Dave Parker, with 339 to Kevin Mitchell's 234.
- Who had the higher OPS? Kevin Mitchell, with .880 to Dave Parker's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average? Dave Parker, with .290 to Kevin Mitchell's .284.
- Who had more hits? Dave Parker, with 2,712 to Kevin Mitchell's 1,173.
- Who drove in more runs? Dave Parker, with 1,493 to Kevin Mitchell's 760.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Dave Parker, with 23,542 career PIV to Kevin Mitchell's 17,577.
- Who won more championships? Dave Parker, with 2 World Series titles to Kevin Mitchell's 1.
Kevin Mitchell
Dave Parker
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Kevin Mitchell and Dave Parker. 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 1980s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Kevin Mitchell | Dave Parker |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,223 | Leads: 2,466 |
| At-Bats | 4,134 | Leads: 9,358 |
| Runs | 630 | Leads: 1,272 |
| Hits | 1,173 | Leads: 2,712 |
| Doubles | 224 | Leads: 526 |
| Triples | 25 | Leads: 75 |
| Home Runs | 234 | Leads: 339 |
| RBI | 760 | Leads: 1,493 |
| Walks | 491 | Leads: 683 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 719 | 1,537 |
| Stolen Bases | 30 | Leads: 154 |
| Batting Avg | .284 | Leads: .290 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .360 | .339 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .520 | .471 |
| OPS | Leads: .880 | .810 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dave Parker outpaces Kevin Mitchell 23,542 to 17,577 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,177 PIV per season to 1,172, across 20 seasons to 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).
Kevin Mitchell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Dave Parker — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dave Parker leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Kevin Mitchell owns OBP and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Dave Parker. PIV agrees: Dave Parker grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Kevin Mitchell and Dave Parker careers compare
The careers of Kevin Mitchell (1984–1998) and Dave Parker (1973–1991) overlapped from 1984 to 1991, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The table compares 1,223 games of Kevin Mitchell with 2,466 of Dave Parker across 15 and 20 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. The green cells for Kevin Mitchell are on-base percentage (.360 to .339), slugging percentage (.520 to .471), and OPS (.880 to .810). Kevin Mitchell struck out more than walked (719 to 491); Dave Parker struck out more than walked (1,537 to 683). Kevin Mitchell is the more power-leaning hitter, with 234 of 1,173 hits leaving the park.
Kevin Mitchell vs Dave Parker: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Kevin Mitchell or Dave Parker?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Dave Parker leads Kevin Mitchell in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Kevin Mitchell or Dave Parker hit more home runs?
- Dave Parker, with 339 to Kevin Mitchell's 234.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Kevin Mitchell, with .880 to Dave Parker's .810.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Dave Parker, with .290 to Kevin Mitchell's .284.
- Who had more hits?
- Dave Parker, with 2,712 to Kevin Mitchell's 1,173.