Kevin Mitchell vs Matt Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Matt Williams has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Matt Williams played 1987–2003 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 Matt Williams (1987–2003) — both broke in during the 1980s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Kevin Mitchell finished with 1,173 hits and 234 home runs; Matt Williams finished with 1,878 hits and 378 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Matt Williams, with 378 to Kevin Mitchell's 234.
- Who had the higher OPS? Kevin Mitchell, with .880 to Matt Williams's .805.
- Who had the higher batting average? Kevin Mitchell, with .284 to Matt Williams's .268.
- Who had more hits? Matt Williams, with 1,878 to Kevin Mitchell's 1,173.
- Who drove in more runs? Matt Williams, with 1,218 to Kevin Mitchell's 760.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Kevin Mitchell, with 17,577 career PIV to Matt Williams's 9,982.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Kevin Mitchell
Matt Williams
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Kevin Mitchell and Matt Williams. 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 | Kevin Mitchell | Matt Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,223 | Leads: 1,866 |
| At-Bats | 4,134 | Leads: 7,000 |
| Runs | 630 | Leads: 997 |
| Hits | 1,173 | Leads: 1,878 |
| Doubles | 224 | Leads: 338 |
| Triples | 25 | Leads: 35 |
| Home Runs | 234 | Leads: 378 |
| RBI | 760 | Leads: 1,218 |
| Walks | Leads: 491 | 469 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 719 | 1,363 |
| Stolen Bases | 30 | Leads: 53 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .284 | .268 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .360 | .317 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .520 | .489 |
| OPS | Leads: .880 | .805 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Kevin Mitchell outpaces Matt Williams 17,577 to 9,982 — driven by per-season impact — 1,172 PIV per season to 587 — rather than by longevity, since Kevin Mitchell played 15 seasons to Matt Williams's 17. 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
Matt Williams — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Matt Williams leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Kevin Mitchell owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Matt Williams. Note that PIV actually grades Kevin Mitchell ahead, which means Matt Williams's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Kevin Mitchell and Matt Williams careers compare
From 1987 through 1998, Kevin Mitchell and Matt Williams were in the majors together. Matt Williams has the far longer record, 1,866 games against 1,223 across 15 and 17 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Kevin Mitchell struck out more than walked (719 to 491); Matt Williams struck out more than walked (1,363 to 469). In on-base percentage, Kevin Mitchell holds the edge, .360 to .317. On the peak-season lists, Kevin Mitchell's best year is 1994 at 1.110 OPS and Matt Williams's is 1994 at .926 OPS; Kevin Mitchell has the stronger single season.
Kevin Mitchell vs Matt Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Kevin Mitchell or Matt Williams?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Matt Williams leads Kevin Mitchell in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Kevin Mitchell or Matt Williams hit more home runs?
- Matt Williams, with 378 to Kevin Mitchell's 234.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Kevin Mitchell, with .880 to Matt Williams's .805.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Kevin Mitchell, with .284 to Matt Williams's .268.
- Who had more hits?
- Matt Williams, with 1,878 to Kevin Mitchell's 1,173.