Johnny Mize vs Vern Stephens: Career Stats Comparison
Johnny Mize has the better career line of the two, leading 13 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Johnny Mize played 1936–1953 as a hitter; Vern Stephens played 1941–1955 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
Johnny Mize (1936–1953) and Vern Stephens (1941–1955) — they broke in during the 1930s and the 1940s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Johnny Mize finished with 2,011 hits and 359 home runs; Vern Stephens finished with 1,859 hits and 247 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Johnny Mize, with 359 to Vern Stephens's 247.
- Who had the higher OPS? Johnny Mize, with .959 to Vern Stephens's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average? Johnny Mize, with .312 to Vern Stephens's .286.
- Who had more hits? Johnny Mize, with 2,011 to Vern Stephens's 1,859.
- Who drove in more runs? Johnny Mize, with 1,337 to Vern Stephens's 1,174.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Johnny Mize, with 43,061 career PIV to Vern Stephens's 19,363.
- Who won more championships? Johnny Mize, with 5 World Series titles to Vern Stephens's 0.
Johnny Mize
Vern Stephens
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Johnny Mize and Vern Stephens. 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 | Johnny Mize | Vern Stephens |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,884 | 1,720 |
| At-Bats | 6,443 | Leads: 6,497 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,118 | 1,001 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,011 | 1,859 |
| Doubles | Leads: 367 | 307 |
| Triples | Leads: 83 | 42 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 359 | 247 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,337 | 1,174 |
| Walks | Leads: 856 | 692 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 524 | 685 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 28 | 25 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .312 | .286 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .397 | .355 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .562 | .460 |
| OPS | Leads: .959 | .815 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Johnny Mize outpaces Vern Stephens 43,061 to 19,363 — driven by per-season impact — 2,691 PIV per season to 1,139 — rather than by longevity, since Johnny Mize played 16 seasons to Vern Stephens'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).
Johnny Mize — top 3 seasons by OPS
Vern Stephens — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Johnny Mize leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Vern Stephens owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Johnny Mize. PIV agrees: Johnny Mize grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Johnny Mize and Vern Stephens careers compare
From 1941 through 1953, Johnny Mize and Vern Stephens were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 1,884 games for Johnny Mize and 1,720 for Vern Stephens across 16 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Vern Stephens's edges on the table are at-bats (6,497 to 6,443). At the plate, Johnny Mize walked more often than struck out (856 walks, 524 strikeouts), and Vern Stephens walked more often than struck out (692 walks, 685 strikeouts). Johnny Mize is the more power-leaning hitter, with 359 of 2,011 hits leaving the park. In on-base percentage, Johnny Mize holds the edge, .397 to .355.
Johnny Mize vs Vern Stephens: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Johnny Mize or Vern Stephens?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Johnny Mize leads Vern Stephens in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Johnny Mize or Vern Stephens hit more home runs?
- Johnny Mize, with 359 to Vern Stephens's 247.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Johnny Mize, with .959 to Vern Stephens's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Johnny Mize, with .312 to Vern Stephens's .286.
- Who had more hits?
- Johnny Mize, with 2,011 to Vern Stephens's 1,859.