Johnny Mize vs Mickey Vernon: Career Stats Comparison
Mickey Vernon has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; Mickey Vernon played 1939–1960 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 Mickey Vernon (1939–1960) — both broke in during the 1930s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Johnny Mize finished with 2,011 hits and 359 home runs; Mickey Vernon finished with 2,495 hits and 172 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 Mickey Vernon's 172.
- Who had the higher OPS? Johnny Mize, with .959 to Mickey Vernon's .787.
- Who had the higher batting average? Johnny Mize, with .312 to Mickey Vernon's .286.
- Who had more hits? Mickey Vernon, with 2,495 to Johnny Mize's 2,011.
- Who drove in more runs? Johnny Mize, with 1,337 to Mickey Vernon's 1,311.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Johnny Mize, with 43,061 career PIV to Mickey Vernon's 19,008.
- Who won more championships? Johnny Mize, with 5 World Series titles to Mickey Vernon's 1.
Johnny Mize
Mickey Vernon
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Johnny Mize and Mickey Vernon. 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 | Johnny Mize | Mickey Vernon |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,884 | Leads: 2,409 |
| At-Bats | 6,443 | Leads: 8,731 |
| Runs | 1,118 | Leads: 1,196 |
| Hits | 2,011 | Leads: 2,495 |
| Doubles | 367 | Leads: 490 |
| Triples | 83 | Leads: 120 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 359 | 172 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,337 | 1,311 |
| Walks | 856 | Leads: 955 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 524 | 869 |
| Stolen Bases | 28 | Leads: 137 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .312 | .286 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .397 | .359 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .562 | .428 |
| OPS | Leads: .959 | .787 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Johnny Mize outpaces Mickey Vernon 43,061 to 19,008 — driven by per-season impact — 2,691 PIV per season to 905 — rather than by longevity, since Johnny Mize played 16 seasons to Mickey Vernon's 21. 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
Mickey Vernon — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Johnny Mize leads in home runs, RBI, batting average, and OBP, while Mickey Vernon owns hits, runs, and stolen bases. 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 Mickey Vernon careers compare
Johnny Mize and Mickey Vernon were active at the same time between 1939 and 1953. With 1,884 games against 2,409 across 16 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Johnny Mize walked more often than struck out (856 walks, 524 strikeouts), and Mickey Vernon walked more often than struck out (955 walks, 869 strikeouts). Johnny Mize is the more power-leaning hitter, with 359 of 2,011 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Mickey Vernon stole more often per game played (28 steals in 1,884 games for Johnny Mize, 137 in 2,409 for Mickey Vernon). In slugging percentage, Johnny Mize holds the edge, .562 to .428.
Johnny Mize vs Mickey Vernon: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Johnny Mize or Mickey Vernon?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mickey Vernon leads Johnny Mize in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Johnny Mize or Mickey Vernon hit more home runs?
- Johnny Mize, with 359 to Mickey Vernon's 172.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Johnny Mize, with .959 to Mickey Vernon's .787.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Johnny Mize, with .312 to Mickey Vernon's .286.
- Who had more hits?
- Mickey Vernon, with 2,495 to Johnny Mize's 2,011.