Johnny Mize vs Paul Waner: Career Stats Comparison
Paul Waner 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). Johnny Mize played 1936–1953 as a hitter; Paul Waner played 1926–1945 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 Paul Waner (1926–1945) — they broke in during the 1930s and the 1920s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Johnny Mize finished with 2,011 hits and 359 home runs; Paul Waner finished with 3,152 hits and 113 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 Paul Waner's 113.
- Who had the higher OPS? Johnny Mize, with .959 to Paul Waner's .878.
- Who had the higher batting average? Paul Waner, with .333 to Johnny Mize's .312.
- Who had more hits? Paul Waner, with 3,152 to Johnny Mize's 2,011.
- Who drove in more runs? Johnny Mize, with 1,337 to Paul Waner's 1,309.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Johnny Mize, with 43,061 career PIV to Paul Waner's 40,296.
- Who won more championships? Johnny Mize, with 5 World Series titles to Paul Waner's 0.
Johnny Mize
Paul Waner
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Johnny Mize and Paul Waner. 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 1920s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Johnny Mize | Paul Waner |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,884 | Leads: 2,549 |
| At-Bats | 6,443 | Leads: 9,459 |
| Runs | 1,118 | Leads: 1,627 |
| Hits | 2,011 | Leads: 3,152 |
| Doubles | 367 | Leads: 605 |
| Triples | 83 | Leads: 191 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 359 | 113 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,337 | 1,309 |
| Walks | 856 | Leads: 1,091 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 524 | 376 |
| Stolen Bases | 28 | Leads: 104 |
| Batting Avg | .312 | Leads: .333 |
| On-Base % | .397 | Leads: .404 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .562 | .473 |
| OPS | Leads: .959 | .878 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Johnny Mize edges Paul Waner 43,061 to 40,296 — driven by per-season impact — 2,691 PIV per season to 1,832 — rather than by longevity, since Johnny Mize played 16 seasons to Paul Waner's 22. 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
Paul Waner — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Paul Waner leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Johnny Mize owns home runs, RBI, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Paul Waner. Note that PIV actually grades Johnny Mize ahead, which means Paul Waner's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Johnny Mize and Paul Waner careers compare
From 1936 through 1945, Johnny Mize and Paul Waner were in the majors together. With 1,884 games against 2,549 across 16 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Johnny Mize's edges on the table are home runs (359 to 113), RBI (1,337 to 1,309), and slugging percentage (.562 to .473). At the plate, Johnny Mize walked more often than struck out (856 walks, 524 strikeouts), and Paul Waner walked more often than struck out (1,091 walks, 376 strikeouts). Johnny Mize is the more power-leaning hitter, with 359 of 2,011 hits leaving the park. Paul Waner was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Johnny Mize vs Paul Waner: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Johnny Mize or Paul Waner?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Paul Waner leads Johnny Mize in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Johnny Mize or Paul Waner hit more home runs?
- Johnny Mize, with 359 to Paul Waner's 113.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Johnny Mize, with .959 to Paul Waner's .878.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Paul Waner, with .333 to Johnny Mize's .312.
- Who had more hits?
- Paul Waner, with 3,152 to Johnny Mize's 2,011.