Graig Nettles vs Carl Yastrzemski: Career Stats Comparison
Carl Yastrzemski has the better career line of the two, leading 14 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Graig Nettles played 1967–1988 as a hitter; Carl Yastrzemski played 1961–1983 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
Graig Nettles (1967–1988) and Carl Yastrzemski (1961–1983) — both broke in during the 1960s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Graig Nettles finished with 2,225 hits and 390 home runs; Carl Yastrzemski finished with 3,419 hits and 452 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Carl Yastrzemski, with 452 to Graig Nettles's 390.
- Who had the higher OPS? Carl Yastrzemski, with .841 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average? Carl Yastrzemski, with .285 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits? Carl Yastrzemski, with 3,419 to Graig Nettles's 2,225.
- Who drove in more runs? Carl Yastrzemski, with 1,844 to Graig Nettles's 1,314.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Carl Yastrzemski, with 54,310 career PIV to Graig Nettles's 12,470.
- Who won more championships? Graig Nettles, with 2 World Series titles to Carl Yastrzemski's 0.
Graig Nettles
Carl Yastrzemski
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Graig Nettles and Carl Yastrzemski. 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 | Graig Nettles | Carl Yastrzemski |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,700 | Leads: 3,308 |
| At-Bats | 8,986 | Leads: 11,988 |
| Runs | 1,193 | Leads: 1,816 |
| Hits | 2,225 | Leads: 3,419 |
| Doubles | 328 | Leads: 646 |
| Triples | 28 | Leads: 59 |
| Home Runs | 390 | Leads: 452 |
| RBI | 1,314 | Leads: 1,844 |
| Walks | 1,088 | Leads: 1,845 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,209 | 1,393 |
| Stolen Bases | 32 | Leads: 168 |
| Batting Avg | .248 | Leads: .285 |
| On-Base % | .329 | Leads: .379 |
| Slugging % | .421 | Leads: .462 |
| OPS | .750 | Leads: .841 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Carl Yastrzemski outpaces Graig Nettles 54,310 to 12,470 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,361 PIV per season to 567, across 23 seasons to 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).
Graig Nettles — top 3 seasons by OPS
Carl Yastrzemski — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Carl Yastrzemski leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Graig Nettles owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Carl Yastrzemski. PIV agrees: Carl Yastrzemski grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Graig Nettles and Carl Yastrzemski careers compare
The careers of Graig Nettles (1967–1988) and Carl Yastrzemski (1961–1983) overlapped from 1967 to 1983, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,700 games against 3,308 across 22 and 23 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Carl Yastrzemski leads every scored row of the table. At the plate, Graig Nettles struck out more than walked (1,209 to 1,088), while Carl Yastrzemski walked more often than struck out (1,845 walks, 1,393 strikeouts). Graig Nettles is the more power-leaning hitter, with 390 of 2,225 hits leaving the park.
Graig Nettles vs Carl Yastrzemski: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Graig Nettles or Carl Yastrzemski?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Carl Yastrzemski leads Graig Nettles in 14 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Graig Nettles or Carl Yastrzemski hit more home runs?
- Carl Yastrzemski, with 452 to Graig Nettles's 390.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Carl Yastrzemski, with .841 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Carl Yastrzemski, with .285 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits?
- Carl Yastrzemski, with 3,419 to Graig Nettles's 2,225.