Mel Ott vs Pete Rose: Career Stats Comparison
Mel Ott and Pete Rose are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Mel Ott played 1926–1947 as a hitter; Pete Rose played 1963–1986 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
Mel Ott (1926–1947) and Pete Rose (1963–1986) — they broke in during the 1920s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Mel Ott finished with 2,876 hits and 511 home runs; Pete Rose finished with 4,256 hits and 160 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Mel Ott, with 511 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mel Ott, with .947 to Pete Rose's .784.
- Who had the higher batting average? Mel Ott, with .304 to Pete Rose's .303.
- Who had more hits? Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Mel Ott's 2,876.
- Who drove in more runs? Mel Ott, with 1,860 to Pete Rose's 1,314.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mel Ott, with 64,873 career PIV to Pete Rose's 40,772.
- Who won more championships? Pete Rose, with 3 World Series titles to Mel Ott's 1.
Pete Rose
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Mel Ott and Pete Rose. 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 1920s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Mel Ott | Pete Rose |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,730 | Leads: 3,562 |
| At-Bats | 9,456 | Leads: 14,053 |
| Runs | 1,859 | Leads: 2,165 |
| Hits | 2,876 | Leads: 4,256 |
| Doubles | 488 | Leads: 746 |
| Triples | 72 | Leads: 135 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 511 | 160 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,860 | 1,314 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,708 | 1,566 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 896 | 1,143 |
| Stolen Bases | 89 | Leads: 198 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .304 | .303 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .414 | .375 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .533 | .409 |
| OPS | Leads: .947 | .784 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mel Ott outpaces Pete Rose 64,873 to 40,772 — driven by per-season impact — 2,949 PIV per season to 1,631 — rather than by longevity, since Mel Ott played 22 seasons to Pete Rose's 25. 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).
Mel Ott — top 3 seasons by OPS
Pete Rose — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mel Ott leads in home runs, RBI, batting average, and OBP, while Pete Rose owns hits, runs, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Mel Ott. PIV agrees: Mel Ott grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Mel Ott and Pete Rose careers compare
Mel Ott (1926–1947) was finished before Pete Rose (1963–1986) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 2,730 games against 3,562 across 22 and 25 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Mel Ott walked more often than struck out (1,708 walks, 896 strikeouts); Pete Rose walked more often than struck out (1,566 walks, 1,143 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Mel Ott's hits: 511 of 2,876 for Mel Ott, 160 of 4,256 for Pete Rose. Pete Rose was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Mel Ott's on-base percentage of .414 tops Pete Rose's .375.
Mel Ott vs Pete Rose: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Mel Ott or Pete Rose hit more home runs?
- Mel Ott, with 511 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mel Ott, with .947 to Pete Rose's .784.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Mel Ott, with .304 to Pete Rose's .303.
- Who had more hits?
- Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Mel Ott's 2,876.