Mel Ott vs Duke Snider: Career Stats Comparison
Mel Ott has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Mel Ott played 1926–1947 as a hitter; Duke Snider played 1947–1964 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 Duke Snider (1947–1964) — they broke in during the 1920s and the 1940s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Mel Ott finished with 2,876 hits and 511 home runs; Duke Snider finished with 2,116 hits and 407 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 Duke Snider's 407.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mel Ott, with .947 to Duke Snider's .919.
- Who had the higher batting average? Mel Ott, with .304 to Duke Snider's .295.
- Who had more hits? Mel Ott, with 2,876 to Duke Snider's 2,116.
- Who drove in more runs? Mel Ott, with 1,860 to Duke Snider's 1,333.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mel Ott, with 64,873 career PIV to Duke Snider's 39,968.
- Who won more championships? Duke Snider, with 2 World Series titles to Mel Ott's 1.
Duke Snider
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Mel Ott and Duke Snider. 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 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Mel Ott | Duke Snider |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,730 | 2,143 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,456 | 7,161 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,859 | 1,259 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,876 | 2,116 |
| Doubles | Leads: 488 | 358 |
| Triples | 72 | Leads: 85 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 511 | 407 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,860 | 1,333 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,708 | 971 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 896 | 1,237 |
| Stolen Bases | 89 | Leads: 99 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .304 | .295 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .414 | .380 |
| Slugging % | .533 | Leads: .540 |
| OPS | Leads: .947 | .919 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mel Ott outpaces Duke Snider 64,873 to 39,968 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,949 PIV per season to 2,220, across 22 seasons to 18. 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
Duke Snider — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mel Ott leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Duke Snider owns 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 Duke Snider careers compare
From 1947 through 1947, Mel Ott and Duke Snider were in the majors together. With 2,730 games against 2,143 across 22 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Duke Snider comes out ahead, it is in triples (85 to 72), stolen bases (99 to 89), and slugging percentage (.540 to .533). Plate discipline differs: Mel Ott walked more often than struck out (1,708 walks, 896 strikeouts), but Duke Snider struck out more than walked (1,237 to 971). In slugging percentage, Duke Snider holds the edge, .540 to .533.
Mel Ott vs Duke Snider: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mel Ott or Duke Snider?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mel Ott leads Duke Snider in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Mel Ott or Duke Snider hit more home runs?
- Mel Ott, with 511 to Duke Snider's 407.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mel Ott, with .947 to Duke Snider's .919.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Mel Ott, with .304 to Duke Snider's .295.
- Who had more hits?
- Mel Ott, with 2,876 to Duke Snider's 2,116.