Hunter Pence vs Buster Posey: Career Stats Comparison
Hunter Pence 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). Hunter Pence played 2007–2020 as a hitter; Buster Posey played 2009–2021 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
Hunter Pence (2007–2020) and Buster Posey (2009–2021) — both broke in during the 2000s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Hunter Pence finished with 1,791 hits and 244 home runs; Buster Posey finished with 1,500 hits and 158 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Hunter Pence, with 244 to Buster Posey's 158.
- Who had the higher OPS? Buster Posey, with .831 to Hunter Pence's .794.
- Who had the higher batting average? Buster Posey, with .302 to Hunter Pence's .279.
- Who had more hits? Hunter Pence, with 1,791 to Buster Posey's 1,500.
- Who drove in more runs? Hunter Pence, with 942 to Buster Posey's 729.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Buster Posey, with 15,615 career PIV to Hunter Pence's 10,190.
- Who won more championships? Buster Posey, with 3 World Series titles to Hunter Pence's 2.
Hunter Pence
Buster Posey
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Hunter Pence and Buster Posey. 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 | Hunter Pence | Buster Posey |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,707 | 1,371 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 6,420 | 4,970 |
| Runs | Leads: 891 | 663 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,791 | 1,500 |
| Doubles | Leads: 324 | 293 |
| Triples | Leads: 55 | 9 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 244 | 158 |
| RBI | Leads: 942 | 729 |
| Walks | 520 | Leads: 540 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,335 | 721 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 120 | 23 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .302 |
| On-Base % | .334 | Leads: .372 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .461 | .460 |
| OPS | .794 | Leads: .831 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Buster Posey outpaces Hunter Pence 15,615 to 10,190 — driven by per-season impact — 1,301 PIV per season to 637 — rather than by longevity, since Buster Posey played 12 seasons to Hunter Pence's 16. 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).
Hunter Pence — top 3 seasons by OPS
Buster Posey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hunter Pence leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Buster Posey owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Hunter Pence. Note that PIV actually grades Buster Posey ahead, which means Hunter Pence's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Hunter Pence and Buster Posey careers compare
The careers of Hunter Pence (2007–2020) and Buster Posey (2009–2021) overlapped from 2009 to 2020, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 1,707 games against 1,371 across 16 and 12 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Buster Posey comes out ahead, it is in walks (540 to 520), batting average (.302 to .279), and on-base percentage (.372 to .334). At the plate, Hunter Pence struck out more than walked (1,335 to 520), and Buster Posey struck out more than walked (721 to 540).
Hunter Pence vs Buster Posey: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Hunter Pence or Buster Posey?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Hunter Pence leads Buster Posey in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Hunter Pence or Buster Posey hit more home runs?
- Hunter Pence, with 244 to Buster Posey's 158.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Buster Posey, with .831 to Hunter Pence's .794.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Buster Posey, with .302 to Hunter Pence's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Hunter Pence, with 1,791 to Buster Posey's 1,500.