Hunter Pence vs Ben Zobrist: Career Stats Comparison
Hunter Pence 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). Hunter Pence played 2007–2020 as a hitter; Ben Zobrist played 2006–2019 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 Ben Zobrist (2006–2019) — 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; Ben Zobrist finished with 1,566 hits and 167 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 Ben Zobrist's 167.
- Who had the higher OPS? Hunter Pence, with .794 to Ben Zobrist's .783.
- Who had the higher batting average? Hunter Pence, with .279 to Ben Zobrist's .266.
- Who had more hits? Hunter Pence, with 1,791 to Ben Zobrist's 1,566.
- Who drove in more runs? Hunter Pence, with 942 to Ben Zobrist's 768.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ben Zobrist, with 10,712 career PIV to Hunter Pence's 10,190.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 2 World Series titles.
Hunter Pence
Ben Zobrist
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Hunter Pence and Ben Zobrist. 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 | Ben Zobrist |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,707 | 1,651 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 6,420 | 5,880 |
| Runs | Leads: 891 | 884 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,791 | 1,566 |
| Doubles | 324 | Leads: 349 |
| Triples | Leads: 55 | 44 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 244 | 167 |
| RBI | Leads: 942 | 768 |
| Walks | 520 | Leads: 832 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,335 | 994 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 120 | 116 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .279 | .266 |
| On-Base % | .334 | Leads: .357 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .461 | .426 |
| OPS | Leads: .794 | .783 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ben Zobrist edges Hunter Pence 10,712 to 10,190 — driven by per-season impact — 714 PIV per season to 637 — rather than by longevity, since Ben Zobrist played 15 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
Ben Zobrist — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hunter Pence leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Ben Zobrist owns OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Hunter Pence. Note that PIV actually grades Ben Zobrist 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 Ben Zobrist careers compare
The careers of Hunter Pence (2007–2020) and Ben Zobrist (2006–2019) overlapped from 2007 to 2019, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 1,707 games for Hunter Pence and 1,651 for Ben Zobrist across 16 and 15 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Ben Zobrist's edges on the table are doubles (349 to 324), walks (832 to 520), and on-base percentage (.357 to .334). Hunter Pence struck out more than walked (1,335 to 520); Ben Zobrist struck out more than walked (994 to 832).
Hunter Pence vs Ben Zobrist: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Hunter Pence or Ben Zobrist?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Hunter Pence leads Ben Zobrist in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Hunter Pence or Ben Zobrist hit more home runs?
- Hunter Pence, with 244 to Ben Zobrist's 167.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Hunter Pence, with .794 to Ben Zobrist's .783.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Hunter Pence, with .279 to Ben Zobrist's .266.
- Who had more hits?
- Hunter Pence, with 1,791 to Ben Zobrist's 1,566.