Kirby Puckett vs Greg Vaughn: Career Stats Comparison
Kirby Puckett has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Kirby Puckett played 1984–1995 as a hitter; Greg Vaughn played 1989–2003 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
Kirby Puckett (1984–1995) and Greg Vaughn (1989–2003) — both broke in during the 1980s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Kirby Puckett finished with 2,304 hits and 207 home runs; Greg Vaughn finished with 1,475 hits and 355 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Greg Vaughn, with 355 to Kirby Puckett's 207.
- Who had the higher OPS? Kirby Puckett, with .837 to Greg Vaughn's .807.
- Who had the higher batting average? Kirby Puckett, with .318 to Greg Vaughn's .242.
- Who had more hits? Kirby Puckett, with 2,304 to Greg Vaughn's 1,475.
- Who drove in more runs? Kirby Puckett, with 1,085 to Greg Vaughn's 1,072.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Kirby Puckett, with 22,719 career PIV to Greg Vaughn's 10,473.
- Who won more championships? Kirby Puckett, with 2 World Series titles to Greg Vaughn's 0.
Kirby Puckett
Greg Vaughn
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Kirby Puckett and Greg Vaughn. 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 | Kirby Puckett | Greg Vaughn |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,783 | 1,731 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,244 | 6,103 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,071 | 1,017 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,304 | 1,475 |
| Doubles | Leads: 414 | 284 |
| Triples | Leads: 57 | 23 |
| Home Runs | 207 | Leads: 355 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,085 | 1,072 |
| Walks | 450 | Leads: 865 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 965 | 1,513 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 134 | 121 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .318 | .242 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .360 | .337 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .477 | .470 |
| OPS | Leads: .837 | .807 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Kirby Puckett outpaces Greg Vaughn 22,719 to 10,473 — driven by per-season impact — 1,893 PIV per season to 655 — rather than by longevity, since Kirby Puckett played 12 seasons to Greg Vaughn'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).
Kirby Puckett — top 3 seasons by OPS
Greg Vaughn — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Kirby Puckett leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Greg Vaughn owns home runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Kirby Puckett. PIV agrees: Kirby Puckett grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Kirby Puckett and Greg Vaughn careers compare
The careers of Kirby Puckett (1984–1995) and Greg Vaughn (1989–2003) overlapped from 1989 to 1995, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 1,783 games for Kirby Puckett and 1,731 for Greg Vaughn across 12 and 16 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Greg Vaughn comes out ahead, it is in home runs (355 to 207) and walks (865 to 450). Kirby Puckett struck out more than walked (965 to 450); Greg Vaughn struck out more than walked (1,513 to 865). Greg Vaughn is the more power-leaning hitter, with 355 of 1,475 hits leaving the park.
Kirby Puckett vs Greg Vaughn: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Kirby Puckett or Greg Vaughn?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Kirby Puckett leads Greg Vaughn in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Kirby Puckett or Greg Vaughn hit more home runs?
- Greg Vaughn, with 355 to Kirby Puckett's 207.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Kirby Puckett, with .837 to Greg Vaughn's .807.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Kirby Puckett, with .318 to Greg Vaughn's .242.
- Who had more hits?
- Kirby Puckett, with 2,304 to Greg Vaughn's 1,475.