Reggie Smith vs Carl Yastrzemski: Career Stats Comparison
Carl Yastrzemski has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Reggie Smith played 1966–1982 as a hitter; Carl Yastrzemski played 1961–1983 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
Reggie Smith (1966–1982) and Carl Yastrzemski (1961–1983) — both debuted in the 1960s. Reggie Smith finished with 2,020 hits and 314 home runs; Carl Yastrzemski finished with 3,419 hits and 452 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Carl Yastrzemski, in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Carl Yastrzemski, with 452 to Reggie Smith's 314.
- Who had the higher OPS? Reggie Smith, with .855 to Carl Yastrzemski's .841.
- Who had the higher batting average? Reggie Smith, with .287 to Carl Yastrzemski's .285.
- Who had more hits? Carl Yastrzemski, with 3,419 to Reggie Smith's 2,020.
- Who drove in more runs? Carl Yastrzemski, with 1,844 to Reggie Smith's 1,092.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Carl Yastrzemski, with 54,310 career PIV to Reggie Smith's 32,131.
Reggie Smith
Carl Yastrzemski
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Reggie Smith and Carl Yastrzemski. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. 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 | Reggie Smith | Carl Yastrzemski |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 1,987 | 3,308 |
| At-Bats not scored | 7,033 | 11,988 |
| Runs | 1,123 | Leads: 1,816 |
| Hits | 2,020 | Leads: 3,419 |
| Doubles | 363 | Leads: 646 |
| Triples | 57 | Leads: 59 |
| Home Runs | 314 | Leads: 452 |
| RBI | 1,092 | Leads: 1,844 |
| Walks | 890 | Leads: 1,845 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,030 | 1,393 |
| Stolen Bases | 137 | Leads: 168 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .287 | .285 |
| On-Base % | .366 | Leads: .379 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .489 | .462 |
| OPS | Leads: .855 | .841 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Carl Yastrzemski outpaces Reggie Smith 54,310 to 32,131 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,361 PIV per season to 1,890, across 23 seasons to 17. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Reggie Smith — top 3 seasons by OPS
Carl Yastrzemski — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Carl Yastrzemski leads 9 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Reggie Smith leads 3: batting average, slugging percentage, and OPS. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Carl Yastrzemski. PIV agrees: Carl Yastrzemski grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Reggie Smith and Carl Yastrzemski careers compare
From 1966 through 1982, Reggie Smith and Carl Yastrzemski were in the majors together. The table compares 1,987 games of Reggie Smith with 3,308 of Carl Yastrzemski across 17 and 23 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Reggie Smith comes out ahead, it is in batting average (.287 to .285), slugging percentage (.489 to .462), and OPS (.855 to .841). At the plate, Reggie Smith struck out more than walked (1,030 to 890), while Carl Yastrzemski walked more often than struck out (1,845 walks, 1,393 strikeouts). On the bases, Reggie Smith stole more often per game played (137 steals in 1,987 games for Reggie Smith, 168 in 3,308 for Carl Yastrzemski).
Reggie Smith vs Carl Yastrzemski: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Reggie Smith or Carl Yastrzemski?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Carl Yastrzemski leads Reggie Smith in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Reggie Smith or Carl Yastrzemski hit more home runs?
- Carl Yastrzemski, with 452 to Reggie Smith's 314.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Reggie Smith, with .855 to Carl Yastrzemski's .841.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Reggie Smith, with .287 to Carl Yastrzemski's .285.
- Who had more hits?
- Carl Yastrzemski, with 3,419 to Reggie Smith's 2,020.