Vern Stephens vs Troy Tulowitzki: Career Stats Comparison
Vern Stephens has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Vern Stephens played 1941–1955 as a hitter; Troy Tulowitzki 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
Vern Stephens (1941–1955) and Troy Tulowitzki (2006–2019) — they broke in during the 1940s and the 2000s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Vern Stephens finished with 1,859 hits and 247 home runs; Troy Tulowitzki finished with 1,391 hits and 225 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Vern Stephens, with 247 to Troy Tulowitzki's 225.
- Who had the higher OPS? Troy Tulowitzki, with .856 to Vern Stephens's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average? Troy Tulowitzki, with .290 to Vern Stephens's .286.
- Who had more hits? Vern Stephens, with 1,859 to Troy Tulowitzki's 1,391.
- Who drove in more runs? Vern Stephens, with 1,174 to Troy Tulowitzki's 780.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Vern Stephens, with 19,363 career PIV to Troy Tulowitzki's 16,087.
Vern Stephens
Troy Tulowitzki
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Vern Stephens and Troy Tulowitzki. 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 1940s and the 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Vern Stephens | Troy Tulowitzki |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,720 | 1,291 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 6,497 | 4,804 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,001 | 762 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,859 | 1,391 |
| Doubles | Leads: 307 | 264 |
| Triples | Leads: 42 | 24 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 247 | 225 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,174 | 780 |
| Walks | Leads: 692 | 511 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 685 | 900 |
| Stolen Bases | 25 | Leads: 57 |
| Batting Avg | .286 | Leads: .290 |
| On-Base % | .355 | Leads: .361 |
| Slugging % | .460 | Leads: .495 |
| OPS | .815 | Leads: .856 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Vern Stephens leads Troy Tulowitzki 19,363 to 16,087 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Vern Stephens played 17 seasons to Troy Tulowitzki's 14, while Troy Tulowitzki carries the higher per-season figure (1,149 to 1,139). 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).
Vern Stephens — top 3 seasons by OPS
Troy Tulowitzki — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Vern Stephens leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Troy Tulowitzki owns stolen bases, batting average, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Vern Stephens. PIV agrees: Vern Stephens grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Vern Stephens and Troy Tulowitzki careers compare
No season is shared: Vern Stephens played 1941–1955, Troy Tulowitzki 2006–2019. The two careers are close in length, 1,720 games for Vern Stephens and 1,291 for Troy Tulowitzki across 17 and 14 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Vern Stephens walked more often than struck out (692 walks, 685 strikeouts), while Troy Tulowitzki struck out more than walked (900 to 511). Best seasons: 1949 for Vern Stephens (.930 OPS, 39 HR, 159 RBI, .290 avg) and 2014 for Troy Tulowitzki (1.035 OPS, 21 HR, 52 RBI, .340 avg).
Vern Stephens vs Troy Tulowitzki: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Vern Stephens or Troy Tulowitzki?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Vern Stephens leads Troy Tulowitzki in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Vern Stephens or Troy Tulowitzki hit more home runs?
- Vern Stephens, with 247 to Troy Tulowitzki's 225.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Troy Tulowitzki, with .856 to Vern Stephens's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Troy Tulowitzki, with .290 to Vern Stephens's .286.
- Who had more hits?
- Vern Stephens, with 1,859 to Troy Tulowitzki's 1,391.