Vern Stephens vs Bobby Witt: Career Stats Comparison
Vern Stephens 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). Vern Stephens played 1941–1955 as a hitter; Bobby Witt has played 2022–present 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 Bobby Witt (2022–present) — they broke in during the 1940s and the 2020s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Vern Stephens finished with 1,859 hits and 247 home runs; Bobby Witt has 879 hits and 123 home runs through October 6, 2026. 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 Bobby Witt's 123.
- Who had the higher OPS? Bobby Witt, with .836 to Vern Stephens's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average? Bobby Witt, with .288 to Vern Stephens's .286.
- Who had more hits? Vern Stephens, with 1,859 to Bobby Witt's 879.
- Who drove in more runs? Vern Stephens, with 1,174 to Bobby Witt's 427.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Vern Stephens, with 19,363 career PIV to Bobby Witt's 8,065.
Vern Stephens
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Vern Stephens and Bobby Witt. 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 2020s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Bobby Witt is still active — his totals below are current through October 6, 2026.
| Statistic | Vern Stephens | Bobby Witt |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,720 | 769 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 6,497 | 3,049 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,001 | 497 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,859 | 879 |
| Doubles | Leads: 307 | 184 |
| Triples | Leads: 42 | 35 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 247 | 123 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,174 | 427 |
| Walks | Leads: 692 | 243 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 685 | 596 |
| Stolen Bases | 25 | Leads: 193 |
| Batting Avg | .286 | Leads: .288 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .355 | .343 |
| Slugging % | .460 | Leads: .493 |
| OPS | .815 | Leads: .836 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Vern Stephens outpaces Bobby Witt 19,363 to 8,065 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Vern Stephens played 17 seasons to Bobby Witt's 4, while Bobby Witt carries the higher per-season figure (2,016 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
Bobby Witt — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Vern Stephens leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Bobby Witt owns stolen bases, batting average, and OPS. 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 Bobby Witt careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Vern Stephens's ended in 1955, and Bobby Witt debuted in 2022. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Vern Stephens appeared in 1,720 games to Bobby Witt's 769. The green cells for Bobby Witt are stolen bases (193 to 25), batting average (.288 to .286), and slugging percentage (.493 to .460). Plate discipline differs: Vern Stephens walked more often than struck out (692 walks, 685 strikeouts), but Bobby Witt struck out more than walked (596 to 243). On the bases, Bobby Witt stole more often per game played (25 steals in 1,720 games for Vern Stephens, 193 in 769 for Bobby Witt). Bobby Witt's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Vern Stephens vs Bobby Witt: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Vern Stephens or Bobby Witt?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Vern Stephens leads Bobby Witt in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Vern Stephens or Bobby Witt hit more home runs?
- Vern Stephens, with 247 to Bobby Witt's 123.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Bobby Witt, with .836 to Vern Stephens's .815.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Bobby Witt, with .288 to Vern Stephens's .286.
- Who had more hits?
- Vern Stephens, with 1,859 to Bobby Witt's 879.