Jim Thome vs Mo Vaughn: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Thome 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). Jim Thome played 1991–2012 as a hitter; Mo Vaughn played 1991–2003 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
Jim Thome (1991–2012) and Mo Vaughn (1991–2003) — both broke in during the 1990s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Jim Thome finished with 2,328 hits and 612 home runs; Mo Vaughn finished with 1,620 hits and 328 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Jim Thome, with 612 to Mo Vaughn's 328.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jim Thome, with .956 to Mo Vaughn's .906.
- Who had the higher batting average? Mo Vaughn, with .293 to Jim Thome's .276.
- Who had more hits? Jim Thome, with 2,328 to Mo Vaughn's 1,620.
- Who drove in more runs? Jim Thome, with 1,699 to Mo Vaughn's 1,064.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jim Thome, with 51,664 career PIV to Mo Vaughn's 24,784.
Jim Thome
Mo Vaughn
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jim Thome and Mo 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 | Jim Thome | Mo Vaughn |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,543 | 1,512 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,422 | 5,532 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,583 | 861 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,328 | 1,620 |
| Doubles | Leads: 451 | 270 |
| Triples | Leads: 26 | 10 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 612 | 328 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,699 | 1,064 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,747 | 725 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 2,548 | 1,429 |
| Stolen Bases | 19 | Leads: 30 |
| Batting Avg | .276 | Leads: .293 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .402 | .383 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .554 | .523 |
| OPS | Leads: .956 | .906 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jim Thome outpaces Mo Vaughn 51,664 to 24,784 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,067 PIV per season to 2,065, across 25 seasons to 12. 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).
Jim Thome — top 3 seasons by OPS
Mo Vaughn — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jim Thome leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Mo Vaughn owns stolen bases and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jim Thome. PIV agrees: Jim Thome grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jim Thome and Mo Vaughn careers compare
From 1991 through 2003, Jim Thome and Mo Vaughn were in the majors together. The table compares 2,543 games of Jim Thome with 1,512 of Mo Vaughn across 25 and 12 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Mo Vaughn comes out ahead, it is in stolen bases (30 to 19) and batting average (.293 to .276). Jim Thome struck out more than walked (2,548 to 1,747); Mo Vaughn struck out more than walked (1,429 to 725). In slugging percentage, Jim Thome holds the edge, .554 to .523. Jim Thome owns the better peak by OPS: 1.122 OPS in 2002 for Jim Thome against 1.003 OPS in 1996 for Mo Vaughn.
Jim Thome vs Mo Vaughn: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jim Thome or Mo Vaughn?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Thome leads Mo Vaughn in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jim Thome or Mo Vaughn hit more home runs?
- Jim Thome, with 612 to Mo Vaughn's 328.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jim Thome, with .956 to Mo Vaughn's .906.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Mo Vaughn, with .293 to Jim Thome's .276.
- Who had more hits?
- Jim Thome, with 2,328 to Mo Vaughn's 1,620.