Major League Baseball's 3,000-hit club

With 4,256 hits, former Reds and Phillies great Pete Rose is baseball’s all-time hit king. Unfortunately for baseball fans, Rose was banned from Major League Baseball for life in 1989 when it came to light that he gambled on games as a manager. Although there has been clamor for MLB commissioner Rob Manfred to reinstate Rose, it seems highly unlikely that “Charlie Hustle” will ever be enshrined in Cooperstown.

The man who was baseball's all-time hit leader prior to Rose was legendary Hall of Fame Tigers outfielder Ty Cobb. “The Georgia Peach” held the all-time hit record with a total of 4,191 for 57 years after his retirement in 1928.

Best known for breaking Babe Ruth’s home run record in 1974, Hall of Fame right fielder Hank Aaron also managed to rack up 3,771 hits over his 20-plus seasons in the majors. Still considered the true home run king by many fans, Aaron also holds the MLB record for total bases with 6,856 and runs batted in with 2,297.

A 24-time All-Star, Stan “The Man” Musial is one of the greatest left-handed hitters ever to step into the batter's box. Spending his entire career with the St. Louis Cardinals, Musial amassed a 3,630 hits over his legendary career.

One of baseball’s greatest hitters of the early 20th century, center fielder Tris Speaker sits on MLB’s all-time hit list with 3,514. A three-time World Series champion, Speaker also holds the MLB records for doubles (792) and outfield assists (449).

In the midst of an era in baseball that was tarnished by rampant PED use, Derek Jeter was truly a breath of fresh air. “Mr. November” belted out 3,465 hits over his 20-year career with the New York Yankees. A five-time World Series champion, Jeter is expected to be a first ballot Hall of Famer once he is eligible. 

Known simply to his fans as “Yaz,” former Boston Red Sox Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski was baseball’s last Triple Crown winner until Miguel Cabrera accomplished the feat in 2012. An 18-time All-Star, “Yaz” ended his 23-year-career with 3,419 total hits.

Playing for the Chicago Colts, first baseman Cap Anson was the first MLB player to record over 3,000 hits. One of baseballs first true greats, and perhaps the greatest player of the 19th century, Anson recorded a total of 3,435 hits.

Considered by some to be the greatest shortstop of all time, Honus Wagner is more well-known these days for being the player featured on the most expensive baseball card in the world. With 3,420 hits, it’s an accolade that “The Flying Dutchman” is more than deserving of.

Currently the manager of the Minnesota Twins, Hall of Fame infielder and designated hitter Paul Molitor finished with 3,319 hits. Playing his best years for the Milwaukee Brewers, Molitor also stole more than 500 bases over the course of his 21-year-career.

Nicknamed “Cocky,” Philadelphia Athletics and Chicago White Sox second baseman Eddie Collins racked up 3,315 hits over his Hall of Fame career. A four-time World Series champion, Collins was part of the infamous Chicago “Black Sox” team that threw the 1919 World Series. Collins, however, was never implicated in the scandal.

One of the greatest all-around baseball players ever, former Giants and Mets outfielder Willie Mays ended his career with 3,283 hits. With 660 home runs as well, “The Say Hey Kid” is one most revered and beloved players to ever step out onto the field.

One of only seven players to hit over 500 home runs and record over 3,000 hits, Murray played his best years with the Baltimore Orioles during the 1980s, finishing with 3,255 hits, 504 home runs and enshrinement in the Hall of Fame.

The third player ever to record 3,000 hits, second baseman Napaleon “Nap” Lajoie was Ty Cobb’s biggest rival during his time. A career .338 hitter, Lajoie was also the player-manager of the Cleveland Naps from 1905-09, a team that changed its name from the “Broncos” to the “Naps” in honor of Lajoie.

Remembered best for breaking Lou Gehrig’s consecutive games played record, Orioles shortstop Cal Ripken Jr. also managed to belt out 3,184 hits over his 21-year career. A 19-time All-Star and two-time AL MVP, Ripken also finished with 431 home runs.

Despite recording 3,154 hits over a 21-year career with the Kansas City Royals, George Brett will likely always be remembered best for the infamous “Pine Tar Incident.” In a 1983 game against the Yankees, Brett was called out after hitting a home run for using too much pine tar on his bat. Upon being called out, Brett leapt from the Royals dugout and threw one of the greatest tirades ever.

One of only two players to have an extra-base hit for 14 consecutive games, Paul Waner recorded 3,152 over his 20-year career. Nicknamed “Big Poison,” Waner and his brother Lloyd hold the all-time record for hits combined between siblings with 5,611 total.

Former Brewers shortstop and outfielder Robin Yount finished with 3,142 in his career. A first-ballot Hall of Fame selection in 1999, Yount has been an MLB and minor league baseball coach since 2002.

In 1994, San Diego Padres great Tony Gwynn came within a few swings of becoming the first MLB player to have a .400 batting average in a season since Ted Williams did it in 1941. Gwynn hit .394 and smashed 165 of his total 3,141 career hits that season. Inducted into Cooperstown in 1997, Gwynn sadly died in 2014 from salivary cancer.

Although A-Rod’s career has been marred due his PED use, there is no denying how great he was on the field. Over his 22-year career with the Mariners, Rangers and Yankees, Rodriguez had 3,115 hits and clubbed 696 home runs. The PED stories may keep him out of the Hall of Fame, but Rodriguez, now an analyst, put up some truly historic numbers.

One of the greatest all-around athletes of all time, Dave Winfield could have been great at basketball or football, but he chose baseball. A 12-time All-Star, Winfield recorded 3,110 hits over his 22-year career, 465 of which were home runs.

If Ichiro came over to Major League Baseball from Japan earlier, he surely would have reached 3,000 hits sooner and perhaps could have challenged Pete Rose for MLB's all-time top spot. Regardless, his brilliance at the plate allowed Ichiro to secure his 3,000th hit in August 2016, and when he retired in 2019 he did so with 3,089 MLB hits on his ledger.

2015 Hall of Fame inductee Craig Biggio is next up on the all-time hit list with a total of 3,060. Biggio, who played his entire 20-year career with the Houston Astros as a catcher, second baseman and outfielder, also holds the MLB record for most times hit by a pitch with 285 total.

The greatest base stealer in MLB history, outfielder Rickey Henderson also managed to record 3,055 hits over his 25-year career. Considered by many to be the greatest leadoff hitter ever, Henderson holds the records for most runs scored (2,295), leadoff home runs (81) and stolen bases in a single season (130).

Born in Panama, Rod Carew is one of the greatest contact hitters in baseball history. Splitting his career between the Twins and Angels, Carew was an 18-time All-Star, seven-time batting champion and 1977 AL MVP. He ended his career with 3,053 hits.

Last July, the ageless Adrian Beltre joined the 3,000-hit club, adding to his four Silver Sluggers and five Gold Gloves. In addition to reaching 3,000 hits, Beltre very nearly reached 500 home runs as well, falling 23 long balls short of the benchmark.

Playing his best years for the Cardinals, outfielder Lou Brock recorded 3,023 hits over his Hall of Fame career. A two-time World Series champ, Brock was also runner-up for NL MVP in 1974, losing out by only a few votes to Dodgers first baseman Steve Garvey.

Unfortunately for Rafael Palmeiro, the 3,020 hits and 569 home runs he recorded during the course of his 20-year career are tainted in the eyes of baseball fans. After adamantly testifying in front of Congress in 2005 that he never used steroids, Palmeiro failed a drug test, testing positive for a steroid. Although he avoided perjury charges, don’t expect Palmeiro's name to be on many Hall of Fame ballots going forward, making him the first player with 3,000 hits to not make Cooperstown once he became eligible. 

Former Red Sox, Yankees and Rays third baseman Wade Boggs is the next man up on the all-time hit list with a total of 3,010. A 12-time All-Star, Boggs was famous for being one of baseball's most superstitious players. Boggs ate one chicken before every game day, took exactly 150 ground balls in practice, and took batting practice at the exact same time each and every day.

Outfielder Al Kaline racked up 3,007 hits over his 22 years in the majors with the Tigers. Known affectionately as “Mr. Tiger,” Kaline was also an 18-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glove winner. After retiring in 1974, Kaline became Detroit's television commentator, a position he held until 2002.

Albert Pujols' reputation as one of the greatest hitters in baseball history is firmly secure, and you can count on him being ushered into Cooperstown the moment he's eligible. The big right-handed slugger finished his career with over 700 home runs, over 2,200 RBI, and relevant to this gallery, 3,384 hits. 

Venezuelan born Miguel Cabrera is the most recent member of the exclusive 3,000 hit club, reaching the milestone early in 2022. Cabrera retired following the 2023 campaign but not before crushing 511 big-league homers, finishing with a lifetime slash line of .306/.382/.518, and piling up 627 doubles. He's one of only seven hitters in both the 500 home run and 3,000 hit club. 

With exactly 3,000 hits, Roberto Clemente rounds out baseball’s 3,000-hit club. A 15-time All-Star, Clemente would have undoubtedly added to this total had he not tragically died in a plane crash on New Year's Eve 1972 while en route to deliver aid to victims of a devastating earthquake in Nicaragua.