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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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3,000-hit Club
The 3,000-hit club is the group of 33 batters who have collected 3,000 or more regular-season hits in their careers in Major League Baseball (MLB). Reaching 3,000 hits has, "long considered the greatest measure of superior bat handling" and is often described as a guarantee of eventual entry into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Cap Anson was the first MLB player to reach 3,000 hits, although his precise career hit total is unclear. Two players—Nap Lajoie and Honus Wagner—reached 3,000 hits during the 1914 season. Ty Cobb did so in 1921 and became the first player in MLB history to reach 4,000 hits in 1927, ultimately finishing his career with 4,189. Pete Rose, the current hit leader, became the second player to reach 4,000 hits on April 13, 1984, and surpassed Cobb in September 1985, finishing his career with 4,256. Roberto Clemente's career ended with precisely 3,000 hits, which he reached in the last at bat of his career on September 30, 1972.

Of the 33 members, 18 were right-handed batters, 13 were left-handed, and two were switch hitters. The Cleveland Guardians and Detroit Tigers are the only franchises to see three players reach 3,000 hits while on their roster: for Cleveland, Lajoie, while the team was the Naps, Tris Speaker, and most recently Eddie Murray, both when the franchise was known as the Indians, and, for the Tigers, Cobb, Al Kaline, and most recently Miguel Cabrera. Ten of these players have played for only one major league team. Seven players—Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Eddie Murray, Rafael Palmeiro, Albert Pujols, Alex Rodriguez, and Miguel Cabrera—are also members of the 500 home run club. Cobb holds the highest career batting average at .366, while Cal Ripken Jr. holds the lowest at .276. Derek Jeter, Wade Boggs, and Alex Rodriguez are the only players to hit a home run for their 3,000th hit, and Paul Molitor and Ichiro Suzuki are the only players to hit a triple for their 3,000th; all others hit a single or double. Stan Musial was the first to collect an extra-base hit for his 3,000th hit, and is also the only one to have done so as a pinch-hitter. Craig Biggio is the only player to be thrown out for his 3,000th hit, while attempting to stretch the hit into a double. Biggio and Jeter are the only players whose 3,000th hit came in a game where they had five hits; Jeter reached base safely in all of his at bats. The most recent player to reach 3,000 hits is Cabrera, who did so on April 23, 2022, while playing for the Detroit Tigers.

All eligible players with 3,000 or more career hits have been elected to the Hall except Palmeiro and Rodriguez, whose careers have been tainted by steroid allegations, and since 1962 all except Biggio were elected on the first ballot. Rose is ineligible for the Hall of Fame because he was permanently banned from baseball in 1989. After four years on the ballot, Palmeiro failed to be named on 5% of ballots in 2014, after which his name was removed from the Baseball Writers' Association of America ballots, although it is possible that the Veterans Committee could select him. Rodriguez garnered 34.3% of the vote during his first year of eligibility in 2022. Twenty-one different teams have had a player reach 3,000 hits. Cabrera, Pujols, and Suzuki are not yet eligible for the Hall because they haven’t been retired for 5 years.

Key

Cap Anson reached 3,000 hits on July 18, 1897. He was the first, and, as of 2022, the oldest player to reach the mark.
Black and white portrait of a man wearing a high collar, held closed with a safety pin.
In 1927, Ty Cobb became the first player to collect 4,000 hits. He remains the youngest player to reach 3,000 hits, doing so at the age of 34. He also achieved 3,000 hits in the least amount of games played (2,135).
A man in a navy blue baseball jersey with "Twins" written across the chest holding a navy blue cap and smiling.
Paul Molitor was the first to triple for his 3,000th hit.
A man in a navy blue and grey windbreaker with the word "New" visible stands on the left facing a man in a navy blue polo shirt who is looking up at the camera.
Derek Jeter (left) and Dave Winfield (right) are both members.
Player Name of the player
Hits Career hits
Average Career batting average
Date Date of the player's 3,000th hit
Team The batter's team for his 3,000th hit
Seasons The seasons this player played in the major leagues
3,000th hit The type of hit the batter recorded for his 3,000th hit
* Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame
‡ Player is active
† Also hit 500 home runs

Members

Statistics updated as of the end of the 2023 season.
Player Hits Average Date Team Seasons 3,000th hit Ref
Pete Rose 4,256 .303 May 5, 1978 Cincinnati Reds 1963–1986 Single
Ty Cobb* 4,189 .366 August 19, 1921 Detroit Tigers 1905–1928
Hank Aaron* 3,771 .305 May 17, 1970 Atlanta Braves 1954–1976
Stan Musial* 3,630 .331 May 13, 1958 St. Louis Cardinals 1941–1944, 1946–1963 Double
Tris Speaker* 3,514 .345 May 17, 1925 Cleveland Indians 1907–1928 Single
Derek Jeter* 3,465 .310 July 9, 2011 New York Yankees 1995–2014 Home run
Honus Wagner* 3,430 .329 June 9, 1914 Pittsburgh Pirates 1897–1917 Double
Carl Yastrzemski* 3,419 .285 September 12, 1979 Boston Red Sox 1961–1983 Single
Albert Pujols 3,384 .296 May 4, 2018 Los Angeles Angels 2001–2022
Paul Molitor* 3,319 .306 September 16, 1996 Minnesota Twins 1978–1998 Triple
Eddie Collins* 3,314 .333 June 3, 1925 Chicago White Sox 1906–1930 Single
Willie Mays* 3,293 .301 July 18, 1970 San Francisco Giants 1948, 1951–1952, 1954–1973
Eddie Murray* 3,255 .287 June 30, 1995 Cleveland Indians 1977–1997
Nap Lajoie* 3,252 .339 September 27, 1914 Cleveland Naps 1896–1916 Double
Cal Ripken Jr.* 3,184 .276 April 15, 2000 Baltimore Orioles 1981–2001 Single
Miguel Cabrera 3,174 .307 April 23, 2022 Detroit Tigers 2003–2023
Adrián Beltré* 3,166 .286 July 30, 2017 Texas Rangers 1998–2018 Double
George Brett* 3,154 .305 September 30, 1992 Kansas City Royals 1973–1993 Single
Paul Waner* 3,152 .333 June 19, 1942 Boston Braves 1926–1945
Robin Yount* 3,142 .285 September 9, 1992 Milwaukee Brewers 1974–1993
Tony Gwynn* 3,141 .338 August 6, 1999 San Diego Padres 1982–2001
Alex Rodriguez 3,115 .295 June 19, 2015 New York Yankees 1994–2013, 2015–2016 Home run
Dave Winfield* 3,110 .283 September 16, 1993 Minnesota Twins 1973–1995 Single
Ichiro Suzuki 3,089 .311 August 7, 2016 Miami Marlins 2001–2019 Triple
Craig Biggio* 3,060 .281 June 28, 2007 Houston Astros 1988–2007 Single
Rickey Henderson* 3,055 .279 October 7, 2001 San Diego Padres 1979–2003 Double
Rod Carew* 3,053 .328 August 4, 1985 California Angels 1967–1985 Single
Lou Brock* 3,023 .293 August 13, 1979 St. Louis Cardinals 1961–1979
Rafael Palmeiro 3,020 .288 July 15, 2005 Baltimore Orioles 1986–2005 Double
Cap Anson* 3,011 .331 July 18, 1897 Chicago Colts 1871–1897 Single
Wade Boggs* 3,010 .328 August 7, 1999 Tampa Bay Devil Rays 1982–1999 Home run
Al Kaline* 3,007 .297 September 24, 1974 Detroit Tigers 1953–1974 Double
Roberto Clemente* 3,000 .317 September 30, 1972 Pittsburgh Pirates 1955–1972

See also