Baseball’s Best Hitters of All Time

A list of the best hitters in baseball history according to a number of different metrics.

Babe Ruth

Babe Ruth is indisputably one of baseball’s best hitters of all time. He was a powerful slugger who could also hit for average, and he dominated the game in the 1920s. Ruth held the record for most home runs in a season for almost 40 years, and his career total of 714 is still the third highest in history. He was also a superb pitcher, winning 94 games over his career.

Ty Cobb

Among baseball’s best hitters of all time, Ty Cobb holds many distinctions. He is considered by many to be the greatest player of the pre-integration era, and still holds the record for the highest career batting average at .366. He was also a prolific base-stealer, stealing 892 bases in his career. Cobb was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936.

Hank Aaron

Hank Aaron is considered one of baseball’s best hitters of all time. He played for the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves from 1954 to 1976 and is the league’s all-time leader in home runs (755) and RBIs (2,297). He was a 25-time All-Star, won three Gold Glove Awards and was the National League MVP in 1957.

Stan Musial

Stan “The Man” Musial is considered one of baseball’s greatest hitters of all time. He played his entire 22-year career with the St. Louis Cardinals and amassed a .331 batting average 3,630 hits, 725 doubles, 1,951 RBIs, and 1,815 runs scored

Willie Mays

Often considered the greatest all-around player in baseball history Mays was a twenty-time All-Star who won two National League (NL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) Awards, took home twelve Silver Slugger Awards, and was the NL Rookie of the Year in 1951. He is one of only four outfielders to have won a Gold Glove Award in each of his first ten Major League seasons. A five-tool player, Mays is credited with having exceptional hitting, power, running, fielding, and arm strength He hit for both average and power, stole bases at an above-average rate, and was an excellent fielder as well as a baserunner.

Frank Robinson

Frank Robinson is widely regarded as one of baseball’s best hitters of all time. A 14-time All-Star, he was the National League MVP in 1966 and won two World Series with the Baltimore Orioles

Robinson was known for his power hitting, as he hit 586 home runs during his 21-year career. He also had a batting average of .294 and an on-base percentage of .383.

Pete Rose

Pete Rose is widely considered one of the best hitters of all time. A 17-time All-Star and three-time World Series champion, Rose racked up an impressive 4,256 hits during his 24-year career. He also holds the record for most hits in a single season, with an astounding 4192 in 1973. Rose was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1986.

Barry Bonds

Barry Bonds is widely considered to be one of the best hitters of all time. In his 22 seasons, he batted .298 with 762 Home Runs 2,930 hits, and a record-setting 762 walks. He was a 14-time All-Star and won a record eight Silver Slugger Awards.

Alex Rodriguez

Alex Rodriguez is widely considered one of the best hitters of all time. He played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), racking up 3,115 hits, 696 home runs and 2,086 RBIs. He was a 14-time All-Star and won three American League (AL) MVP Awards He also holds the record for the most Grand Slams in MLB history.

Derek Jeter

Derek Jeter is a former professional baseball shortstop who played his entire 20-year career in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees Jeter was a five-time World Series champion, five-time Gold Glove Award winner, five-time Silver Slugger Award winner, two-time American League (AL) Hank Aaron Award winner, and the AL Rookie of the Year in 1996. He is one of only four players to win all four awards in the same year. Jeter is considered to be one of the best baseball players of all time.