MLB Power Rankings: Where Does Derek Jeter Rank in the 3,000-Hit Club?

Derek Jeter's quest for 3,000 hits has finally come to an end, becoming only the second player in MLB history to reach the milestone with a home run.

While the New York Yankees get back to business as usual, we as fans have the opportunity to put Jeter's career in perspective in comparison to the other 27 members of the 3,000-hit club.

One club member, Wade Boggs, recently released a statement saying, "It is an exclusive honor, achieved by only a select group, that not many people can call their own. It is a monumental achievement."

Taking into consideration the fact that Jeter still has a few more playing years left in him, where does the newest member rank among the 28 players in the 3,000-hit club?

28. Paul Waner

Career Hits: 3,152

Paul Waner knew how to hit, ending his career with a .333 batting average. 

The 1927 NL MVP—nicknamed "Big Poison"—never had much power but ended his career with over 1,300 RBI.

He and his brother Lloyd hold the record for hits by a pair of brothers with 5,611.

27. Craig Biggio

Career Hits: 3,060

By all means, Craig Biggio had a stellar MLB career. He was good at everything, but it can be argued that he wasn't great at anything.

Biggio ended his career with 668 doubles and 291 home runs. The seven-time All-Star also holds the modern-era record for getting hit by pitches 285 times.

26. Lou Brock

Career Hits: 3,023

Some people call Lou Brock overrated, but there is no denying that he was an invaluable asset to his teams throughout his stellar career.

Brock retired with 938 stolen bases—the most in MLB history at the time. He led the league in swiped bags on eight different occasions.

The six-time All-Star won two World Series titles with the St. Louis Cardinals.

25. Dave Winfield

Career Hits: 3,110

Dave Winfield spent most of his career between the San Diego Padres and New York Yankees before finally winning a World Series championship in a one-year stint with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1992.

The slugger ended his career with 465 home runs and 1,833 RBI, making 12 All-Star appearances along the way.

24. Paul Molitor

Career Hits: 3,319

Paul Molitor spent most of his career with the Milwaukee Brewers, but was the World Series MVP for the Toronto Blue Jays championship run in 1993.

Molitor's numbers are all the more impressive considering the fact he struggled to stay healthy throughout his career. 

He ended his career with 234 home runs, over 1,300 RBI and 500 stolen bags.

23. Wade Boggs

Career Hits: 3,010

Wade Boggs was one of the best pure hitters of his generation, winning five batting titles in his first six seasons in the league.

Boggs ended his career with a sparkling .328 batting average and just over 1,000 RBI, and was a part of the 1996 world champion Yankees squad.

Boggs also led the Red Sox to the World Series in 1986, where they lost to the New York Mets (Bill Buckner's E-3).

22. Rod Carew

Career Hits: 3,053

Rod Carew was consistent throughout his career, batting above .307 for 15 consecutive years. He retired with a .328 batting average.

The 18-time All-Star was the 1967 AL Rookie of the Year and the 1977 AL MVP.

21. Cap Anson

Career Hits: 3,435

Cap Anson was the first "great" hitter in baseball history, although it was before the time where home runs were a dime a dozen.

Anson ended his career with 2,076 RBI along with a .333 batting average.

He spent 22 of his 27 playing seasons with the Chicago White Stockings.

20. Tony Gwynn

Career Hits: 3,141

Tony Gwynn is one of the more likable players to ever play the game, spending his entire career with the San Diego Padres.

Mr. Padre ended his career with a stellar .338 batting average, winning eight NL batting titles along the way.

The first-ballot Hall of Famer was a 15-time All-Star.

19. Rafael Palmeiro

Career Hits: 3,020

Love him or hate him, Rafael Palmeiro was a beast on the baseball diamond.

He is in elite company with Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Eddie Murray as the only players to amass 500 home runs and 3,000 hits.

Palmeiro ended his career with 569 long balls and 1,835 RBI; he topped the 100-RBI plateau during 10 different seasons.

18. Eddie Murray

Career Hits: 3,255

Eddie Murray is another of the four players to amass 3,000 hits with 500 home runs in a career.

The 1977 AL Rookie of the Year helped the Baltimore Orioles to their 1983 championship, and he ended his career with an astounding 1,917 RBI.

17. Robin Yount

Career Hits: 3,142

Robin Yount spent his entire career with the Milwaukee Brewers, leading them to their only World Series appearance in 1982.

Yount was a two-time AL MVP who garnered his 3,000th hit at the ripe young age of 36 years old.

He retired in 1993 with 251 home runs and just over 1,400 RBI.

16. Pete Rose

Career Hits: 4,256

Pete Rose broke Ty Cobb's age-old record for career hits in 1984—a record that will most likely never be broken again.

The 17-time All-Star was the 1973 NL MVP, and batted only .303 throughout his career, proving that longevity played a key role in breaking Cobb's record.

Rose—a three-time World Series champion—also holds the record for most games played (3,562) and most at-bats (14,053).

15. Al Kaline

Career Hits: 3,007

Al Kaline spent all 22 seasons of his career with the Detroit Tigers, amassing 399 home runs and nearly 1,600 RBI.

The first-ballot Hall of Famer made 18 All-Star appearances to go with 10 Gold Gloves, and led the Tigers to their 1968 World Series title.

Kaline also won the AL batting title in 1955 at the age of 20.

14. Derek Jeter

Career Hits: 3,001 (Active)

Derek Jeter is the newest member of the 3,000-hit club, and by the time he retires he will probably be in the all-time top five in hits.

Jeter was never much for power, but has managed 238 home runs and nearly 1,200 RBI over his career.

Although "The Captain" has never won an AL MVP award, he is a 12-time All-Star who has won five World Series championships with the Yankees.

13. Carl Yastrzemski

Career Hits: 3,419

Carl Yastrzemski is an all-time Red Sox great, spending his entire 23-year career in Boston.

The 18-time All-Star hit 452 home runs while knocking in 1,844 RBI, but he was never able to deliver the Red Sox a World Series title.

Yaz' also won the 1967 AL MVP award.

12. Nap Lajoie

Career Hits: 3,242

Nap Lajoie hit only 83 home runs throughout his career, but he did retire with a .338 lifetime batting average.

Lajoie scored more than 1,500 runs over his career and won the 1901 Triple Crown—a season in which saw him strike out only nine times.

11. Eddie Collins

Career Hits: 3,315

Eddie Collins was a key member of one of the greatest baseball dynasties of all time with the Philadelphia Athletics.

The 1914 AL MVP ended his career with a .333 batting average, although he never won a batting title.

Collins also had 1,300 RBI and is sixth all time in stolen bases with 744.

10. Cal Ripken Jr.

Career Hits: 3,184

Cal Ripken Jr. is the "Iron Man," playing in 2,632 straight games for the Baltimore Orioles.

The 19-time All-Star and two-time AL MVP helped the Orioles to a World Series championship in 1983—one season after bringing home the AL Rookie of the Year award.

Ripken ended his career with 431 home runs and nearly 1,700 RBI.

9. Roberto Clemente

Career Hits: 3,000

Roberto Clemente died in a plane crash a few short months after getting his 3,000th career hit. He was just 37 years old.

Clemente helped the Pittsburgh Pirates win two World Series championships and was the 1966 NL MVP.

He was a 15-time All-Star, 12-time Gold Glove winner and he is the only player in MLB history to hit a walk-off, inside-the-park grand slam.

8. George Brett

Career Hits: 3,154

George Brett put together one of the best seasons in MLB history in 1980—batting an absurd .390 with a 1.118 OPS while winning the AL MVP award. 

Brett led the Kansas City Royals to the 1985 World Series title, in which he was the ALCS MVP.

The 13-time All-Star retired in 1993 with 317 home runs and nearly 1,600 RBI.

7. Rickey Henderson

Career Hits: 3,055

Rickey Henderson was "the greatest of all time"—at least that's how Rickey put it.

Rickey owns many of MLB's all-time records—including every possible stolen-base record imaginable. Henderson also owns the record for most runs scored during a career with 2,295.

Henderson also won an MVP award and two World Series titles, while hitting a record 81 leadoff home runs.

6. Stan Musial

Career Hits: 3,630

Stan Musial is the greatest St. Louis Cardinal of all time—ending his career with a .331 batting average and 475 home runs.

The 24-time All-Star and three-time NL MVP also had nearly 2,000 RBI, and he led the Cardinals to three World Series championships.

5. Honus Wagner

Career Hits: 3,420

Although many youngsters today only know of him because of his near-priceless tobacco cards, Honus Wagner is a true baseball legend.

Most of his career was spent before there were World Series, but he did deliver one to Pittsburgh in 1909. 

Wagner ended his career with a .327 batting average—at one point winning eight NL batting titles in an 11-year span.

4. Tris Speaker

Career Hits: 3,514

Tris Speaker is one of the best hitters MLB has ever known, ending his career with a .345 batting average and the MLB record for doubles with a mind-boggling 792.

Speaker—a three-time World Series champion—also holds the record for most career outfield assists with 449.

In 10,195 career at-bats, Speaker struck out a mere 220 times.

3. Ty Cobb

Career Hits: 4,191

Ty Cobb held the record for most career hits for over 60 years and was the first player to hit more than 4,000.

Cobb owns the MLB record with a .367 career batting average and won 12 AL batting titles along the way.

He remains second all time in hits and runs scored (2,245) and third all time in stolen bases (892), while holding the record for stealing home—doing it 54 times in his career.

2. Hank Aaron

Career Hits: 3,771

Hank Aaron is the true home run king—ending his career with 755 home runs and an MLB-record 2,297 RBI.

Aaron also holds the records for most extra-base hits with 1,477 and total bases with 6,856. 

The 25-time All-Star and 1957 NL MVP led the Milwaukee Braves to a 1957 World Series championship.

1. Willie Mays

Career Hits: 3,283

Willie Mays is the greatest baseball player of all time—hands down.

The 24-time All-Star ended his career with 660 home runs and two NL MVP awards. He was also one of the best defensive players in MLB history.

Mays led the San Francisco Giants to the 1954 World Series championship.