MLB Power Rankings: Ranking the 3,000-Hit Club Members of the Last 20 Years

In the last 20 years, 12 men have reached the 3000 hit plateau in Major League Baseball.

It's a historic accomplishment as only the best and most durable players are able to obtain that feat. 

Imagine, a 24-year-old rookie would need to average 200 hits a season and play until he was 39 to reach 3000.  Even a sure fire Hall of Famer like Bryce Harper, likely won't achieve 3000 hits until he's nearly 30 (sarcasm intended).

The last two decades has seen 12 men reach the plateau; twice the amount accomplished the feat in the prior 20 years. 

Since these are the players that most readers in their mid-20s to mid-40s have actually witnessed playing and they've played in the same era, I'm going to focus on this group of a dozen players.

I could include players like Ty Cobb, Cap Anson, etc., but that's like me saying that a Model-T is a better car than a Ford Mustang. 

How can I know when I've only seen a Model-T at a museum, but have actually seen and driven in a Mustang?

It's not easy to rank these players from worst to first (all of them were the peak of their profession) but, it's not going to stop me from trying.

No. 12: Craig Biggio

Saying Craig Biggio is the worst player on this list tells you something about the names that will follow.  Biggio achieved 3000 hits due to good health and longevity without ever really approaching superstar status.

Despite never having a 100 RBI season, he was a consistent player and the face of the Houston Astros franchise.  Think of him like a Cal Ripken Jr., Jr.  He had a workman-like ethic and showed up everyday.

He ranked in the bottom half of this list in batting average, home runs and RBIs. 

Best Statistic: 414 career steals is third best on the list 

Worst Statistic: .281 career average is third worst on the list

No. 11: Rafael Palmeiro

Marred by his now known steroid use, Rafael Palmeiro would have been in the top three on this list without this major blemish on his amazing career.

Palmeiro was incredibly productive and is one of only two players on this list to also be a member of the 500 home run club.

Still, there is no doubt that his steroid usage and subsequent deception in attempted to cover it up, leave everyone to question his numbers.

Best Statistic: First in this list in Home Runs and Second in RBIs

Worst Statistic: First in the list in known steroid usage

No. 10: Dave Winfield

One of the best power hitters on the list, Dave Winfield had an incredibly productive run in the late 1970s and early 1980s that saw him make twelve straight All-Star games.

Winfield was also adept in the field, winning five gold gloves in his career.

Still, it took Winfield the second longest on the list to reach the milestone and his career average is among the worst on the list.

Best Statistic: 465 Home Runs is third on the list

Worst Statistic: .283 Career Average is fourth worst on the list

No. 9: Wade Boggs

A hitting machine, Wade Boggs was a mainstay in the AL batting chase in the mid to late 1980s--and the best player in NES's RBI Baseball for those readers who remember the 1980s classic console game.

Production-wise, Wade Boggs ranks very low on this list.  Only in the corkball season of 1987, did Boggs break the 20 home run threshold and never did he come close to hitting 100 RBIs.

While Boggs is among the best hitters on the list, he's probably the least well rounded baseball player of the twelve.

He did however, reach 3000 hits the second quickest of the men on the list.

Best Statistic: .328 career average is second on the list

Worst Statistics: 118 HRs, 1017 RBIs and 24 steals are all worst on the list

No. 8: Ricky Henderson

The most exciting player on the list, Ricky Henderson was ahead of his time.

Obviously as the all-time steal leader, Henderson has an argument to be higher on the list, but his career average hurts him and he also took longer than any of the other eleven players to reach 3000 hits.

He never came close to 100 RBIs during his career and ranks second lowest on the list in RBIs, but he did displayed good power and intangibles.

Henderson is one of only four guys on the list to win an MVP, he made 10 All-Star teams and won two World Series.

Best Statistic: Far and away the leader in steals at 1406

Worst Statistic: Second lowest career average on the list at .279, second lowest RBIs at 1115

No. 7: Cal Ripken, Jr.

The nineteen time All-Star and two time AL MVP will always be known as the iron man of baseball.

Ripken only slips down the list due to his pedestrian career batting average.  Despite playing in 2,632 consecutive games, it took Ripken the third longest on the list to reach the milestone.

While he had a few very good seasons, he only broke 100 RBIs four times in twenty full seasons.

Ripken was a very good player who because exceptional due to his longevity and durability.

Best Statistic: Fourth on the list in home runs (431) and RBIs (1695)

Worst Statistic: Last on the list in career average at .276

No. 6: Tony Gwynn

Probably the best pure hitter on the list, Tony Gwynn also was a well-rounded player...uh, figuratively I mean.

The cherubic life-long Padre didn't hit many home runs or drive in many, but he won multiple gold-gloves and was a mainstay on the NL All-Star Team.

He not surprising made it to 3000 hits the second quickest on the list taking just 17 years to get there.

Best Statistic: By far the highest career average on the list at .338

Worst Statistic: Second lowest home run total at 135, third lowest RBI total at 1138.

No. 5: Robin Yount

Mr. Brewer, Robin Yount, was a mainstay in Milwaukee during his career.

He reached the 3000 hit milestone in the fourth least amount of time on the list, displayed decent power and good speed.  He's in the middle in all statistics among the twelve men on the the list.

Unlike several other players on the list, Yount was still producing at a high level when his career came to an end.

Best Statistic: 2 time NL MVP

Wost Statistic: Fifth worst career average at .285

No. 4: Derek Jeter

The man of the hour is an excellent hitter with more power and speed that most of the other pure hitters on this list.

Derek Jeter made it the quickest to 3000 hits on the list thanks to his .312 batting average and relatively healthy career.

Jeter's intangibles move him up the list a little as he's been the cornerstone of the best franchise in baseball and has won (by far) more World Series rings than anyone else on the list.

Best Statistic: Third highest career average at .312, Won 5 World Series

Worst Statistic: Fourth lowest in home runs (237) and RBIs (1158)

No. 3: Paul Molitor

Paul Molitor, teamed with Robin Yount to give the Brewers an amazing one-two punch in the early 1980s.

The most surprising thing about the speedy Molitor, though, is that he played his best late in his career.  He collected his career high 225 hits in his nineteenth season.

Molitor also has the most hits of all twelve men on this list.

Best Statistic: Fourth on the list in career average at .306, second in steals at 504

Worst Statistic: Third worst on the list in home runs at 234

No. 2: Eddie Murray

The Orioles' slugger was an underappreciated superstar.

The first ballot Hall of Famer made eight All-Star games, won a World Series ring and three gold gloves.

Murray is the best run producer on the list and the only hitter of the twelve to be in the 500 home run club who isn't known to have used steroids.  He had 100 or more RBIs six times and 30 or more home runs five times.

He was incredibly durable until late in his career, as he played in at least 150 games in all but two of his first sixteen seasons.

Best Statistics: First on the list in RBIs (1917) and second in home runs (504)

Worst Statistic: Not many, sixth worst in career average at .287, fourth lowest in steals (110)

No. 1: George Brett

When I was growing up, George Brett was baseball.  He was an incredible all-around player who seemed like he could do anything.

He was the Royals and the disenchanted franchise has been looking for an identity since he left the game almost two decades ago.

The thirteen time All-Star also won an AL MVP and a World Series ring.

He's the only guy on the list with a career average over .300 and more than 200 steals, 300 home runs and 1500 RBIs.  He truly is one of the greats.

Best Statistic: He's fifth on the list in career average (.305), home runs (317) and RBIs (1,595).

Worst Statistic: None really, but it took him 19 years to reach 3000, tied for third worst on the list.