List of Major League Baseball career singles leaders
{{Short description|None}}
In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by hitting a fair ball (thus becoming a runner) and getting to first base before a fielder puts him out. As an exception, a batter-runner reaching first base safely is not credited with a single when an infielder attempts to put out another runner on the first play; this is one type of a fielder's choice. Also, a batter-runner reaching first base on a play due to a fielder's error trying to put him out at first base or another runner out (as a fielder's choice) is not credited with a single.
On a single hit to the outfield, any runners on second base or third base normally score, and sometimes the runner from the first base can advance to third base. Depending on the location of the hit, a quick recovery by the outfielder can prevent such an advance or create a play on the advancing runner.
Pete Rose{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/rosepe01.shtml|title=Pete Rose Career Stats|work=Baseball Reference|accessdate=April 20, 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/pete-rose|title=Pete Rose Biography|last=Sturgill|first=Andy|work=Society For American Baseball Research|date=May 1, 2014|accessdate=April 20, 2021}} is the all-time leader in singles with 3,215 career. Ty Cobb{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/cobbty01.shtml|title=Ty Cobb Career Stats|work=Baseball Reference|accessdate=April 20, 2021}} (3,053) is the only other player in MLB history with over 3,000 career singles.
As of April 29, 2025, no active players are in the top 100 of career singles. The active leader is Jose Altuve, tied in 178th with 1,566.
Key
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%;"
| Rank | Rank amongst leaders in career singles. A blank field indicates a tie. |
| Player (2025 1Bs) | Number of singles hit during the 2025 Major League Baseball season. |
| 1B | Total career singles hit. |
| scope="row" style="background-color:#ffffbb"|*
|Denotes elected to National Baseball Hall of Fame. | |
|---|---|
| scope="row" style="background:#cfecec;"|Bold
|Denotes active player.A player is considered inactive if he has announced his retirement or not played for a full season. |
List
- Stats updated as of April 29, 2025.
| class="wikitable" style="float:left;" |
| style="white-space:nowrap;"
!Rank !Player (2025 1Bs) !1B |
| 1
|3,215 |
| 2
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Ty Cobb* |3,053 |
| 3
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Eddie Collins* |2,643 |
| 4
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Cap Anson* |2,614 |
| 5
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Derek Jeter* |2,595 |
| 6
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Ichiro Suzuki* |2,514 |
| 7
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Willie Keeler* |2,513 |
| 8
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Honus Wagner* |2,424 |
| 9
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Rod Carew* |2,404 |
| 10
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Tris Speaker* |2,383 |
| 11
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Tony Gwynn* |2,378 |
| 12
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Paul Molitor* |2,366 |
| 13
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Nap Lajoie* |2,341 |
| 14
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Hank Aaron* |2,294 |
| 15
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Jesse Burkett* |2,273 |
| 16
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Sam Rice* |2,271 |
| 17
|2,264 |
| 18
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Carl Yastrzemski* |2,262 |
| 19
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Wade Boggs* |2,253 |
| |style="background:#ffffbb;"|Stan Musial*
|2,253 |
| 21
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Lou Brock* |2,247 |
| 22
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Paul Waner* |2,243 |
| 23
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Rickey Henderson* |2,182 |
| |style="background:#ffffbb;"|Robin Yount*
|2,182 |
| 25
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Frankie Frisch* |2,171 |
| 26
|2,163 |
| 27
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Luke Appling* |2,162 |
| 28
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Nellie Fox* |2,161 |
| 29
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Eddie Murray* |2,156 |
| 30
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Roberto Clemente* |2,154 |
| 31
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Jake Beckley* |2,130 |
| 32
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|George Sisler* |2,121 |
| 33
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Richie Ashburn* |2,119 |
| 34
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Luis Aparicio* |2,108 |
| 35
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Cal Ripken Jr.* |2,106 |
| 36
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Zack Wheat* |2,104 |
| 37
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Sam Crawford* |2,097 |
| 38
|2,056 |
| 39
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Craig Biggio* |2,046 |
| 40
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|George Brett* |2,035 |
| |style="background:#ffffbb;"|Al Kaline*
|2,035 |
| 42
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Lloyd Waner* |2,033 |
| 43
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Fred Clarke* |2,030 |
| |style="background:#ffffbb;"|Brooks Robinson*
|2,030 |
| 45
|2,028 |
| 46
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Rabbit Maranville* |2,020 |
| 47
|2,019 |
| 48
| style="background:#ffffbb;" |Max Carey* |2,017 |
| |style="background:#ffffbb;"|Dave Winfield*
|2,017 |
| 50
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Adrián Beltré* |2,015 |
| class="wikitable" style="float:left;" |
| style="white-space: nowrap;"
!Rank !Player (2025 1Bs) !1B |
| 51
|1,994 |
| 52
|1,979 |
| 53
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|George Davis* |1,976 |
| 54
|1,972 |
| 55
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Willie Mays* |1,967 |
| 56
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Ozzie Smith* |1,961 |
| 57
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Jim O'Rourke* |1,960 |
| 58
|1,957 |
| 59
|1,952 |
| 60
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Harold Baines* |1,945 |
| 61
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Charlie Gehringer* |1,935 |
| 62
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Al Simmons* |1,932 |
| 63
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Roberto Alomar* |1,930 |
| 64
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Rogers Hornsby* |1,919 |
| 65
|1,918 |
| 66
|1,913 |
| 67
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Iván Rodríguez* |1,910 |
| 68
|1,903 |
| 69
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Tim Raines* |1,892 |
| 70
|1,889 |
| 71
|1,878 |
| 72
|1,866 |
| 73
|1,862 |
| 74
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Red Schoendienst* |1,860 |
| 75
|1,855 |
| 76
|1,850 |
| 77
|1,846 |
| 78
|1,844 |
| 79
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Harry Hooper* |1,842 |
| 80
|1,840 |
| 81
|1,832 |
| 82
|1,828 |
| 83
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Pie Traynor* |1,823 |
| 84
|1,815 |
| 85
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Goose Goslin* |1,814 |
| 86
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Mel Ott* |1,805 |
| 87
|1,801 |
| 88
|1,799 |
| 89
|1,788 |
| |style="background:#ffffbb;"|Ed Delahanty*
|1,788 |
| 91
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Billy Hamilton* |1,787 |
| |style="background:#ffffbb;"|Edd Roush*
|1,787 |
| |Jimmy Ryan
|1,787 |
| 94
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Harry Heilmann* |1,784 |
| 95
|1,781 |
| 96
|1,775 |
| 97
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Dave Parker* |1,772 |
| 98
|1,771 |
| 99
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Tony Pérez* |1,769 |
| 100
|style="background:#ffffbb;"|Heinie Manush* |1,763 |
| |style="background:#ffffbb;"|Billy Williams*
|1,763 |
{{Clear}}
Notes
{{Reflist|group=lower-alpha}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/1B_career.shtml|title=Career Leaders & Records for Singles|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}
{{Baseball records}}