List of Major League Baseball career plate appearance leaders
In baseball statistics, a player is credited with a plate appearance (denoted by PA) each time he completes a turn batting. A player completes a turn batting when: he strikes out or is declared out before reaching first base; or he reaches first base safely or is awarded first base (by a base on balls, hit by pitch, or catcher's interference); or he hits a fair ball which causes a preceding runner to be put out for the third out before he himself is put out or reaches first base safely (see also left on base, fielder's choice, force play). In other words, a plate appearance ends when the batter is put out or becomes a runner. A very similar statistic, at bats, counts a subset of plate appearances that end under certain circumstances.
![](../I/m/Rose_walking_onto_field.jpg)
Pete Rose holds the record with 15,890 career plate appearances. Rose is the only player in MLB history to surpass 14,000 and 15,000 career plate appearances. Carl Yastrzemski (13,992), Hank Aaron (13,941), Rickey Henderson (13,346) and Ty Cobb (13,087) are the only other players to surpass 13,000 career plate appearances.
Key
Rank | Rank amongst leaders in career plate appearances. A blank field indicates a tie. |
Player (2020 PAs) | Number of plate appearances during the 2020 Major League Baseball season. |
PA | Total career plate appearances. |
* | denotes elected to National Baseball Hall of Fame. |
---|---|
Bold | denotes active player.[lower-alpha 1] |
List
![](../I/m/Albert_Pujols_stance.jpg)
- Stats updated as of August 16, 2020
Rank | Player (2020 PAs) | PA |
---|---|---|
1 | Pete Rose | 15,890 |
2 | Carl Yastrzemski * | 13,992 |
3 | Hank Aaron * | 13,941 |
4 | Rickey Henderson * | 13,346 |
5 | Ty Cobb * | 13,087 |
6 | Cal Ripken Jr. * | 12,883 |
7 | Eddie Murray * | 12,817 |
8 | Stan Musial * | 12,718 |
9 | Barry Bonds | 12,606 |
10 | Derek Jeter * | 12,602 |
11 | Craig Biggio * | 12,504 |
12 | Willie Mays * | 12,496 |
13 | Dave Winfield * | 12,358 |
14 | Albert Pujols (63) | 12,294 |
15 | Robin Yount * | 12,249 |
16 | Alex Rodriguez | 12,207 |
17 | Paul Molitor * | 12,167 |
18 | Adrián Beltré | 12,130 |
19 | Eddie Collins * | 12,078 |
20 | Rafael Palmeiro | 12,046 |
21 | Omar Vizquel | 12,013 |
22 | Tris Speaker * | 12,011 |
23 | Brooks Robinson * | 11,782 |
24 | Honus Wagner * | 11,746 |
25 | Frank Robinson * | 11,742 |
26 | George Brett * | 11,625 |
27 | Al Kaline * | 11,596 |
28 | Reggie Jackson * | 11,418 |
29 | Mel Ott * | 11,348 |
30 | Cap Anson * | 11,331 |
31 | Joe Morgan * | 11,329 |
32 | Ken Griffey Jr. * | 11,304 |
33 | Rabbit Maranville * | 11,254 |
34 | Lou Brock | 11,240 |
35 | Luis Aparicio * | 11,230 |
36 | Rusty Staub | 11,229 |
37 | Harold Baines * | 11,092 |
38 | Carlos Beltrán | 11,031 |
39 | Gary Sheffield | 10,947 |
40 | Johnny Damon | 10,917 |
41 | Tony Pérez * | 10,861 |
42 | Ozzie Smith * | 10,778 |
43 | Max Carey * | 10,769 |
Andre Dawson * | 10,769 | |
45 | Paul Waner * | 10,766 |
46 | Wade Boggs * | 10,740 |
47 | Darrell Evans | 10,737 |
48 | Ichiro Suzuki | 10,734 |
49 | Babe Ruth * | 10,623 |
50 | Chipper Jones * | 10,614 |
Rank | Player (2020 PAs) | PA |
---|---|---|
51 | Sam Crawford * | 10,594 |
52 | Dwight Evans | 10,569 |
53 | Rod Carew * | 10,550 |
54 | Luis Gonzalez | 10,531 |
55 | Billy Williams * | 10,519 |
56 | Jake Beckley * | 10,504 |
57 | Nap Lajoie * | 10,461 |
58 | Steve Finley | 10,460 |
59 | Bill Dahlen | 10,405 |
60 | Vada Pinson | 10,402 |
61 | Roberto Alomar * | 10,400 |
62 | Ernie Banks * | 10,394 |
63 | Tim Raines * | 10,359 |
64 | Nellie Fox * | 10,351 |
65 | Miguel Cabrera (79) | 10,315 |
66 | Jim Thome * | 10,313 |
67 | Harry Hooper * | 10,277 |
68 | Iván Rodríguez * | 10,270 |
69 | Sam Rice * | 10,260 |
70 | Luke Appling * | 10,254 |
71 | Charlie Gehringer * | 10,245 |
72 | Jimmy Rollins | 10,240 |
73 | Tony Gwynn * | 10,232 |
74 | Graig Nettles | 10,228 |
75 | Roberto Clemente * | 10,211 |
76 | Dave Parker | 10,184 |
77 | George Davis * | 10,178 |
78 | Fred McGriff | 10,174 |
79 | Eddie Mathews * | 10,100 |
80 | Frankie Frisch * | 10,099 |
81 | David Ortiz | 10,091 |
82 | Bobby Abreu | 10,081 |
83 | Frank Thomas * | 10,075 |
84 | Mike Schmidt * | 10,062 |
85 | Bill Buckner | 10,037 |
86 | Buddy Bell | 10,009 |
87 | Zack Wheat * | 10,006 |
88 | Chili Davis | 9,997 |
89 | Lou Whitaker | 9,967 |
90 | Doc Cramer | 9,927 |
91 | Mickey Mantle * | 9,907 |
92 | Sammy Sosa | 9,896 |
93 | Carlton Fisk * | 9,853 |
94 | Fred Clarke * | 9,838 |
Mickey Vernon | 9,838 | |
96 | Harmon Killebrew * | 9,833 |
97 | Goose Goslin * | 9,829 |
98 | Willie Davis | 9,822 |
99 | Gary Gaetti | 9,817 |
100 | Ted Williams * | 9,792 |
Notes
- A player is considered inactive if he has announced his retirement or not played for a full season.
References
- "Career Leaders & Records for Plate Appearances". Baseball-Reference.com.