Obviously, pitchers are a massive part of baseball — but it’s the hitters who most often capture attention and fill up the seats. For 150 years, professional baseball has been part of American culture, Major League Baseball has existed since 1903, and thousands of talented sluggers have put on a uniform throughout the years. However, only a handful of players can be considered the greatest hitters ever. There are several ways to measure the greatness of a hitter, and the most accepted metrics have changed vastly in recent decades. Take a look at our list of greatest MLB hitters ever and see whether your favorite slugger has made the cut.
Derek Jeter (Major Leagues: 1995-2014)
Even though the career totals of Derek Jeter aren’t as flashy as those of other historic hitters, the New York Yankees legend deserves to be on this list for his consistency. The king of playoff hitting, Jeter holds the MLB postseason records for total hits, singles, doubles, and triples, and he also ranks third overall in postseason home runs. In the late ’90s, he led some of the best Yankees teams in MLB history, which added to his five World Series titles. He also ranks sixth overall in total hits and reached 3,400 hits the fastest, putting him in highly rarified air. However, his .377 on-base percentage and ranking 15th on career strikeouts slightly hurt his standing a bit.