5 MLB players with at least 3,500 career hits

The MLB has been around for a long time, but it's still got some very exclusive clubs. The Triple Crown club, for instance, is comprised of less than 20 players from the entire history of the league.

If you thought that was exclusive, think again. The 3,500 career hits club only has five distinguished members.

You'll be shocked to hear that some of baseball's biggest names aren't in this club. New York Yankees superstar Derek Jeter missed it by just thirty-five hits. Former Triple Crown winner Carl Yastrzemski needed only eighty-one more hits to become a member.

From number five to one, let's take a look at the members of the most distinguished hitter's club in the MLB.

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#5 Tris Speaker

Tris Speaker played a large portion of his career for the Boston Red Sox

Nicknamed "The Gray Eagle" for his prematurely gray hair, Tris Speaker's MLB career lasted from 1907-1928. He played for the Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Indians, Washington Senators, and Philadelphia Athletics.

He was a master of contact-hitting who didn't care much for home runs. Over his 21-year career, he compiled 3,514 hits, 792 of which were doubles and only 117 home runs. He finished his career with a .345 batting average, good enough to rank ninth in all-time rankings.

He was also an excellent defender. Speaker had a cannon arm and was known for his ability to turn double plays from the outfield.

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#4 Stan Musial

Stan Musial is a St. Louis Cardinals icon

Stan Musial played for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1941-1963 and set franchise records throughout his career. He hit .331 over his 22-year career.

His 3,630 hits were 116 greater than Tris Speaker's career total, and Musial's 475 home runs show that he mixed some power-hitting into his steady contact. He won the World Series three times, in 1942, 1944, and 1946.

Before his final game on September 29, 1963, the Cardinals organization held a ceremony in which they retired Musial's iconic number '6' for all franchise players.

Funnily enough, Musial's last hit was a single that he snuck past second baseman Pete Rose, who went on to become the all-time hitting king.

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#3 Hank Aaron

Hank Aaron is a household name

Hank Aaron was so good that he's now a household name in America and beyond. "Hammerin' Hank" played in the MLB for 23 seasons from 1954-1976 for the Milwaukee Brewers and the Atlanta Braves.

He hit a monstrous 755 home runs, which broke Babe Ruth's record at the time and remained unbroken for 33 years until Barry Bonds came around. His 3,771 career hits places him in third for the all-time record, and his 2,297 RBIs is the most by any MLB player ever.

The day he hit his 715th home run in 1974 to break Babe Ruth's record is forever etched in the minds of baseball fans. Everything about it is perfect, from the fuzzy commentating and the crowd cheering wildly, to the two fans running the bases with Hank.

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#2 Ty Cobb

A Ty Cobb plaque outside Commerica Park (Tiger Stadium)

Ty Cobb will not be remembered for his pleasant attitude. The long-time MLB hitting king was a notoriously dirty player. He wore sharp metal spikes on his cleats to threaten defenders at the bases, and he sometimes physically assaulted umpires if he disagreed with their calls.

But Ty Cobb's intensity is also what made him such a ferocious hitter. He played 22 seasons with the Detroit Tigers from 1905-1928 and batted an all-time best .366 during that time.

His 4,189 hits stood atop the MLB for years until Pete Rose broke his record. But Cobb is still one of only two players to ever hit more than 4,000 hits in the major leagues.

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#1 Pete Rose

All-time hits leader Pete Rose speaks during his induction into the Reds Hall of Fame

All hail the king! Pete Rose played in the MLB from 1963 to 1986 primarily as a second baseman for the Cincinnati Reds. He batted .303 throughout his career and shattered Cobb's hitting record with 4,256 hits.

Like Tris Speaker, Rose wasn't much of a power-hitter. But, as arguably the most talented switch hitter ever, he knew how to put the ball in play. He only hit 160 home runs, but his 3,215 singles is an all-time record.

Rose won three World Series Championships, one MVP award, and two Gold Gloves. His defensive prowess as a second baseman was noted, but both his Gold Gloves came for his service in the outfield.