In baseball, a hit-by-pitch (HBP) happens when a batter, or their apparel or gear (excluding the bat), is directly struck by a pitch from the pitcher. When this occurs, the batter is designated as a "hit batsman" (HB), and they are granted first base if the plate umpire believes that the player made an earnest attempt to evade the incoming pitch. Umpires often do not strictly enforce this assessment, allowing batters who seem to crowd home plate to proceed without consequences.
A batter is more likely to be hit if they position themselves too close to home plate; this strategy is known as "crowding." This approach can be employed for both offensive and defensive purposes during games since teams may use it to put pressure on pitchers. Ultimately, while the hit-by-pitch regulation serves to protect players, it also introduces an interesting dimension of strategy and behavior in baseball.
Most HBP in the MLB
The MLB record for the most HBP is held by Hughie Jennings, who was hit 287 times during his career. Statistically, some players are recognized for being hit by pitches more frequently than others. After Hughie Jennings, Craig Biggio, and Tommy Tucker hold the second and third ranks for HBP of 285 and 272, respectively. The active player with the most HBP is Anthony Rizzo with 222 as of the end of the 2024 season.
Here is the list of players with the most HBP in MLB:
Rank | Player | HBP | Years Active |
1 | Hughie Jennings | 287 | 1891-1918 |
2 | Craig Biggio | 285 | 1988-2007 |
3 | Tommy Tucker | 272 | 1880-1897 |
4 | Don Baylor | 267 | 1970-1988 |
5 | Jason Kendall | 254 | 1996-2010 |
6 | Ron Hunt | 243 | 1963-1974 |
7 | Dan McGann | 230 | 1897-1907 |
8 | Anthony Rizzo | 222 | 2011-Present |
9 | Chase Utley | 204 | 2003-2018 |
10 | Frank Robinson | 198 | 1956-1976 |
11 | Minnie Miñoso | 197 | 1949-1964 |
12 | Jake Beckley | 183 | 1888-1910 |
13 | Jason Giambi | 180 | 1995-2014 |
14 | Andrés Galarraga | 178 | 1990-2008 |
15 | Alex Rodriguez | 176 | 1994-2016 |
16 | Curt Welch | 173 | 1889-1900 |
17 | Carlos Delgado | 172 | 1993-2015 |
18 | Derek Jeter | 170 | 1995-2014 |
19 | Kid Elberfeld | 165 | 1903-1913 |
20 | Starling Marte | 157 | 2012-Present |
21 | Fernando Viña | 157 | 1996-2006 |
22 | Brady Anderson | 154 | 1986-2009 |
23 | Fred Clarke | 154 | 1894-1915 |
24 | Shin-Soo Choo | 152 | 2005-Present |
25 | Chet Lemon | 151 | 1982-1995 |
26 | José Guillén | 145 | 1997-2012 |
27 | David Eckstein | 143 | 2001-2017 |
28 | Carlton Fisk | 143 | 1969-1993 |
29 | Nellie Fox | 142 | 1947-1965 |
30 | Art Fletcher | 141 | 1911-1922 |
31 | Bill Dahlen | 140 | 1891-1911 |
32 | Chuck Knoblauch | 139 | 1991-2009 |
33 | Mark Canha | 138 | 2015-Present |
34 | Larry Walker | 138 | 1989-2005 |
35 | Frank Chance | 137 | 1898-1914 |
36 | Gary Sheffield | 135 | 1988-2009 |
37 | Justin Turner | 135 | 2010-Present |
38 | Dummy Hoy | 134 | 1888-1902 |
39 | Reed Johnson | 134 | 2003-2016 |
40 | Nap Lajoie | 134 | 1896-1916 |
41 | John McGraw | 134 | 1891-1906 |
42 | Rickie Weeks Jr. | 134 | 2003-2018 |
43 | Steve Brodie | 132 | 1887-1891 |
44 | Damion Easley | 132 | 1998-2007 |
45 | Brian Downing | 129 | 1977-1992 |
46 | Willie Keeler | 129 | 1892-1910 |
47 | A. J. Pierzynski | 129 | 1997-2016 |
48 | Jeff Bagwell | 128 | 1991-2005 |
49 | Carlos Quentin | 127 | 2008-2017 |
50 | Aramis Ramírez | 127 | 2001-2017 |
51 | Scott Rolen | 127 | 1996-2012 |
52 | Aaron Rowand | 126 | 2001-2016 |
53 | José Abreu | 125 | 2014-Present |
54 | Jeff Kent | 125 | 1992-2016 |
55 | Honus Wagner | 125 | 1897-1917 |
56 | Prince Fielder | 124 | 2005-2016 |
57 | Matt Holliday | 124 | 2004-2018 |
58 | Derek Dietrich | 123 | 2013-Present |
59 | Albert Pujols | 123 | 2001-Present |
60 | Miguel Tejada | 122 | 1997-2016 |
61 | Alex Gordon | 121 | 2007-2021 |
62 | Buck Herzog | 120 | 1902-1915 |
63 | Kurt Suzuki | 119 | 2007-Present |
64 | Melvin Mora | 117 | 2000-2015 |
65 | Jimmy Dykes | 115 | 1913-1931 |
66 | Sherm Lollar | 115 | 1941-1957 |
67 | Frankie Crosetti | 114 | 1932-1948 |
68 | Bill Freehan | 114 | 1961-1976 |
69 | Carlos Gómez | 112 | 2008-2016 |
70 | Josh Willingham | 112 | 2003-2016 |
71 | Andre Dawson | 111 | 1976-2001 |
72 | Steve Evans | 111 | 1985-1990 |
73 | Luis Gonzalez | 111 | 1990-2010 |
74 | Mark Teixeira | 111 | 2003-2016 |
75 | George Burns | 110 | 1909-1916 |
76 | Jon Jay | 110 | 2010-2020 |
77 | Charlie Blackmon | 109 | 2011-Present |
78 | Sherry Magee | 109 | 1904-1917 |
79 | Manny Ramírez | 109 | 1993-2011 |
80 | David DeJesus | 108 | 2006-2019 |
81 | Bill Joyce | 108 | 1889-1896 |
82 | Mo Vaughn | 108 | 1991-2003 |
83 | Freddie Freeman | 107 | 2010-Present |
84 | Jason LaRue | 107 | 2004-2013 |
85 | Russell Martin | 107 | 2006-2021 |
86 | Pete Rose | 107 | 1963-1986 |
87 | Wally Schang | 107 | 1913-1928 |
88 | Barry Bonds | 106 | 1986-2007 |
89 | Willson Contreras | 106 | 2016-Present |
90 | Dan Brouthers | 105 | 1890-1907 |
91 | Edwin Encarnación | 105 | 2005-2020 |
92 | Ty France | 105 | 2017-Present |
93 | Mark Grudzielanek | 105 | 1998-2014 |
94 | Paul Konerko | 104 | 1997-2014 |
95 | Kevin Youkilis | 104 | 2004-2017 |
96 | Kris Bryant | 103 | 2015-Present |
Who has the most hits in MLB history?
Pete Rose holds the record for the most hits in Major League Baseball (MLB) history with 4,256 hits. This achievement came during his 24-year career, lasting from 1963 to 1986. Rose played for the Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, and Montreal Expos.
Rose was known for his consistent performance at the plate, maintaining a batting average of .303. He won three batting titles and participated in 17 All-Star Games. In 1973, he was awarded the National League MVP.
Rose's hitting accomplishments include 3,215 singles, 1,045 doubles, and 135 triples.
Following Rose is Ty Cobb, who amassed 4,189 hits from 1905 to 1928. Hank Aaron also ranks high on the list with 3,771 hits from 1954 to 1976.
FAQs on HBP in the MLB
A. HBP is counted as an official statistic but does not count as an at-bat, so it does not affect the player's batting average.
A. Batters may be hit due to their positioning at the plate or because pitchers may throw inside intentionally as part of their strategy.
A. The umpire may issue warnings or eject the pitcher from the game, especially if it occurs multiple times.
A. Craig Biggio recorded 285 hit by pitches during his career, making him second on the all-time list.
A. Yes, if a batter is hit while swinging at the pitch, they are usually awarded first base as long as they didn't lean into the pitch.