List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders
In the sport of baseball, a home run is the act of hitting the ball in such a manner that allows the batter to safely reach home and score in one play. This can be accomplished both by hitting the ball out of play while it is still in fair territory (a conventional home run), or by the inside the park home run.
Hank Aaron holds the Major League Baseball home run record with 755 and Barry Bonds, the active leader, is second with 746 homers. Third is Babe Ruth with 714. Willie Mays (660 HRs) is the only other player to have hit more than 600.
Travis Hafner is the most recent entrant into the top 500 list with his 127th homer on May 23, 2007. Adrián Beltré was the most recent player to reach 200 home runs on May 28, 2007; Steve Finley the most recent to 300 on June 14, 2006; and Carlos Delgado the most recent to 400 on August 22, 2006. In 2004, Ken Griffey, Jr. became the 20th and most recent player to hit 500 home runs (see 500 home run club). Bonds was the most recent player to hit 600 home runs (2002) and 700 home runs (2004).
To make the top 200 (including ties) on the all-time list, a player would need 240 or more home runs, while 190 homers are needed to enter the top 300. To be the 400th best of all-time, a player would need 153. The 500th most prolific career home run hitter, however, has only 26 fewer, at 127. The last change in the cutoff for the top 500 was on July 29, 2006, when Raúl Ibáñez hit his 127th homer and displaced six players from the list.
Milestones
The following players reached major home run milestones in 2007:
200 career homers:
- Adam Dunn — April 2
- José Cruz, Jr. — April 15
- Jorge Posada — April 17
- Aramis Ramírez — April 23
- Geoff Jenkins — May 20
- Adrián Beltré — May 28
Entry into the top 500:
- Kevin Millar with his 127th career homer — April 8
- Kenny Lofton with his 127th career homer — May 20
- Travis Hafner with his 127th career homer — May 23
The list
Listed are all Major League Baseball players with 127 or more home runs, the current cutoff for the top 500 (includes ties for the top 500, whenever applicable). Players in bold face are currently active, with the number in parentheses designating the number of home runs they have hit during the current season.
- Template:Fnb There have been two players named Frank Thomas. The active player has played since 1990 with the White Sox and the Athletics, and is now a member of the Blue Jays. The earlier player with 286 HRs played from 1951 to 1966 with the Pirates, Reds, Cubs, Braves, Mets, Phillies and Colt .45s (now Astros).
As of May 31, 2007, six active players are within five home runs of entering the top 500, now with a cutoff of 128 career homers:
- Kenny Lofton (127)
- Sean Casey (126)
- Melvin Mora (125)
- Michael Tucker[1] (125)
- Corey Koskie (124)
- Wil Cordero (122)