Freddie Freeman is on a Hall of Fame path — but he may be angling for a little bit more of an exclusive club.
There have been over 20,000 players to grace an MLB diamond, but only 291 have joined the 2,000-hit club.
On June 25, Freeman became the latest member to join the group, crushing a double vs. the Astros with a typical Freeman-esque swing.
Congratulations to @FreddieFreeman5 on joining the 2,000 Hit Club! pic.twitter.com/IFarBsnoFT
— MLB (@MLB) June 26, 2023
While earning a jacket for joining the 2,000-hit club is quite an achievement, Freeman still has plenty of career left to reach the next level. Only 33 players in MLB history have reached the 3,000-hit plateau, and Freeman is the game's next, best bet to make it there.
Consider this: In MLB history, 271 players have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, meaning the 3,000-hit club is the inner circle of the inner circle of baseball history.
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Here's where Freeman stands, and how he can get to the illustrious 3,000 hit marker:
Freddie Freeman stats
In his 14-year career, Freeman has amassed 2,000 hits over 1,801 games. He also is one of the games better power hitters, with 306 home runs and 441 doubles. He's led the majors in doubles two seasons (2022 and the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season), while leading the NL in doubles in 2018 and in 2023.
Here are Freeman's totals and his 162-game averages:
| Games | Plate appearances | Hits | Doubles | Walks | HR | RBI | AVG | OPS | Strikeouts | |
| Total | 1,801 | 7,721 | 2,000 | 441 | 897 | 306 | 1,089 | .299 | .897 | 1,474 |
| 162-game avg | 162 | 695 | 180 | 40 | 81 | 28 | 98 | .299 | .897 | 133 |
Can Freddie Freeman make the 3,000-hit club?
In his quest for 3,000 hits, Freeman has a few things going for him: most notably, his age and his plate discipline.
Freeman is only 33, and should he satisfy the terms of his contract (i.e, not fall off a cliff), then he has a good shot to put up some big offensive seasons in a pretty cushy Dodgers lineup. For his career, Freeman averages 180 hits per 162 games, meaning he may finish out his Dodgers contract (health permitting) with around 2,700 to 2,800 hits.
Since his rookie season in 2010, he has 10 seasons in which he's ranked in the top 10 in hits in the majors. If he's still a viable player after his last years with the Dodgers, he could set himself up for another few contracts to reach that plateau.
While he's prone to striking out, Freeman has also traditionally been able to work counts and get on base at an elite clip. For his career, he has 10 seasons in which he ranked inside the top 10 in OBP, which will only add to his value as a hitter later in his career. The bat may deteriorate later in his career, but knowing which pitches to swing at will only help his profile.
All that is to say, Freeman has a pretty good chance at making the 3,000-club — as long as he stays healthy and keeps his eye.
MLB 2,000-hit club
With Freeman joining their ranks, the number of players in MLB's 2,000-hit club sit at 291. That said, there are only six active players who currently sit with 2,000 or more hits.
(All stats as of June 25):
| Player | Team(s) | Hits |
| Miguel Cabrera | Florida Marlins, Detroit Tigers | 3,119 |
| Robinson Cano | New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners, New York Mets, San Diego Padres, Atlanta Braves | 2,639 |
| Joey Votto | Cincinnati Reds | 2,098 |
| Nelson Cruz | Milwaukee Brewers, Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Mariners, Minnesota Twins, Tampa Bay Rays, Washington Nationals, San Diego Padres | 2,049 |
| Elvis Andrus | Texas Rangers, Oakland Athletics, Chicago White Sox | 2,036 |
| Freddie Freeman | Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers | 2,000 |
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MLB 3,000-hit club
The next step for Freeman is to join the 3,000-hit club. Just 33 players in MLB history have 3,000 or more hits, and Freeman is the next and safest bet to reach the plateau.
Of the 3,000-hit club, 26 players have been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Pete Rose is infamously omitted due to his betting scandals as a player and manager. Albert Pujols, Adrian Beltre and Ichiro Suzuki are all awaiting the call following their retirements. Miguel Cabrera remains active.
Despite their eligibility, Alex Rodriguez and Rafael Palmeiro have also been excluded from Cooperstown amidst their sordid histories with steroid use.
Here's the list of players who have 3,000 or more hits:
| Player | Hits |
| Pete Rose | 4,256 |
| Ty Cobb | 4,191 |
| Hank Aaron | 3,771 |
| Stan Musial | 3,630 |
| Tris Speaker | 3,514 |
| Derek Jeter | 3,456 |
| Honus Wagner | 3,430 |
| Carl Yastrzemski | 3,419 |
| Albert Pujols | 3,384 |
| Paul Molitor | 3,319 |
| Eddie Collins | 3,314 |
| Willie Mays | 3,293 |
| Eddie Murray | 3,255 |
| Nap Lajoie | 3,2243 |
| Cal Ripken Jr. | 3,184 |
| Adrian Beltre | 3,166 |
| George Brett | 3,154 |
| Paul Waner | 3,152 |
| Robin Yount | 3,142 |
| Tony Gwynn | 3,141 |
| Miguel Cabrera* | 3,119 |
| Alex Rodriguez | 3,115 |
| Dave Winfield | 3,110 |
| Ichiro Suzuki | 3,089 |
| Craig Biggio | 3,060 |
| Rickey Henderson | 3,055 |
| Rod Carew | 3,053 |
| Lou Brock | 3,023 |
| Rafael Palmeiro | 3,020 |
| Cap Anson | 3,011 |
| Wade Boggs | 3,010 |
| Al Kaline | 3,007 |
| Roberto Clemente | 3,000 |
* - Active
How old is Freddie Freeman?
Freeman is 33 years old, and is set to turn 34 on Sept. 12. In 2021, Freeman signed a six-year, $162 million contract that will pay him through his age-37 season in 2027.
For comparison, Miguel Cabrera joined the 2,000-hit club in 2014, in his age-31 season. Cabrera joined 3,000-hit club in 2022, his age-40 season.