List of Major League Baseball career batters faced leaders

In baseball statistics, Batters Faced (BF), also known as Total Batters Faced (TBF), is the number of batters who made a plate appearance before the pitcher in a game or in a season. This is a list of the top 100 leaders.

Cy Young, the all-time leader in career batters faced.

Cy Young is the all-time leader, facing 29,565 batters in his career. Young is the only player to face more than 26,000 career batters. Pud Galvin is second having faced 25,415 batters, and is the only other player to have faced more than 25,000 batters. A total of 17 players have faced over 20,000 batters in their careers, with all but two (Bobby Mathews and Roger Clemens) being in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Rank Rank amongst leaders in career batters faced. A blank field indicates a tie.
Player Name of player.
BF Total career batters faced. Current total in parentheses ()
* Denotes elected to National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Denotes active player

List

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Justin Verlander, the active leader in career batters faced and 91st all-time.
  • Stats updated as of the end of the 2024 season.
Rank Player (2025 BF) BF
1 Cy Young* 29,565
2 Pud Galvin* 25,415
3 Walter Johnson* 23,405
4 Phil Niekro* 22,677
5 Nolan Ryan* 22,575
6 Bobby Mathews 21,977
7 Gaylord Perry* 21,953
8 Steve Carlton* 21,683
9 Don Sutton* 21,631
10 Warren Spahn* 21,547
11 Kid Nichols* 21,082
12 Tim Keefe* 20,941
13 Grover Cleveland Alexander* 20,893
14 Bert Blyleven* 20,491
15 Greg Maddux* 20,421
16 Mickey Welch* 20,308
17 Roger Clemens 20,240
18 Tommy John 19,692
19 Early Wynn* 19,408
20 Tony Mullane 19,407
21 Tom Seaver* 19,369
22 Gus Weyhing 19,188
23 Robin Roberts* 19,174
24 John Clarkson* 19,146
25 Jim Kaat* 19,023
26 Charles Radbourn* 18,918
27 Christy Mathewson* 18,913
28 Eppa Rixey* 18,754
29 Tom Glavine* 18,604
30 Red Ruffing* 18,546
31 Ferguson Jenkins* 18,400
32 Burleigh Grimes* 17,974
33 Jack Powell 17,896
34 Eddie Plank* 17,803
35 Ted Lyons* 17,797
36 Jim McCormick 17,702
37 Frank Tanana 17,641
38 Jamie Moyer 17,356
39 Red Faber* 17,104
40 Randy Johnson* 17,067
41 Dennis Martínez 16,754
42 Sad Sam Jones 16,662
43 Lefty Grove* 16,622
44 Bobo Newsom 16,467
45 Jack Quinn 16,356
46 Amos Rusie 16,313
47 Vic Willis* 16,263
48 Bob Feller* 16,180
49 Charlie Hough 16,170
50 Jack Morris* 16,120
Rank Player (2025 BF) BF
51 Jim Palmer* 16,114
52 Bob Gibson* 16,068
53 Waite Hoyt* 16,010
54 Jerry Koosman 15,996
55 Earl Whitehill 15,781
56 Jim Bunning* 15,618
57 Jerry Reuss 15,582
58 Adonis Terry 15,413
59 Paul Derringer 15,391
60 Bob Friend 15,214
61 George Mullin 15,179
62 Joe Niekro 15,166
63 Mickey Lolich 15,140
64 Herb Pennock* 15,096
65 Tommy Bond 15,082
66 CC Sabathia 14,989
67 Will White 14,951
68 Rick Reuschel 14,888
69 Mel Harder 14,861
70 Carl Hubbell* 14,805
71 Jim Whitney 14,666
72 Bartolo Colón 14,655
73 Mike Mussina* 14,593
74 Chick Fraser 14,553
75 Charlie Buffinton 14,465
76 Claude Osteen 14,433
77 David Wells 14,413
78 Wilbur Cooper 14,377
79 Luis Tiant 14,365
80 Clark Griffith* 14,335
81 Kenny Rogers 14,280
82 John Smoltz* 14,271
83 Juan Marichal* 14,236
84 Hooks Dauss 14,175
85 Doyle Alexander 14,162
86 Curt Simmons 14,144
87 Joe McGinnity* 14,132
88 Don Drysdale* 14,097
89 Andy Pettitte 14,074
90 Catfish Hunter* 14,032
91 Justin Verlander (0) 13,945
92 Tim Wakefield 13,939
93 Zack Greinke (0) 13,877
94 Billy Pierce 13,853
95 Vida Blue 13,837
Al Orth 13,837
97 Liván Hernández 13,816
98 Jim Perry 13,732
99 Mark Buehrle 13,705
100 Silver King 13,671


References

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