The best careers after age 35 in MLB history: 23. Eddie Collins, 1922-30 (35-43)
- .342/.440/.436
- 933 hits
- 25.1 WAR
Playing throughout the small-ball period in MLB history of the early 1900s, Eddie Collins absolutely thrived. The speedy and quick-handed second baseman was a menace at the plate, excelled at getting on base and hitting for average. Collins only played until he was 43-years-old, but saw very limited action in his final three MLB seasons. In fact, Collins only played in 48 games during those final three years, which makes his accomplishments that much more impressive.
Collins owns a .342 batting average after the age of 35, which ranks third on the all-time list. He also got on base 44 percent of his plate appearances during that time, adding to the improbable hitting line. The Hall of Famer hit .333 throughout the entirety of his career, which ranks 26th in league history.
Taking out his final three seasons of limited action, Collins recorded 922 hits from 1922-27. That’s an average of 154 hits per season in addition to 25 stolen bases each year. The four-time World Series champion led the AL in stolen bases twice, swiping 90 bags in 1923 and 1924. The Gold Glove award didn’t exist until 1957, but it’s likely that Collins would have walked away with a few of those if he had played in a different era. Collins owned a .970 fielding percentage at second base, his primary position, and finished top-10 in AL defensive WAR four times in his career.