Most Stolen Bases of All Time (MLB)

Rickey Henderson holds the MLB record for the most career stolen bases, with 1,406 swiped across 25 seasons from 1979 to 2003. That total sits nearly 470 steals ahead of second-place Lou Brock, and Henderson is the only player in history to surpass 1,000.

The stolen base is the game’s boldest offensive act, a runner beating the throw to take a base on his own, and stacking up more than a thousand is a test of speed, instinct and durability across a very long career. The all-time leaderboard rewards leadoff men and burners who turned baserunning into a weapon, and at the very top sits the player who redefined the role. Here is the full leaderboard of baseball’s base-stealers, the milestones behind them, and why the record may never fall. All figures are as of the 2025 season.

The record holder: Rickey Henderson and 1,406 steals

Henderson was baseball’s ultimate leadoff hitter, blending elite speed with the on-base skills and daring that made him a constant threat. Nicknamed the “Man of Steal,” he stole a single-season record 130 bases in 1982 and kept running at a high rate deep into his career, pairing the stolen base record with the all-time record for runs scored.

The scale of his lead is what sets the record apart. At nearly 470 steals beyond Lou Brock, Henderson’s total would require a modern player to steal 50 bases a season for close to 30 years to threaten it, which is why it is often called one of baseball’s untouchable marks.

The full leaderboard of career stolen base leaders

The table below ranks baseball’s all-time career stolen base leaders.

Rank	Stolen bases	Player	Career
1	1,406	Rickey Henderson	1979-2003
2	938	Lou Brock	1961-1979
3	914	Billy Hamilton	1888-1901
4	897	Ty Cobb	1905-1928
5	808	Tim Raines	1979-2002
6	752	Vince Coleman	1985-1997
7	742	Arlie Latham	1880-1909
8	741	Eddie Collins	1906-1930
9	738	Max Carey	1910-1929
10	723	Honus Wagner	1897-1917

The list spans more than a century of speed, from 19th-century pioneers like Billy Hamilton and Arlie Latham to modern burners such as Tim Raines and Vince Coleman. Only Henderson cleared 1,000, and only Brock and Hamilton reached 900.

Lou Brock and the base-stealing greats

For years the stolen base record belonged to Lou Brock, whose 938 steals and single-season mark of 118 made him the standard until Henderson broke both. Brock remains second, a Hall of Fame leadoff man in his own right. Behind him, dead-ball era stars Ty Cobb and Honus Wagner mixed base-stealing with elite hitting, appearing high on our most hits in MLB history leaderboard as well.

The modern speedsters and the chase

Tim Raines and Vince Coleman represent the last golden age of base-stealing in the 1980s, each topping 750 steals. Since then, the game has shifted toward power, and stolen base attempts have fallen sharply, which is why no active player is anywhere near this list. The run-producers who batted behind these speedsters populate our most RBIs of all time leaderboard.

Why the record matters

The stolen base record rewards a rare blend of speed, instinct and longevity, and it captures a style of play that once defined winning baseball. Henderson’s 1,406 stands as the definitive measure of base-stealing, and the modern emphasis on power makes it all but impossible to challenge. The teams these table-setters ignited feature on our most World Series wins list.

The short version: Rickey Henderson holds the MLB career stolen base record with 1,406, nearly 470 ahead of Lou Brock (938), the only player ever past 1,000. Billy Hamilton (914) and Ty Cobb (897) are next. As of the 2025 season, no active player is close, and Henderson’s mark stands as one of baseball’s most secure records.