'Hit' list: Derek Jeter may pass icons in 2013

Only nine men have more career hits than Derek Jeter. The Yankee great could surpass more than half of them this year.

The future Hall of Fame shortstop showed no signs of slowing down in 2012, collecting 216 hits - the second-best mark of his career - to raise his total to 3,304.

A repeat 200-hit season seems unlikely, and would be especially challenging considering Jeter spent the entire offseason recovering from a broken ankle. However, it's not unrealistic to think that he could accrue as many as 186 hits, his average over the past three seasons, in 2013.

Using that total, and assuming he's ready for Opening Day, we've projected when Jeter would pass the Hall of Famers ahead of him on the career hits list. Here's a look at the projections, as well as a glance at the players in Jeter's path.

Needing just 10 hits, Jeter is a virtual lock to move into ninth place on the list ahead of Collins. Look for him to do so on April 11 at Cleveland.

Like Collins, Molitor should be in Jeter's rearview very early in the season. We project the Yankees captain logs his 16th hit of the season and passes Molitor on April 16 at home against Arizona.

Wagner sits 126 hits ahead of Jeter entering the season. It's very likely the Yankee surpasses him and moves into sixth, and we project that will take place on Aug. 4 at San Diego.

With 211 hits to go, Jeter would need a repeat of 2012's incredible hit total during the season in which he turns 39 years old. It's possible he moves ahead of Speaker in late September, but our bet is during the early part of 2014.

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Assuming Jeter wants to play long enough, he has a small chance to leave baseball as the game's all-time hits king. He's got a long way to go before he catches Pete Rose for that mark. Here are the top four on the list and how many hits Jeter would need to surpass them.