In the making for 20 years, 2,402 games and 8,912 at bats, Ken Griffey Jr. now sits 3 home runs shy of 600 home runs. Upon reaching 600, Griffey will join a class more elite then the mile high club. Only 5 other players have ever reached the exclusive 600 home run mark and 2 of them (Bonds and Sosa) cheated to get there.

As Griffey storms towards the historic mark of 600 home runs, we take a look at some of the game’s young studs and predict who’s next to make a serious run at 600+.

After all, 600 is the new 500 or is it?

Alex Rodriguez

Whether you love or hate the highest paid player in baseball, A-Rod’s got the mojo to not only hit 600, but smash Barry Bonds’ all-time record of 762. He’s got 6 years on the Griff and has already amassed a tall order of 522 home runs! Even if A-Rod popped it into Knight Rider cruise control and only hit 7.8 home runs each year for the next 10, he’d still get there. Bonds’ record? 24 home runs each year over the next 10. Wham bam, thank you mam.

Albert Pujols

Since joing the birds in 2001, Pujols has hit 30 or more home runs in each of his 7 full seasons and 40+ in 4 of those. Food for thought – with the exception of Babe Ruth, out of the top 25 leaders in career home runs, Pujols holds the highest batting average of .332. With his natural power and ability his gifted eye, it’s not a matter of if, only a matter of when.

Justin Upton

When you’re first scouted by major league clubs at age 13 and find yourself in the bigs at 19 before you can even legally throw down Jager shots like Jake Peavy, you know you’re good. Just how good is Upton and how in the hell is a kid with 25 career home runs on this list? Upton posses a rare combination of skills in his pure speed and sheer natural power. At age 20, Upton could very well join Alex Rodriguez and Ken Griffey Jr. as the only players in the past 30 years to hit 20 homers at age 20 – and you know where those 2 are headed. Young age and god-like talent makes him a near lock.

Prince Fielder

Like father, like son? Fielder enters this season at the age of 23. He’s got less then 100 home runs on his career mark, but finished last year with silly totals of 50/119/.288. Fielder needs to hit for better average and stay healthy to hit do it, but it’s certainly possible.

Why these players won’t:

Adam Dunn

Give me 1 season of a .270 average or better and then come knocking on my door…bittch.

Justin Morneau

He’s a great player, but more streaky then Lindsay Lohans rehab stints.

David Ortiz

I put him here, because I know how Red Sox nation can get with their damn pride. Great player, but already 33 and a health risk.

Honorable mentions:

Ryan “Homerin” Howard, Ryan “Rambunctious” Braun, Lou “I wish you never got sick and had a disease named after you” Gehrig.

Hate this list? Think you should be on it? Drop a comment.

* Editor note: We requested an interview from Griffey Jr. to comment on his chase for 600 and the players included on the list but were denied by the Cincinnati Reds’ Director of Media Relations – would have been nice but we still like you Ken.