The National Baseball Hall of Fame has added two new members as the Baseball Writers Association of America revealed the latest ballot results.
This year, former star outfielders Carlos Beltran and Andruw Jones are being inducted. Beltran, in his fourth year on the ballot, received 84.2% of the votes, while Jones, in his seventh year, achieved 78.4%, both surpassing the necessary 75% threshold.
Beltran’s induction was anticipated despite his involvement in the Astros’ 2017 cheating scandal. Known as one of baseball’s greatest switch-hitters, he finished a 20-year career with a .279 average and 435 home runs. He was a nine-time All-Star and won three Gold Gloves in center field for the New York Mets.
Beltran played some of his most significant years with the Mets, joining them as a free agent on a seven-year deal after time with Kansas City and Houston. Injuries affected his later years with the Mets, resulting in a trade to the Giants in 2011 for pitching prospect Zack Wheeler.
Unexpectedly, following the trade, Beltran continued his career for six more seasons. He signed with the Cardinals, had stints with the Yankees and Rangers, and returned to the Astros before retiring at age 40.
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Beltran was poised to manage the Mets in 2020 but stepped down after the Astros scandal came to light. Luis Rojas, now the Yankees’ third base coach, took over. Beltran returned to the Mets’ front office in 2023.
Jones was also a leading center fielder of his time, earning ten Gold Gloves and hitting 434 home runs over 17 seasons. His performance declined after 12 years with the Braves, leading to a season with the Dodgers and brief periods with the Rangers, White Sox, and Yankees.
Jones continued his career beyond MLB. The Curaçao native played for the Netherlands in the 2013 World Baseball Classic and hit 50 homers over two seasons with Japan’s Rakuten Golden Eagles.
Beltran has not yet announced which hat he’ll wear on his plaque, while Jones will surely be remembered as an Atlanta Brave. Debuting at 19 in 1996, Jones hit .400 with two homers in the World Series that year, although the Braves lost to the Yankees.
There were no close calls for induction this year, but potential candidates for 2027 include Chase Utley with 59.1% of votes and Andy Pettitte with 48.5%. Next year’s ballot doesn’t feature any definite inductees, though perhaps Buster Posey. Utley appears likely to be honored.
Currently, the focus is on Carlos Beltran and Andruw Jones.
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