Beltran will be a first timer on ballot in 2023
Now that three-time World Series champion and slugger David Ortiz was elected to baseball’s Hall of Fame, it raises the question:
Who will be on the ballot next year? We do know this: The controversial 10th-year quartet of Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Curt Schilling and Sammy Sosa will be removed from the ballot. The former sluggers and star pitchers failed to reach the 75% mark required for induction.
There are 13 players from this year’s ballot who will be eligible again.
The top vote-getters returning include third baseman Scott Rolen (63.2% of the vote, up from 52.9%), first baseman Todd Helton (52%, up from 44.9%) and reliever Billy Wagner (51%, up from 46.4%). They were the top vote-getters on this year’s ballot outside of Ortiz (77.9%), Bonds (66%) and Clemens (65.2%).
First-timers Alex Rodriguez (34.3%) and Jimmy Rollins (9.4%) also return.
So who are the newcomers?
Carlos Beltrán will headline the 2023 ballot first-timers, but he comes with controversy. The nine-time AllStar was punished by MLB prior to the 2020 season for his role in the Astros’ sign stealing scandal.
Other first-timers could include pitchers John Lackey and Francisco Rodriguez and outfielders Jacoby Ellsbury and Jayson Werth.
Here is a partial list of eligible firsttime players for upcoming Hall of Fame elections:
2024: Adrían Beltré, Joe Mauer, Chase Utley and David Wright.
2025: Brian McCann, CC Sabathia, Ichiro Suzuki and Troy Tulowitzki.
2026: Ryan Braun, Edwin Encarnación, Matt Kemp and Nick Markakis.
2027: Jay Bruce, Jon Lester, Buster Posey and Kyle Seager.