New Candidates Added to Hall of Fame Ballot

Cooperstown, New York — The latest Hall of Fame ballot has introduced 14 new candidates as of Monday, featuring notable figures like outfielder Ichiro Suzuki and pitcher CC Sabathia. These newcomers join 14 returning players, led by reliever Billy Wagner, who is making his final appearance on the ballot.

Among the fresh faces are pitcher Félix Hernández, outfielder Carlos González, infielders Dustin Pedroia and Hanley Ramírez, as well as reliever Fernando Rodney, second baseman Ian Kinsler, and others, including Ben Zobrist, shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, and catchers Russell Martin and Brian McCann. Additionally, outfielders Curtis Granderson and Adam Jones are also in contention for the prestigious honor.

Wagner stood out in the previous voting process, garnering 284 votes or 78.3%, just shy of the 75% threshold necessary for induction. Notable candidates elected during the last voting cycle included third baseman Adrian Beltré, catcher/first baseman Joe Mauer, and first baseman Todd Helton. This year marks Wagner’s 10th and final time on the ballot.

Returning candidates facing scrutiny include controversial stars implicated in performance-enhancing drug usage, such as Alex Rodriguez (134 votes, 34.8%) and Manny Ramirez (125, 32.5%). Other holdovers include Andruw Jones (237 votes, 61.6%), Carlos Beltran (220, 57.1%), and Chase Utley (111, 28.8%), among others. Notably, Gary Sheffield has been dropped from the ballot after receiving 246 votes, or 63.9%, also marking his last chance for induction through this process.

Voting eligibility is granted to BBWAA members who have been part of the association for 10 or more consecutive years. All ballots must be postmarked by December 31, with results set to be disclosed on January 23. Inductees will be honored on July 27, coinciding with announcements made on December 8 from the Hall’s classic baseball committee, which evaluates eight players and managers whose contributions were realized predominantly before 1980.

Ichiro Suzuki made history in 2001 by becoming the second player ever, following Fred Lynn in 1975, to achieve both AL Rookie of the Year and AL MVP in the same season. Suzuki is recognized as a two-time AL batting champion and a 10-time Gold Glove winner, boasting a career batting average of .311 alongside 117 home runs and 780 RBIs over his tenure with teams like Seattle, New York Yankees, and Miami.

CC Sabathia is known as a six-time All-Star and achieved the prestigious AL Cy Young Award in 2007. He played a vital role in securing a World Series title for the Yankees in 2009 and finished his 19-season career with a record of 251 wins and 161 losses, accumulating 3,093 strikeouts.

Félix Hernández, crowned as the 2010 AL Cy Young Award winner, also made six All-Star appearances and highlighted his career with a perfect game in 2012. He possesses a career record of 169-136 along with a commendable 3.42 ERA.

Carlos González, a three-time All-Star, is noted for his success where he clinched the NL batting title in 2010, while Dustin Pedroia helped propel the Boston Red Sox to two World Series titles and won multiple accolades throughout his career. Hanley Ramírez also distinguished himself as a three-time All-Star with significant achievements, including an NL batting title.

The classic era committee will evaluate other legendary players including Dick Allen, Dave Parker, and Luis Tiant, amongst others, in their consideration for future induction into the Hall of Fame.