The Baseball Hall of Fame has released the 2020 Hall of Fame ballot. Derek Jeter headlines a group of first time candidates as he looks to join his teammate Mariano Rivera has the only unanimously inducted Hall of Famers.
The other first time candidates include Bobby Abreu, Josh Beckett, Heath Bell, Eric Chavez, Adam Dunn, Chone Figgins, Rafael Furcal, Jason Giambi, Raul Ibanez, Paul Konerko, Cliff Lee, Carlos Pena, Brad Penny, J.J. Putz, Brian Roberts, Alfonso Soriano, and Jose Valverde. For these and all players on the ballot, they need to receive at least five percent of the vote to remain on the 2021 ballot.
While it will be Jeter’s first year on the ballot, Larry Walker stands as the only candidate to be facing his 10th and final year on the ballot. In last year’s voting, Walker received 54.6% of the vote. Of the players returning to the ballot, only Curt Schilling (60.9%), Roger Clemens (59.5%), and Barry Bonds (59.1%) received a higher percent of the vote last year.
While there are no candidates who will join Tom Seaver and Mike Piazza as the only Mets players inducted into the Hall of Fame. There are a number of former Mets players on the ballot. The list includes Bobby Abreu, Heath Bell, Jeff Kent (7th), J.J. Putz, Gary Sheffield, Jose Valverde, and Billy Wagner (5th).
As a reminder, a player needs to receive at least 75% of the vote to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Last year, Roy Halladay, Edgar Martinez, Mike Mussina, and Rivera were elected. That marked the sixth straight year there were at least two players inducted. With Jeter expected to be inducted, it will be interesting to see if there will be another player who joins him making it a seventh straight year.
