Center fielders Carlos Beltran and Andruw Jones were elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame today.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 20, 2026
Since 1981, only two other center fielders had been elected: Ken Griffey Jr. and Kirby Puckett. Rightful due for one of the most vital positions and two incredible players.
After years of me screaming into the void that Andrew Jones and Carlos Beltrán should be Hall of Famers, it finally happened: They were both inducted into the Hall of Fame, alongside Jeff Kent through the contemporary committee; and will become just the second and third centerfielders post 1981 to reach the Hall of Fame, joining Kirby Puckett and Ken Griffey Jr.
Every single player on the contemporary ballot should be in the Hall of Fame.
Kenny Lofton should absolutely be in the Hall of Fame btw https://t.co/AGTQEVkzbk
— John Grimaldi (@_JohnGrimaldi) January 21, 2026
Andruw Jones: 78.4%, 9th Year
I’m glad that the baseball writers finally had a good year. Andruw Jones has been treated like a fringe case for many years, and it never made a lick of sense to me. When I watched him play in his prime, he always felt like he was destined for the Hall of Fame, right alongside his counterpart, Chipper (who I know definitely agrees with me). But when your career basically ends after 30, people might second guess themselves. Jones had 10 consecutive gold gloves from 1998 – 2007, and is considered perhaps the best defensive centerfielder of all-time. I feel vindicated.
Carlos Beltrán: 84.2%, 4th year
Carlos Beltrán was a more complex case. It didn’t necessarily have anything to do with his stats or accolades not good enough, or whether his peak was high enough, but more so what he did to his legacy at the very end of his career. Becoming the “mastermind“ behind the 2017 Astros cheating scandal. That entire ordeal cost him his managerial role with the Mets, and potentially cost him a first-ballot Hall of Fame induction. It certainly made his candidacy something writers considered a little more carefully, hence the wait until year four. Beltran’s cheating was a different kind of cheating. Not like those savages who used performance enhancing drugs and ruined the integrity of the sport. No, no, Beltran’s cheating is the kind that is forgiven with time, I suppose. I digress. I love Beltran, his playoff run with the Astros, and first few years with the Mets, provided me with some very special memories as a young fan of the game.
Andy Pettitte: Meteoric Rise to 48.5%, 8th year
Which brings me to my last point on this year’s voting process. The huge rise in votes for former Yankees legend Andy Pettitte to 48.5%. He’s still a long way from the 75% threshold that is needed to get into Cooperstown, but this big jump could be a pretty strong indicator that Pettitte’s case has grown on the writers tremendously. Andrew Jones just barely stayed on the ballot in his first year of eligibility, and now he’s in the Hall. Larry Walker and Edgar Martinez also gained significant movement in the back leg of their Hall of Fame eligibilities before finally being inducted. Granted, none of them admitted to using performance enhancing drugs like Pettitte did, but still, the case for optimism is there. In my opinion, Andy Pettitte is (one of) the greatest postseason pitcher of all-time. He’s in a very select group of guys that you would want to call in a must win postseason game, and it always felt like he delivered. Clearly, many writers share that sentiment, because it’s the backbone of his case. While the leap this year is encouraging, next year (his ninth year on the ballot) will be even more important. Dependent on results, it could potentially set him up to crack the 75% threshold in his 10th and final year. Where players usually see the most significant bump in voting.
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