The Baseball Hall of Fame has added two new members to its ranks.
On Tuesday night, centre-fielders Carlos Beltrán and Andruw Jones were inducted into Cooperstown through the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA) ballot.
To receive the call, players must receive 75 per cent of the vote.
Beltrán was in his fourth year of eligibility for induction after a 20-year MLB career, which saw him suit up for Kansas City, Houston, St. Louis, Texas, San Francisco, and both teams in New York.
A nine-time all-star, three-time Gold Glover and two-time Silver Slugger, Beltrán ranks among the most productive centre-fielders in baseball history.
The Puerto Rico native racked up 2,725 hits, 565 doubles, 435 home runs, 1,587 RBIs, 312 stolen bases and 70.0 WAR, according to Baseball Reference, over the course of his career, providing a Hall of Fame case that featured both peak and longevity.
In addition to his personal accolades, Beltrán won the World Series with the Houston Astros in 2017. His presence, however, as a driving member in Houston’s sign-stealing scandal from that season likely contributed to his four-year wait before being elected.
Jones, meanwhile, makes ballot history with his induction.
Not only is the longtime Atlanta Braves centre-fielder the first Curaçaoan to enter the Hall, but he sets a new mark for the largest climb on the BBWAA ballot. Jones received just 7.3 per cent of the vote during his first year of eligibility in 2018, which now represents the lowest total for an eventual Hall of Famer.
Over 17 MLB seasons, Jones emerged as one of the greatest outfield defenders in the history of the sport.
From 1998 to 2007, Jones captured 10 straight Gold Gloves in Atlanta, becoming just one of four outfielders to crack double digits. He is also the all-time outfield leader in defensive WAR.
At the plate, Jones buoyed his Cooperstown case by smacking 434 career home runs, collecting 1,933 hits, driving in 1,289 runs and legging out 383 doubles.
More to come.
