Bautista debuts on Hall of Fame ballot
Former Toronto Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista is making his debut on the BBWAA National Baseball Hall of Fame ballot this year.
November 20, 2023
Official National Baseball Hall of Fame News Release
The countdown to the biggest moment of the baseball year is officially underway.
On Jan. 23, the BBWAA will announce the results of its 2024 Hall of Fame vote live from Cooperstown on MLB Network at 6 p.m. E.T. Any electees will be inducted during Hall of Fame Weekend on Sunday, July 21, at 1:30 p.m. on the grounds of the Clark Sports Center in Cooperstown.
The Hall of Fame Class of 2023, featuring Fred McGriff and Scott Rolen, was inducted on July 23.
Welcome to the Party
Debuting on the BBWAA ballot in 2024 are José Bautista, Adrián Beltré, Bartolo Colon, Adrián González, Matt Holliday, Victor Martinez, Joe Mauer, Brandon Phillips, José Reyes, James Shields, Chase Utley and David Wright.
Candidates remain on the BBWAA ballot for 10 years provided they are not elected and they are named on at least five percent of all ballots cast each year.
Returning to the Ballot
Among the players returning to the BBWAA ballot, Todd Helton received votes on 72.2 percent of all ballots cast in 2023 — the most of any returnee. Helton is on the ballot for the sixth time in 2024. Billy Wagner (68.1 percent), Andruw Jones (58.1 percent) and Gary Sheffield (55.0 percent) are the only other candidates who received at least 50 percent of the BBWAA vote in 2023.
Any candidate who receives votes on 75 percent of all ballots cast will earn election to the Hall of Fame.
Fourteen former players are returning to the 2024 BBWAA ballot after receiving at least five percent of the overall vote in 2023:
Todd Helton | 72.2% | 6th year
Billy Wagner | 68.1% | 9th year
Andruw Jones | 58.1% | 7th year
Gary Sheffield | 55.0% | 10th year
Carlos Beltrán | 46.5% | 2nd year
Álex Rodríguez | 35.7% | 3rd year
Manny Ramírez | 33.2% | 8th year
Omar Vizquel | 19.5% | 7th year
Andy Pettitte | 17.0% | 6th year
Bobby Abreu | 15.4% | 5th year
Jimmy Rollins | 12.9% | 3rd year
Mark Buehrle | 10.8% | 4th year
Francisco Rodríguez | 10.8% | 2nd year
Torii Hunter | 6.9% | 4th year
Former Toronto Blue Jays and Montreal Expos on the ballot
JOSÉ BAUTISTA: 1st year on the ballot…Played 15 seasons with Orioles, Devil Rays, Royals, Pirates, Blue Jays, Braves, Mets and Phillies…Six-time All-Star and three-time Silver Slugger Award winner as outfielder…Finished in Top 10 of AL Most Valuable Player voting four times: 2010 (4th), 2011 (3rd), 2014 (6th), 2015 (8th)…Led all MLB batters in home runs in back-to-back seasons (2010-11)…Topped the 20-homer mark in eight seasons (2010-17), including three times reaching the 40-home run mark…Hit .300-or-better in one season (2011)… Totaled 100-or-more RBI in four seasons (2010-11, 2014-15) and scored 100-plus runs in four seasons (2010-11, 2014-15)…Led AL in walks twice (2011, 2015) and topped the 100-walk mark in four seasons (2010-11, 2014-15)…Led AL in total bases (351) and extra base hits (92) in 2010…Paced AL with .608 slugging percentage and 1.056 OPS in 2011…Won AL Hank Aaron Award in 2010 and 2011…Batted .243 with .364 on-base percentage in five Postseason series over two seasons, totaling six home runs, 16 RBI and 14 walks in 20 games.
MARK BUEHRLE: 4th year on the ballot…Pitched 16 seasons for White Sox, Marlins and Blue Jays…Recorded 14 200-plus inning seasons, all consecutively (2001-14), to set American League record… Led AL in innings pitched twice (2004-05) and games started twice (2004, 2008)…Finished fifth in 2005 AL Cy Young Award voting…Named to five All-Star teams (2002, 2005-06, 2009, 2014), drawing starting assignment for AL in 2005 Mid-Summer Classic…Four-time Gold Glove Award winner (2009-12)…Led league in assists among pitchers in five seasons (2001-02, 2004, 2009, 2012)…Led MLB in complete games with four during his final season of 2015…Won 13-or-more games in 12 of his 16 seasons…Pitched no-hitter for White Sox against the Rangers on April 18, 2007…Pitched perfect game for White Sox against Rays on July 23, 2009…Appeared in five Postseason series, posting 2-1 record with 4.11 ERA over six games, including four starts…Went 2-0 over four games during 2005 Postseason while helping White Sox win World Series title.
BARTOLO COLON: 1st year on the ballot…Pitched 21 seasons for Indians, Expos, White Sox, Angels, Red Sox, Yankees, Athletics, Mets, Braves, Twins and Rangers…Four-time All-Star (1998, 2005, 2013, 2016) who won the 2005 AL Cy Young Award and finished in the Top 10 of his league’s Cy Young Award voting three additional times: 1999 (4th), 2002 (6th) and 2013 (6th)…Two-time 20-game winner who led the AL in victories with 21 in 2005 and reached 15-win plateau nine times…Led majors in complete games in 2003 (9) and shutouts in 2013 (3)…Topped 200-strikeout mark in two seasons (2000-01)…Reached 200-innings pitched mark eight times…Paced NL hurlers in walks per nine innings twice (2015-16)…Ranks 30th all-time in games started (552), 36th in strikeouts (2,535), 51st in wins (247) and 76th in innings pitched (3,461.2)…Appeared in 10 Postseason series over seven years, posting 3-5 record with 3.49 ERA over 67 innings, including 10 starts…Member of Indians 1997 AL pennant-winning team and Mets 2015 NL pennant-winning team.
JOSÉ REYES: 1st year on the ballot…Played 16 seasons for Mets, Marlins, Blue Jays and Rockies…Finished eighth in 2003 National League Rookie of the Year voting after hitting .307 with 47 runs scored in 69 games…Four-time All-Star (2006-07, 2010-11) and 2006 NL Silver Slugger Award winner at shortstop, the same season he reached a personal-best with a seventh-place finish in the NL Most Valuable Player voting…Reached the .300 mark in batting in three seasons, including 2011 when he won the NL batting title with a .337 average…Led in the NL in plate appearances three times (2005, 2008, 2012), at-bats twice (2005, 2008), triples four times (2005-06, 2008, 2011), stolen bases three times (2005-07) and hits once (2008)…Scored 100-or-more runs four times (2006-08, 2011)…Ranks 33rd all-time with 517 stolen bases and 78th all-time with 131 triples…Appeared in three Postseason series over two seasons, hitting .229 with seven runs scored and three stolen bases in 11 games.
OMAR VIZQUEL: 7th year on the ballot…Played 24 seasons with Mariners, Indians, Giants, Rangers, White Sox and Blue Jays…Three-time All-Star (1998-99, 2002)…11-time Gold Glove Award winner at shortstop (1993-2001, 2005-06), the second-most among all shortstops…In 2006 at 39 years old, became the oldest infielder to win a Gold Glove Award…Career leader in defensive games at shortstop with 2,709…Led his league in fielding percentage among shortstops six times (1992, 1998, 2000-01, 2005-06) and is the all-time leader in fielding percentage at the position with a mark of .9847…Shares record for fewest errors by a shortstop (three, tied with Cal Ripken Jr.) with at least 150 games played in one season…Reached the .300 batting mark in 1999 with career-best .333 average…Topped 100 runs scored mark twice (1999-2000) and stole 20-or-more bases in eight seasons (1995-2000, 2005-06)…Led his league in sacrifice hits four times (1997, 1999, 2004-05)…Led his league in double plays turned at shortstop once (1993) and putouts at shortstop once (1998)…Ranks first all-time in double plays turned at shortstop (1,734), first in career fielding percentage at shortstop (.985), third in career assists at shortstop (7,676) and 11th in career putouts at shortstop (4,102)…Ranks 13thall-time in games played (2,968), 17th in singles (2,264), 18th in at-bats (10,586), 44th in hits (2,877) and 72nd in stolen bases (404)…Appeared in 11 Postseason series over six seasons, batting .250 with 28 runs scored and 23 stolen bases in 57 games…Member of Indians’ 1995 and 1997 American League Championship teams…Won 1996 Hutch Award.
For bios of all of the candidates on the 2024 ballot, click here.