Jeter, Walker headline 2020 Cooperstown ballot

Canadian slugger Larry Walker (Maple Ridge, B.C.) will make his 10th and final appearance on the baseball writers’ National Baseball Hall of Fame ballot this year.

November 19, 2019

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

The National Baseball Hall of Fame unveiled the 2020 Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA) ballot on Monday.

Former New York Yankees superstar Derek Jeter headlines a list of 18 newcomers to the ballot, while Larry Walker (Maple Ridge, B.C.) will return to the ballot for his 10th and final time. The Canadian slugger’s name was checked on 54.6% of writers’ ballots last year. He requires 75% to be elected.

The other new names on the ballot this year are Josh Beckett, Heath Bell, Eric Chávez, Adam Dunn, Chone Figgins, Rafael Furcal, Raúl Ibañez, Paul Konerko, Carlos Peña, Brad Penny, J.J. Putz, Brian Roberts, Alfonso Soriano and José Valverde.

Among those returning to the ballot are former Blue Jays Roger Clemens, Omar Vizquel, Jeff Kent, and Scott Rolen.

Candidates must receive votes on 75 percent of the ballots to earn election.

The BBWAA will announce the results of the balloting on January 21. Those elected will be inducted on July 26 at the Clark Sports Center in Cooperstown during Hall of Fame weekend.

A Hall of Fame news release noted that the BBWAA has elected at least two candidates in six straight years and a total of 20 candidates during that period.

The following is a list of the 14 candidates returning to the ballot and their voting percentages from last year. For more information on all of the 2020 candidates, you can read about them on the Hall’s website here.

Curt Schilling

-60.9%

-8th year

Roger Clemens

-59.5%

-8th year

Barry Bonds

-59.1%

-8th year

Larry Walker

-54.6%

-10th year

Omar Vizquel

-42.8%

-3rd year

Manny Ramírez

-22.8%

-4th year

Jeff Kent

-18.1%

-7th year

Scott Rolen

-17.2%

-3rd year

Billy Wagner

-16.7%

-5th year

Todd Helton

-16.5%

-2nd year

Gary Sheffield

-13.6%

-6th year

Andy Pettitte

-9.9%

-2nd year

Sammy Sosa

-8.5%

-8th year

Andruw Jones

-7.5%

-3rd year