When Induction Day rolls around in Cooperstown, the biggest thrill for a fanbase (outside of celebrating the actual player, of course) might be seeing its team's logo ensconced on the bronze plaque. The designation typically means that the player defined his career in that city -- or perhaps even led

When Ichiro Suzuki became the first Japanese-born player to be elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, he became the 22nd player born outside the United States (including Puerto Rico, which, though it is a U.S. territory, competes as its own entity in international competitions such as the World

There are plenty of paths a player can take to Cooperstown, from being a first-ballot selection to narrowly making the cut in the final year of eligibility to earning induction anywhere in between. But at the end of the day, a Hall of Famer is a Hall of Famer. -

The Hall of Fame's Class of 2025 is complete. Now the question becomes: Who's next? Three players punched their tickets to Cooperstown in 2025: first-timers Ichiro Suzuki and CC Sabathia, along with Billy Wagner, who made it in his 10th and final year of eligibility. But what will the future

Through more than eight decades of Hall of Fame elections -- from Babe Ruth to Ted Williams to Willie Mays and so on -- the Baseball Writers’ Association of America has elected only one candidate unanimously, with Mariano Rivera being named on every ballot in 2019. Japanese legend Ichiro Suzuki

Among the tens of thousands of players, managers, owners, executives and other personnel that have made their marks on baseball, only a select 349 are enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame, including 276 former Major League players. The Class of 2025 brought three new members, including two among

Some Hall of Fame candidates are no-doubt picks, cruising into Cooperstown on the first ballot. Other cases aren't so simple, requiring years of debate, hand-wringing, and consternation, as supporters try to change minds, and doubters dig in their heels. Sometimes progress is incremental, and sometimes it comes all at once.

Here are the 351 members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, sorted by the years they were inducted. 2025 Dick Allen, Dave Parker, CC Sabathia, Ichiro Suzuki, Billy Wagner 2024 Adrián Beltré, Todd Helton, Jim Leyland, Joe Mauer 2023 Fred McGriff, Scott Rolen 2022 Bud Fowler, Gil Hodges, Jim

Of the three players revealed as the newest Hall of Famers last year, two (Todd Helton of the Rockies and Joe Mauer of the Twins) spent their entire Major League careers with a single team. But that sort of an accomplishment is not the norm, even for all-time greats. Any

The Hall of Fame admits only a very select group of the greatest players in baseball history. Even within that limited club, there is a much smaller circle that is extra special: The One-Teamers. That crew grew by two in 2024, when the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA) voted

A version of this story originally ran in January 2020.

Winning a Baseball Writers' Association of America Award is an achievement in and of itself, a tangible testament to a well-played season. When a player wins MVP, Cy Young or Rookie of the Year, he’s already added to his resume, which might one day help him become enshrined in Cooperstown.

ARLINGTON -- Who are the best Rangers not in the National Baseball Hall of Fame? Here are the top five, and Alex Rodriguez is not one of them. There is much to debate about A-Rod, but he played just three seasons in Texas and as great as the Rangers were,

Gary Sheffield must have had some optimism that 2024 would be the year he is finally elected to the Hall of Fame. His support from the Baseball Writers' Association of America entering his 10th and final year on the ballot had grown exponentially over the previous few voting cycles. From

Jan. 11, 1973, was a momentous day in baseball history. It was on that date that the American League voted to formally adopt the DH rule (Rule 5.11) for a three-year trial period. That rule would eventually become permanent in the AL, and the NL followed suit in 2022.

SAN DIEGO -- There has been no shortage of Hall of Fame talent to pass through San Diego over the past five decades. The Padres lay claim to a trio of Hall of Famers in Tony Gwynn, Trevor Hoffman and Dave Winfield, each of whom dons an interlocking "SD" on

ST. LOUIS -- The Cardinals have their share of National Baseball Hall of Fame players. From Stan Musial to Bob Gibson, Red Schoendienst to Lou Brock, the list of Cardinals in the Hall speaks to the history of the franchise and its success over the years.

A general manager’s worst nightmare has to be rooted in regret. No one wants to be remembered for trading a player who goes on to become an icon elsewhere. That’s perhaps where some of the strongest apprehension lies when considering dipping into their prospect pools. Yet such stories are littered

Some players enshrined in Cooperstown are described frequently as being in the "inner circle" -- think Willie Mays or Mickey Mantle. Others may have performed to a similar level but don't necessarily receive the same level of acclaim. So just for fun, let’s put together a lineup of underrated Hall

Hall of Famers tend to be icons at their position. Derek Jeter and shortstop ... Pudge Rodriguez and catcher ... Ken Griffey Jr. and center field. The player and the position can be inseparable. But if you dig into the baseball encyclopedia entries for some of the all-time greats, you

Dave Winfield never spent a day in the Minor Leagues. Seems about right. He was a Major presence in every way. In the batter’s box, Winfield would coil his 6-foot-6 frame, ready to whip his bat through the zone to unleash screaming line drives that tested the resolve of pitchers

Funny thing about Trevor Hoffman. After a big save, he was scarce. Reporters had to be patient -- and have a late deadline -- to get him to discuss his exploits. After a rare blown save, however, Hoffman was at his locker the moment the media entered, ready to field

SEATTLE -- The Mariners have done well in landing some pretty prominent players in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in recent years, a run that includes Randy Johnson, Ken Griffey Jr. and Edgar Martinez over the past six elections.

PITTSBURGH -- The Pirates’ greatest players have a place in Cooperstown. Honus Wagner was part of the Hall of Fame’s first class. The Hall waived its mandatory five-year waiting period to elect Roberto Clemente in 1973, less than a year after his tragic death. Willie Stargell, Paul Waner, Arky Vaughan,

The Nationals’ current roster has some future Hall of Fame talent, but the Washington era hasn't yet had a player enshrined in Cooperstown. The most recent inductee who suited up for the Expos when the franchise was in Montreal was Larry Walker in 2020. For every player elected, there are