The 2024 Hall of Fame class includes 2 of the best pure MLB batters of their era and one of the greatest as well as one of the most indelible 3rd – basemen in the history of Major League Baseball history.
Joe Mauer, Todd Helton, and Adrian Beltre were all elected by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America a week or two, results of which were presented from the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Beltre, who received support from 95.1 % of the 385 – writers who cast ballots, and Mauer, was voted in by his 76.1 % of BBWAA members, made it in their 1st – year of eligibility. Helton (79.7 %) was making his 6th – attempt to get in.
Those 3 will be joined by long – time manager, Jim Leyland, the 22 – year – old manager, who was voted in by the Contemporary Baseball Era Non – Players Committee back in December, at an induction ceremony in Cooperstown, New York, on July 21st.
Gary Sheffield more than 64 % support throughout his 10th and last year on the HOF ballot. Billy Wagner fell just short as well, receiving 73.8 % in his 2nd – to – last year of eligibility and thus missing induction by just 5 – votes (Mauer, meanwhile, made it by only 4 – votes). Andruw Jones (61.6 %) and Carlos Beltran (57.1 %) also received support from more than 1 / 2 of the voting populace.
Ball players necessitate 75 % approval from voting members of the BBWAA, with those who receive less than 5 % falling off the ballot.
Adrian Beltre:
Mr. Beltre, who didn’t make his 1st of 4 – MLB – All – Star teams until his age of 31 years old season, received the 4th – highest vote percentage for a 3rd – baseman in during his 1st – year on the ballot, behind only George Brett, Chipper Jones, and Mike Schmidt.
“I always wanted to be the best I could be — and I enjoyed playing the game, and I wanted to play hard, and with that came accumulating some stuff that put me in a position to be where I’m at today,” says Beltre. “But I just loved the position, loved to play the game, and I was just happy to be out there, competing with my peers.”
Beltre accumulated the 3rd – highest WAR ever amongst 3rd – basemen over a 21 – year career that saw him play for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox, and most notably the Texas Rangers. Beltre is among just 4 – other players throughout baseball history, regardless of position, to reach 400 – homers and 3,000 – hits as well as accumulating at least 5 – Gold Gloves Awards. Beltre will become the 5th – Dominican – born – player to enter the Baseball Hall of Fame, alongside Juan Marichal in 1983, Pedro Martinez in 2015, Vladimir Guerrero in 2018, and David Ortiz in 2022.
Beltre narrowly won an MVP with the Los Angeles Dodgers back in 2004 and starred for the Boston Red Sox in 2010, but his career did not fully blossom until he joined the Texas Rangers as a soon – to – be 32 – year – old in 2011.
Over an ensuing 6 – year stretch in Texas with the Rangers, Beltre slashed .308 / .358 / .516 while accumulating 167 – home runs, 563 – RBIs and 32.4 – fWAR, 7th – most in the big leagues. He earned 3 – All – Star selections, won 2 – Silver Sluggers and received 3 – Gold Gloves for the Texas Rangers teams that consistently competed for championships, carving a path to Cooperstown and the Baseball Hall of Fame.
“At that time, I was a quote – unquote contract year guy, and I was always trying to find motivation for me to perform better,” Beltre goes on to say. “I appreciated that the Rangers gave me the chance to come to their ballpark and their city and be part of the great team that they already had. The way that the front office received me and my family, the way my teammates received me, it was just a great combination for both.”
Joe Mauer:
Mauer won batting titles in 2006, 2008 and 2009, becoming the only catcher in history to lead his respective league in batting average on three separate occasions. Voted American League MVP after a sensational 2009 season, Mauer is one of 6 – catchers ever with at least 3 – Gold Glove Awards and 3 – Silver Slugger Awards. Unusually tall for his position at 6 – foot – 5, Mauer batted .306 in a 15 – year career spent entirely with the Minnesota Twins, accumulating 2,123 – hits and 143 – home runs.
He joined only Johnny Bench as well as Ivan Rodriguez as the only catchers to be voted into the Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility.
“I don’t take this announcement lightly,” Joe Mauer explained to the MLB Network, which broadcast the Hall of Fame results live. “Just seeing the graphic of the two catchers on the first ballot — they’re two of my favorites. I admired those guys and look up to those guys and got to compete against Pudge for years there in Detroit. Just have the utmost respect for the Hall of Fame and the players that went ahead of me and have done great things. I’m just so kind of all over the place with emotions but can’t wait to get there and show my kids some of the history of this game — this beautiful game.”
Todd Helton:
Helton saw his overall support increase histrionically over recent years, from 52 % in 2022 to 72.2 % in 2023 to nearly 80 % in 2024. Helton’s career numbers include: .316 / .414 / .539 – slash line, 2,519 – hits, 369 – home runs and 1,406 – RBIs, not to mention 3 – Gold Gloves Awards which put him in elite territory at his position, but voters had been turned off in past years by the offensive boost provided by Todd’s home ballpark of Coors Field, where he spent his entire career with the Colorado Rockies.
Helton, nonetheless, finished his career with a 133 – adjusted OPS, which neutralizes ballpark factors, tied for 32ndamong 1st – basemen who accumulated at least 3,000 – plate appearances.
“You don’t get to pick where you play, and you always want to hit better at your home park, Todd Helton mentioned as he carried a career an OPS of 1.048 at home and an OPS of .855 on the road.
Wagner a lot like Helton, also had seen his support grow of late, procured nearly 23 – percentage points in 2 – years. The longtime closer, who spent nine of his 17 – seasons with the Houston Astros, accumulated 422 – saves, behind only Mariano Rivera of the New York Yankees, Trevor Hoffman, Lee Smith, Francisco Rodriguez, and John Franco. He finished his career with a 2.31 – ERA and struck out 33.2 % of the batters he faced, third among pitchers who threw at least 750 – innings.
Wagner’s 9 – seasons with 30 – plus saves and a sub – 3.00 ERA trail only Rivera with 14 and Hoffman with 11, both of whom are in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Gary Sheffield was a 9 – time MLB All – Star and a 5 – time Silver Slugger Award winner who finished among the top – 10 in MVP voting 6 – times and is one of 4 – players with 2,500 – hits, 500 – home runs and 250 – stolen bases, along with Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, and Willie Mays. Voters have soured on him because he was mentioned in the Mitchell report investigating the prevalence of performance – enhancing drugs (PED) within the sport.
Beltre’s Baseball Career Achievements, Honors, & Awards:
- 4× All-Star (2010–2012, 2014)
- 5× Gold Glove Award (2007, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2016)
- 4× Silver Slugger Award (2004, 2010, 2011, 2014)
- NL home run leader (2004)
- Texas Rangers No. 29 retired
- Texas Rangers Hall of Fame
Mauer’s Baseball Career Achievements, Honors, & Awards:
- 6× All-Star (2006, 2008–2010, 2012, 2013)
- AL MVP (2009)
- 3× Gold Glove Award (2008–2010)
- 5× Silver Slugger Award (2006, 2008–2010, 2013)
- 3× AL batting champion (2006, 2008, 2009)
- Minnesota Twins No. 7 retired
- Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame
Helton’s Baseball Career Achievements, Honors, & Awards:
- 5× All-Star (2000–2004)
- 3× Gold Glove Award (2001, 2002, 2004)
- 4× Silver Slugger Award (2000–2003)
- NL Hank Aaron Award (2000)
- MLB batting champion (2000)
- MLB RBI leader (2000)
- Dick Howser Trophy (1995)
- Colorado Rockies No. 17 retired
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