The National Baseball Hall of Fame released its 2025 ballot on Monday, and it’s headlined by two of the most dominant players of their generation. Longtime Seattle Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki and former Yankees ace CC Sabathia are among the 14 newcomers vying for baseball’s highest honor in their first year of eligibility.
A Pair of Legends Make Their Debut
Ichiro burst onto the MLB scene in 2001, becoming just the second player ever to win Rookie of the Year and MVP honors in the same season. Over his illustrious 19-year career, the Japanese-born star racked up an impressive list of accomplishments:
- 10-time Gold Glove winner
- 2-time batting champion
- MLB record 262 hits in a single season (2004)
- .311 career batting average
- 509 career stolen bases
Sabathia, a six-time All-Star and 2007 AL Cy Young winner, was one of the most feared pitchers of his era. The big lefty won 251 games over his 19 seasons, striking out 3,093 batters – the third-most by a southpaw in MLB history. He was also a key member of the 2009 World Series champion Yankees.
Other Notable First-Timers
While Ichiro and Sabathia are the headliners, several other decorated players will appear on the ballot for the first time in 2025:
- Félix Hernández – 2010 AL Cy Young, 2-time ERA champ, threw a perfect game in 2012
- Dustin Pedroia – 2007 AL Rookie of the Year, 2008 MVP, 4-time All-Star, 4-time Gold Glove winner
- Ian Kinsler – 4-time All-Star, 2-time Gold Glove winner at 2B
- Troy Tulowitzki – 5-time All-Star, 2-time Gold Glove SS
- Russell Martin – 4-time All-Star catcher, Gold Glove winner
The Holdovers
The newcomers join 14 holdovers from the 2024 ballot, led by longtime closer Billy Wagner. The fireballing lefty received 73.8% of the vote last year, just shy of the 75% needed for induction. With only one year of eligibility remaining, this could be Wagner’s last shot at getting a plaque in Cooperstown.
Other notable returnees include:
- Andruw Jones (61.6% in 2024) – 10-time Gold Glove CF
- Carlos Beltran (57.1%) – 1999 AL Rookie of the Year, 9-time All-Star OF
- Alex Rodriguez (34.8%) – 3-time MVP, 14-time All-Star, 696 HR (4th all-time)
- Manny Ramirez (32.5%) – 12-time All-Star, 555 HR, 2-time World Series MVP
Who Will Get the Call?
With such a star-studded group of candidates, the class of 2025 has the potential to be one of the most exciting in recent memory. Ichiro seems like a lock as a first-ballot selection, while Sabathia also has a strong case despite a crowded field.
Wagner will be hoping to get over the hump in his final attempt, and both Jones and Beltran saw significant gains in 2024 that could put them within striking distance this time around. The tainted legacies of Rodriguez and Ramirez continue to hurt their chances, though A-Rod’s vote total nearly doubled in his second year on the ballot.
Getting into the Hall of Fame would be unbelievable. As a kid, you dream of playing in the big leagues, of winning a World Series. But to be considered one of the best who ever played? That’s something else.
– CC Sabathia, in a 2019 interview
The results of the 2025 MLB Hall of Fame election will be announced in January, with induction ceremonies for any selections to be held the following July in Cooperstown. In the meantime, let the debates begin on which of these all-time greats are worthy of baseball’s ultimate honor.
