Carlos Beltrán and Andruw Jones remain on track for the Baseball Hall of Fame's Class of 2026, with updated public ballot tracking showing Beltrán at 89.2% (up slightly from early January's 88.4% across 140 ballots) and Jones steady at 83% (now over 223 tracked votes). The BBWAA results, joining Jeff Kent's prior Era Committee election, air Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET on MLB Network.
Building on early January ballot tracking, the latest public reveals tracked by Ryan Thibodaux (223 votes) keep outfielders Carlos Beltrán and Andruw Jones well above the 75% induction threshold ahead of the January 20, 2026, announcement at 6 p.m. ET on MLB Network (streaming on Fubo, MLB.TV).
Beltrán, in year four, polls at 89.2%, buffering expected private ballot dips of ~10 points after last year's 70.3% (up from 57.1% in 2024). The nine-time All-Star (435 HR, 3 Gold Gloves, 2 Silver Sluggers) is noted for his 2005-11 Mets stint, including the 2006 NLCS controversy. Despite the Astros' 2017 scandal prompting his 2020 Mets resignation, he's back as a special assistant and eyes a Mets plaque. Teammate Billy Wagner lauded: “He was always in the thick of everything. He had a tremendous ability to stay calm at the plate at a very high level.”
Jones, year nine, holds 83% publicly after 66.2% overall last year (gains from 7.3% in 2018 debut). The five-time All-Star (434 HR, 10 Gold Gloves, mostly Braves) could overcome a ~6-point drop. Wagner added: “He could change a game in so many ways.”
Others trail: Chase Utley (68.2%, year three), Andy Pettitte (57.4%, year eight), Félix Hernández (56.5%, year two), Alex Rodríguez (43%, year five), newcomer Cole Hamels (31.4%), and Manny Ramírez (40.4%, final year ten)—many hindered by PED issues. Inductees join Kent (peaked 46.5% in BBWAA) for the July 26 Cooperstown ceremony. Players need 75%+ to enter, 5%+ to stay eligible up to ten years.