The National Baseball Hall of Fame announced that Carlos Beltrán's plaque will feature the New York Mets logo, joining Tom Seaver and Mike Piazza as the only players with that distinction. Beltrán, elected in his fourth year on the ballot, expressed gratitude to all teams he played for but highlighted his growth with the Mets. The Class of 2026 will be inducted on July 26 in Cooperstown, New York.
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum revealed on Tuesday the cap logo selections for the Class of 2026 inductees. Carlos Beltrán, a former outfielder who played 20 seasons across seven teams, will be depicted wearing a New York Mets cap on his plaque. This choice aligns with his most productive years in Queens, where he played seven seasons, earning five All-Star selections, three Gold Gloves, and two Silver Sluggers. With the Mets, Beltrán appeared in 839 games, hit 149 home runs, and accumulated 31.1 WAR, according to Baseball-Reference—outpacing his stats with any other team, including the Kansas City Royals, where he also spent seven years.
'I didn’t do this alone,' Beltrán said in a statement. 'Every team I played for shaped my journey, and I’m grateful to all of them. With the Mets, I experienced my greatest individual growth and success. I’m honored that my Hall of Fame plaque will feature the Mets logo, and I’m proud that every team I played for will be listed on the plaque.'
Beltrán was elected by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America on January 20, alongside Andruw Jones, who will wear an Atlanta Braves cap. Jeff Kent, selected by the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee in December, will be shown with a San Francisco Giants logo. The Hall's process involves guidance to inductees, with the final decision reflecting the player's career, though all teams are noted on the plaque text.
The induction ceremony is set for Sunday, July 26, 2026, in Cooperstown, New York, broadcast live on MLB Network. Plaques will be unveiled before each electee's speech. Beltrán, born in Puerto Rico, joins an elite group of international Hall of Famers.
