The National Baseball Hall of Fame unveiled its Contemporary Baseball Era ballot on Monday, featuring eight players whose primary contributions came since 1980. Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Carlos Delgado, Jeff Kent, Don Mattingly, Dale Murphy, Gary Sheffield and the late Fernando Valenzuela are up for consideration by a 16-member committee. A candidate needs 12 votes, or 75%, for election to the 2026 class, with results announced on December 7.
The ballot focuses on players who exhausted their time on the Baseball Writers' Association of America ballot or otherwise warrant further review. Voting will occur during the winter meetings, and elected players will be inducted in Cooperstown next summer.
Barry Bonds, the all-time home run leader with 762, boasts a 162.8 WAR, seven MVPs, 14 All-Star selections and eight Gold Gloves. His career was marred by performance-enhancing drug allegations, resulting in zero votes in the 2023 Contemporary Era ballot.
Roger Clemens, with 354 wins, seven Cy Young Awards and 4,672 strikeouts, also faced PED scrutiny that kept him out of the Hall via writers' votes. He won two World Series titles with the Yankees and earned an MVP in 1986.
Carlos Delgado hit 473 home runs over 17 seasons, including a franchise-record 336 for the Blue Jays. He earned two All-Star nods, three Silver Sluggers and finished second in 2003 AL MVP voting with 145 RBIs.
Jeff Kent, the top home run-hitting second baseman with 377, also leads the position in RBIs (1,518) among primary keystone players. A five-time All-Star and 2000 NL MVP, he posted a .290 average and 55.4 WAR.
Don Mattingly, a .307 hitter and 1985 AL MVP, won nine Gold Gloves and three Silver Sluggers despite a back injury curtailing his prime. He later managed the Dodgers to three division titles and the Marlins to the 2020 playoffs.
Dale Murphy, a two-time NL MVP and five-time Gold Glover, accumulated 398 home runs and 46.5 WAR over 18 seasons, mostly with the Braves. He led the 1980s in total bases (2,796).
Gary Sheffield slugged 509 home runs with a 140 OPS+ and 60.5 WAR across 22 years. A nine-time All-Star, he admitted to using a BALCO substance but denied knowing it was a steroid.
Fernando Valenzuela, who died in October 2024, sparked 'Fernandomania' with his 1981 Rookie of the Year and Cy Young wins. He helped the Dodgers to World Series titles in 1981 and 1988, finishing with a 37.3 WAR.
Analysts predict Valenzuela, Mattingly and Murphy as strong candidates, though PED links may block Bonds, Clemens and Sheffield.