The 2025 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot includes 14 holdovers and 14 newcomers. We can make educated guesses on some of the first-timers like Ichiro Suzuki (welcome to the Hall of Fame) and CC Sabathia (maybe he makes it this year, maybe not, but probably will eventually) along with second basemen who could hang around in Dustin Pedroia and Ian Kinsler.
It’s possible the rest of the first-time entries on the ballot are here for just their one go-round, but it’s an impressive group of one-and-doners, so let’s give them their due here in relatively rapid-fire fashion.
I’ll list these 10 in order of what I believe their chances are to hang around on the ballot or even just get one vote. My main purpose here is to highlight the great careers of these players and give the fans a chance to see their Hall of Fame resumes instead of simply dismissing them outright. They deserve some kudos for making the ballot.
Félix Hernández
There was a time when it would’ve been outlandish to think about King Félix falling off the Hall of Fame ballot in his first year, but it happened to Johan Santana. I think there’s a decent chance he hangs around on the ballot, but his career falling apart around the time he turned 30 is what’ll keep him out.
Through his age-29 season, Hernández had a Cy Young with two runner-up finishes in addition to three other top-10 finishes and six trips to the All-Star Game. He had 143 wins (despite playing for some bad Mariners teams) and over 2,000 strikeouts with a 3.11 career ERA. That’s the foundation of a Hall of Famer. He went 26-35 with a 4.89 ERA and 0.0 WAR the rest of his career.
In all, Hernández was 169-136 with a 3.42 ERA (117 ERA+), 1.21 WHIP and 2,524 strikeouts in 2,729 ⅔ innings. His top statistically similar matches are all “Hall of the Very Good” types in Cole Hamels, Kevin Appier, John Lackey and Jake Peavy. He’s 97th in JAWS, coincidentally sitting right behind another pitcher who had a short peak in Sandy Koufax. Hernández did not have a Koufaxian peak, though, which means he needed to compile a lot more than Koufax did. Other pitchers in the vicinity here in JAWS are Frank Viola, Roy Oswalt, Mark Langston and Kenny Rogers.
Troy Tulowitzki
The doors of Cooperstown finally came open for Larry Walker and Todd Helton, so maybe that makes the road easier for Tulo?
Tulowitzki finished fifth in MVP voting twice, eighth place once and got votes three other years. He’s a five-time All-Star with two Gold Gloves and two Silver Sluggers. He had four 6+ WAR seasons and two others above five.
In all, Tulowitzki hit .290/.361/.495 (118 OPS+) with 1,391 hits, 264 doubles, 24 triples, 225 home runs, 780 RBI, 762 runs and 57 stolen bases. He had some big postseason hits and played in a World Series, but overall hit .213/.260/.368 in 35 playoff games.
Tulowitzki sits 28th in JAWS for shortstops, a decent jog below the Hall of Fame standard and around the likes of Nomar Garciaparra and Miguel Tejada.
Ben Zobrist
A Swiss Army Knife on defense for the better part of his 14-year career, Zobrist played in the World Series for three different teams, winning two rings and taking the MVP in the 2016 World Series. To win the World Series for the Cubs and Royals while making it with the Rays seems like a nice feather in his cap.
In the regular season, he hit .266 but with an excellent .357 OBP. Throw in his .426 slugging and it’s good for a 113 OPS+. He ended up with 1,566 hits, 349 doubles, 44 triples, 167 home runs, 768 RBI, 884 runs and 116 stolen bases.
The ability to play all over the place made Zobrist extra valuable, but in terms of the Hall of Fame, his numbers fall short. He played most at second base and sits 27th there in JAWS, flanked by Tony Phillips and Chuck Knoblauch, a decent little hop and skip behind Pedroia and Kinsler while a sizable margin behind Chase Utley, who remains on the ballot.
It’s possible one of baseball’s truly nice guys gets a few votes from those who loved covering him.
Speaking of nice guys …
Curtis Granderson
Grandy had some amazing statistical seasons. In 2007, with the Tigers, he put up 38 doubles, 23 triples, 23 homers and 26 steals. A few years later, he topped 40 homers in back-to-back seasons for the Yankees. In 2011, he drove home 119 runs while scoring 136 times, finishing fourth in MVP voting.
The three-time All-Star won a Silver Slugger and a Roberto Clemente Award.
When the dust settled on Granderson’s 16-year career, he had hit .249/.337/.465 (113 OPS+) with 1,800 hits, 346 doubles, 95 triples, 344 home runs, 937 RBI, 1,217 runs and 153 stolen bases.
In 64 playoff games, Granderson had nine doubles, three triples, nine homers, 30 RBI, 27 runs and nine steals, hitting .224/.317/.424.
JAWS has him 33rd among center fielders, well below the Hall of Fame standard and around some very good players like Bernie Williams, Devon White, Ellis Burks and Torii Hunter.
Russell Martin
A four-time All-Star, Silver Slugger and Gold Glover, Martin finished as high as 13th in MVP voting (2014). He played in 58 playoff games for four different franchises.
In parts of 14 seasons, Martin slashed .248/.349/.397 (101 OPS+) with 1,416 hits, 255 doubles, 191 home runs, 771 RBI, 803 runs and 101 stolen bases.
Behind the plate, Martin, the owner of a veritable cannon, led the majors in runners caught stealing four times and added leading his own league two others.
In JAWS, Martin sits 28th all-time among catchers, a touch behind the likes of Darrell Porter, Jim Sundberg and Lance Parrish.
Brian McCann
We’ll stay here at catcher, because McCann sits seven spots behind Martin in JAWS at 35th all-time, a bit behind Victor Martinez and a bit ahead of Javy López and Mickey Tettleton.
In McCann’s 15 years, he made the playoffs 11 times with three different teams, winning the World Series in 2017 with the Astros.
One of the most consistent power-hitting catcher, McCann topped 20 home runs 10 times. The only other catchers to do that were Mike Piazza (12 times), Johnny Bench (11) and Yogi Berra (11).
Overall, McCann hit .262/.337/.452 (110 OPS+) with 1,590 hits, 294 doubles, 282 home runs, 1,018 RBI and 742 runs. The seven-time All-Star won six Silver Sluggers.
Hanley Ramírez
A Rookie of the Year shortstop in 2006 with the Marlins, Ramírez would end up playing third base, left field and then first base with four different teams by the end of his career. He won a batting title in 2009 and finished second in MVP voting that year. The three-time All-Star won two Silver Sluggers and topped 50 stolen bases twice.
In his 15 years, Ramírez hit .289/.360/.486 (124 OPS+) with 1,834 hits, 375 doubles, 32 triples, 271 home runs, 917 RBI, 1,049 runs and 281 steals.
In his 20 playoff games, Hanley generally stepped up. He hit .380/.450/.577 with nine doubles, one triple, one home run and 14 RBI.
JAWS has him 42nd among shortstops, a bit ahead of Omar Vizquel and Rafael Furcal while closely trailing Tony Fernández.
Adam Jones
A model of consistency for the 2010s Orioles, Jones topped 25 homers and 80 RBI six straight years. The five-time All-Star won four Gold Gloves, a Silver Slugger and topped out at sixth in MVP voting (2012), receiving votes in two other years.
All told, Jones hit .277/.317/.454 (106 OPS+) with 1,939 hits, 336 doubles, 29 triples, 282 home runs, 945 RBI, 963 runs and 97 stolen bases. He also led AL center fielders in assists three times.
In JAWS, Jones is 81st all-time among center fielders, right around Shane Victorino, Jacoby Ellsbury, Lance Johnson and Marquis Grissom.
Jones isn’t a Hall of Famer, but that he’s this low on the ballot is a testament to how relatively loaded it is this year.
Carlos González
In his breakthrough 2010 campaign, Cargo won the batting title (.336) while leading the NL in hits and the majors in total bases. He finished third in MVP voting. He never quite matched that level again, but still made three All-Star teams while winning three Gold Gloves and two Silver Sluggers.
He finished his career a .285/.343/.500 hitter with a 112 OPS+, 1,432 hits, 302 doubles, 40 triples, 234 home runs, 785 RBI, 821 runs and 122 stolen bases.
Also, though it was only four games, it should be noted that in the 2009 playoffs, González for 10 for 17 (.588) with two doubles and a home run.
He sits 94th in JAWS at left field, next to Garret Anderson and Shanon Stewart.
Fernando Rodney
Things might be starting to get a bit easier for relievers, but Rodney feels unlikely to get a vote. Perhaps his best use at this point is as a versatile Immaculate Grid play, as he appeared in the majors for 11 different teams. The three-time All-Star had his best season in 2012 for the Rays and he was good enough to finish fifth in AL Cy Young voting.
In his 17 years, he saved 327 games (19th all-time) with a 3.80 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 943 strikeouts. Anything WAR-related isn’t kind, though, in terms of any Hall of Fame hope. He’s 326th among relievers in JAWS, for example, in the vicinity of Glen Perkins, Scott Linebrink and Danny Graves.
