Jeff Kent was elected to baseball’s Hall of Fame on Sunday by the contemporary era committee, marking a career‑long milestone for the former second baseman.
Kent’s Election
Kent appeared on 14 of the 16 ballots cast, surpassing the 12‑ballot threshold needed for the 75% vote minimum. He will be formally inducted at the Cooperstown, New York, Hall on July 26, joining any players selected by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America whose balloting will be announced on Jan. 20.
Voting Breakdown
The contemporary era committee’s votes were spread across a handful of candidates:
- Carlos Delgado – 9 votes
- Don Mattingly – 6 votes
- Dale Murphy – 6 votes
- Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Gary Sheffield, Fernando Valenzuela – each received fewer than five votes
Kent’s last BBWAA ballot in 2023 saw him garner a high of 46.5 % of the vote. As a five‑time All‑Star, he finished his career batting .290 with 377 homers and 1,518 RBIs.
Committee Structure and Future Ballots
In 2022, the Hall of Fame restructured its veterans committees for the third time in 12 years. Panels were set up to consider the contemporary era from 1980 onward, as well as a separate classic era. Separate ballots exist for players and for managers, executives and umpires.
Each committee meets every three years:
- Contemporary managers, executives and umpires – December 2026
- Classic era candidates – December 2027
- Contemporary era players – December 2028
A change announced by the Hall last March bars candidates who receive fewer than five votes from appearing on that committee’s ballot during the next three‑year cycle. A candidate who is dropped, later reappears on a ballot and again receives fewer than five votes would be barred from future ballot appearances.
Steroid‑Linked Candidates
Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens fell short in 2022 in their 10th and final appearances on the BBWAA ballot, when Bonds received 260 of 394 votes (66 %) and Clemens 257 (65.2 %). Gary Sheffield received 63.9 % in his final BBWAA vote in 2024, getting 246 votes and falling 43 shy.
Bonds has denied knowingly using performance‑enhancing drugs, while Clemens maintains he never used PEDs. Sheffield said he was unaware that substances he used during training ahead of the 2002 season contained steroids.
Historical Context
Bonds, a seven‑time NL MVP and 14‑time All‑Star outfielder, set the career home‑run record with 762 and the season record with 73 in 2001. Clemens, a seven‑time Cy Young Award winner, finished his career 354‑184 with a 3.12 ERA and 4,672 strikeouts, third behind Nolan Ryan (5,714) and Randy Johnson (4,875).
Pete Rose and the Permanent Ineligibility List
The December 2027 ballot will be the first chance for Pete Rose to appear on a Hall ballot after baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred decided in May that Rose’s permanent suspension ended with his death in September 2024. The Hall prohibits anyone on the permanent ineligible list from appearing on a ballot.
Key Takeaways
- Jeff Kent’s 14 ballots secure his Hall of Fame induction for July 26.
- Bonds, Clemens, Sheffield and Valenzuela each received fewer than five votes, rendering them ineligible for the next cycle.
- The contemporary era committee meets every three years, with future ballots set for December 2028.
The induction of Jeff Kent underscores the Hall’s focus on contemporary talent, while the continued exclusion of high‑profile steroid‑linked players highlights the organization’s evolving standards and ballot rules.
