A leadoff hitter, an ace starter and a lockdown closer walk into a Hall …
It’s no joke. The National Baseball Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025 is complete after Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner were voted in by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America in ballot results revealed Tuesday night on MLB Network. They join Classic Baseball Era Committee electees Dave Parker and the late Dick Allen in an induction ceremony to be held on July 27 at the Clark Sports Center in Cooperstown, N.Y.
This was a ballot with international significance, as Ichiro, on his first BBWAA ballot, became the first Asian-born player selected for the Hall. He nearly became the first position player elected unanimously, falling – as one-time teammate Derek Jeter had in 2020 – just one vote shy of that historic standing. Closer Mariano Rivera, a 2019 inductee, remains the only player elected unanimously in the long history of the BBWAA process.
“There was a time I didn’t even know if I’d get the chance to play in MLB,” Suzuki said through an interpreter. “So what an honor it is for me to be here and to be a Hall of Famer. It’s a special day.”
Sabathia was also a first-ballot selection, garnering 86.8%.
“It means everything to me. Just even to go in the Hall of Fame, in general, is a big honor,” he said. “But to go in first ballot, I know what that means as a baseball player. It’s super exciting.”
Wagner gained entry on his 10th and final writers’ ballot with 82.5% support.
“I don’t even know how to express it,” Wagner said. “When I think about what I represent, from Division III to southwestern Virginia, it’s such a blessing.”
Just missing the 75% cut was power-speed dynamo Carlos Beltrán, who had his name checked on 70.3% of submitted ballots in his third try. Andruw Jones, one of the great defensive center fielders of all time, was checked by 66.2% of voters on his eighth ballot. None of the other players on the 24-man ballot achieved higher than 39.8% (second baseman Chase Utley’s total).
See here for more on the Parker and Allen elections. I have no criticisms of this year’s process. The three most qualified players got in, and the ones who deserve a closer look will get the chance to be evaluated further. Well done all around. Jay Jaffe has more.