Baseball
Baseball
Beltrán, Jones, and Kent Join Baseball Immortals in Cooperstown
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum officially welcomed its Class of 2026 on Sunday, as Carlos Beltrán, Andruw Jones, and Jeff Kent were enshrined in Cooperstown, New York. The induction ceremony, held on the lawn outside the Clark Sports Center, drew thousands of fans and a record 60 Hall of Famers to celebrate the newest additions to baseball’s pantheon. This three-person class marks the smallest group inducted since 2022.
Carlos Beltrán, a nine-time All-Star and former American League Rookie of the Year, will wear a Mets cap on his Hall of Fame plaque, reflecting his greatest years with the team. A dynamic five-tool player, Beltrán concluded his career with 2,725 hits, 435 home runs, and 312 stolen bases, placing him among a select group of players with over 400 homers and 300 steals. His exceptional postseason performance included a .307 batting average and eight home runs in 12 playoff games with the 2004 Astros. During his acceptance speech, Beltrán thanked Mets fans for their support and challenges, acknowledging both their boos and cheers.
Andruw Jones, a 10-time Gold Glove winner, joins Beltrán as one of only four center fielders elected by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America in nearly half a century. Jeff Kent, elected by the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee, becomes the first second baseman to enter the Hall since Craig Biggio in 2015. The ceremony highlighted baseball’s global reach, with fans from Curaçao and Puerto Rico enthusiastically celebrating Beltrán’s induction, reflecting his pride in his heritage.
The trio’s induction brings the total number of Hall of Fame members to 354, with 281 being players. The event saw 57 previously inducted immortals, including Sandy Koufax and Ichiro Suzuki, return to witness their new brethren join the ranks of baseball’s greatest.
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