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Three Players 'Snubbed' From 2025 Baseball Hall Of Fame Class

Originally posted on The Spun | By Andrew Gould | Last updated Jan 21, 2025 8:39 PM ET

The Baseball Writers' Association of America elected three players to its 2025 Hall of Fame class.

On Tuesday night, the BBWAA announced the newest entries to Cooperstown. Ichiro Suzuki fell one vote short of becoming the first position player ever inducted unanimously. CC Sabathia cleared the 75 percent threshold on his first try, and Billy Wagner finally got the necessary votes on his 10th and final year on the ballot.

Other noteworthy candidates must try again next year. Two outfielders are right on the cusp of Hall of Fame induction, and an infielder gained more support in his second year of eligibility.

Carlos Beltran received 70.3 percent of the votes, falling 19 shy of the 296 needed for induction. In his eighth year on the ballot, Andruw Jones climbed to 66.2 percent. Chase Utley has a longer way to go at 39.8 percent.

According to Baseball Reference, Beltran has the highest career WAR (70.1) of all players on the 2025 ballot after Alex Rodriguez. Utley (64.5) and Jones (62.7) are fourth and fifth behind Manny Ramirez.

Rodriguez and Ramirez would be no-doubt Hall of Famers if not for their links to performance-enhancing drugs. Neither star gained much ground this year.

However, the other trio can still hold high hopes of eventually having their names called.

Beltran sported a career .279/.350/.486 slash line with 435 home runs and 312 stolen bases. The nine-time All-Star and 1999 AL Rookie of the Year won three Gold Gloves.

NEW YORK - APRIL 19: Carlos Beltran #15 of the New York Mets runs the bases against the Milwaukee Brewers at Citi Field on April 19, 2009 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)

Jones hit 51 of his 431 career home runs in 2005 and notched a .823 career OPS. The former Atlanta Braves star could make the Hall of Fame on the strength of his elite center-field defense.

Utley never finished higher than seventh in the MVP voting or hit more than 33 home runs in a season, but the Philadelphia Phillies second baseman quietly compiled an exemplary portfolio. The six-time All-Star and four-time Silver Slugger hit a carer .275/.358/.465 with stellar glovework.

Unlike this year, there are no likely first-ballot Hal of Famers to draw attention away from Beltran, Jones, and Utley in 2026. Cole Hamels and Ryan Braun lead the newcomers.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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