The Baseball Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026 is set to be enshrined this Sunday in Cooperstown, New York, with second baseman Jeff Kent joined by center fielders Carlos Beltrán and Andruw Jones. The ceremony begins at 1:30 p.m. ET and airs on MLB Network.
Each of the three inductees took a different route to this moment. Their paths reflect some of the more complicated chapters in modern baseball history.
How Each Inductee Got Here
Beltrán spent four years on the writers’ ballot before earning election, a delay widely attributed to his involvement in the Houston Astros’ 2017 sign-stealing scandal. He is the only Astros player to face formal punishment for that scheme, and his eventual induction carries significance for others tied to that era — including second baseman Jose Altuve, whose Hall of Fame candidacy now has a clearer path given Beltrán’s election.
Jones is widely considered the finest defensive center fielder the game has seen. Despite that reputation, his vote share began at just 7.3 percent in his first year of eligibility and climbed steadily over nine ballots before reaching the 75 percent threshold required for induction.
Kent’s journey was different again. His time on the official writers’ ballot ended before he reached Cooperstown, but a veterans committee — the contemporary baseball era committee — elected him last December, giving him 14 of a possible 16 votes. He becomes the 23rd second baseman inducted into the Hall.
Kent acknowledged his long wait openly, saying he had come to accept that induction might simply never happen and had made his peace with that outcome.
Kent’s Career and What His Induction Means for Second Basemen
Kent played from 1992 to 2008 across six franchises, including the Toronto Blue Jays, New York Mets, Cleveland, Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers, and the San Francisco Giants — the club sending a delegation of nearly 40 people to Cooperstown for the weekend. His 351 home runs as a second baseman remain the all-time record at the position. His 2,461 career hits rank 11th among Hall of Fame second basemen, and he compiled a Baseball-Reference WAR of 55.4.
Kent noted that some of his numbers do not compare to the very best at the position, and reflected that this likely explains why so many quality second basemen have historically been overlooked by voters.
His induction is expected to benefit other second basemen seeking Hall recognition. Chase Utley finished with 59.1 percent of the vote in January’s writers’ ballot — third overall behind Beltrán and Jones — and is positioning himself for election in the coming years. Players such as Bobby Grich, Willie Randolph and Lou Whitaker, all evaluated through era committees, may also gain from renewed attention on the position.
The Giants’ Connection to This Weekend
The San Francisco Giants have a particular reason to celebrate. The SF Standard reports the franchise is sending close to 40 representatives to Cooperstown — a notably large delegation. The last time a Giants player was inducted was Orlando Cepeda in 1999, when Puerto Rican dignitaries and a festive crowd marked that occasion. Those close to the organisation drew parallels between Cepeda’s long wait for induction and Kent’s own delayed path, suggesting the wait may have made the moment more meaningful for both players.
Career Snapshots
Beltrán played from 1998 to 2017 across seven teams, including the Kansas City Royals, New York Mets, St. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants, Texas Rangers and Houston Astros.
Jones played from 1996 to 2012, primarily with the Atlanta Braves, and also suited up for the Dodgers, Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox and Yankees.
Kent’s career spanned 1992 to 2008 across the Blue Jays, Mets, Cleveland, Giants, Astros and Dodgers.
Sunday’s ceremony at the Clark Sports Center — located about a mile from the Hall of Fame itself — will formally close a chapter for all three players.
