A-Rod, “Big Papi” lead the ballot for next year’s Baseball Hall of Fame ceremonies

Who’s coming to Cooperstown next summer? The 400-or-so voting members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America are on their way to deciding, and the National Baseball Hall of Fame announces the voting results on January 25, live on MLB Network.

Big names new to ballot include Alex Rodriguez, David Ortiz, Justin Morneau, Ryan Howard, and Jimmy Rollins, along with pitchers Tim Lincecum and Jake Peavy, join 17 holdovers from the 2021 balloting — which failed to produce a new Hall of Famer.

Candidates elected to the Hall would be a part of Induction Weekend, scheduled for July 22-25, 2022, in Cooperstown.

Falling 16 votes shy of election last year was pitcher Curt Schilling, whose total of 285 votes represented 71.1 percent of the 75 percent needed for the Hall nod. Only Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, and Scott Rolen earned more than 50 percent of the needed vote in 2021. Players remain on the Baseball Writers’ ballot for up to 10 years, provided they receive sufficient along the way.

This will be the final year on the ballot for Schilling, Bonds, Clemens, and Sammy Sosa.

Other holdovers from the 2021 ballot are pitchers Mark Buehrle, Tim Hudson, Andy Pettitte, and Billy Wagner; first baseman Todd Helton; second baseman Jeff Kent; shortstop Omar Vizquel; and outfielders Bobby Abreu, Torii Hunter, Andruw Jones, Manny Ramirez, and Gary Sheffield.

Voters must return their ballots by a December 31 postmark deadline. Baseball Writers’ secretary-treasurer Jack O’Connell and Ernst & Young partner Michael DiLecce jointly count the votes.
National Baseball Hall of Fame President Josh Rawitch announces the results at 6 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday, January 25, 2022, live on MLB Network.