It’s an even split between newcomers and holdovers on the 2023 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot, as 14 first-time eligible join the 14 still on the ballot for enshrinement in the next Hall class.
Among the first-timers, New York has four former players led by Carlos Beltran, who has Hall-quality numbers but could be hamstrung by his role in the Astros’ cheating scandal. Other former Mets and Yankees include former Cy Young Award winner R.A. Dickey, electric Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez, and much-maligned Yankees outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury.
The other 10 newcomers on the ballot include pitchers Bronson Arroyo, Matt Cain, John Lackey, Huston Street, and Jered Weaver; catcher Mike Napoli; infielders J.J. Hardy and Jhonny Peralta; and outfielders Andre Ethier and Jayson Werth.
The list of holdovers is led by three ex-New Yorkers heading towards the end of their eligibility: ex-Met Jeff Kent, who is in his tenth and final year on the ballot, former Met and Yankee Gary Sheffield (ninth year), and closer Billy Wagner (eighth).
Scott Rolen and Todd Helton, who along with Wagner got more than 50 percent of the balloting in 2022, also return, as do former New Yorkers Alex Rodriguez, Andy Pettitte, Bobby Abreu, and Andruw Jones.
Mark Buehrle, Torii Hunter, Manny Ramirez, Jimmy Rollins, and Omar Vizquel round out the ballot.
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David Ortiz was the only player elected in the Class of 2022, with Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens both falling less than 10 percent of the votes shy in their final years on the ballot, and Rolen finishing fourth.
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