Beltrán earns call to the Hall as member of 2026 class

NEW YORK -- Carlos Beltrán, the graceful and powerful center fielder who plied his two-way talents for the Royals, Mets and various other clubs for two decades, is about to become the newest member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Beltrán appeared on 84.2 percent of Baseball Writers’ Association of America ballots, according to results announced Tuesday, surpassing the 75 percent threshold needed for entry in his fourth year on the ballot. He will go into the Hall alongside Jeff Kent, whom the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee elected last month, and Andruw Jones, who also gained entry via the BBWAA ballot.

“On behalf of the entire organization, we are thrilled to congratulate Carlos on receiving the highest honor in baseball,” said Steve and Alex Cohen in a statement. “One of the most dynamic players ever to wear a Mets uniform, Carlos combined rare power and speed with elite defense, setting a standard of excellence that endures today. Beyond his achievements on the field, his leadership, insight, and presence continue to shape our organization. It is a proud moment for Carlos, his family, and Mets fans everywhere."

For Beltrán, it is the culmination of a career that saw him make nine All-Star teams, win three Gold Gloves in center field, hit 435 homers, steal 312 bases and collect 2,725 hits. Beltrán won a World Series with the Astros, though that title preceded a sign-stealing scandal that earned him a suspension from Major League Baseball and cost him his job as Mets manager. Largely for that reason, Beltrán needed four years on the BBWAA ballot to gain entry to Cooperstown.

Now that he has, Beltrán is likely to go into the Hall with a Mets cap on his plaque, as he said in a recent interview.

The 1999 American League Rookie of the Year, Beltrán spent his first six and a half seasons in Kansas City before moving to Houston, where he became one of the most successful Trade Deadline rentals in history. After hitting 23 homers and stealing 28 bases in 90 regular-season games for the Astros, Beltrán produced a 1.558 postseason OPS for a team that made it to within one win of the World Series.

Following his otherworldly post-Deadline run, Beltrán signed with the Mets on a then-record seven-year, $119 million contract. He spent the next six and a half years in Flushing, where, despite a slow start to his Mets tenure, Beltrán compiled a significant chunk of his career production, hitting 149 homers, stealing 100 bases and driving in 559 runs.

As injuries piled up toward the back end of Beltrán’s time in Queens, it appeared that his career was winding down. But Beltrán began a surprising second act after the Mets traded him to the Giants for Zack Wheeler in another Deadline deal in 2011, posting a .920 OPS down the stretch for San Francisco. From there, Beltrán bounced to the Cardinals, Yankees, Rangers and Astros, winning a ring in Houston in his 20th and final season.

“I’m satisfied with my career,” Beltrán said after announcing his retirement in 2017. “I can see myself back in my hometown of Manati, [Puerto Rico], walking to the ballpark when I was a kid, trying to become a professional ballplayer. Seeing the things that I have accomplished in the game, not a lot of guys have accomplished that. That God chose me to be one of those guys, I’m extremely blessed.”

Had Beltrán’s name not appeared in MLB’s report on the Astros’ 2017 sign-stealing scandal, he might have made it to Cooperstown earlier. He was the only player named in MLB’s investigation of the episode, which listed him among “a group of players” who determined “that the team could improve on decoding opposing teams’ signs and communicating the signs to the batter.”

For Beltrán, the fallout resulted in his dismissal as Mets manager before he served a single day in uniform. Beltrán spent two years out of baseball before returning as a part-time broadcaster and, eventually, a member of the Mets’ front office. He remains a special assistant to president of baseball operations David Stearns today.

“Carlos was a truly great Mets player, authoring some of the best seasons in our organization’s history while putting together a clear-cut Hall of Fame career,” Stearns said in a statement. “Even more importantly, Carlos impacted those around him, earning a reputation as one of the best clubhouse leaders in the sport. Today, Carlos still impacts our organization as a special assistant. It’s been a true privilege to work with him, and I could not be happier that he is receiving this well-deserved honor.”

Some BBWAA voters punished him for his involvement with the Houston scandal, though most were ultimately willing to look past Beltrán’s involvement and focus on his superb 20-season playing career.

When Beltrán first became eligible for the Hall of Fame ballot in 2023, he garnered just 46.5 percent of the vote -- notably low for a player of his stature. But his support increased significantly in recent years, with 57.1 percent of the vote in 2024 and 70.3 percent last year, before a final jump in his fourth year on the ballot. Statistically, Beltrán is a deserving Hall of Famer; his 70.0 bWAR total is higher than those of more than a dozen enshrined center fielders, including Richie Ashburn, Andre Dawson and Larry Doby.