Read our story on the balloting format, which includes two phases of fan voting to determine the All-Star starters.
Major League Baseball officially released the 2026 All-Star Ballot on Wednesday, a milestone that carries a very different meaning for Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman this season compared to last.
A year ago, Goodman was the surprise story of the first half, ultimately riding a breakout campaign all the way to a National League All-Star selection and a Silver Slugger Award. This year, as voting opens, he finds himself in a different position: an established power threat navigating a league that has spent the winter adjusting to him.
Goodman capped off a productive three-game series against the Angels on Wednesday night, showing that his premium power remains an elite tool and highlighting why he is a player voters still need to keep a close eye on.
Over the three-game stretch at Angel Stadium, Goodman hit a clutch three-run home run on Monday, added a solo shot on Tuesday and reached base twice in the series finale on Wednesday night with an early walk and a double. The recent surge brings his season total to 15 home runs, placing him tied for 10th in the Majors and tied for fourth in the National League.
Yet, as Goodman acknowledges, the context of his production has shifted because opponents are attacking him with a completely different approach than during his breakout 2025 season.
"You know, it's a new year," Goodman said, reflecting on the start of the All-Star voting cycle. "There's different things. You get pitched differently. The scouting reports for them are probably a little different for me this year. So trying to make an adjustment to that and just take it day by day, try and come in every day, get a little bit better and have a good day."
The adjustments are clear in how pitchers avoid giving him clean looks in the zone, often forcing him to defend against breaking pitches on the edges. According to Goodman, finding a way to stabilize his routine amid those adjustments has been a primary focus behind the scenes.
"I've been doing some more stuff in the weight room to help my swing and help me in the box, and change some things in my routine in the cage," Goodman said. "And this seems to be helping me a little bit with swinging at better pitches and doing stuff like that. So hopefully I can keep that going."
Facing that kind of game planning every night can be a grind, making the breakthrough of a home run mean a lot more than just a run on the scoreboard. For Goodman, seeing the ball clear the fence serves as an immediate mental lift.
"It's a confidence booster for sure," Goodman said. "It feels good."
That elite raw power keeps Goodman firmly in the conversation as a dark horse candidate on the newly released ballot. But earning another trip to the All-Star Game requires navigating a daily game of adjustments, where success is dictated by how he reacts to an opponent's strategy on any given night.
"It's something that you got to go into day to day and you got to read the situation on the field," Goodman said regarding his mindset. "Whether it's a situation where they'll attack you a little more or whether it's one of those situations where they're going to try and get you to go fishing at pitches that you don't want to fish at. It just depends on the day."