Newest Hall of Famers made an impact in pinstripes

Standing among the most dynamic center fielders of their era, Carlos Beltrán and Andruw Jones had moved on to less demanding positions by the time they donned a Yankees uniform.

But as the National Baseball Hall of Fame prepares to welcome its two newest inductees, it is worth noting that both Beltrán and Jones left memorable marks in the Bronx on their way to enshrinement in Cooperstown, N.Y.

Beltrán received 358 votes (84.2 percent) from members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, gaining entry in his fifth year of eligibility. After drawing 70.3 percent last winter, Beltrán’s biggest remaining decision will be what cap to wear on his plaque.

“There’s no doubt that my best years in baseball were with two teams, the Kansas City Royals and the New York Mets,” Beltrán said on MLB Network. “That’s a decision that I will love to sit down with my family, [wife] Jessica and kids and make a decision on that. I did really enjoy my time in New York.”

Now an advisor for the Mets, Beltrán was a polished switch-hitting center fielder throughout much of his 20-year career with seven franchises. He spent most of his Yankees tenure as a designated hitter from 2014-16.

“Carlos was an incredible all-around talent on the field, and the back of his baseball card speaks for itself,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said. “What shouldn’t be lost about his career is the impact he made on giving a stronger voice to Latin baseball players, including the way he spearheaded the effort to have Spanish language interpreters in every clubhouse.”

The partnership nearly came a decade earlier. Beltrán was believed to favor the Yankees as a free agent following the 2004 season and even met with George M. Steinbrenner in Tampa, Fla., but the club ultimately prioritized acquiring left-hander Randy Johnson instead.

A nine-time All-Star and postseason force elsewhere, Beltrán is one of eight players with 300 home runs and 300 stolen bases. He generated 2.8 fWAR during his time with the Yanks, batting .270 (335-for-1,240) with 78 doubles, 56 homers and 180 RBIs in 341 games.

“Carlos was a complete player and could change the game in so many ways, both offensively and defensively,” said former Yankees manager Joe Girardi. “As a switch-hitter, he was a difficult out from both sides of the plate, and he could hit for average and power, which is extremely rare for such a strong defensive outfielder. He was also a very good baserunner and one of the smartest players I have ever been around.”

Beltran’s Hall candidacy was complicated by his role in the Astros’ 2017 sign-stealing scandal, which directly affected the Yankees in that year’s postseason. Any hard feelings appear to have eased, however, as Beltrán later spent a season as an analyst with the YES Network.

“Carlos was a player that could do it all on the baseball field and one of the game’s great minds,” said former Yankees captain Derek Jeter. “He was an integral part of the success on every team he played for.”

Receiving 333 votes (78.4 percent), Jones stands alongside Ken Griffey Jr. and the late Willie Mays as the only center fielders to win 10 Gold Glove Awards. His reputation as an all-time great defender was forged during a dominant peak with the Braves from 1996-2006.

On his ninth year on the ballot, Jones finally made it over the line, climbing from an initial 7.3 percent in 2018.

"When you play this game, you don't play to be in the Hall of Fame,” Jones said on MLB Network. “You play this game to help your team win championships."

Known for patience and power at the plate, Jones was a five-time All-Star whose production declined late in his career. His final two Major League seasons came with the Yankees in 2011-12, when he was used primarily as a platoon bat against left-handed pitching.

“Andruw was such a gifted baseball player,” Cashman said. “Beyond the speed and power combination, he played center field like few on Earth could. It was a body of work that now lands him in Cooperstown and earns him the deserving title of Hall of Famer.”

A rookie sensation who homered twice at Yankee Stadium as a visitor during the 1996 World Series, Jones belted 27 of his 434 career homers in pinstripes. Over 171 games with New York, he batted .220 (93-for-423) with 67 RBIs, a modest final chapter to an otherwise elite career.

“Andruw was the best center fielder of my generation,” Girardi said. “He had big-time power, and I felt like he drove in a hundred runs a year every season. He was a dangerous offensive player, played center field like he was born to be out there, and did it all while carrying a big smile on his face.”

Added Jeter: “From playing against him in the World Series when he was 19 years old to becoming teammates later in our careers and even better friends since, Andruw will go down as one of the best center fielders to ever play this game.”

Though he continued to fall short of the 75 percent necessary for induction, Andy Pettitte enjoyed a significant jump on the ballot. The left-hander appeared on 48.5 percent of ballots in his eighth year of BBWAA eligibility -- more than a 20-point increase from last year (27.9%).

Other former Yankees on the 2026 ballot included: Alex Rodriguez (40%, 5th year), Bobby Abreu (30.8%, 7th year), and Edwin Encarnación (1.4%, 1st year).