12 players who went from the Classic to Cooperstown

Clayton Kershaw decided to end his illustrious career following the 2025 season, meaning he is all but a lock to lead the 2031 Hall of Fame class.

But before that, the legendary Dodgers ace still has some baseball left to play. He is a member of Team USA for the 2026 World Baseball Classic. So, assuming he appears in a game, Kershaw should one day land on this list of Hall of Famers who played in the Classic, joining 12 all-time greats.

Carlos Beltrán, Class of 2026
Team Puerto Rico: 2006, '09, '13, '17

Beltrán was a beast in the Classic more often than not. Through 115 WBC plate appearances, he put together a .316/.430/.484 slash line. Even in his least productive tournament (2013), four of his six hits went for extra bases. Four years later, Beltrán picked up 10 hits in 23 at-bats as Puerto Rico finished as World Baseball Classic runners-up for the second consecutive tourney.

Andruw Jones, Class of 2026
Team Netherlands: 2006, '13

Jones earned his fifth and final All-Star selection in 2006, but prior to that season, he went 0-for-6 in two WBC games with Team Netherlands. Although his Major League career ended in 2012, he had a stellar run in the 2013 WBC, going 9-for-27 with a .441 on-base percentage. His efforts helped push the Netherlands into the Classic semifinals for the first time. This year, he'll try to get them back there as their manager.

Ichiro Suzuki, Class of 2025
Team Japan: 2006, '09

Ichiro, unsurprisingly, was integral to Japan winning the first two Classics. He collected 12 hits in each tournament, but his most impactful knock came in the 10th inning of the second WBC championship game. With runners on second and third, Ichiro ended an eight-pitch at-bat with a sharp, tiebreaking two-run single to center versus Team Korea that proved to be the title-clinching play. It was Ichiro's fourth hit of the game.

Adrian Beltré, Class of 2024
Team Dominican Republic: 2006, '17

In the 2006 Classic, Beltré crushed four homers and drove in nine runs, all of which came in his first three games. It was the second-most dingers in that year's tournament, one behind Team Korea's Seung Yuop Lee. Eleven years later, there was no short-term power surge for the four-time Silver Slugger Award winner; Beltré went 1-for-15 as the Dominican Republic finished in fifth place.

Joe Mauer, Class of 2024
Team USA: 2013

The 2013 WBC was one to forget for the United States, which ended up in sixth place. However, Mauer did everything he could to raise Team USA's fortunes. He had nine hits in 21 at-bats and posted a team-best .538 OBP. The six-time All-Star catcher also legged out USA's only triple, something Mauer didn't do in 113 MLB games that season.

David Ortiz, Class of 2022
Team Dominican Republic: 2006, '09

Big Papi was ready to do damage in his first WBC at-bat. Facing Team Venezuela in the Dominican Republic's opener, Ortiz slugged a homer to center off of Twins ace Johan Santana in the second inning. He would go deep again in the ninth inning and hit his third home run of the tournament six days later in a victory over Cuba. In 2009, Ortiz went 2-for-8 with a double in three games as Team Dominican Republic was surprisingly ousted in the first round.

Derek Jeter, Class of 2020
Team USA: 2006, '09

Jeter was an MVP finalist in 2006 and 2009 and won his fifth World Series ring in that latter season. He began each of those big years with a productive stint on Team USA, too. He registered a .347 average and a .439 OBP across 58 career plate appearances in the Classic, although Team USA didn't finish higher than fourth during Jeter's time on the squad.

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Chipper Jones, Class of 2018
Team USA: 2006, '09

Teammates with Jeter in each of the first two Classics, Jones homered in Team USA's first game in 2006 -- a solo shot in the seventh inning versus Mexico. He also got the Americans on the board with another dinger a few days later en route to a one-run win over Japan. The Braves' switch-hitting stud had a .353/.476/.765 slash line over 21 WBC plate appearances that year. In 2009, he was a no-show at the plate, going 0-for-10 with six strikeouts.

Ivan Rodriguez, Class of 2017
Team Puerto Rico: 2006, '09

Rodriguez and Beltrán hit back-to-back clouts in a win against the Netherlands in 2006. Otherwise, it was a rather mundane Classic for Pudge's bat (5-for-21). Conversely, he was basically unstoppable in 2009, going 10-for-20 with five extra-base hits, two home runs and a smooth 1.533 OPS. Both of those dingers came in Puerto Rico's tournament opener versus Panama. Rodriguez then went 3-for-4 with two doubles in a blowout of Team USA a few days later.

Ken Griffey Jr., Class of 2016
Team USA: 2006

Japan's Daisuke Matsuzaka was the MVP of the 2006 WBC, but Griffey was probably the best offensive player in the tournament. He tied Team Korea's Lee for the RBI lead (10) and was just one off the pace in total bases (22). Griffey racked up 11 hits in 21 at-bats, and among players with at least 20 ABs during the tourney, he paced them in each of the three slash-line categories: .524 average, .583 OBP, 1.048 slugging percentage. The highlight was Griffey's two-homer game against South Africa that featured a record seven RBIs.

Mike Piazza, Class of 2016
Team Italy: 2006

Team Italy reached the quarterfinals of the 2023 World Baseball Classic under Piazza's leadership as manager. That's greater than his success as a player in the tournament. He went 1-for-11 through three games in '06 as Italy was dispatched in the first round.

Pedro Martinez, Class of 2015
Team Dominican Republic: 2009

Martinez's final 227 Major League appearances came as a starter. But in the 2009 WBC, he logged a pair of three-inning outings as a reliever. Ahead of his final MLB season, Martinez turned back the clock in the Classic, allowing one hit and no walks through six scoreless frames.