It is the dead of winter, but baseball is about to bring some warmth revealing its next class of Hall of Famers as fans eagerly await for spring training. While the votes of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America were submitted at the end of 2018, the inductees will be announced on Tuesday night.
This year, there are 35 players on the ballot. According to Hall of Fame trackers, the likely 2019 inductees are Mariano Rivera (100 percent), Roy Halladay (92.8 percent), Edgar Martinez (90.3) and Mike Mussina (81.2). However, it is common for these percentages to drop as votes continue to surface.
First Unanimous Hall of Fame
All eyes are on Mariano Rivera tonight. The Yankees relief pitcher might be the first unanimous Hall of Famer. While the public only knows about half of the votes, Rivera has a chance to make history tonight.
In 77 years of Hall of Fame voting, the only player to get close to a perfect vote was New York Mets pitcher Tom Seaver. The Mets pitcher received 425 out of 430 votes (98. 84 percent) back in 1992.
Many say this is unlikely for Rivera to get a unanimous vote because voters might not believe a reliever could be a true Hall of Famer no matter how influential the player is. If Rivera cannot get a unanimous vote, he might be able to surpass Seaver’s percentage.
Other Possible Inductees
Curt Schilling (71 percent), Roger Clemens (70), and Barry Bonds (69.6) also have a chance to reach the 75 percent threshold. Despite these players inching closer, it is far more likely these players will be inducted into the 2020 class.
Announcement Details
The 2019 National Baseball hall of fame will be announced on Tuesday, Jan. 22 at 6 p.m. E.S.T. on the MLB Network.