Joe Mauer, for the first time since retiring in 2018, is on baseball’s Hall of Fame ballot.
The National Baseball Hall of Fame unveiled the 2024 ballot on Monday and it includes three former Twins: Mauer, Torii Hunter and Bartolo Colon. Mauer and Colon, along with Adrian Beltre, Chase Utley, David Wright, Matt Holliday, Adrian Gonzalez, Jose Reyes and Jose Bautista are the only first-timers on the ballot.
Candidates need 292 votes (75% of the total number of votes) to be elected to the Hall of Fame. Last year, former Phillies third baseman Scott Rolen was the only player voted in, though former Braves first baseman Fred McGriff was also enshrined courtesy of the Contemporary Baseball Era Players Committee.
Hunter received 27 votes (6.7%) last year. Players need to get 5% of the votes to avoid being dropped off future ballots. Ex-Twins Joe Nathan and Justin Morneau were on the ballot in 2022 but didn’t receive 5%, so they were dropped from the 2023 ballot.
Voters have made it pretty clear that Hunter doesn’t meet the criteria of a Hall of Fame outfielder despite being one of 15 players in MLB history with at least 350 home runs, 150 stolen bases, 450 doubles and 2,400 hits. The four others in that group who aren’t in the HOF include Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, Gary Sheffield and Carlos Beltran.
Mauer’s credentials are very arguably Hall of Fame worthy. He hit .306 with a .388 on-base percentage in his career while slugging 143 homers with 923 RBI and 2,123 hits, playing the first decade of his career as the best defensive catcher in the game.
He was the 2009 American League MVP and won three batting titles while earning six trips to the All-Star Game and winning three Gold Glove awards.
Colon played one season with the Twins and started 15 games at age 44 in 2017. He won 247 games in his 21-year career, making the All-Star Game four times and winning the American League Cy Young award in 2005 while pitching for the Angels.
Members of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) have until Dec. 31 to vote and the results will be announced by Major League Baseball on Jan. 23, 2024.
