Ranking the MLB Players Likely to Get Bounced off 2025 Baseball HOF Ballot
The 2025 Baseball Hall of Fame voting results will be revealed on Tuesday, and while Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia, Billy Wagner and Carlos Beltrán are all currently trending toward induction, there are 24 other players on the ballot.
From that group, there are 11 guys currently projected to fall short of the five percent voting support necessary to stick around for another year, according to the invaluable Hall of Fame voting tracker from Ryan Thibodaux and his team. Wagner is also in danger of joining them if he fails to reach 75 percent in his 10th and final year of eligibility.
Before we dive into our predictions for how the voting will play out early next week, let's shine some light on the players who are on pace to be bounced from the ballot.
Ahead, those 11 guys have been ranked based on their Hall of Fame credentials, and each of them has a compelling case for a place in the Hall of Very Good.
11. RP Fernando Rodney
1 of 11
Stats: 951 G, 327 SV, 3.80 ERA (110 ERA+), 1.37 WHIP, 943 K, 933.0 IP
Accolades: 3x All-Star
WAR: 7.4
A late-bloomer who did not log his first season with double-digit saves until he was 31 years old, Fernando Rodney still managed to rack up 327 saves over 17 seasons in the big leagues, good for 19th on the all-time list.
During the three-year stretch from 2012 through 2014 with the Tampa Bay Rays and Seattle Mariners, he was as good as any reliever in baseball, posting a 2.21 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 10.1 K/9 while tallying 133 saves in 213 appearances.
10. OF Carlos González
2 of 11
Stats: 1,377 G, 112 OPS+, .285/.343/.500, 1,432 H, 234 HR, 785 RBI, 122 SB
Accolades: 3x All-Star, 3x Gold Glove, 2x Silver Slugger
WAR: 24.4
With a sweet left-handed swing and a good mix of contact skills, power, speed and defense, Carlos González put together an elite peak during his time with the Colorado Rockies.
He posted four straight 20/20 seasons early in his career, hitting .311/.370/.556 for a 133 OPS+ while averaging 29 doubles, 27 home runs, 91 RBI, 22 steals and 4.2 WAR during that stretch. He won the 2010 NL batting title and had a 40-homer season in 2015, taking home Silver Slugger honors both years.
9. OF Adam Jones
3 of 11
Stats: 1,823 G, 106 OPS+, .277/.317/.454, 1,939 H, 282 HR, 945 RBI, 97 SB
Accolades: 5x All-Star, 4x Gold Glove, 1x Silver Slugger
WAR: 32.6
Adam Jones was one of the best all-around center fielders in baseball and a face-of-the-franchise-caliber player during his prime with the Baltimore Orioles, earning five All-Star selections and winning four Gold Gloves in a span of seven years.
During that seven-year window, he hit .281/.321/.473 for a 114 OPS+ while averaging 29 doubles, 26 home runs, 84 RBI, 85 runs scored, 10 steals and 3.7 WAR. He also provided one of the most memorable moments in World Baseball Classic history with his robbery of teammate Manny Machado in a must-win game against the Dominican Republic at Petco Park.
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8. C Russell Martin
4 of 11
Stats: 1,693 G, 101 OPS+, .248/.349/.397, 1,416 H, 191 HR, 771 RBI, 101 SB
Accolades: 4x All-Star, 1x Gold Glove, 1x Silver Slugger
WAR: 38.9
A rare athlete at the catcher position, Russell Martin tallied 49 home runs, 60 steals and 14.0 WAR over his first four seasons in the majors, earning two All-Star selections while also winning a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger during that time.
Later in his career, he joined the Pittsburgh Pirates in free agency and immediately helped the club snap a 20-year playoff drought, racking up 9.8 WAR in two seasons with the team to stand as one of the best free-agent signings ever at the catcher position. His 38.9 WAR ranks 24th all-time among catchers and puts him in the same range as guys like Lance Parrish, Jason Kendall and Darrell Porter.
7. C Brian McCann
5 of 11
Stats: 1,755 G, 110 OPS+, .262/.337/.452, 1,590 H, 282 HR, 1,018 RBI, 25 SB
Accolades: 7x All-Star, 6x Silver Slugger
WAR: 32.0
Brian McCann made the NL All-Star team during each of his first six full seasons in the majors, also taking home five Silver Slugger Awards during that stretch while hitting .287/.359/.491 for a 123 OPS+ while averaging 32 doubles, 22 home runs, 86 RBI and 3.4 WAR.
He had 10 seasons with at least 20 home runs, including nine in a row, and he ranks in the top 10 all-time among catchers in both home runs (282, eighth) and RBI (1,018, 14th). His resume also includes 2010 All-Star Game MVP and a World Series ring in 2017 as a member of the Houston Astros.
6. SS Hanley Ramírez
6 of 11
Stats: 1,668 G, 124 OPS+, .289/.360/.486, 1,834 H, 271 HR, 917 RBI, 281 SB
Accolades: 3x All-Star, 2x Silver Slugger
WAR: 38.0
Hanley Ramírez was a hyped prospect in the Red Sox system before he was traded to the Marlins as the centerpiece of the deal that sent Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell to Boston, and he immediately took over as the rebuilding club's starting shortstop.
Over his first five seasons, he hit .313/.385/.521 for a 136 OPS+ while averaging 40 doubles, 25 home runs, 78 RBI, 112 runs scored, 39 steals and 5.2 WAR. He won the 2009 NL batting title, had a 30/30 season and stole 50 bases twice during that stretch as one of the most dynamic players in the sport.
Later in his career, he bulked up and developed into more of a middle-of-the-order run producer, navigating injuries while still putting together some solid seasons as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox.
5. 2B/OF Ben Zobrist
7 of 11
Stats: 1,651 G, 113 OPS+, .266/.357/.426, 1,566 H, 167 HR, 768 RBI, 116 SB
Accolades: 3x All-Star
WAR: 44.5
Ben Zobrist popularized the idea of a super-utility player during his time with the Tampa Bay Rays, playing every day without having a set defensive position. He saw regular time at second base, shortstop and in the outfield.
He broke out in 2009 with an AL-leading 8.6-WAR season as he hit .297/.405/.543 for a 149 OPS+ with 28 doubles, 27 home runs, 91 RBI and 17 steals. That was the first of six straight seasons in which he was at least a 4-WAR player, and he made a pair of All-Star teams and earned MVP votes three times during that stretch.
He was a rental pickup for the 2015 Kansas City Royals and a free-agent addition for the 2016 Chicago Cubs, winning back-to-back World Series rings and taking home World Series MVP honors for the North Siders.
4. OF Curtis Granderson
8 of 11
Stats: 2,057 G, 113 OPS+, .249/.337/.465, 1,800 H, 344 HR, 937 RBI, 153 SB
Accolades: 3x All-Star, 1x Silver Slugger
WAR: 47.2
Curtis Granderson began his career as a five-tool center fielder for the Detroit Tigers. He then developed into a top-tier power hitter who took full advantage of the short porch in right field during his time with the New York Yankees.
He is one of only four players in MLB history to post a 20-20-20-20 season, filling up the stat sheet with 38 doubles, 23 triples, 23 home runs and 26 steals while logging a career-high 7.6 WAR during the 2007 season.
He later had back-to-back 40-homer seasons with the Yankees, and his 344 career long balls rank 12th all-time among players who played the bulk of their defensive innings in center field.
3. SS Troy Tulowitzki
9 of 11
Stats: 1,291 G, 118 OPS+, .290/.361/.495, 1,391 H, 225 HR, 780 RBI, 57 SB
Accolades: 5x All-Star, 2x Silver Slugger, 2x Gold Glove
WAR: 44.5
At his peak, Troy Tulowitzki was the best shortstop in baseball and checked all the boxes to be a future Hall of Famer, though injuries ultimately derailed his career and kept him from building a full body of work.
He was a 6-WAR player four times in his first five full seasons in the league, including a 6.8-WAR rookie campaign in 2007 when he led the Colorado Rockies to a surprise World Series appearance.
He only played 71 games and logged 0.7 WAR after his age-31 season, yet he still stands as one of the best shortstops of the last 25 years. He would be a first-ballot selection to the "Hall of What If He Would Have Stayed Healthy" alongside guys like Eric Davis, Don Mattingly, J.R. Richard, Johan Santana, David Wright and a long list of others.
2. 2B Ian Kinsler
10 of 11
Stats: 1,888 G, 107 OPS+, .269/.337/.440, 1,999 H, 257 HR, 909 RBI, 243 SB
Accolades: 4x All-Star, 2x Gold Glove
WAR: 54.1
One of the most underrated players of the last 25 years, Ian Kinsler brought a rare mix of power, speed and defense to the second base position.
Only six times in MLB history has a second baseman logged a 30/30 season, and two of them belong to Kinsler who did it in 2009 (31 HR, 31 SB) and 2011 (32 HR, 30 SB) as a member of the Texas Rangers.
He is also one of seven second baseman with 200 home runs and 200 steals in his career, joining Hall of Famers Joe Morgan, Ryne Sandberg, Roberto Alomar and Craig Biggio, along with Jose Altuve and Brandon Phillips. His 54.1 WAR ranks 19th all-time at the position, right behind Jeff Kent (55.4) who spent 10 years on the ballot.
1. OF Torii Hunter
11 of 11
Stats: 2,372 G, 110 OPS+, .277/.331/.461, 2,452 H, 353 HR, 1,391 RBI, 195 SB
Accolades: 5x All-Star, 9x Gold Glove, 2x Silver Slugger
WAR: 50.7
Torii Hunter narrowly exceeded the five percent cut line in 2021 (9.5%), 2022 (5.3%), 2023 (6.9%) and 2024 (7.3%), but he is currently tracking at just 1.8 percent support with 43.1 percent of ballots revealed.
He ranks in the top 100 all-time in total bases (4,087, 82nd), doubles (498, 67th), home runs (353, 96th), RBI (1,391, 80th) and extra-base hits (890, 70th), which coupled with his nine Gold Gloves makes him one of the best two-way center fielders in baseball history.
Just one top-10 finish in MVP voting works against him, but for more than a decade he was a virtual lock for 20 home runs, 80 RBI and elite defense in center field. He may fall off the ballot this year, but he is someone who could get a second look from the Era Committees down the road.
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