Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2026 Speech Highlights and Twitter Reaction

The Baseball Hall of Fame officially has three new members, as Carlos Beltran, Andruw Jones and Jeff Kent were inducted as part of the class of 2026 on Sunday during a ceremony in Cooperstown.

Kent, whose 377 career home runs are first in MLB history among primary second basemen, was first up to make his induction speech. The five-time All-Star and 2000 National League MVP highlighted the late Ryne Sandberg as one of his biggest influences as a second baseman. He also paid homage to his longtime manager, Dusty Baker.

One of the best two-way players of his generation, Jones hit 434 home runs and won 10 Gold Glove awards. He gave an emotional tribute to his father, and he also spoke about his relationship with the late longtime Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox.

Beltran was one of the best switch-hitters in baseball history across his 20-year career, racking up 435 home runs. While he won his lone World Series title with the Houston Astros in 2017, he chose to be inducted as a member of the New York Mets, and he explained why the franchise meant so much to him. He also paid tribute to his family and his home country of Puerto Rico.

Beltran, Jones and Kent joined the pantheon of baseball immortality after Sunday's ceremony, and they will forever be remembered as legends of the game.