Rolen, Helton, Andruw Jones Could Join Fred McGriff In Baseball Hall Of Fame’s Class Of 2023 Next Week

So far, Fred McGriff is the lone member of the Baseball Hall of Fame’s Class of 2023.

Unanimously selected by the 16-member panel of the Contemporary Players era committee, McGriff could be the only one-man class since Ozzie Smith in 2002. Or he could have company.

We’ll learn more on Jan. 24, when Hall of Fame president Josh Rawitch announces the results of the “regular” election, by 10-year members of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA).

With more than 700 votes freed when Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, and Curt Schilling were among those whose maximum 10-year term on the ballot expired, several former stars whose vote went up last year could scale the 75 per cent necessary for enshrinement.

The leading contenders are Scott Rolen, who played third base for several National League clubs; Andruw Jones, a center-fielder who won a rare 10 Gold Gloves in a row; Todd Helton, who hit .316 during a 17-year career spent exclusively as first baseman of the Colorado Rockies; and Billy Wagner, a little left-handed relief pitcher who racked up lots of strikeouts despite his size.

Of the 28 candidates on this year’s ballot are 14 newcomers and 14 holdovers.

The strongest first-year contender, former outfielder Carlos Beltrán, could be delayed or denied by alleged involvement in the 2017 electronic sign-stealing scandal of the Houston Astros, who won the World Series that year. He was the only player implicated in the follow-up report by the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball.

Rolen had the top percentage among the also-rans last year with 63.2 per cent, followed by Helton (52 per cent), Wagner (51 per cent), and Jones (41.4 per cent), with Gary Sheffield (40.6 per cent) the only other returning player who got more than 40 per cent in voting for the Class of 2022.

David Ortiz, long-time designated hitter of the Boston Red Sox, was the only BBWAA electee last year but six others were chosen by various eras committees. They included Bud Fowler, Gil Hodges, Jim Kaat, Minnie Minoso, Tony Oliva, Buck O’Neil.

Players not elected this year may have a tougher time when the writers vote for the Class of 2024, which will have strong first-ballot candidates in Adrian Beltré, Joe Mauer, and Chase Utley.

A year later, the ballot will feature three more formidable first-time contenders in Dustin Pedroia, CC Sabathia, and Ichiro Suzuki.

After that, the next likely first-ballot inductees will be Buster Posey for the Class of 2027 and long-time St. Louis Cardinals teammates Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina, who just retired, for the Class of 2028. To be considered, a player must be retired from the game for five years.

Results of this year’s vote, the 79th by the Baseball Writers Association of America, will be announced in a televised ceremony from the Cooperstown gallery. It will be carried by MLB Network at 6 p.m. next Tuesday.

Winners will be inducted, along with McGriff, in an outdoor ceremony at the Clark Sports Center in Cooperstown on July 23.