Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Don Mattingly, and Dale Murphy have advanced to the next round of voting on the Hall of Fame’s contemporary baseball era committee ballot. Joining them will be former Toronto Blue Jays players Carlos Delgado and Jeff Kent, as well as Gary Sheffield and the late Fernando Valenzuela.
The committee, consisting of 16 members, is set to convene on December 7 during the winter meetings in Orlando, Florida. A 75 percent majority vote is required for induction. The elected candidates will be officially inducted on July 26, alongside those selected in the Baseball Writers’ Association of America vote scheduled for January 20.
Albert Belle, Rafael Palmeiro, and Curt Schilling were excluded from the current ballot after their appearance in the previous contemporary era ballot in December 2022. Fred McGriff was unanimously chosen with 16 votes during the last ballot. Mattingly received eight votes, Schilling seven, Murphy six, and Belle, Bonds, Clemens, and Palmeiro garnered less than four votes each according to the Hall’s statement at that time.
In 2022, the Hall underwent its third restructuring of the veterans’ committees in 12 years. This included the establishment of panels to evaluate the contemporary era starting from 1980, as well as the classic era. Separate ballots are held for players and for managers, executives, and umpires in the contemporary baseball era.
The committees convene every three years, with the next rounds of evaluation scheduled as follows: contemporary managers, executives, and umpires in December 2026, classic era candidates in December 2027, and contemporary era players in December 2028.
The December 2027 ballot marks the first opportunity for Pete Rose to be considered for induction after Commissioner Rob Manfred ruled in May that Rose’s lifetime ban ceased upon his passing in September 2024. The Hall’s rules prohibit individuals on the permanent ineligible list from being included in any ballot.
The Hall announced a rule change in March stipulating that candidates who receive fewer than five votes will be ineligible for the committee’s ballot in the subsequent three-year cycle. Those dropped from the ballot but later reintroduced and receive fewer than five votes would be permanently barred from future considerations.
Bonds and Clemens, who fell short in their final appearances on the BBWAA ballot, have denied using performance-enhancing drugs. Sheffield admitted to unknowingly using substances containing steroids during his training in 2002.
Clemens, a seven-time Cy Young Award winner, boasts an impressive record of 354-184 with a 3.12 ERA and 4,672 strikeouts. Bonds, a seven-time National League MVP and 14-time all-star outfielder, holds the career home run record with 762 and set the single-season record with 73 homers in 2001.
Sheffield, a nine-time all-star and 1992 NL batting champion, accumulated 509 home runs, 1,676 RBIs, and 253 stolen bases throughout his career. Murphy, a seven-time all-star outfielder, hit .265 with 398 home runs, 1,266 RBIs, and 161 stolen bases.
Mattingly, a six-time all-star first baseman, received a high of 145 votes in 2001. He recorded a batting average of .307 with 222 home runs and 1,099 RBIs during his 14-year career.
Delgado and Kent, former Blue Jays players, received varying levels of support on previous BBWAA ballots. Delgado hit .280 with 473 home runs and 1,512 RBIs, while Kent batted .290 with 377 homers and 1,518 RBIs.
Valenzuela, who passed away in October 2024, was a six-time all-star and the 1981 NL Cy Young Award winner. He achieved a record of 173-153 with a 3.54 ERA and 2,074 strikeouts over 17 seasons.
The candidates on the ballot were selected by the BBWAA’s historical overview committee comprising prominent baseball figures.