The air in Cooperstown feels a little different when a legend like Ichiro is on the ticket. Honestly, the MLB Hall of Fame ballot 2025 was never going to be a quiet affair. We all knew the "Hit King" was a lock, but the drama surrounding the 75% threshold is what keeps baseball nerds up at night.
It's about the math. It's about the "character clause." Mostly, it's about the guys who spent a decade waiting for a phone call that almost didn't come.
The Big Three: Who Actually Made the Cut?
The 2025 class ended up being a trio of absolute titans. Ichiro Suzuki and CC Sabathia didn't even give the writers a chance to overthink it—they got in on their first try. Then you have Billy Wagner.
Poor Billy had been sweating this out for ten years. Talk about a nail-biter. He finally cleared the hurdle in his final year of eligibility with 82.5% of the vote. If he hadn't made it this time, he would've been off the writers' ballot for good.
Ichiro's numbers are just stupid. He finished with 393 out of 394 possible votes. That's 99.7%. One person—literally one human being—decided not to check his name. Because of that, Mariano Rivera remains the only unanimous selection in history. Ichiro now holds the record for the highest voting percentage ever for a position player, barely edging out Derek Jeter’s 99.74%.
Breaking Down the Ballot Numbers
Let's look at how the percentages shook out for the top of the pack:
- Ichiro Suzuki: 99.7% (Year 1)
- CC Sabathia: 86.8% (Year 1)
- Billy Wagner: 82.5% (Year 10)
- Carlos Beltrán: 70.3% (Year 3)
- Andruw Jones: 66.2% (Year 8)
The CC Sabathia Factor
CC was a workhorse. Pure and simple. In an era where starters are lucky to go five innings, Sabathia was out there throwing 200+ innings year after year. He finished with 251 wins and over 3,000 strikeouts. He’s one of only three lefties to ever hit those benchmarks, joining Randy Johnson and Steve Carlton.
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You’ve gotta respect the longevity. He reinvented himself from a flamethrower in Cleveland and Milwaukee into a crafty veteran with the Yankees. The writers clearly valued that "old school" durability.
The Heartbreak of 74 Percent (Or Close to It)
Carlos Beltrán is basically living in the waiting room right now. He pulled in 70.3% this year. That’s only about 19 votes shy of the promised land.
The "cheating scandal" from his time with the Astros still haunts his candidacy for some, but the momentum is clearly shifting. He jumped up significantly from last year. If you're a betting person, you’d put your money on Beltrán getting his plaque in 2026.
Then there’s Andruw Jones. He’s at 66.2%. He’s got two years left. Jones was arguably the greatest defensive center fielder to ever play the game, but his offensive fall-off in his 30s is what makes the writers hesitate. It's a classic peak vs. longevity debate.
What About the "PED" Guys?
Alex Rodriguez and Manny Ramirez are still stuck in the mud. A-Rod finished at 37.1% and Manny at 34.3%.
Basically, about two-thirds of the voters have drawn a line in the sand. If you were suspended for PEDs, they aren't voting for you. Period. It doesn't matter that A-Rod has 696 home runs. To these voters, those numbers are tainted. It’s been four years for Rodriguez and nine for Ramirez—the needle just isn't moving.
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The Guys Who Fell Off
You have to get at least 5% to stay on the ballot. Some big names didn't make the cut this time:
- Ian Kinsler (2.5%)
- Russell Martin (2.3%)
- Brian McCann (1.8%)
- Troy Tulowitzki (1.0%)
It's brutal. You have an All-Star career, you retire, and then you're one-and-done on the Hall of Fame ballot.
Why the MLB Hall of Fame Ballot 2025 Felt Different
This wasn't just about the guys on the BBWAA ballot. The "Classic Baseball Era Committee" also did their thing. They elected Dick Allen and Dave Parker.
Dave "The Cobra" Parker finally getting in is a huge win for fans of 70s and 80s baseball. He was a monster for the Pirates. Dick Allen, who passed away in 2020, was one of the most feared hitters of his generation. His 156 career OPS+ is higher than many first-ballot legends.
Common Misconceptions About the Voting Process
A lot of people think the Hall of Fame is just about the stats. It's not. The "Character Clause" is real.
Rule 5 states that "Voting shall be based upon the player's record, ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character, and contributions to the team(s) on which the player played." That's why Omar Vizquel, despite having nearly 3,000 hits and 11 Gold Gloves, has cratered to 17.8% following off-field allegations.
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Also, the "10-player limit" is a huge hurdle. Writers can only check 10 names. Sometimes, they leave a "lock" like Ichiro off their ballot specifically to help a guy on the bubble like Billy Wagner. It’s strategic voting. It's weird, but it's how the game is played.
Looking Ahead to 2026
If you think the MLB Hall of Fame ballot 2025 was stacked, wait until next year.
The 2026 ballot will feature Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina. Pujols is going to be another near-unanimous selection. Molina will spark one of the most heated "stats vs. intangibles" debates we've ever seen.
But for now, the focus is on the Class of 2025. They’ll be officially inducted on July 27 in Cooperstown. If you’ve never been to an induction ceremony, it’s a religious experience for baseball fans. Seeing Ichiro give a speech in English (which he usually does for these things) will be the highlight of the summer.
Actionable Steps for Baseball Fans
If you want to stay ahead of the Hall of Fame curve, here’s what you should do:
- Track the Tracker: Follow Ryan Thibodaux’s Hall of Fame Ballot Tracker. It's the gold standard for seeing how public ballots are trending before the official announcement.
- Study the Era Committees: The BBWAA isn't the only way in. Keep an eye on the "Contemporary" and "Classic" era committees, as they often right the wrongs of the past.
- Visit the Museum: If you can, go to Cooperstown during the off-season. It’s less crowded, and you can actually spend time looking at the plaques of the guys we just discussed.
- Listen to the Speeches: Go back and watch Billy Wagner's reaction to his call. It reminds you that for these guys, this isn't just about a museum; it's the culmination of a lifetime of work.
The 2025 cycle proved that the "closers don't belong" era is officially over. With Wagner joining Rivera and Hoffman, the path for guys like Kenley Jansen and Craig Kimbrel just got a lot smoother.