Former Mets star gets elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame

In his fourth year on the BBWAA ballot, former Mets outfielder Carlos Beltrán has been elected to the Hall of Fame.

May 15, 2009; San Francisco, CA, USA; New York Mets outfielder Carlos Beltran (15) prepares to bat during the third inning against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park in San Francisco, CA. The Mets defeated the Giants 8-6. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Two former New York Mets will be enshrined in Cooperstown this summer.

On Tuesday evening, Carlos Beltrán was officially elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Joining him in the Class of 2026 are former Mets infielder Jeff Kent, who was voted in by the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee, and 10-time Gold Glove center fielder Andruw Jones.

Welcome to Cooperstown, @carlosbeltran15!https://t.co/Yf3ByOuAL2 pic.twitter.com/3sKEssE6uO

— National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum ⚾ (@baseballhall) January 20, 2026

Beltrán, 48, spent seven of his 20 MLB seasons in a Mets uniform. He received 84.2% of the vote from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America in what was his fourth year on the ballot. Last year, he finished with 70.3% — just shy of the 75% needed for election.

A native of Manatí, Puerto Rico, Beltrán came up in the Kansas City Royals’ system and won American League Rookie of the Year in 1999. The switch-hitting outfielder went on to appear for six other clubs during his career, earning nine All-Star nods, three Gold Gloves, two Silver Sluggers and the Roberto Clemente Award (2013).

With 70.0 career bWAR, Beltrán ranks fourth among center fielders since 1960, trailing only Willie Mays, Mike Trout and Ken Griffey Jr. He is also the only switch-hitter in history with more than 2,500 hits (2,725), 400 home runs (435) and 300 stolen bases (312).

Carlos Beltrán displayed an amazing combination of power, speed, and defense across 20 MLB seasons.

The 1999 AL Rookie of The Year became a 9-time All-Star and 3-time Gold Glove Award winner. He compiled 2,725 hits, 435 home runs, and 312 stolen bases.

In 2013 the Puerto… pic.twitter.com/jFY8Gwwphf

— MLB (@MLB) October 2, 2024

Beltrán joined the Mets as a free agent in 2005 and was a driving force in their run to the 2006 NLCS. He hit 41 home runs and posted a career-best .982 OPS that season, finishing fourth in voting for the National League MVP award.

During his time in Queens, Beltrán made five All-Star teams and posted 31.1 bWAR — the highest mark he produced with any club. He ranks in the Mets’ top 10 in home runs (149), RBIs (559), runs (551), on-base percentage (.369), slugging percentage (.500) and OPS (.869).

1/9/2005 Carlos Beltrán signs a seven-year, $119 million deal with the Mets. With New York, Beltrán hit 149 home runs and slashed .280/.369/.500 with a 129 OPS+. He was also a 5x All-Star, 2x Silver Slugger, and 3x Gold Glove winner while in Queens. pic.twitter.com/tWPzF77782

— This Day in Mets History (@NYMhistory) January 9, 2026

Though he infamously struck out looking to end the Mets’ season in Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS, Beltrán was a stellar playoff performer. He slashed .307/.412/.609 over 65 career postseason games, and his 1.021 OPS ranks eighth all-time in AL/NL history. His most memorable October came with the 2004 Astros, when he hit eight homers to tie Barry Bonds’ single-postseason record.

In 2017, Beltrán returned to Houston for the final season of his playing career. The Astros went on to win the World Series, but a sign-stealing scandal involving Beltrán ultimately complicated his Hall of Fame candidacy.

According to MLB.com's Anthony DiComo, Beltrán has not formally decided if he will enter Cooperstown with a Mets cap on his plaque. The former outfielder currently serves as a special assistant in the Mets’ front office and is also set to join the team’s Hall of Fame this coming season.

Read More: New York Mets announce 2026 Hall of Fame class

Of the five other former Mets on this year’s BBWAA ballot, only three will retain eligibility for the next voting cycle: Bobby Abreu (30.8%), David Wright (14.8%) and Francisco Rodríguez (11.8%). Daniel Murphy and Rick Porcello did not reach the 5% threshold needed to stay on the ballot.

Beltrán, Kent and Jones will be inducted Sunday, July 26, on the grounds of the Clark Sports Center in Cooperstown, N.Y. The ceremony will air exclusively on MLB Network.

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