Hall of Fame election: Carlos Beltrán and Andruw Jones inducted

Jack BaerTue, January 20, 2026 at 11:22 PM UTC

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Carlos Beltrán spearheaded the 2017 Astros' cheating scheme. It didn't stop him from reaching the Hall of Fame. (Photo by Justin Heiman/Getty Images) (Justin Heiman via Getty Images)

Carlos Beltrán and Andruw Jones will join Jeff Kent in the National Baseball Hall of Fame's Class of 2026.

The two outfielders were tapped for induction on Tuesday through the Baseball Writers' Association of America's annual vote.

Kent was already in through the Hall's Contemporary Era Committee's vote in December.

Beltrán was in his fourth year on the ballot, while Jones was on his ninth, meaning he was two unsuccessful votes away from falling off the BBWAA ballot.

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Both men needed a steady increase in support over the years to make it. Beltrán received 46.5% of the vote and saw double-digit increases every cycle up to now. Jones sat at only 7.3% then 7.5% in his first two years, but began to quickly rise as the field thinned out.

Beltrán and Jones never faced serious PED allegations in their career, but they both had issues with their candidacy that likely came up for voters considering the Hall's character clause.

Beltrán was a nine-time All-Star who was excellent on both sides of the ball and had impressive postseason stats. However, he was also one of the central organizers of the 2017 Houston Astros' cheating scheme, which helped him win the only World Series ring of his career. He was the only player named in the commissioner's report on the scandal and would have likely made the Hall far earlier had he reached the ballot before those allegations came to light.

Jones is one of the best defensive center fielders in the history of baseball, with 10 Gold Gloves to his name, and had enough power for 51 homers in 2005, but he also pleaded guilty to domestic battery charges after being accused of pulling his wife down a stairway, putting his hands around her neck and threatening to kill her.

The Hall of Fame induction ceremony is scheduled for July 26 in Cooperstown.

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Source: “AOL Sports”