COOPERSTOWN. N.Y. - The Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown announced its ballot for the class of 2021, Monday, with 25 former players up for election into baseball immortality.
Among the names on the ballot, there are 11 newcomers and 14 returning players who received enough votes in 2020 to remain eligible for election on this year's ballot.
Making their debut on the ballot are pitchers Barry Zito, Tim Hudson, Mark Buehrle, A.J. Burnett, Dan Haren and LaTroy Hawkins, infielder Aramis Ramirez, outfielders Torii Hunter, Nick Swisher and Shane Victorino, and utility player Michael Cuddyer.
Those players will join top returners in pitchers Curt Schilling (70%), Roger Clemens (61%), outfielder Barry Bonds (60.7%) and shortstop Omar Vizquel (52.6%), all of whom received more than 50% of ballot votes in 2020 and are considered frontrunners for election in 2021.
Also returning to the ballot in 2021 are pitchers Andy Pettitte and Billy Wagner, first baseman Todd Helton, second baseman Jeff Kent, third baseman Scott Rolen and outfielders Bobby Abreu, Andruw Jones, Manny Ramírez, Gary Sheffield and Sammy Sosa.
Players must receive at least 75% of ballot votes in order to be elected into the Hall of Fame. Players not elected must receive at least 5% of the vote to remain on the ballot the following year, for up to ten years.
There are over 400 voting members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America who will return their filled-in ballots by a Dec. 31 postmark.
The results of the vote will be announced by Hall of Fame President Tim Mead on Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021 at 6 p.m. live on MLB Network.
Those elected to the Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2021 will be enshrined on July 25, 2021 in Cooperstown along with Derek Jeter, Larry Walker and the class of 2020 after the postponement of the induction ceremony this past summer.
For more information on the ballot and Hall of Fame weekend, visit baseballhall.org.