On Tuesday, Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia, and former New York Mets closer Billy Wagner were introduced as the newest members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame. They join Classic Baseball Era Committee elects Dave Parker and Dick Allen in the 2025 class.
Meanwhile, former Mets All-Star outfielder Carlos Beltrán received 277 out of 394 votes (70.3%) from the Baseball Writers' Association of America, falling just short of the 75% needed for induction.
However, Beltrán's results marked a significant improvement from his previous years on the ballot, as he earned 46.1% in 2023 and 57.1% last year. His chances of being inducted within the next seven years of eligibility are looking increasingly likely.
Other former Mets who will remain eligible for induction in 2026 include outfielder Bobby Abreu (19.5% in 2025, his sixth year on the ballot), closer Francisco Rodríguez (10.2% in 2025, his third year on the ballot), and third baseman David Wright (8.1% in 2025, his second year on the ballot). Outfielder Curtis Granderson, who played with the Mets from 2014-17, will no longer be eligible after receiving just 0.8% of the vote in his first year -- he needed at least 5% to stay on the ballot.
To be eligible for Hall of Fame consideration, players must have at least 10 seasons in Major League Baseball and be retired for five years. For example, players eligible for the 2026 ballot must have played their final game in 2020.
In addition to Beltrán, Abreu, Rodríguez, and Wright, three former Mets will join next year's ballot. Here is a closer look at each one:
Murphy, who will turn 40 in April, spent the first seven of his 12 big-league seasons with the Mets after being selected by the team in the 13th round of the 2006 MLB Draft. During his time in Queens, he posted a .288/.331/.424 line and earned an All-Star nod. However, his most unforgettable contributions came during the Mets' 2015 World Series run.
The lefty bat made history by hitting home runs in six consecutive postseason games, surpassing a record set by Beltrán. He also became only the second player, after Lou Gehrig, to record a hit, a run, and an RBI in seven straight postseason games. Murphy set a Mets franchise record for most postseason home runs, previously held by Mike Piazza.
Murphy played a crucial role in leading the Mets to their fifth World Series appearance in franchise history, hitting .529 with four home runs, a double, and six RBIs, ultimately earning NLCS MVP honors. However, in Game 4 of the Fall Classic, a key fielding error by Murphy in the fourth inning allowed the Kansas City Royals to score and keep two runners on base, a pivotal moment in the Mets' eventual series loss.
Following that postseason, Murphy signed a three-year, $37.5 million contract with the Washington Nationals, where he earned two All-Star selections and two Silver Slugger Awards in his first two seasons. In 2016, he had a career year, batting .347/.390/.595 with 25 home runs, 104 RBIs, and a league-leading 47 doubles. He finished second in NL MVP voting, behind Kris Bryant.
Former Mets GM and president Sandy Alderson has previously mentioned that not re-signing Murphy after 2015 was one of his biggest regrets of his tenure as top baseball decision maker in Queens.
Murphy also spent time with the Chicago Cubs and Colorado Rockies before retiring in 2021 at age 35. He briefly came out of retirement in 2023 to play for the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League before signing a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Angels. Murphy never returned to the majors and officially retired again after a 38-game stint with Triple-A Salt Lake. He finished his career with a .296 batting average, 138 home runs, 735 RBIs, and 20.4 bWAR.
Porcello, 36, concluded his career with the Mets after spending his first 11 seasons with the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox. The right-hander struggled in 2020, posting a 1-7 record with a 5.64 ERA and 1.51 WHIP over 12 starts, but was more successful in his earlier years.
The New Jersey native and Seton Hall Prep alumnus made the Tigers' Opening Day roster at age 20 in 2009. In his rookie season, he went 14-9 with a 3.96 ERA and 1.34 WHIP over 170.2 innings, though he averaged just 4.7 strikeouts per nine innings.
After six seasons in Detroit, Porcello was traded to the Red Sox in a deal for Yoenis Céspedes and others. He signed a four-year, $82.5 million extension with Boston and, after a rough first season, won the AL Cy Young Award and AL Comeback Player of the Year Award in 2016 with a 22-4 record, a 3.15 ERA, and a league-best 5.91 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
While he never replicated that success, Porcello played a key role in Boston's 2018 World Series title run, finishing the season with a 17-7 record and a 4.28 ERA. Porcello retired with a 150-125 career record, a 4.40 ERA, and 1,561 strikeouts.
Walker, 39, also had a brief stint with the Mets, but unlike Porcello's tenure, it is remembered more favorably, despite some injury setbacks.
Acquired before the 2016 season in a trade that sent pitcher Jon Niese to the Pittsburgh Pirates, Walker hit .282/.347/.476 (.823 OPS) with 23 home runs and 55 RBIs in 113 games. Despite missing the final month of that season after undergoing surgery for a herniated disk in his back, the Mets extended him a qualifying offer for 2017 worth $17.2 million, which he accepted.
In 2017, Walker was productive when healthy, posting a .780 OPS in 73 games, though he missed six weeks due to a partially torn hamstring. The Mets eventually traded him to the Milwaukee Brewers in August when they were in third place in the NL East.
Walker's best years came with the Pirates, where he posted 15.5 bWAR over his first seven seasons. The former 11th-overall pick finished fifth in the 2010 NL Rookie of the Year voting and won the 2014 National League Silver Slugger Award for second basemen during a stretch where he helped the Pirates reach the postseason in three consecutive seasons.
In his 12-season career, Walker accumulated 1,224 hits, 149 home runs, and a career fielding percentage of .988 at second base, but never made an All-Star team. He finished his playing days with the New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, and Miami Marlins.
Other first-year candidates include Ryan Braun, Shin-Soo Choo, Edwin Encarnación, Gio González, Alex Gordon, Cole Hamels, Matt Kemp, Howie Kendrick, Nick Markakis, and Hunter Pence.