Press Release: MLB Draft an Annual Showcase for Future Hall of Famers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 9, 2026

-- Since 1965, 54 Hall of Famers Have Been Selected --

(COOPERSTOWN, NY) – History says at least one future Hall of Famer will be selected in this weekend’s MLB Draft.

 

The identity of that player won’t be known for decades, but a journey to Cooperstown will likely begin Sunday.

 

The Hall of Fame Class of 2026 features two former draft picks: Jeff Kent was taken in the 20th round in 1989 by the Toronto Blue Jays; and Carlos Beltrán was a second-round pick by the Royals in 1995. The 1989 draft has now produced five future Hall of Famers, the most of any single draft in history, with Frank Thomas, Jeff Bagwell, Trevor Hoffman, Jim Thome and Kent having been selected.

 

Since the MLB Draft began in 1965, more than 50 Hall of Famers have been selected by the team that eventually signed them. On average over the last 20-plus years, about one Hall of Fame electee per year is a former draft choice.

 

Of the tens of thousands of players drafted since MLB’s amateur draft began 61 years ago, 54 players who were signed by the team that drafted them have gone on to earn a place in the Hall of Fame. The first was Johnny Bench, drafted by the Reds in the second round in 1965 and elected to the Hall of Fame in 1989. Ten years later, Nolan Ryan – taken in the 12th round of the 1965 draft by the Mets – joined Bench in Cooperstown.

 

A list of drafted players who eventually were elected to the Hall of Fame, in chronological order of their draft selection: 

Johnny Bench – Drafted by Reds in June 1965 with second-round pick

Nolan Ryan – Drafted by the Mets in June 1965 with 12th-round pick

Reggie Jackson – Drafted by the A’s in June 1966 with first-round pick (No. 2 overall)

Carlton Fisk – Drafted by the Red Sox in Jan. 1967 with first-round pick (No. 4 overall)

Ted Simmons – Drafted by the Cardinals in June 1967 with first-round pick (No. 10 overall)

Bert Blyleven – Drafted by the Twins in June 1969 with third-round pick (No. 55 overall)

Goose Gossage – Drafted by the White Sox in June 1970 with ninth-round pick

Dave Parker – Drafted by the Pirates in June 1970 with 14th-round pick

Jim Rice – Drafted by the Red Sox in June 1971 with first-round pick (No. 15 overall)

George Brett – Drafted by the Royals in June 1971 with second-round pick (No. 29 overall)

Mike Schmidt – Drafted by the Phillies in June 1971 with second-round pick (No. 30 overall)

Dennis Eckersley – Drafted by the Indians in June 1972 with third-round pick (No. 50 overall)

Gary Carter – Drafted by the Expos in June 1972 with third-round pick (No. 53 overall)

Robin Yount – Drafted by the Brewers in June 1973 with first-round pick (No. 3 overall)

Dave Winfield – Drafted by the Padres in June 1973 with first-round pick (No. 4 overall)

Eddie Murray – Drafted by the Orioles in June 1973 with third-round pick (No. 63 overall)

Lee Smith – Drafted by the Cubs in June 1975 with second-round pick (No. 28 overall)

Andre Dawson – Drafted by the Expos in June 1975 with 11th-round pick

Alan Trammell – Drafted by the Tigers in June 1976 with second-round pick (No. 26 overall)

Rickey Henderson – Drafted by the A’s in June 1976 with fourth-round pick

Jack Morris – Drafted by the Tigers in June 1976 with fifth-round pick

Wade Boggs – Drafted by the Red Sox in June 1976 with seventh-round pick

Harold Baines – Drafted by the White Sox in June 1977 with first-round pick (No. 1 overall)

Paul Molitor – Drafted by the Brewers in June 1977 with first-round pick (No. 3 overall)

Ozzie Smith – Drafted by the Padres in June 1977 with fourth-round pick

Tim Raines – Drafted by the Expos in June 1977 with fifth-round pick

Cal Ripken Jr. – Drafted by the Orioles in June 1978 with second-round pick (No. 48 overall)

Ryne Sandberg – Drafted by the Phillies in June 1978 with 20th-round pick

Tony Gwynn – Drafted by the Padres in June 1981 with third-round pick (No. 58 overall)

Fred McGriff – Drafted by the Yankees in June 1981 with ninth-round pick

Kirby Puckett – Drafted by the Twins in Jan. 1982 with first-round pick (No. 3 overall)

Greg Maddux – Drafted by the Cubs in June 1984 with second-round pick (No. 31 overall)

Tom Glavine – Drafted by the Braves in June 1984 with second-round pick (No. 47 overall)

Barry Larkin – Drafted by the Reds in June 1985 with first-round pick (No. 4 overall)

Randy Johnson – Drafted by the Expos in June 1985 with second-round pick (No. 36 overall)

John Smoltz – Drafted by the Tigers in June 1985 with 22nd-round pick

Ken Griffey Jr. – Drafted by the Mariners in June 1987 with first-round pick (No. 1 overall)

Craig Biggio – Drafted by the Astros in June 1987 with first-round pick (No. 22 overall)

Mike Piazza – Drafted by the Dodgers in June 1988 with 62nd-round pick

Frank Thomas – Drafted by the White Sox in June 1989 with first-round pick (No. 7 overall)

Jeff Bagwell – Drafted by the Red Sox in June 1989 with fourth-round pick

Trevor Hoffman – Drafted by the Reds in June 1989 with 11th-round pick

Jim Thome – Drafted by the Indians in June 1989 with 13th-round pick

Jeff Kent – Drafted by the Blue Jays in June 1989 with 20th-round pick

Chipper Jones – Drafted by the Braves in June 1990 with first-round pick (No. 1 overall)

Mike Mussina – Drafted by the Orioles in June 1990 with first-round pick (No. 20 overall)

Derek Jeter – Drafted by the Yankees in June 1992 with first-round pick (No. 6 overall)

Billy Wagner – Drafted by the Astros in June 1993 with first-round pick (No. 12 overall)

Scott Rolen – Drafted by the Phillies in June 1993 with second-round pick (No. 46 overall)

Todd Helton – Drafted by the Rockies in June 1995 with first-round pick (No. 8 overall)

Roy Halladay – Drafted by the Blue Jays in June 1995 with first-round pick (No. 17 overall)

Carlos Beltrán – Drafted by the Royals in June 1995 with second-round pick (No. 49 overall)

CC Sabathia – Drafted by the Indians in June 1998 with first-round pick (No. 20 overall)

Joe Mauer – Drafted by the Twins in June 2001 with first-round pick (No. 1 overall)

 

The Hall of Fame Class of 2026 will be inducted on Sunday, July 26, on the grounds of the Clark Sports Center in Cooperstown. The Induction Ceremony will be televised by MLB Network and streamed on MLB.com.

 

The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an independent not-for-profit educational institution, dedicated to fostering an appreciation of the historical development of baseball and its impact on our culture by collecting, preserving, exhibiting and interpreting its collections for a global audience as well as honoring those who have made outstanding contributions to our National Pastime. Opening its doors for the first time on June 12, 1939, the Hall of Fame has stood as the definitive repository of the game’s treasures and as a symbol of the most profound individual honor bestowed on an athlete. It is every fan’s spiritual home, with its stories, legends and magic shared from generation to generation.