The 2026 MLB Baseball Hall of Fame ballot has officially been announced, and to the surprise of Mets fans, there are many familiar faces. From lifelong natives to the Mets franchise, like David Wright, to a postseason hero in Daniel Murphy, and an immaculate grid legend in Rick Porcello, there’s a lot to talk about in terms of players potentially making the Hall of Fame.
A Case for Every Former Met on the 2026 Hall of Fame Ballot
Every player on the ballot is there for a reason. A historic, legendary mark at some point in their career that stands out as unique and unachievable for the average player. With that being said, here is a reason that every former Met has a chance to make the Hall of Fame ballot.
David Wright
The captain, David Wright.
Wright has now been a member of the ballot for the last three seasons, holding 8.1% of votes last season. His odds to make the Hall of Fame sit low, but in the eyes of all Mets fans, he is more than deserving.
The longtime Mets captain recently had his memorable No. 5 retired at Citi Field, joining just seven other players to achieve the honor. From 2005 to 2013, Wright was an elite force in MLB. During this period, the third baseman batted .302, averaging 23 home runs per season, along with 93 RBIs and 20 stolen bases. Only a handful of other players (Mike Trout, Barry Bonds, Bobby Bonds) achieved similar combinations of home runs, steals, and wins above replacement (WAR) in their first 10 seasons.
This would put Wright in the Hall of Fame. Sadly, that’s not the case. The injury bug swallowed David Wright, leaving the franchise third baseman to deal with injuries for the rest of his career, retiring in 2018.
The reason why David Wright should be in the Hall of Fame? It’s the fact that he put up such elite numbers in such a short amount of time, ones that compare to other Hall of Famers like Derek Jeter.
Carlos Beltran
Carlos Beltran is almost a sure-fire Hall of Famer. Beltran is one of only five players in MLB history to achieve 400 home runs, 300 stolen bases, and 500 doubles, joining Willie Mays, Andre Dawson, Barry Bonds, and Alex Rodriguez.
Beltran spent seven years in New York, signing a $119 million contract in 2005, batting .280 through 839 games while hitting 149 home runs and 559 RBIs. During his third year on the ballot, Beltran received 70% of votes across all voters, entering year four with a legit shot at making the Hall of Fame.
Carlos Delgado
There’s a common trend here: Carlos Delgado spent his tenure as a Met from 2006 to 2009, a time when the Mets genuinely had a shot at pushing for a World Series.
Delgado is one of the most consistent MLB power hitters ever, being one of only six players in MLB history to hit 30 home runs in 10 consecutive seasons, while also finishing his career with 474 home runs (34th all-time). Delgado crushed 108 home runs in four seasons as a Met, tragically ending his career in 2009 after playing just 26 games, falling 27 home runs short of the 500 milestone due to a hip injury that caused him never to play a game in MLB again.
He was a postseason hero in 2006 for the Mets, totaling a near-perfect OPS of 1.199, along with four home runs and 11 RBIs in the span of just 10 games, some of the best numbers in a postseason stretch.
Delgado has a strong case for the Hall of Fame due to the comparable stats to many others who have already made their landing in Cooperstown. Although the former Met wouldn’t enter the Hall of Fame wearing orange and blue (most likely the Blue Jays), it’ll still be nice to see someone who once flaunted the colors potentially have a plaque among the greats.
Daniel Murphy
Daniel Murphy, a true fan favorite and postseason hero.
Murphy is considered a legend by many Mets fans who followed the team closely in the 2010s, thanks to an unforgettable postseason in 2015.
Murph became the first player in MLB history to homer in six consecutive games during the postseason, including all four games of the NLCS, earning him the Championship Series MVP. What happened next led some Mets fans to believe he’s a snake for turning on the team; others remained appreciative for his contributions during an emotional 2015 playoff run.
Murphy rejected the Mets’ qualifying offer and joined the Washington Nationals, a division rival, signing a three-year, $37.5 million contract. He followed up the historic run with an even better year, finishing as the 2016 NL MVP runner-up, winning the NL batting title, and earning an All-Star selection.
His statistics were almost unrecognizable, as he batted .347 with 25 home runs and 104 RBIs. Murphy would retire from MLB in 2020 after playing with the Colorado Rockies, but he won’t be forgotten for his contributions with the Mets. His chances of making the Hall of Fame are slim, but there’s an argument due to his offensive peak.
Rick Porcello
Rick Porcello, a true immaculate grid legend. Porcello is never going to be remembered for his time with the Mets. He joined the Mets on a one-year, $10 million deal in the 2019 offseason, a move that was considered a “splash” during the Wilpon era.
Porcello pitched in 12 games during the 2020 pandemic-shortened campaign, going 1-7 with a 5.64 ERA. Following his Mets tenure, Porcello wouldn’t pitch in baseball again, retiring in 2022 after failing to sign with another team.
But this isn’t what he’s known for; his team in Beantown could send him a one-way ticket to Cooperstown. Although Porcello doesn’t have a strong case to make the Hall of Fame, his main argument is individual accomplishments and durability. In 2016, Porcello took MLB by storm, going 22-4 with a 3.15 ERA while tossing 223 innings with 189 strikeouts and an astonishing 1.01 WHIP. This dominant season earned him the AL Cy Young Award and an All-Star appearance.
Main Photo Credits: David Butler II-Imagn Images
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