The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York is one of the most revered places in all of sports. It is home to some of the greatest players in the history of the game and a place where fans come to pay their respects to some of the greatest athletes who have ever graced the diamond. Every year, a select few players are chosen to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, and the 2022 class will be no different. Here, we will take a look at who is likely to join the ranks of the greats in Cooperstown in 2022.
The Candidates
Each year, the Hall of Fame voters have to select from a wide pool of talented players. The Baseball Writersโ Association of America (BBWAA) is responsible for selecting which players will receive the honor of being inducted into the Hall of Fame. This year, the BBWAA will have to choose from a pool of twenty-two candidates, including some of the most beloved and successful players in the history of the game.
The 2022 Hall of Fame Candidates
1. Barry Bonds
2. Roger Clemens
3. Curt Schilling
4. Jeff Kent
5. Billy Wagner
6. Gary Sheffield
7. Sammy Sosa
8. Omar Vizquel
9. Todd Helton
10. Manny Ramirez
11. Andruw Jones
12. Scott Rolen
13. Lance Berkman
14. Roy Halladay
15. Andy Pettitte
16. Johan Santana
17. Jeff Bagwell
18. Mike Mussina
19. Edgar Martinez
20. Fred McGriff
21. Larry Walker
22. Barry Larkin
The Chances of Induction
2. Roger Clemens
3. Curt Schilling
4. Jeff Kent
5. Billy Wagner
6. Gary Sheffield
7. Sammy Sosa
8. Omar Vizquel
9. Todd Helton
10. Manny Ramirez
11. Andruw Jones
12. Scott Rolen
13. Lance Berkman
14. Roy Halladay
15. Andy Pettitte
16. Johan Santana
17. Jeff Bagwell
18. Mike Mussina
19. Edgar Martinez
20. Fred McGriff
21. Larry Walker
22. Barry Larkin
The Chances of Induction
3. Curt Schilling
4. Jeff Kent
5. Billy Wagner
6. Gary Sheffield
7. Sammy Sosa
8. Omar Vizquel
9. Todd Helton
10. Manny Ramirez
11. Andruw Jones
12. Scott Rolen
13. Lance Berkman
14. Roy Halladay
15. Andy Pettitte
16. Johan Santana
17. Jeff Bagwell
18. Mike Mussina
19. Edgar Martinez
20. Fred McGriff
21. Larry Walker
22. Barry Larkin
The Chances of Induction
4. Jeff Kent
5. Billy Wagner
6. Gary Sheffield
7. Sammy Sosa
8. Omar Vizquel
9. Todd Helton
10. Manny Ramirez
11. Andruw Jones
12. Scott Rolen
13. Lance Berkman
14. Roy Halladay
15. Andy Pettitte
16. Johan Santana
17. Jeff Bagwell
18. Mike Mussina
19. Edgar Martinez
20. Fred McGriff
21. Larry Walker
22. Barry Larkin
The Chances of Induction
5. Billy Wagner
6. Gary Sheffield
7. Sammy Sosa
8. Omar Vizquel
9. Todd Helton
10. Manny Ramirez
11. Andruw Jones
12. Scott Rolen
13. Lance Berkman
14. Roy Halladay
15. Andy Pettitte
16. Johan Santana
17. Jeff Bagwell
18. Mike Mussina
19. Edgar Martinez
20. Fred McGriff
21. Larry Walker
22. Barry Larkin
The Chances of Induction
6. Gary Sheffield
7. Sammy Sosa
8. Omar Vizquel
9. Todd Helton
10. Manny Ramirez
11. Andruw Jones
12. Scott Rolen
13. Lance Berkman
14. Roy Halladay
15. Andy Pettitte
16. Johan Santana
17. Jeff Bagwell
18. Mike Mussina
19. Edgar Martinez
20. Fred McGriff
21. Larry Walker
22. Barry Larkin
The Chances of Induction
7. Sammy Sosa
8. Omar Vizquel
9. Todd Helton
10. Manny Ramirez
11. Andruw Jones
12. Scott Rolen
13. Lance Berkman
14. Roy Halladay
15. Andy Pettitte
16. Johan Santana
17. Jeff Bagwell
18. Mike Mussina
19. Edgar Martinez
20. Fred McGriff
21. Larry Walker
22. Barry Larkin
The Chances of Induction
8. Omar Vizquel
9. Todd Helton
10. Manny Ramirez
11. Andruw Jones
12. Scott Rolen
13. Lance Berkman
14. Roy Halladay
15. Andy Pettitte
16. Johan Santana
17. Jeff Bagwell
18. Mike Mussina
19. Edgar Martinez
20. Fred McGriff
21. Larry Walker
22. Barry Larkin
The Chances of Induction
9. Todd Helton
10. Manny Ramirez
11. Andruw Jones
12. Scott Rolen
13. Lance Berkman
14. Roy Halladay
15. Andy Pettitte
16. Johan Santana
17. Jeff Bagwell
18. Mike Mussina
19. Edgar Martinez
20. Fred McGriff
21. Larry Walker
22. Barry Larkin
The Chances of Induction
10. Manny Ramirez
11. Andruw Jones
12. Scott Rolen
13. Lance Berkman
14. Roy Halladay
15. Andy Pettitte
16. Johan Santana
17. Jeff Bagwell
18. Mike Mussina
19. Edgar Martinez
20. Fred McGriff
21. Larry Walker
22. Barry Larkin
The Chances of Induction
11. Andruw Jones
12. Scott Rolen
13. Lance Berkman
14. Roy Halladay
15. Andy Pettitte
16. Johan Santana
17. Jeff Bagwell
18. Mike Mussina
19. Edgar Martinez
20. Fred McGriff
21. Larry Walker
22. Barry Larkin
The Chances of Induction
12. Scott Rolen
13. Lance Berkman
14. Roy Halladay
15. Andy Pettitte
16. Johan Santana
17. Jeff Bagwell
18. Mike Mussina
19. Edgar Martinez
20. Fred McGriff
21. Larry Walker
22. Barry Larkin
The Chances of Induction
13. Lance Berkman
14. Roy Halladay
15. Andy Pettitte
16. Johan Santana
17. Jeff Bagwell
18. Mike Mussina
19. Edgar Martinez
20. Fred McGriff
21. Larry Walker
22. Barry Larkin
The Chances of Induction
14. Roy Halladay
15. Andy Pettitte
16. Johan Santana
17. Jeff Bagwell
18. Mike Mussina
19. Edgar Martinez
20. Fred McGriff
21. Larry Walker
22. Barry Larkin
The Chances of Induction
15. Andy Pettitte
16. Johan Santana
17. Jeff Bagwell
18. Mike Mussina
19. Edgar Martinez
20. Fred McGriff
21. Larry Walker
22. Barry Larkin
The Chances of Induction
16. Johan Santana
17. Jeff Bagwell
18. Mike Mussina
19. Edgar Martinez
20. Fred McGriff
21. Larry Walker
22. Barry Larkin
The Chances of Induction
17. Jeff Bagwell
18. Mike Mussina
19. Edgar Martinez
20. Fred McGriff
21. Larry Walker
22. Barry Larkin
The Chances of Induction
18. Mike Mussina
19. Edgar Martinez
20. Fred McGriff
21. Larry Walker
22. Barry Larkin
The Chances of Induction
19. Edgar Martinez
20. Fred McGriff
21. Larry Walker
22. Barry Larkin
The Chances of Induction
20. Fred McGriff
21. Larry Walker
22. Barry Larkin
The Chances of Induction
21. Larry Walker
22. Barry Larkin
The Chances of Induction
22. Barry Larkin
The Chances of Induction
The Chances of Induction
When it comes to who has the best chance of making it into the Hall of Fame in 2022, the odds are particularly favorable for Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, and Curt Schilling. These three players have the most impressive resumes and have received the most support from the BBWAA in the past. Bonds is the all-time leader in home runs, Clemens is the all-time leader in strikeouts, and Schilling has the most wins among any pitcher who debuted in the 1990s.
Barry Bonds
Barry Bonds is easily one of the greatest players in the history of baseball. His career spanned 22 seasons, during which he hit 762 home runs, drove in 1,996 runs, and had a career batting average of .298. He is the all-time leader in home runs, and his 2,558 walks are the third-most in the history of the game. He was also an eight-time Gold Glove winner and a fourteen-time All-Star.
Despite his impressive career, Bonds has been largely left out of the Hall of Fame due to his association with performance-enhancing drugs. There is a growing sentiment among Hall of Fame voters that Bonds should be inducted, but it remains to be seen if he will be voted in this year.
Roger Clemens
Roger Clemens is one of the greatest pitchers in the history of baseball. He spent 24 seasons in the major leagues and won an impressive 354 games, the fourth-most of any pitcher to ever play the game. He was an eleven-time All-Star and seven-time Cy Young Award winner. He also holds the record for most strikeouts in a single season with 4,672.
Clemens has been in the Hall of Fame conversation for several years, but has been snubbed due to his association with performance-enhancing drugs. He has received the most BBWAA votes in the past two years, and has the best chance of any candidate to be inducted in 2022.
Curt Schilling
Curt Schilling is another pitcher who deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. He spent 20 seasons in the majors, winning 216 games and striking out 3,116 batters. He was an eight-time All-Star, five-time World Series champion, and a two-time World Series MVP. He is also the only pitcher in history to have won the same team three different World Series.
Schilling has been on the Hall of Fame ballot for the past seven years, and he has received the second-most votes in each of the past four years. He has the third-best chance of any candidate to be inducted in 2022.
Other Notable Candidates
While the odds are particularly favorable for Bonds, Clemens, and Schilling, there are several other candidates who have a chance of being inducted in 2022. Jeff Kent, Gary Sheffield, and Billy Wagner are all former All-Stars who have solid chances of being voted in. Omar Vizquel also has a good chance of getting the nod, as he is widely considered to be one of the best defensive shortstops in the history of the game.
Conclusion
The 2022 Hall of Fame class is sure to be an exciting one, as the BBWAA will have to choose from a wide pool of talented players. While Bonds, Clemens, and Schilling have the best chance of being inducted, there are several other candidates who have a chance of making it in as well. It will be interesting to see who is chosen to join the ranks of the greats in Cooperstown in 2022.