Which active MLB players will make the Hall of Fame? Ranking the top Cooperstown cases

The 2026 MLB Hall of Fame ceremony is set for July 26, and between that and one of the best pitchers in MLB history announcing he’ll retire at the end of the 2026 season, it’s gotten us thinking about which current players will make it to Cooperstown when their careers are all said and done. 

Some are already certain to receive a plaque, while others still need a few more productive seasons to turn an intriguing resume into an undeniable one.

Ranking the strongest Hall of Fame cases among active MLB players

With SeatGeek serving as the Official Ticket Marketplace of MLB, we’ve identified 20 of the biggest names in baseball who are all at least 32 years old who have legitimate Hall of Fame cases and break down their percentage chance of being immortalized in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. 

Justin Verlander: 100%

We’ll start with Verlander, who recently announced he will retire after this season. That will officially start his Hall of Fame clock, and given what he’s accomplished over 21 years, he’ll certainly hear his name called after five years. Verlander won’t reach 300 wins (he has 266), but the rest of his accolades speak for themselves. He has 83.3 bWAR, a 3.33 ERA, three Cy Youngs, an MVP, a Triple Crown, two ERA titles, 10 All-Star nods and two World Series titles. He, Clayton Kershaw and our next name made up an incredible Big Three of their era, and Verlander will follow Kershaw’s lead into Cooperstown after an incredible career. 

Max Scherzer: 100%

Scherzer, Verlander and Kershaw all jockeyed for the No. 1 pitcher spot each year for a decade-plus. Scherzer also nabbed three Cy Youngs as well as two World Series titles while making eight All-Star nods. His 3.27 ERA is better than Verlander’s, and he was a better strikeout artist at 10.6 K/9 while also reaching the 3,500-strikeout mark. “Mad Max” was as dominant as they come, and he’ll be a worthy inductee into Cooperstown when his time comes – perhaps the same time as his former Detroit teammate Verlander. 

Mike Trout: 100%

Trout’s career is, unfortunately, a bit of a “what if?” If he’d stayed healthy from 2021 onward, what would his numbers be like? He almost certainly would have crossed the 500-home run mark already, but he has more than 400 with an OPS of .971 and more than 200 stolen bases. Trout also is a former Rookie of the Year, three-time MVP, nine-time Silver Slugger and 12-time All-Star. Even with injuries derailing things basically since turning 30, Trout has had a legendary Angels career that will result in him being a clear first-ballot Hall of Famer. At this point, it’ll be interesting to see how much longer he plays and if – likely when – he hits his 500th home run. 

Shohei Ohtani: 100%

Ohtani has already accumulated nearly 60 career bWAR in just nine seasons, and he’s truly in a league of his own in terms of what he can – and has – done on a baseball field. He just hit his 300th career home run, and his return to the mound on a full-time basis has been excellent. Ohtani has won four MVPs and is likely going to win his fifth this year. Only Barry Bonds has more. It would have been fun to see what Ohtani could have done on the mound on a regular basis had he stayed healthy for the majority of his career, but a career sub-3 ERA over 114 starts is nothing to scoff at by any means. If he retired today, Ohtani would be first-ballot, I have no doubt. 

Aaron Judge: 100%

Judge’s career may well rival Trout’s at this point. He has a career OPS over 1.000, has as many MVP awards (three) and is also knocking on the 400-homer mark at 385. His offensive peak is as good – or better – than nearly everyone in MLB history. Judge is 34 but should have some more great years left to reach 400 and 500 homers. Judge will also be a top contender to win his fourth MVP next year, and really all he’s missing at this point is a World Series ring. 

Freddie Freeman: 95% 

Freeman has been an absolute force and rock-steady stud over the course of his 17-year career. He’s won an MVP, three World Series titles and has a chance to finish his career with a .300+ batting average. Freeman is also flirting with a career .900 OPS. The star first baseman has been a beacon of consistency, and while he’s typically not the biggest home run threat around, he hits 25 to 30 home runs nearly every year and, as a result, he should hit his 400th home run next year. Freeman looks the part of a Hall of Famer, and having those three World Series rings, including a World Series MVP award, certainly doesn't hurt. 

Bryce Harper: 90%

Harper being a two-time MVP certainly helps his case, as does a career OPS over .900. He’s knocking on the door of 400 home runs, and that he still has 30-homer power could help him reach the coveted 500-homer threshold that nearly assures one’s place in the Hall of Fame. That some seem to think Harper underperformed relative to the hype that followed him being a No. 1 overall pick is just crazy to me. I think if Trout had not debuted at the same time and done the things he’s done, Harper would be seen in a very different light. That being said, he has an extremely strong Hall of Fame case, though a World Series ring – the one accolade Harper doesn’t have – could tie a bow on his candidacy. Even without one, I think Harper will ultimately wind up in Cooperstown.

Mookie Betts: 90%

Betts’ career has been incredible, even if his overall production has really started to take a dive in recent years. He’s a former MVP, has won four World Series titles between his time in Boston and L.A., six Gold Gloves, seven Silver Sluggers and eight All-Star nods. He’s not the offensive force Freeman or Harper have been, but he’s been an incredible hitter, elite defender at multiple spots and one of the best all-around performers of his generation, even if these last two seasons have been sub-standard by Betts’ massive standards.

Jose Altuve: 85%

Altuve will be a real controversial candidate when he hits the ballot. On one hand, Altuve is a former MVP, multi-time World Series winner and has put up elite offensive numbers for the majority of his Astros career at a position that isn’t known for offensive prowess. On the other hand, there’s that whole sign-stealing scandal. Voters “punished” Carlos Beltran for his involvement there by voting him in on his fourth attempt, so maybe that’s what will happen with Altuve. But Beltran was at the end of his career during that situation in 2017 while Altuve was in his prime and won MVP and his first World Series. The numbers and career certainly reflect a worthy Hall of Famer, but voters will certainly have an interesting decision to make either way. 

Chris Sale: 80%

From 2010 to 2018, few pitchers were as dominant as Sale, who went from a reliever to ace-level pitcher between his time with the White Sox and Red Sox. Injuries started to play a big role in his career in 2018, and between 2020 and 2022, he made only 11 starts. His 20 starts in Boston in 2023 left a lot to be desired, and Sale was shipped to the Braves. That move revitalized his career as Sale won the Cy Young with a Triple Crown season in 2024, and he’s been extremely dominant the last two years as well. Elite lefty starters like Sale are rare, as is his career 11.1 K/9 and 2.97 ERA. Some numbers don’t stack up with Hall of Famers of the past, but in terms of today’s era of baseball, Sale, 37, certainly stands out and is worthy of induction, especially with at least 1-3 more strong seasons. 

Gerrit Cole: 80%

Sale has roughly 17 more bWAR than Cole, but this percentage/projection is banking on the next few years of Cole’s career being elite. The former Cy Young winner is an elite pitcher who can punch tickets (10.3 K/9), eat innings and limit runs. Pitching in the hitter-friendly AL East (especially in New York at Yankee Stadium) hasn’t slowed him down, either, as his 3.17 ERA as a Yankee is better than the 3.50 mark he had as a Pirate. How Cole does the next few years after Tommy John remains to be seen, but I’d be bullish on Cole given how dominant and consistent he’s been since debuting in 2013. He’s been one of the best No. 1 overall picks in MLB history, especially when it comes to pitchers taken first overall. 

Jose Ramirez: 75% 

I was hoping Ramirez would stay healthy in 2026 to take advantage of Judge’s injury and potentially win his first MVP award, but then the star third baseman landed on the IL with a broken bone in his hand. Ramirez has had some MVP-worthy years of his own with the Guardians, but he’s never taken home the hardware. But the switch-hitter has been a steady high-end performer when it comes to average (.278), homers (295) and stolen bases (311). His game translates well for the next few years, and considering he doesn’t turn 34 until later this year, Ramirez should put up some massive numbers and get to 400 homers. And considering what he’s done on the bases, Ramirez very well could get to the 400-homer and 400-stolen base club.

Nolan Arenado: 75% 

Arenado has been a premier two-way player for much of his career, putting up gaudy offensive numbers over his first 10+ seasons while earning 10 straight Gold Gloves to begin his career. At a premium defensive position like third base, those Gold Gloves matter a ton. But Arenado did the bulk of his damage at hitter-friendly Coors Field, and while he had two very good years for the Cardinals after his Rockies tenure ended, his next four seasons were anywhere from below average to slightly above average. Arenado’s peak is hard to argue against, and I think his defensive wizardry will help him eventually get in, but he’s not a slam-dunk “yes” like you may think. 

Manny Machado: 70%

I’d always felt that Machado would have a stronger case than the other elite third basemen of his era, but after more digging, I’m not so sure. He doesn’t have the defensive pedigree of Arenado, and his offensive numbers – while elite – aren’t of the same caliber of Ramirez. He’s OPSing a hair over .800, hitting .275 and should hit his 400th home run either late this year or early in 2027. Machado is still just 34 years old, so he has a lot of time left to bolster his case. At this stage, it’s just not as strong as Arenado’s or Ramirez’s, but he could well overtake Arenado with a few stronger years, though he’s barely hitting .200 in 2026. 

Kyle Schwarber: 70%

I think Schwarber’s candidacy really comes down to one main thing – longevity. He’s knocking on the door of 400 home runs and is still just 33 years old. Additionally, he’s clearly still in his prime, having hit 46 or more home runs two of the last three seasons, and he ended the first half with the most home runs in all of baseball. The universal DH will certainly help Schwarber’s case, as will the fact that DH-only players like Edgar Martinez and David Ortiz have made the Hall of Fame in recent years. I think 500+ home runs will get Schwarber in, and at this rate, I’d be surprised if he doesn’t reach that number. With 30+ home runs over the next four seasons, he’d get there. He’ll be a somewhat controversial candidate, for sure, considering he’s currently a career .233 hitter who leans on walks and homers to do his damage, but 500+ home runs and playing on competitive teams with regular postseason heroics could very well vault Schwarber into the Hall. 

Giancarlo Stanton: 65%

Stanton is in a very similar boat to Schwarber, but with some different factors. For starters, Stanton is a former MVP, so he has some hardware that the Philly star does not. Stanton also has some memorable moments as a fielder, which can’t be said of Schwarber. But Stanton’s career has largely fallen off a cliff due to injury. He’s accumulated more than 1 bWAR just twice since 2019, and he’s been far less available than Schwarber and other names we’ve broken down and will continue to break down here. Stanton has been a better pure hitter than Schwarber over the course of his career, but the guy can barely move and frequent elbow issues make it hard for him to even swing a bat. At 456 home runs right now and just one year left on his current deal, it seems unlikely that the 36-year-old Stanton will reach 500 homers. He’s had two very different careers between his Marlins tenure and his time with the Yankees, and the latter may be more front of mind for voters when Stanton’s name hits the ballot, which could put a dent in his chances. 

Paul Goldschmidt: 65% 

Goldschmidt is arguably the most underrated player of his generation when it comes to hitters. A former MVP, “Goldy” has a career 136 OPS+ and nearly 400 career home runs with an .880 OPS and .287 average. He was a premier offensive force when it came to home runs, RBIs, and he’s swiped 185 bags as well. Goldschmidt was also a premier defender at first base. His numbers don’t quite match up with Freeman or Harper in terms of peak mixed with elite-level longevity, but Goldschmidt is going to be an awfully interesting case. It helps that he’s had a bit of a resurgent year with the Yankees after a poor 2025 showing and sub-standard 2024 campaign in his last year in St. Louis. 

Francisco Lindor: 60%

Lindor is a fantastic shortstop who has been a great and steady performer over the course of his career. His numbers have dipped overall since the blockbuster trade that sent Lindor from Cleveland to the Mets, and his New York OPS is under .800. Lindor has still had some great years overall for New York, though, be it hitting for average, power and even stealing bases. The production he’s had coupled with manning a premium defensive position at shortstop make Lindor a very intriguing Hall of Fame candidate. At this point, I need to see more from Lindor over the course of the next few seasons, but it’s easy to forget Lindor is just 32 years old and is signed through 2031, so he’s in a good position to really strengthen his case, especially the next two to three years. 

Jacob deGrom: 40%

Few pitchers have had the kind of peak deGrom had. His 2018 and 2019 seasons were unreal with back to back Cy Youngs, more than 500 strikeouts, a 2.05 ERA, sub-1 WHIP and just 6.5 hits per nine. deGrom has still been excellent the rest of his career, which makes sense considering he has a career 2.63 ERA and the best strikeout to walk rate in MLB history. Injuries have cost deGrom a ton of time over his career, and I think that may be too much for him to overcome, especially as he’s 38 and doesn’t even have 300 career starts under his belt. But in terms of Hall of Fun, deGrom was as fun as anyone at the height of his powers. 

Aroldis Chapman: 35%

Something I’m very interested in moving forward is how Hall of Fame voters view relievers. Guys like Mariano Rivera, Trevor Hoffman, Rollie Fingers and Dennis Eckersley making the Hall make plenty of sense, but some great closers haven’t lasted the longest on the ballot. Additionally, some teams have done away with the “closer” role, opting to use their best relievers at more opportune times during a game rather than saving them for the ninth inning. Do total saves matter? If not, what other numbers do? That’s where Chapman is such an interesting name. 

Tall flame-throwing lefties like Chapman are rare, and he’s one of the more historic relievers ever when it comes to velocity numbers. The Cuban lefty has a 2.51 ERA, 386 saves, 14.5 K/9 and 5.3 H/9 rates. He’s elite when he takes the hill. But voters can be weird when it comes to relievers, and Chapman bouncing around from team to team, as well as off-field legal issues, could put a dent in his candidacy, too. But I could see Chapman being a name that sticks around the ballot and eventually sneak past that 75% threshold.