In the hallowed halls of Cooperstown, bronze plaques tell the stories of baseball’s immortals. But the beauty of baseball lies not just in its past, but in watching greatness unfold in real time—recognizing the legends walking among us before their stories are fully written. Today’s game brims with extraordinary talent that might someday earn baseball’s highest honor1.
Some stars have already built compelling cases through sustained excellence, while others flash such rare brilliance that even their early careers hint at immortality. From established veterans putting finishing touches on Cooperstown-worthy résumés to young phenoms redefining what’s possible on a baseball diamond, the current landscape offers a fascinating preview of future induction ceremonies.
29. Shane Bieber – Cleveland Guardians
Shane Bieber burst onto the scene with a Cy Young Award2 that announced his arrival among baseball’s elite pitchers. His devastating four-seam fastball and knuckle-curve combination create one of the most unhittable arsenals in baseball.
Bieber’s 2020 Triple Crown performance demonstrated his ceiling as a dominant ace. His ability to generate swings and misses at elite rates while maintaining excellent command gives him the foundation for a potential Hall of Fame career.
28. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. – Toronto Blue Jays
Baseball royalty by birth, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has established his own legacy through prodigious power and remarkable bat control. His 2021 season—48 home runs, .311 average, 167 OPS+—demonstrated his ceiling as perhaps the game’s best pure hitter.
At just 25, Guerrero has already made three All-Star teams and accumulated significant counting stats. His combination of power and contact ability recalls his Hall of Fame father with an even more advanced approach.
27. Sandy Alcantara – Miami Marlins
Sandy Alcantara‘s 2022 Cy Young season4 reminded baseball of the value of old-school durability. His ability to pitch deep into games while maintaining elite performance represents a throwback to baseball’s golden age of complete games.
What makes Alcantara’s case intriguing is his combination of modern stuff with traditional approach. His willingness to pitch 220+ innings while maintaining sub-3.00 ERAs provides tremendous value in today’s bullpen-heavy environment.
26. José Ramírez – Cleveland Guardians
José Ramírez embodies baseball’s modern ideal: a switch-hitting infielder who combines power, speed, and defensive versatility. Despite his unimposing physical stature, Ramírez has produced like a superstar, accumulating over 50 WAR by age 31 through consistent excellence.
What makes Ramírez’s case compelling is his complete skill set. He’s produced four 30-homer seasons, stolen 20+ bases six times, and played multiple infield positions at an above-average level throughout his career.
25. Bryce Harper – Philadelphia Phillies
Baseball’s most marketable star has backed up the hype with substance. Since his 2012 Rookie of the Year campaign, Harper has collected two MVP awards and seven All-Star selections, evolving from teenage phenom to mature superstar.
Harper’s 2021 MVP season and heroics during the Phillies’ 2022 pennant run showcased his ability to carry a team. With nearly 50 WAR before age 30, Harper has both peak performance and counting stats to make Cooperstown inevitable.
24. Francisco Lindor – New York Mets
Francisco Lindor combines statistical excellence with the intangible qualities that define franchise cornerstones. Since his 2015 debut, Lindor has accumulated over 45 WAR through his rare combination of switch-hitting power and defensive brilliance at shortstop.
Beyond the numbers, Lindor’s leadership and charisma have made him the face of two franchises. His infectious energy and clutch performances in meaningful games add significant value to his Hall of Fame case.
23. Walker Buehler – Los Angeles Dodgers
Walker Buehler represents the modern prototype of the playoff ace. His postseason performances, including crucial starts during the Dodgers’ 2020 World Series championship, have showcased his ability to excel in baseball’s highest-pressure moments.
While injury concerns have limited Buehler’s recent availability, his peak performance demonstrates Hall of Fame-caliber ability. His career playoff ERA under 3.00 and reputation as a big-game pitcher provide intangible value that strengthens his case.
22. Rafael Devers – Boston Red Sox
Rafael Devers has established himself as one of baseball’s premier power hitters while still in his mid-20s. Since his 2017 debut, Devers has demonstrated elite bat speed and natural power that have produced multiple 30+ home run seasons.
What strengthens Devers’ long-term outlook is his continued improvement. Initially a defensive liability at third base, he’s worked to become adequate defensively while maintaining his offensive production throughout his development.
21. Jacob deGrom – Texas Rangers
Jacob deGrom‘s peak might represent the highest level of pitching dominance in modern baseball history. His consecutive Cy Young Awards featured ERA marks that seemed impossible in today’s offensive environment.
When healthy, deGrom combines triple-digit fastballs with devastating sliders that make hitters look helpless. His career 2.05 ERA ranks among the lowest in baseball history for pitchers with significant innings.
20. Cody Bellinger – Chicago Cubs
Cody Bellinger‘s career represents one of baseball’s most fascinating trajectories. After winning Rookie of the Year and MVP awards by age 23, Bellinger experienced a decline before reinventing himself with the Cubs.
Bellinger’s versatility and his resurgence in Chicago suggest a player with the adaptability to build a compelling Hall of Fame case. With over 30 WAR before age 30, he has time to accumulate the counting stats that strengthen credentials.
19. Aaron Judge – New York Yankees
Aaron Judge has transformed from late-blooming prospect to the face of baseball’s most storied franchise. His 2022 American League record of 62 home runs represents the kind of singular achievement that resonates through baseball history.
Standing 6’7″ with surprising athleticism, Judge combines prodigious power with remarkable plate discipline. Since 2017, he’s produced at an MVP level whenever healthy, posting a career OPS+ over 160.
18. Bobby Witt Jr. – Kansas City Royals
Bobby Witt Jr. combines the bloodlines of a baseball family with five-tool ability that’s increasingly rare at shortstop. His sophomore **2023 campaign—30 home runs, 49 stolen bases—**demonstrated his ceiling as a franchise cornerstone.
What makes Witt’s potential so exciting is his rapid development curve. After a solid rookie season, he made substantial improvements across all facets in year two, suggesting a player still discovering his abilities.
17. Riley Greene – Detroit Tigers
Riley Greene represents the prototype of the modern five-tool outfielder. Despite injury setbacks early in his career, Greene has demonstrated the rare combination of hitting ability, power potential, and defensive range that creates All-Star outfielders.
While Greene’s Hall of Fame case remains more projection than production, his ceiling is undeniable. Players who demonstrate his level of natural hitting ability in their early 20s often develop into offensive forces.
16. Joey Votto – Cincinnati Reds
Joey Votto‘s career represents a masterclass in plate discipline and offensive efficiency. For a decade, Votto was arguably baseball’s most complete hitter, combining elite on-base skills with substantial power. His .409 career on-base percentage ranks among the highest in modern history.
What makes Votto’s case compelling is how he revolutionized hitting approaches. Before “controlling the strike zone” became baseball’s mantra, Votto was demonstrating its value through selective aggression and patient hitting.
15. Jazz Chisholm Jr. – Miami Marlins
Jazz Chisholm Jr. represents one of baseball’s most electric talents. His combination of power, speed, and defensive versatility makes him a unique player in today’s game. Chisholm plays with a flair and confidence that draws fans’ attention.
While injuries and consistency issues have limited Chisholm’s production, his ceiling remains tantalizing. His willingness to move from middle infield to center field demonstrates the athletic versatility that could extend his career.
14. Fernando Tatis Jr. – San Diego Padres
Few players in baseball history have combined Fernando Tatis Jr.‘s flair for the dramatic with his statistical excellence. Despite setbacks including injuries and a PED suspension, Tatis has demonstrated Hall of Fame talent when on the field.
Tatis plays baseball like he’s the main character in a sports movie—launching impossible-angle home runs and making defensive plays that defy physics. His charisma and marketability have made him one of the faces of baseball’s new generation.
13. Max Scherzer – Texas Rangers
Max Scherzer‘s Hall of Fame case is essentially complete, awaiting only the formality of retirement. With three Cy Young Awards, over 3,200 strikeouts, and a no-hitter collection, Scherzer has assembled one of the most dominant pitching résumés of the modern era.
What makes Scherzer’s legacy secure is his remarkable consistency across multiple franchises. His postseason heroics, including crucial starts during Washington’s 2019 World Series run, demonstrate his ability to rise to baseball’s biggest moments.
12. Yordan Alvarez – Houston Astros
Yordan Alvarez might be the most feared hitter in baseball. His career 164 OPS+ ranks among the highest marks in modern history, and his combination of plate discipline and raw power makes pitchers visibly uncomfortable. Since his 2019 Rookie of the Year campaign, Alvarez has been central to Houston’s dynasty. His postseason heroics, including clutch home runs in the 2022 championship run, showcase his ability to deliver in the highest-pressure situations.
11. Corbin Burnes – Baltimore Orioles
Corbin Burnes has emerged as one of baseball’s most dominant strikeout pitchers through his devastating cutter-curveball combination. His Cy Young Award and multiple All-Star selections demonstrate his peak performance while maintaining elite strikeout rates.
Burnes’ transition from reliever to ace showcases his adaptability and work ethic. His career strikeout rates rank among the highest in baseball history, making him particularly effective in today’s power-heavy environment.
10. Julio Rodríguez – Seattle Mariners
Julio Rodríguez burst onto the scene with a Rookie of the Year campaign in 2022 that announced the arrival of baseball’s next superstar. His rare combination of power, speed, and defensive excellence in center field gives him one of the highest ceilings in baseball.
Through age 23, Rodríguez has already accumulated nearly 10 WAR and shown the ability to carry a team. His infectious personality and marketability add the intangible elements that create baseball legends.
9. Nolan Arenado – St. Louis Cardinals
Nolan Arenado has redefined third base defense while providing consistent offensive production. His ten consecutive Gold Gloves represent one of the most impressive defensive streaks in baseball history, and his career 122 OPS+ demonstrates above-average offensive value.
What strengthens Arenado’s candidacy is how he’s answered the “Coors Field question” by maintaining his production after leaving Colorado. His defensive brilliance provides value that transcends statistical measurement and forms a legitimate Hall of Fame case.
8. Ronald Acuña Jr. – Atlanta Braves
Baseball has never seen a season quite like Ronald Acuña Jr.‘s 2023 campaign, when he became the first player to combine 40+ home runs with 70+ stolen bases. This wasn’t just breaking a statistical barrier—it was shattering our conception of what’s physically possible.
At just 26, Acuña has already accumulated over 30 WAR and an MVP award. His combination of explosive power and elite speed makes him baseball’s most electrifying talent with limitless potential.
7. Mookie Betts – Los Angeles Dodgers
Mookie Betts embodies baseball’s modern ideal: a five-tool superstar who excels in every facet of the game. With two World Series rings, an MVP award, and six Gold Gloves, Betts has built a résumé that already approaches Hall of Fame standards.
What separates Betts is his chameleon-like adaptability. He’s transformed from Gold Glove outfielder to elite second baseman while maintaining his offensive production. His career 135 OPS+ and defensive versatility make him invaluable.
6. Logan Webb – San Francisco Giants
Logan Webb represents the next generation of Giants pitching excellence. His sinker-slider combination generates exceptional ground ball rates while maintaining strikeout ability. Webb’s emergence as San Francisco’s ace demonstrates his capacity to handle pressure.
Webb’s postseason performances, including dominant starts during the Giants’ 2021 division title run, showcase his ability to rise to crucial moments. His combination of stuff, command, and mental toughness provides the foundation for sustained success.
5. Shohei Ohtani – Los Angeles Dodgers
Shohei Ohtani has accomplished something baseball thought impossible: becoming an elite two-way player in the modern era. His unique combination of 40+ home run power and ace-level pitching creates a player unlike any in baseball history.
What makes Ohtani’s Hall of Fame case fascinating is its unprecedented nature. No player has combined his level of hitting and pitching excellence since Babe Ruth, making him baseball’s most unique talent.
4. Luis Robert Jr. – Chicago White Sox
Luis Robert Jr. possesses the raw tools that create Hall of Fame outfielders. His combination of elite sprint speed, tremendous power, and defensive instincts in center field gives him one of the highest ceilings in baseball.
The challenge for Robert’s Cooperstown case lies in health and consistency. However, his per-game production suggests a player capable of MVP-caliber seasons if he can stay healthy through his prime years.
3. Mike Trout – Los Angeles Angels
Mike Trout‘s plaque in Cooperstown already seems cast, awaiting only the formality of retirement. With three MVP awards and over 85 WAR by age 31, Trout has assembled a résumé that would warrant induction even if he never played another game.
His combination of power, speed, defense, and batting eye makes him this generation’s most complete player. Despite playing for mediocre Angels teams, his career 176 OPS+ ranks among the top ten marks in baseball history.
2. Gerrit Cole – New York Yankees
Gerrit Cole has established himself as one of baseball’s premier pitchers through devastating fastball-slider combinations and remarkable consistency. Since joining the Yankees, Cole has maintained elite strikeout rates while demonstrating the durability that defines ace-level pitchers.
Cole’s ability to dominate in the game’s biggest markets and highest-pressure situations adds to his Hall of Fame credentials. With over 40 WAR and counting, Cole is building a compelling case through both peak performance and sustained excellence.
1. Adley Rutschman – Baltimore Orioles
Adley Rutschman represents the prototype of the modern catcher—combining defensive excellence with offensive production that would be valuable at any position. Since his 2022 debut, Rutschman has transformed the Orioles from rebuilding afterthought to contender.
As a switch-hitting catcher with power and elite defensive ability, Rutschman possesses a skill set rarely seen in baseball history. His comprehensive understanding of the game suggests a player who will continue improving throughout his career.
