On Monday morning, the MLB announced the new ballot for the Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2026. Per Bob Nightengale, 12 new players join the ballot with the 15 holdovers. The Texas Rangers have a couple players who are joining the ballot for the first time.
Shin-Soo Choo and Cole Hamels Join the HOF Ballot
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Shin-Soo Choo joined the Rangers in 2014, and spent the final seven seasons of his MLB career in Arlington. He started his journey in 2005 with the Seattle Mariners, before spending a bulk of his prime with Cleveland. However, he played the most games with Texas.
Choo was a staple and a big contributor in the Rangers’ playoff runs in 2015 and 2016. In 2015, he hit .276 with 22 home runs and 82 RBIs. His power received an uptick with Texas. He’s hit the second-most leadoff home runs in franchise history with 25, only trailing Ian Kinsler.
He was also named an All-Star in his age 35 season in 2018. He was consistently one of the best hitters each year he was with the Rangers. Although he split his career with Cleveland and Texas, he could go into the Hall of Fame as a Ranger. He quickly became a fan favorite in Arlington, and was always appreciated.
Cole Hamels had a brief stint with Texas. He spent the first 10 seasons of his career with the Philadephia Phillies. He was named the 2008 World Series MVP and finished top six in Cy Young voting three times. He was traded to the Rangers in 2015.
He made an immediate impact, posting a 7-1 record with a 3.66 ERA, making a formidable pairing with Yu Darvish at the top of the rotation. In 2016, he was named an All-Star, striking out 200 hitters for the fifth time in his career.
He was a large reason the Rangers had a 95-67 record in 2016, the second most regular season wins in franchise history. He spent four seasons in Texas before being traded to the Chicago Cubs at the 2018 trade deadline. He will likely go in as a Phillie, but he had some memorable seasons with Texas.
Choo and Hamels join Ryan Braun, Edwin Encarnacion, Gio Gonzalez, Alex Gordon, Matt Kemp, Howie Kendrick, Nick Markakis, Daniel Murphy, Hunter Pence, and Rick Porcello as the new candidates. A player must receive 75% of votes from the BBWAA for election.
The results will be announced Tuesday, January 20, 2026.
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