Brewers legend Ryan Braun speaks before Game 5 of the NLCS on Oct. 11
Brewers great Ryan Braun was on hand at Game 5 of the NLDS at American Family Field on Oct. 11, 2025
The Baseball Writers Association of America Hall of Fame ballot arrived Nov. 17, and former Milwaukee Brewers star Ryan Braun is among the newcomers who will be up for consideration.
Braun was one of 12 first-time candidates, a list that also includes former Brewers pitcher Gio González. Former Brewers pitcher Francisco Rodríguez is a holdover from last year’s ballot.
Players on the list will need 75% of the vote to win election into the Hall of Fame, and they’ll remain on the ballot each year, as long as they receive 5% of the vote.
JUST IN: the new ballot for the Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2026!
12 first-time candidates join 15 holdovers. A player must receive 75% of votes from the BBWAA for election.
Results will be announced Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. pic.twitter.com/yjFDRQsaA5
— MLB (@MLB) November 17, 2025
For Braun, the latter number is the more interesting pursuit. Though he made six all-star teams, won an MVP and Rookie of the Year award and stands as the Brewers’ all-time leader in homers (352) with top-three placements in RBIs (second), slugging (third), runs (third), hits (third), doubles (second), total bases (second), triples (third) and stolen bases (third), his overall numbers don’t represent a traditional Hall of Fame resume.
And even if they did, there’s an even bigger hurdle to clear. Braun’s suspension for performance-enhancing drug usage and his famous denial almost certainly put him in the same camp as players like Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds. Those two are slam-dunk statistical Hall of Fame cases who have been denied enough votes, presumably due to their own connection to banned substances.
Braun, who was inducted into the Brewers Walk of Fame in 2024, has nonetheless authored some of the most iconic moments in Brewers history, including home runs in 2008 and 2011.
Players like Bonds and Clemens are no longer on the standard ballot and could only achieve induction at a later date through the various “era” committees, often described under the blanket term of the “Veterans Committee.”
In 2026, the committee that will submit names is the Contemporary Baseball Era committee, recognizing players whose greatest contributions were realized from 1980 to the present era (thus, Bonds and Clemens would be considered). The Contemporary Baseball Era/Managers-Executives-Umpires group will meet for the 2027 class, and the Classic Baseball Era group will meet for 2028 (recognizing players prior to 1980).
Other newcomers on this year’s BBWAA ballot are Shin-Soo Choo, Edwin Encarnación, Alex Gordon, Cole Hamels, Matt Kemp, Howie Kendrick, Nick Markakis, Daniel Murphy, Hunter Pence and Rick Porcello.
Holdovers from last year are Bobby Abreu, Carlos Beltrán, Mark Buehrle, Félix Hernández, Torii Hunter, Andruw Jones, Dustin Pedroia, Andy Pettitte, Manny Ramírez, Álex Rodríguez, Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Omar Vizquel and David Wright.
Beltrán was the closest call among last year’s near-misses, with 70.3% of the vote, and Jones had 66.2%. The BBWAA’s voting results will be announced at 5 p.m. CT on Jan. 20.
González played in Milwaukee at the end of 2018 and then in 2019, making 24 appearances and posting a 3.20 ERA.
The Brewers first acquired closer Francisco Rodríguez for the 2011 stretch run, and he had a 1.86 ERA for a team that reached the National League Championship Series. He returned to the Brewers in 2012, 2013 and again in 2014 after getting traded to the Orioles, making the all-star team in both 2014 and 2015 as a Brewer. He has a 2.91 ERA in 263 games with Milwaukee.