Virtual locks (4): Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Dave Roberts<\/p>\n
The three position players are no-brainers. Ohtani has the second-most MVP Awards of all-time and is still in his early 30s. Winning two titles with the Dodgers has likely cemented the reality that he will go into Cooperstown with a plaque featuring an LA logo on his hat.<\/p>\n
The same can be said for Betts. Since coming over from Boston, he\u2019s been arguably the biggest building block in the culture change from the Dodgers being a perennial division winner to becoming the class of Major League Baseball. In LA, Betts has won three World Series titles and made four All-Star teams.<\/p>\n
Freeman\u2019s case is self-explanatory. He\u2019s arguably the greatest pure hitter of his generation. It\u2019s not out of the realm to see him get to the 3,000-hit mark in a Dodgers uniform. While he likely will end his career playing more years in Atlanta with the Braves, his best moments are in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n
The heater he went on during the 2024 World Series versus the New York Yankees was truly legendary. Freeman\u2019s homer in in the 18th inning during Game 3 of the 2025 World Series was icing on the proverbial cake.<\/p>\n
Given the respect he has for his time in Atlanta, Freeman going into Cooperstown with a logo-less hat would not be shocking in the slightest.<\/p>\n
Lastly, there\u2019s Roberts \u2014 a man whose been criticized at times by the fan base. No one can take away the fact that he\u2019s only one of 11 managers with at least three World Series titles. There\u2019s a real possibility he adds to that number before eventually retiring. Say what you will about his tactical acumen or bullpen decision-making, but there\u2019s not another manager that goes to bat for his players the way Roberts does. He\u2019s as player-friendly a skipper as there\u2019s been in years.<\/p>\n
Firmly in the mix (3): Blake Snell, Will Smith, Edwin Diaz<\/p>\n
It might be unlikely for Snell to make the Hall of Fame. At 33 years of age, he does have a 81-62 career record. Helping his case is the fact he\u2019s won two Cy Young Awards. There\u2019s still ample time for him to beef up his resume in LA with four more years left on his deal.<\/p>\n
Smith weirdly still remains one of the most underrated players in the sport. Operating with a quiet, workmanlike approach, Smith is a career .264 hitter at arguably the most grueling position to play. The three-time All-Star has been a core member of three World Series teams. At only 30 years of age, there\u2019s still plenty of time for him to rack up both All-Star appearances and World Series rings.<\/p>\n
Diaz ranks No. 38 all-time in saves. At only 31 years old, the hard-throwing reliever is in a perfect spot to gobble up saves with the league\u2019s most prolific team. Getting to 300 career saves in 2026 is a very feasible goal.<\/p>\n
On the right track (1): Yoshinobu Yamamoto<\/p>\n
It might sound ridiculous to include Yamamoto at this stage in his MLB career. He\u2019s only two years in \u2014 though those two seasons have been spectacular.<\/p>\n
The two-time World Series champion has a 19-10 career record with a 2.66 ERA. He\u2019s firmly established himself as one of the best pitchers in baseball at the age of 25. Oh yeah \u2014 and he\u2019s coming off a historic postseason run in 2025 where he willed his team to victory in the most unselfish way possible.<\/p>\n
Assuming he can stay healthy, Yamamoto has the look of a dominant pitcher for years to come.<\/p>\n
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