2025 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot released: Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia join Alex Rodriguez, Billy Wagner, more

The ballot for the 2025 Baseball Hall of Fame vote is finally here. The BBWAA ballot, considered the traditional vote, was released Monday and includes newcomers like Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia, Dustin Pedroia, Carlos Gonzalez, Hanley Ramirez and Félix Hernández. That’s on top of returning former players like Alex Rodriguez, Billy Wagner, Carlos Beltrán and more.

Any player who has been retired for five seasons is eligible for the ballot. Players getting at least 75% of the vote will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in a ceremony next summer. Those who get at least 5% of the vote get to hang around on the ballot for up to 10 years. There are 14 returning players on the ballot, including Wagner, the elite closer who was just percentage points away from induction last cycle but is down to his last chance in 2025.

Suzuki, of course, is the highlight. The 2001 MVP didn’t come over from Japan until age 27 and still compiled 3,089 hits in his 19 MLB seasons along with 1,420 runs and 509 stolen bases. The question for Suzuki isn’t if he gets in, but whether or not it’s unanimous.

Other new candidates include Fernando Rodney, Ian Kinsler, Ben Zobrist, Troy Tulowitzki, Russell Martin, Brian McCann, Curtis Granderson and Adam Jones.

Here are the holdovers, or those who remain on the ballot after not making it in last cycle — and not falling off. 

Votes are due by the end of the year (mail-in ballots must be postmarked by Dec. 31) and the results will be revealed on Tuesday, Jan. 21, at 6 p.m. ET. 

The classic baseball era vote is also on the calendar for next month at the Winter Meetings. Anyone selected from that ballot will also be inducted into Cooperstown next summer.