Eight former stars make 2026 Hall of Fame ballot as PED-tainted legends get another chance

Eight players whose primary impact came after 1980 have been placed on the ballot for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum’s Contemporary Baseball Era Committee. The nominees are Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Gary Sheffield, Carlos Delgado, Jeff Kent, Dale Murphy, Don Mattingly and Fernando Valenzuela.

Bonds, the all-time home run king, and Clemens, a seven-time Cy Young winner, are back on the ballot despite having been previously excluded—largely because of links to performance-enhancing drugs. Sheffield also faces similar scrutiny. Meanwhile Delgado, Kent, Murphy and Mattingly bring strong credentials, and Valenzuela is remembered for his breakout 1981 season in which he won both Rookie of the Year and the Cy Young Award.

A 16-member committee will vote and a 75 percent threshold is required for induction. The results will be announced on December 7, 2025.