The New York Yankees hold the record for the most inductees of any Major League Baseball team in the Baseball Hall of Fame, and they added to that total on Tuesday.
Though he is best known for his time with the New York Mets and Kansas City Royals, 20-year MLB center fielder Carlos Beltran also played for the New York Yankees and was officially elected into the Hall of Fame in his fourth year of eligibility.
“Beltran, a nine-time All-Star and a three-time Gold Glove winner, hit .279 during his 20-year career, with 2,725 hits, 435 homers, 1,582 runs and 312 stolen bases,” Bradford Doolittle wrote for ESPN. “Beltran, the 1999 AL Rookie of the Year with Kansas City, probably would have been elected during his first year or two of eligibility if not for his association with the Houston Astros’ sign-stealing scandal dating to their 2017 World Series-winning club.”
New York Yankees React To Carlos Beltran’s Hall Of Fame Win
Beltran was a member of the Yankees for three years, logging a .270/.327/.470 slash line in that time and leaving a strong impression on fans, the organization and fellow teammates. Shortly after news of his induction surfaced, he heard from the most legendary of those teammates when long-time Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter issued a statement of congratulations.
“Congrats Carlos,” Jeter said in a statement released by the Yankees on Tuesday.
“Carlos was a player that could do it all on the baseball field and one of the game’s great minds,” Jeter added in the statement. “He was an integral part of the success on every team he played for.”
New York Yankees’ Brian Cashman Responds To Latest Player Reaching Hall Of Fame
In addition to the Royals, Mets, Astros and Yankees, Beltran logged seasons with the San Francisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers. And his time across the majors was marked by more than just a high baseball IQ and standout statistics, as noted by the team’s general manager Brian Cashman.
“Carlos was an incredible all-around talent on the field, and the back of his baseball card speaks for itself.” Cashman said in the Yankees’ statement. “What shouldn’t be lost about his career is the impact he made on giving a stronger voice to Latin baseball players, including the way he spearheaded the effort to have Spanish language interpreters in every clubhouse.”
Another former Yankees came up short in the latest round of Hall of Fame voting, as pitcher Andy Pettite received just 48.5% support in his eighth time on the ballot. Long-time Yankees corner outfielder Brett Gardner will be a first-year ballot member next time around.