Jones, Thome among 5 poised for HOF following early ballot returns
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The 2018 Baseball Hall of Fame Class could be five deep.
With 38 percent of the estimated 424 ballots tabulated, Chipper Jones, Jim Thome, Trevor Hoffman, Vladimir Guerrero, and Edgar Martinez have been included on the minimum 75 percent of ballots needed to be elected into Cooperstown.
| Player | Vote % | Year on ballot |
|---|---|---|
| Chipper Jones | 98.8 | 1st |
| Jim Thome | 94.4 | 1st |
| Vlad Guerrero | 93.8 | 2nd |
| Edgar Martinez | 80.7 | 9th |
| Trevor Hoffman | 78.3 | 3rd |
(Courtesy: Ryan Thibodaux)
Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Mike Mussina, and Curt Schilling have all received notable raises on included ballots so far in this year's voting, but are expected to fall short of induction once again.
| Player | Vote % | Vote % 2017 | Year on ballot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mike Mussina | 73.3 | 51.8 | 5th |
| Barry Bonds | 69.6 | 53.8 | 6th |
| Roger Clemens | 69.6 | 54.1 | 6th |
| Curt Schilling | 67.1 | 45 | 6th |
The Hall of Fame announcement is set for Jan. 24, with induction scheduled for July 29. Former Detroit Tigers greats Jack Morris and Alan Trammell have already been elected into the 2018 class by the Modern Era Ballot.