Jeff Kent has earned his place in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. The longtime infielder, renowned for his offensive achievements at second base, was selected by the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee, receiving 14 of 16 votes, surpassing the 12-vote threshold required for induction. Hall of Fame President Josh Rawitch announced the news at the Winter Meetings in Orlando on Sunday.
Kent enjoyed a 17-year Major League career spanning six teams, including the Toronto Blue Jays, New York Mets, Cleveland Indians, San Francisco Giants, Houston Astros, and Los Angeles Dodgers. While his early years were solid but unspectacular, his career truly blossomed after joining San Francisco in 1997 at age 29.
Over six seasons with the Giants, the 57-year-old posted a bWAR of 31.6, contributing 175 home runs and 689 RBI while slashing .297/.368/.535. He excelled as a right-handed hitter in a ballpark often challenging for righties and utilized the gaps effectively, hitting 247 of his career 560 doubles in San Francisco.
Kent’s peak came in the early 2000s, earning five All-Star selections, four Silver Sluggers, and the 2000 National League MVP. That year, he posted a .334/.424/.596 slash line with 33 home runs and 125 RBI while playing alongside Giants teammate Barry Bonds. Kent’s 1,518 career RBI ranks third among second basemen, and his 377 home runs make him the all-time leader at the position.
Overall, Kent finished his career with a .290/.356/.500 slash line, 2,461 hits, 560 doubles, 1,320 runs, and 55.4 WAR. According to JAWS, he is ranked among the top 22 second basemen in history.
After 10 years on the BBWAA ballot, Kent’s vote share peaked at 46.5% in 2023, but his candidacy fell short of the 75% needed for election. Nonetheless, the Contemporary Era Committee recognized his contributions, making him the only candidate elected from a ballot that included Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Carlos Delgado, Don Mattingly, Dale Murphy, Gary Sheffield, and Fernando Valenzuela.
Delgado received nine votes, while Mattingly and Murphy each earned six. Bonds, Clemens, Sheffield, and Valenzuela received fewer than five votes, rendering them ineligible for the next Contemporary Era ballot in 2028 under a new rule. Bonds and Clemens, in particular, may not appear again until 2031.
Kent will be formally inducted into the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown on July 26, 2026, alongside BBWAA-selected players including Carlos Beltran, Ryan Braun, Cole Hamels, and others.
