On Tuesday, Derek Jeter and Larry Walker became the two newest members of the Baseball Hall of Fame. They will join Ted Simmons and Marvin Miller, who were voted in by the Modern Era Committee, as the Class of 2020.
Here’s a look at the players who will be eligible on next year’s ballot for the first time. While there are no surefire Hall of Fame candidates in the group, some should be able to at least stay on the ballot by receiving at least five percent of the votes. The list of players were taken from the Baseball Hall of Fame website.
Mark Buehrle (White Sox 2000-11, Marlins 2012, Blue Jays 2013-15)
Over 16 seasons (the first 12 with the White Sox), Buehrle compiled a 214-160 record with a 3.81 ERA. The five-time All-Star led the AL in WHIP in 2001. According to Baseball-Reference, his 161 wins with Chicago are the sixth-most in franchise history.
A.J. Burnett (Marlins 1999-2005, Blue Jays 2006-08, Yankees 2009-11, Pirates 2012-13, 2015, Phillies 2014)
Burnett won at least 10 games in each year from 2005-13 and made his only All-Star appearance in his last year (2015). He led the AL with 231 strikeouts in 2008 and threw a no-hitter while with the Marlins in 2001.