Scott Rolen Is Only MLB Player Voted into 2023 Baseball Hall of Fame Class

In his sixth year of eligibility, Scott Rolen was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame by the narrowest of margins.

Rolen was one of the greatest third basemen of his generation. In his 17-year career with the Phillies, Cardinals, Blue Jays, and Reds, Rolen was an All-Star seven times. He won eight Gold Gloves, the fourth-most for a third baseman ever.

Rolen also won the 1997 National League Rookie of the Year and was a part of the Cardinal’s World Series win in 2006.

On Tuesday, he was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on his sixth try. He was named on 297 ballots counting for 76.3% of the votes, making him the only player that the Baseball Writers’ Association of America voted for this year.

Scott Rolen Voted Into the Baseball Hall of Fame

In order to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, players can only appear on the ballot 10 times after waiting five-year after retiring. To remain on the ballot slip, players must be named on 5% of votes, and to be inducted, players will need to reach over 75% of the votes.

Rolen passed with the smallest margin with 76.3% of votes. He originally was named on 10.2% of ballots in his first year of eligibility in 2018 but quickly gained support each year.

Left out of the Hall of Fame this year was former Colorado Rockies first baseman Todd Helton. He narrowly missed enshrinement. This year, Helton received support on 72.2% of ballots of his fifth try and could be a candidate to make it into Cooperstown next year.

First Baseman Since Edgar Martinez in 2019

Rolen becomes the first third baseman voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame since Edgar Martinez in 2019.

He was the lone MLB player voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame this year. After getting on only 10% of the ballots in his first year, his Hall of Fame vote steadily rose each year from 17.2% in 2019 to 64.2% last year.

Rolen was ecstatic to finally get into Cooperstown after six long years on the ballot.

“When the phone call came and I saw Baseball Hall of Fame on my phone,” Rolen said, “you kind of look around, like, that actually did just happen.”