Carlos Beltrán, Andruw Jones and Jeff Kent officially entered the Baseball Hall of Fame this Sunday, becoming the Class of 2026 during a ceremony held in Cooperstown, New York, which brought together dozens of sports legends and thousands of fans.

The event took place at the Clark Sports Center facilities under a temperature close to 24 degrees Celsius (76 °F), with an estimated attendance of 12,000 people and national broadcast on MLB Network. Also present on stage were 60 members of the Hall of Fame, the largest number recorded at an induction ceremony.

The three new immortals occupied the center of the celebration after careers that distinguished them for their performance both defensively and offensively, each one leaving a particular mark on the Major Leagues.

Beltrán, nine times selected to the All-Star Game and American League Rookie of the Year in 1999 with the Kansas City Royals, also became the sixth player raised in Puerto Rico to enter the hall of immortals.

Speeches marked by emotion and gratitude

Jeff Kent was the first to speak during the ceremony. The former second baseman, owner of the record for home runs for players of that position after a career of 17 seasons with the Blue Jays, Mets, Indians, Giants, Astros and Dodgers, could barely contain his tears before starting his speech.

"Standing here with these guys sitting behind me, I've never felt more humbled in my life. I'm grateful to everyone who appreciated that I tried to play this game the right way," Kent said.

Later it was the turn of Andruw Jones, who made history as the first member of the Hall of Fame born in Curacao. The former center fielder played 17 seasons in the Major Leagues with Braves, Dodgers, Rangers, White Sox and Yankees, accumulating 434 home runs and winning ten Gold Gloves.

"There is no better feeling than being here today. There is no easy way to get there from the small island of Curacao, but from today Cooperstown and Curacao are united forever. To all those who helped me on this journey to Cooperstown, thank you and God bless you," he said.

Beltrán closed the speech ceremony carrying a Puerto Rican flag and alternating words in Spanish and English, which caused prolonged applause among those in attendance.

"If I can compare this moment with something I experienced in baseball, it would be my first at-bat in the Major Leagues. I was excited and nervous. These guys behind me make me nervous," said the Puerto Rican.

A ceremony surrounded by historical figures

The event also served to recognize the 2026 honorees. Joe Buck received the Ford C. Frick Award, Paul Hoynes was honored with the BBWAA Career Excellence Award and Bill White earned the Buck O’Neil Lifetime Achievement Award. Likewise, Rick Monday was recognized for rescuing the American flag at Dodger Stadium half a century ago.

The presence of the already enshrined members of the Hall of Fame also generated special moments. The Mets and Braves fans especially applauded Mike Piazza and Chipper Jones during the presentations, although the greatest show of enthusiasm came when the Puerto Rican Iván Rodríguez, a member of the Hall since 2017, was announced.

The ceremony also included a performance of the United States national anthem by Shaylan Fingers, daughter of Hall of Fame member Rollie Fingers.

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