When the stars gather in Philadelphia for the 2026 MLB All-Star Game, we’ll get to see several likely future Hall of Famers take the field at Citizens Bank Park.
Mike Trout, Freddie Freeman, and Shohei Ohtani are among the elected starters, though Ohtani withdrew because of a knee injury. The league named injured Tigers pitcher and three-time AL Cy Young winner Justin Verlander to the game as a “Legend Pick,” and he recently confirmed he’ll retire after the season.
Besides those four, who else could we eventually see in Cooperstown? For this list, we identified players who, based on all they have achieved so far, are either locks or will have a legitimate chance at the Hall of Fame. We are not projecting what the Hall of Fame resumes of Paul Skenes, Junior Caminero, or Jacob Misiorowski will look like in 2040.
Let’s begin with the locks, starting with a multi-time MVP winner.
Bryce Harper and Mike Trout headline the Hall of Fame locks
Aaron Judge, OF, New York Yankees
A rib injury will keep Judge out of the All-Star Game, but he’s long since cemented himself as a future Hall of Famer. Although he’s still yet to win a World Series, Judge is closing in on 400 home runs, and he’s already won three MVP Awards. His continued dominance throughout the 2020s will carry him into Cooperstown, and playing in the New York market only helps his case.
Bryce Harper, 1B, Philadelphia Phillies
I feel old for calling Harper a future Hall of Famer, seeing as I was a high school freshman when he debuted in 2012. Assuming that he stays healthy, Harper should clear 2,000 hits and 400 home runs before the end of next year. He’s a two-time MVP with nearly 56 bWAR, and he’s still only 33. There’s no reason not to think he won’t make it on his first try.
Chris Sale, SP, Atlanta Braves
Initially, I wasn’t sure if I’d put Sale as a lock or not, but he’s 304 strikeouts away from 3,000. Granted, he turns 38 next March, and he only has one guaranteed season left on his contract. Either way, he has a lifetime 2.97 ERA, 60.2 bWAR, and has had two incredibly dominant stretches. I don’t see any way he won’t be elected within his first three tries.
Freddie Freeman, 1B, Los Angeles Dodgers
Freeman turns 38 next September, only weeks before his contract expires. Even if he doesn’t return for 2028, his counting stats will easily land him in Cooperstown. Freeman is a three-time World Series champion, closing in on 2,600 hits and 400 home runs. He’s also a beloved figure around the sport, and we know how much voters love the good guys.
Justin Verlander, SP, Detroit Tigers
Verlander will easily clear 95% on his first try after one of the greatest careers by any starting pitcher since 2000. I talked more about Verlander’s career earlier this week, including whether I think he’ll wear a Tigers, Astros, or blank cap on his Hall of Fame plaque.
Mike Trout, OF, Los Angeles Angels:
Don’t let Trout’s continued injury history fool you into thinking he won’t be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. His 90.4 bWAR ranks 45th all time, and all but three of the eligible players above him — Alex Rodriguez, Barry Bonds, and Roger Clemens — are in the Hall of Fame. Trout, who turns 35 in August, is only 78 home runs away from the 500-homer club.
Shohei Ohtani, DH/P, Los Angeles Dodgers
If Ohtani retired tomorrow, he’d actually be ineligible for the Hall of Fame because he hasn’t played 10 MLB seasons. However, we’re sure the voters would find a way to make an exception for a generational superstar who has redefined how we watch baseball. Ohtani just hit his 300th home run, and he’s a four-time MVP making a case for his first Cy Young Award. Yeah, he’ll be in.
What other 2026 MLB All-Stars could be selected to the Hall of Fame?
Aroldis Chapman, CL, Boston Red Sox
Barring injury, Chapman should record his 400th save before the season ends. However, we’re not calling him a lock because of a 2016 suspension for his role in an alleged domestic violence incident. Voters have publicly cited arrests and off-field incidents as reasons not to vote for players, with Andruw Jones and Omar Vizquel as recent examples.
Juan Soto, OF, New York Mets
Soto, who turns 28 in October, is already at 45.6 bWAR. He’s among the top hitters of the 2020s, and he’s on track to challenge for 500 home runs. Barring disaster, he should make the Hall of Fame without much trouble. However, I’m reluctant to call him a lock just yet.
Kyle Schwarber, DH, Philadelphia Phillies
Advanced metrics, most notably Wins Above Replacement, work against Schwarber. However, his elite power stroke and on-base prowess might be enough to sway voters. Schwarber already has eight 30-home-run seasons, and he’s on pace to reach 50 for the first time.
With 372 home runs to his name thus far, Schwarber must get to 500 to even have a realistic case. The only 500-home run club members who are eligible for the Hall of Fame and are yet to be inducted are those associated with performance-enhancing drugs.
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