Minnesota Twins Legend Escapes Elimination from 2025 MLB Hall of Fame Ballot

Torii Hunter, Minnesota Twins
Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

There was never going to be a Minnesota Twins player voted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame during this cycle. The time for that was last year, and Joe Mauer was given his flowers as a first ballot selection.

Ichiro Suzuki was seen as the slam dunk this season, and he is being joined by C.C. Sabathia and Billy Wagner. Twins great Torii Hunter also extended his chances for another season.

Twins Torii Hunter hangs onto Hall of Fame candidacy

A year ago longtime Minnesota Twins great Torii Hunter received 28 votes, good enough for 7.3% of the total. He cleared the 5% threshold to remain on the ballot. This time around, in his fifth season of eligibility, he earned a sixth season with 5.1% (20 ballots) of the vote.

Hunter played 19 years in the major leagues while earning nine Gold Glove awards, two Silver Slugger awards, and was name an All-Star five times. 12 of his 19 years came with the Minnesota Twins.

A career .277 hitter, Hunter amassed 353 home runs, 498 doubles, and 1,391 runs batted in. Nicknamed Spider-Man for his ability to scale the outfield wall and rob a home run, Hunter played 1,523 games in centerfield.

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Although Hunter won’t see election, it has been an impressive run for Hunter on the ballot. His numbers are reflective of very good rather than Cooperstown worthy.

After earning just 9.5% of his original vote (2021), trends would have had him falling off the following year. To garner consideration amongst Baseball Writers Association of America voters for six years speaks volumes to his character.

Former Twins closer Fernando Rodney appeared on the ballot for the first time this cycle. He did not receive a vote.

Minnesota’s next best chance at the Hall of Fame

Joe Mauer’s 53.5 career fWAR ranks fifth all-time in Minnesota Twins history. The players around him have all been enshrined in Cooperstown. For Hunter’s 42.9 career fWAR to have been considered, he would have needed a much grander individual resume.

There is no recently retired or current player that will likely come close. Short of a late-career resurgence, Carlos Correa will fall plenty short. That means hoping on the likes of someone such as Walker Jenkins.

That’s if one of the Era Committees doesn’t do the right thing first. Johan Santana should be the next Minnesota Twins player inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Santana’s career cannot be defined by counting metrics. He is the modern-day Sandy Koufax. His career was cut short by injuries. He was a two-time Cy Young winner, three-time ERA title holder, a four-time All-Star, and also won a Gold Glove. Santana won the pitching Triple Crown in 2006.

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Writer’s voted for Santana on just 2.4% of ballots during his first season of eligibility. Consider that in context to Hunter’s representation and it could not be more mind-boggling. That debacle could be fixed, similarly to Jim Kaat and Tony Oliva who have since been included through the Era Committee process.

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