Joe Mauer Named MLB 1st Ballot Hall of Famer

Only 58 players have ever reached the MLB Hall of Fame on their first attempt. Former Twin David Ortiz was the last to accomplish the feat (2023). But on Tuesday, Joe Mauer officially became a future 1st ballot MLB Hall of Fame inductee. Joining him in the 2024 class are Adrian Beltre and Todd Helton.

From hometown hero to Hall of Famer!

Minnesota native Joe Mauer is headed to Cooperstown on the first ballot! pic.twitter.com/uUodtxly2v

— MLB (@MLB) January 23, 2024

Mauer played parts of 10 seasons as Twins catcher, pretty good longevity for such a grueling position. He caught 923 games and stepped in the box for 3,943 plate appearances with a “C” next to his name in the scorebook. Younger baseball fans might be surprised to learn that Joe played just 5 seasons as a 1st baseman, a position he also excelled at defensively.

Related: Joe Mauer is More than Baseball

Joe Mauer as Minnesota Twins Catcher

Twins fans 30 years and older will always remember him as the best catcher in baseball, because that’s what he was for his first decade in the MLB. From 2004 to 2013, Mauer carried a .323 BA, .873 OPS, 135 OPS+ and he walked (616) more times than he struck out (564). How crazy is that, as a baseball fan in 2024? More walks than strikeouts…?

Joe Mauer won 3 Gold Gloves, 5 Silver Sluggers and 3 AL batting titles, all behind the dish. Mauer’s .323 batting average while playing catcher is the best in MLB history (over 3,000 PA) and he’s the only American League catcher EVER to win a batting title, which he did three times between 2006 and 2009.

Mauer after catching

But concussion problems in 2013 forced a moved to first base and prompted a falloff at the plate. From 2014 to 2018, Mauer had a .278 BA, .746 OPS, 105 OPS+ and his strikeouts (470) far exceeded his walks (323).

Mauer will join six other Twins that have made the Hall of Fame, and whose names are forever etched into Twins Territory. Mauer also has a special place in our hearts as fans because he is Minnesota grown. Not only was he a standout baseball star in high school at Cretin-Derham Hall, but he also excelled at football.

So much so that Florida State head coach Jim Bowden had all but promised him the starting QB spot coming out of high school, before Mauer eventually entered and was drafted #1 overall by the Minnesota Twins.

Happy Joe Mauer makes the Hall of Fame Day for all who celebrate. Greatest MN HS athlete of all time. pic.twitter.com/uKteSYeBDF

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) January 23, 2024

Mauer made it into Cooperstown by FOUR votes…

Mauer entered the final days before today’s announcement at about 83% of counted ballots and he’s felt like a lock for weeks. But per usual, the late votes that were never made public threw every projection for a loop and nearly cost Joe the 75% needed to make it.

How close? He’s being inducted next month thanks to FOUR votes that went his way. Had less than a handful of over 350 voters not checked Mauer, he’d be sitting at home and hoping for the best next year. Incredible.

Results: pic.twitter.com/QJ8hIstrSk

— Ryan Thibodaux (@NotMrTibbs) January 23, 2024

It’s not that Mauer doesn’t have a Hall of Fame résumé. The former MVP has one of the greatest catcher resumes of any major leaguer in baseball history. It includes six All-Star appearances, five Silver Sluggers, three Gold Gloves and three batting titles.

On this day in 2009 Joe Mauer is named MVP. His production that season was unprecedented from the catcher position: .365/.444/.587 with more walks (76) than K’s (63) and his OPS+ of 171 was a league best. No one has hit .365 or better since… pic.twitter.com/4ZTmFxO5kV

— Jeff (@MNTwinsZealot) November 24, 2023

Mauer is and forever will be considered one of the greatest catchers of all time, for the 10 years he played the position. But more than any other major professional American sports league, the MLB Hall of Fame is the toughest to crack, especially on a player’s first try.

Related: Twins Aren’t the Only MLB Team Cutting Payroll and Blaming TV Revenue

Don’t rule Joe Mauer out as a 1st ballot Hall of Famer just yet

Had Mauer played at an MVP-type level at catcher for his entire career, he’d be a shoe-in. But concussions and a move out from behind the plate dropped Joe’s numbers at the plate noticeably toward the end of the year. But don’t count him out as a 1st ballot inductee just yet.

In the 13 ballots that have been made public, Mauer has been voted in on 80% of them. Candidates must receive 75% of the votes to reach the MLB Hall of Fame. It’s early (nearly 400 ballots were cast for last year’s class), but at least for now, these early results have The Athletic’s Aaron Gleeman convinced “it’s at least possible”.

I don’t think Joe Mauer will reach the 75 percent threshold on this first ballot, although most of the early ballots being made public with votes for Mauer have convinced me it’s at least possible.

Aaron Gleeman – The Athletic

The conversation no longer centers around whether or not Mauer can make it into The Hall. It’s been more about when he’ll be inducted. Mauer does have some factors working in his favor with this year’s HOF class, too. The best players on the ballot are all marked by some sort of link to PEDs.

Related: Twins Aren’t the Only MLB Team Cutting Payroll and Blaming TV Revenue

The best example is Minnesota Timberwolves minority owner, Alex Rodriguez played 22 major league seasons and won three MVPs but will forever live as one of the main faces of MLB’s steroid era. He’s on his 3rd attempt at the Hall of Fame and he’s been unable to garner even 36% of votes.

It’s not about ‘if’ for the Minnesota Twins legend, just ‘when’

For Mauer, there are no such concerns when it comes to integrity of play. Mauer was known for having one of the purest swings and best set of eyes in baseball, the moment he stepped into an MLB batter’s box.

Sure, he could have played a few more seasons to strengthen his case, but the St. Paul native still seems to have enough of a case to make the Hall of Fame eventually, even if it’s not on his first attempt.

Related: 4 Starting Pitchers the Minnesota Twins Should Target in Trade Talks

Only 58 players have ever reached the MLB Hall of Fame on their first attempt. Former Twin David Ortiz was the last to accomplish the feat, which came last year.

Jim Thome is another former Twin who became a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Other popular Twins to receive the rare honor on their first try include Paul Molitor, Kirby Puckett, Dave Winfield, and Rod Carew. Will Mauer join them?