Former Blue Jays slugger has golden chance at Hall of Fame after latest ballot reveal

Immortality could be on the horizon for a former Toronto Blue Jays fan favorite. The National Baseball Hall of Fame announced Carlos Delgado is one of eight names on the Contemporary Baseball Era ballot to be considered for the Hall of Fame Class of 2026.

Also on the ballot are former Blue Jays Jeff Kent, Roger Clemens, and current bench coach Don Mattingly. They were selected by the Baseball Writers' Association of America-appointed Historical Overview Committee, which finds players who have made a significant contribution to the game of baseball since 1980. Players must have also played in the league for a minimum of ten seasons and retired for at least 15 years.

Carlos Delgao eligibile to reach the Hall of Fame

Delgado played for16 years in the league, with the majority of his time spent as a Blue Jay. He finished his career with 2,038 hits, 473 home runs, and 1,512 RBIs. The Puerto Rican native finished his career with two All-Star appearances, three Silver Slugger Awards, an American League Hank Award, and a Robert Clemente Award.

In 2003, Delgado became the 15th player in MLB history to hit four home runs in a single game, making the Tampa Bay Devil Rays a victim of a historic offensive performance. The first blast was his 300th career home run, and he would finish the game with eight RBIs and 18 total bases.

The Blue Jays would go on to honor Delgado by inducting him into their Level of Excellence in 2013, becoming the 10th member to join the rafters of the Rogers Centre.

Delgado originally appeared on the Hall of Fame ballot in 2015, his first year of eligibility. However, after only receiving 3.8% of the vote, Delgado quickly fell off the ballot, as you need a minimum of 5% to stay on and be considered again the following year. Instead, Delgado was inducted into the Canadian Hall of Fame that same year.

To be elected to the Hall of Fame, you need a minimum of 75% from the voting committee, and Carlos Delgado is hoping to hear great news on December 7, when the results of the Contemporary Baseball Era Ballot are revealed.