Come 2027, Buster Posey will be set to complete a five-year arc practically unprecedented in baseball history: From All-Star catcher to franchise president to Hall of Famer.
Posey, who guided the San Francisco Giants to three World Series titles in the 2010s, highlights the first-year eligible players on the Baseball Hall of Fame’s 2027 ballot.
Posey had a furious finishing kick to his career, batting .304 with 18 homers, earning an All-Star nod and winning a Silver Slugger as the Giants won a franchise-record 107 games. He startled the baseball world by announcing his retirement in November 2021. Posey soon joined the Giants front office in an advisory role and was, almost equally startlingly, named its president of baseball operations in September 2024.
He’s likely the only newcomer who’ll rank as an odds-on favorite, with pitcher Jon Lester, infielder Ryan Zimmerman and outfielder Brett Gardner the other notables making their ballot debut.
The top holdovers on the 2027 ballot include Chase Utley (59.1%), Andy Pettitte (48.5%) and Félix Hernández (46.1%).
2027 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot
Here’s a look at the top players set to make their debut on the 2027 Hall of Fame ballot, ranked by career WAR:
Buster Posey: 45 WAR
Brett Gardner: 44.3
Jon Lester: 43.4
Ryan Zimmerman: 40.1
Kyle Seager: 37
Asdrúbal Cabrera: 30
Ervin Santana: 27
Todd Frazier: 25.8
Josh Reddick: 25
Jake Arrieta: 22.8
Scott Kazmir: 22.1