Carlos Beltrán to be enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame

“I can’t explain the feeling I just experienced,” Carlos Beltrán said upon receiving the news of his election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. “Receiving this call alongside my family, their unconditional love and support, has been wonderful because I am blessed to have them at this very special moment in my life.”

By THE STAR STAFF

Former major league outfielder Carlos Beltrán was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame late Tuesday, becoming the sixth Puerto Rican player to be honored in Cooperstown, New York, where this year’s induction ceremony will be held in July.

“I can’t explain the feeling I just experienced,” Beltrán said. “Receiving this call alongside my family, their unconditional love and support, has been wonderful because I am blessed to have them at this very special moment in my life. I can only thank everyone who made this honor possible, allowing me to stand alongside the greatest baseball players from my country, Puerto Rico. I am blessed.”

“Carlos Beltrán has built a career of excellence,” Puerto Rico Baseball Federation President Dr. José Daniel Quiles said in a written statement. “We proudly celebrate that his greatness is being recognized with immortality in Cooperstown.”

With his election, the native of Manatí will join Roberto Clemente, Orlando Cepeda, Roberto Alomar, Edgar Martínez and Iván Rodríguez as the Puerto Rican players enshrined in the Hall of Fame, reaffirming Puerto Rico’s standing among the leading historical powers in Latin American baseball.

Beltrán was elected along with fellow center fielder Andruw Jones, a native of Curaçao who played 17 seasons in the majors, the first dozen of them with the Atlanta Braves.

In his fourth appearance on the ballot, Beltrán received 358 of 425 votes for 84.2% from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, 39 above the 319 needed for the 75% threshold, as reported by The Associated Press.

Jones, who was picked on 333 ballots for 78.4%, gained entry to the Hall in his second-to-last possible appearance on the ballot, the AP reported.

Beltrán played for 20 seasons in Major League Baseball and was recognized as one of the most complete players of his generation. In his career, he accumulated 2,725 hits. He hit 435 home runs, and had 1,587 RBIs, 1,582 runs scored and 312 stolen bases.

Beltrán was selected to the All-Star Game nine times, earned three Gold Glove Awards for his defensive work in the outfield, and two Silver Slugger Awards for his offensive production. In 2013, he received the Roberto Clemente Award for his philanthropic work off the field.

In addition to his individual achievements, Beltrán was a standout player in the postseason and capped his career with a World Series championship in 2017 with the Houston Astros, after playing for the Kansas City Royals, New York Mets, St. Louis Cardinals, San Francisco Giants, New York Yankees and the Astros in a previous stint.

Quiles added that Beltrán’s election “fills all of Puerto Rico with joy and marks the beginning of a historic year for our baseball,” highlighting the player’s impact both on and off the field.

Gov. Jenniffer González Colón and the Secretary of State Rosachely Rivera Santana also congratulated Beltrán on his election to the Hall of Fame.

“Today we honor the athletic excellence of Carlos Beltrán, a native of Manatí who elevates the name of Puerto Rico before the world,” the governor said. “Beltrán represents the best of our people. We recognize a career that inspired and serves as an example to generations on and off the field. That is why today we celebrate with his family and congratulate him on achieving this highest honor.”

Rivera Santana emphasized that Beltrán’s entry into the Hall reflects his performance as an athlete and the impact he has as a role model for Puerto Rican children and youth.

“He paved the way for others who dreamed of a career as baseball players,” she said. “He raised the standard of what human beings can achieve with discipline, consistency, character, leadership, and tireless work. I am happy for him, his family, and his loved ones. Today, Manatí celebrates one of its own who, through his initiatives, continues to add historical value to his career and to Puerto Rico.”