Baseball Hall of Fame 2026: Why Beltran and Jones got in

"Playing for the Houston Astros in the 2004 playoffs, Carlos Beltran introduced himself to many baseball fans for the first time with a dazzling display of power, speed and defense. Prior to coming over to Houston in a trade that season, Beltran had played in obscurity for the sad-sack Kansas City Royals, but in 12 wonderful games over two weeks that October, he hit .435, slugged 1.022, smashed 8 home runs, swiped 6 bases, scored 21 runs and ran down everything in center field."

""He was Superman," Astros teammate Craig Biggio said in 2014. "It was a display of something I'd never seen before." While that was the best Beltran would ever play, he went on to a distinguished career that saw him hit 435 home runs while registering more than 1,500 RBIs and 1,500 runs scored -- one of just 39 players to achieve both milestones and one of just nine to also steal at least 300 bases."

"Andruw Jones also burst onto the scene in the postseason, a 19-year-old prodigy who hit two home runs in Game 1 of the 1996 World Series for the Atlanta Braves. Jones went on to hit 434 home runs, but he made his biggest impact on defense, winning 10 consecutive Gold Gloves and earning accolades as perhaps the best defensive center fielder of all time."

Carlos Beltrán exploded in the 2004 playoffs with a historic display of power, speed and defense for the Houston Astros, hitting .435 with eight homers and six steals in 12 games. Beltrán compiled 435 career home runs, more than 1,500 RBIs, over 1,500 runs scored and more than 300 steals. Andruw Jones debuted as a 19-year-old in the 1996 World Series, totaled 434 home runs and won ten consecutive Gold Gloves as an elite defensive center fielder. Both players were elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame and join a small group of post-1960 primary center fielders in Cooperstown.

Read at ESPN.com