Baseball Greats Who Never Made Cooperstown

Last Updated: September 24th, 2026 by Matthew Brown

The National Baseball Hall of Fame is the hardest hall of fame of any sport to get into. I know I might be a little naive when it comes to sports like soccer or rugby or cricket, but I would probably contend no matter what that baseball is as selective as any. The fact that there are tons of these lists throughout the internet shows how rare it is for a professional baseball player to end up in Cooperstown.

Before I get going, I want to mention that we will not be covering any players involved in steroid scandals. That's a list all by itself. Let's go for it again and see why these players are not cast in bronze.

11. Pete Rose: MLB’s Hit King Still Waiting for Cooperstown

For the longest time, this was an impossibility. Now, after Pete Rose's passing, it can be a reality. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred lifted baseball's ban on Pete Rose. Now it is up to some former players on the Veterans Committee to decide whether the ultimate forgiveness can happen and Cooperstown can welcome the Hit King posthumously.

Pete Rose — Career	Total
G	3562
AB	14053
H	4256
HR	160
RBI	1314
SB	198
AVG	.303
OBP	.375
SLG	.409
OPS	.784
MVP	1
All-Star selections	17
Gold Gloves	2
Silver Sluggers	1
World Series titles	3
Rookie of the Year	1

10. Lou Whitaker: Detroit’s Defensive Wizard

This simply comes down to if one is in, the other should be too. Lou Whitaker is one of the greatest second basemen of all time. I don't even think it's debatable. For 19 years, he locked down the position for the Detroit Tigers, earning five All-Star selections, three Gold Gloves, and four Silver Sluggers to go along with his Rookie of the Year in 1978.

He was a part of the greatest middle-infield baseball has ever seen alongside his Hall of Fame teammate Alan Trammell. It has always been puzzling how Trammell has been elected, and Whitaker has not.

Lou Whitaker — Career	Total
G	2390
AB	8570
H	2369
HR	244
RBI	1084
SB	143
AVG	.276
OBP	.363
SLG	.426
OPS	.789
All-Star selections	5
Gold Gloves	3
Silver Sluggers	4
World Series titles	1
Rookie of the Year	1

9. Don Mattingly: Yankees’ Captain Clutch

I don't know how you can be great offensively, great defensively, and an icon of a great franchise, but not be elected to the Hall of Fame.

Don Mattingly has a .307 lifetime batting average, has collected over 2,100 hits, and has six All-Star selections to go along with nine Gold Gloves, six Silver Sluggers, a batting title, and an MVP. I don't care if he had a shorter career of 14 years. All of that should be more than enough to be immortalized in Cooperstown.

Don Mattingly — Career	Total
G	1785
AB	7003
H	2153
HR	222
RBI	1099
SB	14
AVG	.307
OBP	.358
SLG	.471
OPS	.829
MVP	1
All-Star selections	6
Gold Gloves	9
Silver Sluggers	3

8. Shoeless Joe Jackson: The Black Sox Legacy

Like Pete Rose, Shoeless Joe Jackson has a shot at getting into the Hall of Fame after over 100 years of being banned. To me, it's interesting because it was always called a lifetime ban. I always wondered whose lifetime it referred to. For Pete Rose, it was his own lifetime. For Shoeless Joe, it lasted much longer than his lifetime.

Now, because of the ban that came in after 13 years of his career, I will also have to wonder if he has enough statistics to warrant his induction into the Hall of Fame. I think a ridiculously high .356 lifetime batting average and 170 career OPS+ are more than enough to support his 61.5 WAR, which is above a threshold that can be said to be Hall of Fame-worthy.

Joe Jackson — Career	Total
G	1332
AB	4981
H	1772
HR	54
RBI	785
SB	202
AVG	.356
OBP	.423
SLG	.517
OPS	.940
World Series titles	1

7. Kenny Lofton: Speed and Defense Elite

Kenny Lofton defined an entire decade with his speed. He led the league in stolen bases for five seasons in the 1990s while keeping up a lifetime batting average of .299. He earned six straight All-Star selections and four straight Gold Gloves. All of that aside, his 68.4 career WAR is more than enough to give him Hall of Fame votes.

However, the abrasive relationship between him and the media has always hurt his chances. I would hope that changes sooner rather than later.

Kenny Lofton — Career	Total
G	2103
AB	8120
H	2428
HR	130
RBI	781
SB	622
AVG	.299
OBP	.372
SLG	.423
OPS	.795
All-Star selections	6
Gold Gloves	4

6. Dwight Evans: Red Sox Right Field Legend

Dwight Evans is one of the greatest defensive center fielders of all time. He is also one of the better-hitting center fielders of all time. How is he not in the Hall of Fame? I have no idea.

The eight-time Gold Glove winner got three All-Star selections and two Silver Sluggers to verify his excellence. He led the league twice in OPS, three times in walks, and one time in runs while racking up almost 2,500 career hits.

He ended his career with 385 home runs, 1,384 RBI, and 1,470 runs scored. Like Lou Whitaker, I don't know how Jim Rice is in, and Dwight Evans isn't.

Dwight Evans — Career	Total
G	2606
AB	8996
H	2446
HR	385
RBI	1384
SB	78
AVG	.272
OBP	.370
SLG	.470
OPS	.840
All-Star selections	3
Gold Gloves	8
Silver Sluggers	2

5. Bobby Grich: Defensive Excellence Personified

Great second basemen are always hard to measure. The expected level of greatness is lower due to the expected level of production being lower on a daily basis. Bobby Grich was above that expected level for most of his 17-year career.

He earned six All-Star selections to go along with his four Gold Gloves and one Silver Slugger. His career OPS+ ended at 125. That is tied with Hall of Famer Charlie Gehringer. His career WAR also supports the argument.

He is top ten all time among second basemen with Ryne Sandberg, Roberto Alomar, and a ton of other Hall of Famers behind him.

Bobby Grich — Career	Total
G	2008
AB	6890
H	1833
HR	224
RBI	864
SB	104
AVG	.266
OBP	.371
SLG	.424
OPS	.795
All-Star selections	6
Gold Gloves	4
Silver Sluggers	1

4. Thurman Munson: Yankees’ Heart and Soul

The tragically short career of Thurman Munson should also be respected as a Hall of Fame one. He earned seven All-Star selections with three Gold Gloves, a Rookie of the Year, and an MVP. There are some Hall of Famers who can't match that.

His .292 lifetime batting average and 46.0 career WAR over that span of time are elite among catchers. He also led to wins, as the Yankees won back-to-back World Series championships in his career.

Thurman Munson — Career	Total
G	1423
AB	5344
H	1558
HR	113
RBI	701
SB	48
AVG	.292
OBP	.346
SLG	.410
OPS	.756
MVP	1
All-Star selections	7
Gold Gloves	3
World Series titles	2
Rookie of the Year	1

3. Tommy John: More Than Just the Surgery

I understand that you may think the name Tommy John is such a negative in baseball nowadays. But the fact that the surgery is named after this great pitcher just proves how great he was. Tommy John had one All-Star selection in the 12 years of his career before his surgical procedure. He would play 14 more seasons after the surgery and earn three more All-Star selections.

He was the runner-up in Cy Young voting in 1977, which only inspired more pitchers in the future to have the operation. His legacy is already cemented. A Hall of Fame plaque actually would just be a formality.

Tommy John — Career	Total
W	288
L	231
ERA	3.34
G	760
IP	4710.1
SO	2245
WHIP	1.28
SV	4
All-Star selections	4

2. Dale Murphy: The Complete Package

It's hard to believe that a back-to-back MVP has not been elected to the Hall of Fame. Dale Murphy was more than just that. He ended his career two home runs shy of 400, along with his 2,111 career hits.

He was a seven-time All-Star with five Gold Gloves and four Silver Sluggers. Even beyond that, he was a Roberto Clemente Award winner. It can't be the accolades; it can't be the stats; and it can't be the character. What is it that is keeping Dale Murphy out of the Hall of Fame?

Dale Murphy — Career	Total
G	2180
AB	7960
H	2111
HR	398
RBI	1266
SB	161
AVG	.265
OBP	.346
SLG	.469
OPS	.815
MVP	2
All-Star selections	7
Gold Gloves	5
Silver Sluggers	4

1. Keith Hernandez: The Defensive Revolutionary

In my opinion, I cannot fathom having a vote for the Hall of Fame and not voting for Keith Hernandez. The greatest defensive first baseman of all time won eleven Gold Gloves in his career, along with five All-Star selections and two Silver Sluggers.

He won the 1979 MVP by leading all players with a .344 batting average and 48 doubles. The defense was the best ever, and the offense was also Hall of Fame worthy. It is basically a crime that Keith Hernandez has been kept out of Cooperstown for this long.

Keith Hernandez — Career	Total
G	2088
AB	7370
H	2182
HR	162
RBI	1071
SB	98
AVG	.296
OBP	.384
SLG	.436
OPS	.820
MVP	1
All-Star selections	5
Gold Gloves	11
Silver Sluggers	2
World Series titles	2

Keep reading

• White Sox Greats Without a Cooperstown Plaque
• Baseball’s 10 Most Polarizing Figures in History
• Phillies Greats You Won’t Find in Cooperstown