Making the Baseball Hall of Fame is one of the toughest achievements in sports. Some of the best players in MLB history had the talent, the numbers, and the impact—but for one reason or another, they never got a plaque in Cooperstown.
Whether it was controversial voting, off-field issues, or just being overlooked, these 10 players had Hall of Fame ability but never made the cut. Let’s count them down!
10. Dave Parker – The Cobra Got Bitten by Voters
Dave Parker was a two-time batting champ, a seven-time All-Star, and a former MVP. He had all the tools—power, speed, defense—but his career was overshadowed by off-field issues, including drug scandals. Despite putting up over 2,700 hits and 339 home runs, he never made it to Cooperstown.
9. Keith Hernandez – The Best Defensive First Baseman Ever?
Keith Hernandez won 11 Gold Gloves (the most ever for a first baseman) and was a two-time World Series champion. He also won an MVP and was an on-base machine. So why isn’t he in the Hall of Fame? Maybe because voters overlooked defense at first base, or maybe it’s his connection to the infamous ‘80s Mets. Either way, he deserved more respect.
8. Dale Murphy – The Braves’ Forgotten Star
Murphy won back-to-back NL MVPs in the ‘80s, hit 398 home runs, and was one of the best outfielders of his time. The problem? He played for some terrible Braves teams that didn’t get much attention. If he had played in a bigger market, he might have a plaque by now.
7. Don Mattingly – A Yankees Captain Without a Crown
Mattingly was the face of the Yankees in the ‘80s, winning an MVP, batting title, and nine Gold Gloves. Injuries cut his career short, and he never got a ring (the Yankees won it all the year after he retired). If his prime had lasted just a little longer, he’d probably be in Cooperstown.
6. Thurman Munson – Greatness Cut Short
Munson was on a Hall of Fame trajectory before his tragic death in a plane crash at just 32 years old. He was a seven-time All-Star, three-time Gold Glover, and the emotional leader of the Yankees’ championship teams in the ‘70s. If his career hadn’t been cut short, he’d be in the Hall, no question.
5. Fred McGriff – Justice Was Finally Served
For years, Fred McGriff was the best player left out of the Hall. He hit 493 home runs (just seven shy of 500), had a .284 career average, and was a clutch postseason performer. Voters somehow overlooked him for a decade, but thankfully, the Hall’s Contemporary Era Committee finally put him in in 2023.
4. Curt Schilling – Great Pitcher, Bigger Controversy
Schilling had Hall of Fame stats—3,116 strikeouts, three World Series rings, and one of the best postseason résumés ever. But his off-field controversies, outspoken political views, and tense relationship with the media likely kept him out. His numbers say he belongs, but voters weren’t having it.
3. Roger Maris – The Man Who Broke Babe’s Record
Maris should have been a lock for the Hall after breaking Babe Ruth’s single-season home run record with 61 in 1961. He won back-to-back MVPs and was a key part of multiple Yankees championships. But injuries shortened his career, and his overall stats didn’t impress voters. Still, he was one of the most important players in MLB history.
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2. Barry Bonds – The Ultimate Hall of Fame Debate
Bonds is baseball’s all-time home run king (762), won seven MVPs, and was one of the best all-around players ever. So why isn’t he in? The steroid cloud. Despite never failing a test under MLB’s official policy, the allegations have kept him out. If voters ever soften on the PED era, he could still get in someday.
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1. Pete Rose – The Best Player Not in the Hall
Rose is baseball’s all-time hits leader with 4,256—a record that will probably never be broken. He was a 17-time All-Star, a three-time World Series champ, and the definition of hustle. But because he bet on baseball while managing the Reds, he’s permanently banned from the Hall of Fame. The debate over whether he should be reinstated will never end.
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