WILLEMSTAD (DA) — Andruw Jones is drawing strong early support in voting for the 82nd Baseball Writers’ Association of America Hall of Fame election, putting the former All-Star outfielder in his best public position yet as Curaçao awaits a potentially historic moment. Still, Jones’ Hall of Fame fate will ultimately be decided by ballots that have not been revealed publicly.
According to figures published by Baseball Hall of Fame Tracker, Jones is receiving 83.7% support on public and anonymous ballots combined as of 10:10 a.m. PST on Jan. 18. Election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame requires a player to be named on 75% of all ballots cast by eligible writers.
The tracker compiles ballots that voters choose to make public, along with a limited number of anonymous ballots reported without attribution. Because many voters do not disclose their choices ahead of time, the public data represents only part of the overall electorate, making the remaining unseen ballots a decisive factor.
In simple terms, Jones is doing very well on the ballots that can be seen. About 84 out of every 100 tracked ballots include a vote for him, a level comfortably above the election line.
What Jones still needs
What remains uncertain is how Jones will fare on the ballots that have not been made public.
Based on tracker estimates, Jones would need roughly 66% support on the remaining ballots, or about 138 additional votes, to reach the 75% threshold once all votes are tallied. That means Jones does not need overwhelming backing from the remaining voters, but he does need consistent support from roughly two-thirds of them.
Why unseen ballots matter
Recent history explains why the final outcome remains difficult to predict.
In the 2025 election, Jones finished with 66.2% of the vote. Tracker data shows his final total that year came in 6.2 percentage points lower than what public ballot tracking suggested before results were announced, reflecting significantly weaker support on private ballots.
That past pattern is why the ballots that have not yet been revealed continue to play such a central role in this year’s outcome.
Signs of progress this year
There are clear indicators that Jones’ support has grown in the current election cycle.
Tracker data shows Jones gaining momentum among voters who have revealed ballots in consecutive years, with 14 additional “yes” votes and none lost among returning voters. He has also received strong backing from voters appearing in the public data for the first time this year, with support exceeding 90% in that group.
Those trends suggest Jones’ candidacy is strengthening, even as uncertainty remains around the unseen ballots.
Possible outcomes
Several scenarios remain possible once the full vote is revealed.
If the remaining ballots resemble Jones’ strong public support, he could surpass the 75% line comfortably. If support is mixed but remains near two-thirds, he could clear the threshold narrowly. If private ballots again mirror the weaker pattern seen in 2025, Jones could fall short, though likely with his highest finish yet.
The Curaçao connection
For Curaçao, the stakes extend well beyond the numbers.
Jones’ election would make him the first Curaçao-born Major League Baseball player inducted into the Hall of Fame, a landmark achievement for the island and its baseball tradition. Such an honor would highlight Curaçao’s influence on the sport and serve as a powerful example for young players aspiring to reach the game’s highest level.
When and where the decision comes
The official results will be revealed at 6 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Jan. 20, live from the Hall of Fame Plaque Gallery in Cooperstown.
MLB Network’s coverage will begin earlier in the day and build toward the announcement, which will be delivered live by Hall of Fame President Josh Rawitch. The results will also be simulcast on MLB.com and on the Baseball Hall of Fame’s official Facebook page.
When the announcement is made Tuesday evening, all ballots — public and private — will be counted, and Jones’ long-running Hall of Fame quest will finally reach its answer.