COOPERSTOWN (DA) — Andruw Jones was elected Tuesday to the National Baseball Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, becoming the first Curaçao-born player voted in and marking a landmark moment for the island’s baseball history.
Jones was elected in his ninth year on the BBWAA ballot with 333 votes, or 78.4% of the electorate. Election required at least 75%. A total of 425 ballots were cast in the 2026 vote, including 11 blanks, setting the election threshold at 319 votes.
Born April 23, 1977, in Curaçao, Jones’ election places the island on baseball’s highest individual stage through BBWAA voting, a first for a country that has produced numerous major leaguers.
Jones addressed reporters during a Zoom news conference from the Dominican Republic, which was attended by Deporte Awe, shortly after the results were announced.
“First of all, I would say thank you, it’s a great honor,” Jones said. He thanked “all the voters that vote for me that make this possible” and also expressed appreciation for his family and the Atlanta Braves, who gave him “the opportunity to chase a dream,” along with the other teams he played for.
Jones debuted in the major leagues in 1996 with Atlanta and made an immediate impact, hitting home runs in his first two World Series at-bats that year against the New York Yankees. He later played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox and Yankees, finishing his major league career in 2012.
Over 17 seasons, Jones hit .254 with 434 home runs, 1,289 RBIs and an .823 OPS. He won 10 Gold Glove Awards, led the league in putouts six times and assists three times, and in 2005 led the National League with 51 home runs and 128 RBIs, finishing second in Most Valuable Player voting. In postseason play, Jones hit .273 with 10 home runs and 34 RBIs in 76 games.
Jones said individual honors were never his focus during his career.
“I didn’t play this game to be a Hall of Famer,” Jones said. “I play this game to help my team win.”
During the news conference, Jones also spoke about the future of baseball on the island and mentioned Kenley Jansen as a possible next Curaçao-born player to reach the Hall of Fame.
“I know Kenley Jansen is going to be the next one,” Jones said. “I can’t wait to see him.”
From a voting standpoint, Jones’ election also clarified the relationship between public ballot tracking and the final count. Throughout the voting cycle, Baseball Hall of Fame Tracker showed Jones above the 75% line on publicly revealed ballots. The final result confirmed election, though the margin narrowed once all ballots were counted.
Jones will be inducted in Cooperstown as a member of the Class of 2026, cementing his place in baseball history and establishing a new benchmark for Curaçao players who follow.