Welcome to 2025 (Almost) – Royals Hall of Fame Vote Begins

The end of every year brings an opportunity for reflection and hopefully gratitude for all the tribulations and triumphs along the way. And as a Royals fan, there has been much to be grateful for looking back on 2024.

There is the obvious of course. The 2024 Royals took us all back to the postseason and did so with some thrilling moments. Did we advance as far as we wanted to> No, but we did advance in the playoffs and that provides even more excitement for the season ahead. Then there are the awards – two Rawlings Gold Gloves (thank you Seth and Bobby), another Silver Slugger for Salvy, and even more so a Roberto Clemente Award for our captain. A first for a member of our Kansas City Royals and so well deserved. We also added three Royals Hall of Famers in Cedric Tallis, John Schuerholz, and Bo Jackson – a trio that embodied so much our history and make the telling of the Royals story both more colorful and complete.

Now we look forward to what comes ahead in 2025. And one of the first orders of business for the new year will take place here in the waning days of 2024. The 2025 Royals Hall of Fame Vote begins on Monday, December 9, 2024, and it will once again include input from Royals fans. For two weeks, from December 9 through December 23, you can make your voice heard in the process by voting on-line here.

The Royals Hall of Fame voting process includes two phases. Beginning with this cycle, the Regular Phase vote, which focuses on eligible former players and managers, will move from every other year to yearly. The Veterans Committee phase takes place in even-numbered years and considers both non-field personnel and alumni who have previously received Royals Hall of Fame (Regular Phase) votes but are no longer eligible for election in that manner. To be eligible for the first time, Royals Alumni must have been active with the ballclub for at least three (3) seasons and accumulated a minimum of 1,500 plate appearances or 300 innings pitched or managed the equivalent of three full seasons. Eligible alumni shall have ceased to be an active on-field member of the Royals (or for any other Major League organization) in the role for which they are being considered for at least three (3) calendar years preceding the election. The 2025 vote includes five first-time eligible Royals Alumni and four that return after receiving at least ten percent of the vote in 2023.

The eligible alumni on the 2025 Royals Hall of Fame ballot are (in alphabetical order): Carlos Beltran, OF (1998-2004); Billy Butler, 1B/DH (2007-2014); Johnny Damon, OF (1995-2000); Wade Davis, P (2013-2016; 2021); Jarrod Dyson, OF (2010-2016; 2021); Alex Gordon, 3B/OF (2007-2020); Kelvin Herrera, P (2011-2018); Joakim Soria, P (2007-2011; 2016-2017); and Yordano Ventura P (2013-2016).

Fans will be joined by other voters, including all living members of the Royals Hall of Fame members and members of the Royals Hall of Fame Executive Board, select members of the Kansas City Chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America, Kansas City media representatives, and current Royals front office staff with 15 years of service or more, in selecting any new Royals Hall of Fame inductees. The online fan ballot will account for three full votes for each of the top five vote getters. Any eligible alumni receiving 75 percent of the vote will be elected and scheduled for induction during the 2025 Royals season. Eligible alumni must receive a minimum of ten percent of the vote on ballots cast to remain eligible for inclusion on the ballot for the next Royals Hall of Fame (Regular Phase) voting cycle and may remain on the ballot for five voting cycles.

So, as we reflect with gratitude on all that 2024 brought us as Royals fans, I encourage you to vote and be part of this first step into 2025. Induction into the Royals Hall of Fame is our ballclub’s highest honor and I’m excited that Royals fans once again have a voice in deciding the decision on who that ultimate honor is bestowed upon.

Curt Nelson is the Senior Director of the Royals Hall of Fame and has worked for the Royals since the 1999 season. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.