Baseball: The World's Game (OOTP 22 Fictional World)

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

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Leon was the Mexican League’s top seed in 2034 at 109-53, growing their playoff streak to a decade. It was their seventh time in eight years as Central Division champ, having to settle for a wild card last year. The Lions allowed the fewest runs in the Central American Baseball Association by a large margin at 495. Aguascalientes and Culiacan had both made it out of the Central in 2033, but just missed the wild card cut in 2034. The Cocks finished 85-77 to end a three-year playoff streak and the Cactus finished 81-81.

Puebla won a third straight South Division title at 97-65 for the second bye and their fourth straight playoff trip. Mexico City was a competitive second at 92-70 and took the first wild card, ending a six-year playoff drought. Ecatepec notably struggled to 67-95, their worst season since 1970. The Explosion won pennants as recently as 2029 and 2031.

Torreon won a third straight North Division title at 91-71 and grew their playoff streak to four years. The Tomahawks were Mexico’s top scoring squad at 777 runs. Defending CABA champ Tijuana and Hermosillo were both four back at 87-75, both advancing as wild cards. This ended a seven-year drought for the Hyenas and was the fifth berth in six years for the Toros. The first teams out were Tuxtla and Culiacan at 85-77, Juarez at 84-78, Cancun at 83-79, and Monterrey at 82-80.

Toluca struggled to 75-87 despite a stellar season from Mexican League MVP Leonardo Santos. The 28-year old Mexican 1B was the ninth pick by the Tortugas in the 2028 CABA Draft. Santos led in runs (132), doubles (46), total bases (452), slugging (.753), OPS (1.198), wRC+ (250), and WAR (12.5). He smacked 58 home runs with 135 RBU, 222 hits, and a .370 average. Santos’ effort was only the 22^nd time in CABA that a position player had a WAR at or above 12.5. Toulca had already given Santos an eight-year, $207,700,000 extension before the 2033 campaign.

The big signing for top-seed Leon was Israel Montague, who had won nine Pitcher of the Year awards with Guatemala. He signed only a two-year, $53,400,000 deal with the Lions, but immediately delivered with his tenth POTY and tenth ERA title. Montague joined fellow CABA legends Richard Wright (11) and Junior Vergara (10) along with EPB’s Matvey Ivanov (11) and APB’s Ching-Chen Yao (10) as the only aces in world history with 10 Pitcher of the Year award wins.

The 37-year old Panamanian lefty led in ERA (1.31), WHIP (0.63), K/BB (23.8), shutouts (7), FIP- (44), and WAR (9.3). This was the fourth-best qualifying ERA in CABA history; Montague held the record himself at 1.22 in 2025. He also tied the single-season WHIP record, which he hit in 2025 as did Vergara in 1979. Montague had a 20-3 record and 8 saves, 212.2 innings, and 309 strikeouts. His .443 opponent’s OPS was the seventh-best qualifying effort in CABA history. Montague was now in striking distance of both 300 career wins and 5000 strikeouts.

Mexico City edged Hermosillo 2-1 and Torreon ousted defending champ Tijuana 2-0 in the first round of the playoffs. The top seeds held in round two with Leon over the Aztecs 3-1 and Puebla over the Tomahawks 3-2. The Pumas earned repeat trips to the Mexican League Championship Series, although their last pennant was 2019.

For Leon, they were shooting for their second title in three years and their third in seven seasons. The series needed all seven games and for only the second time in MLCS history (1976), each game was won by the home team. This favored the Lions over the Pumas, giving Leon 12 Mexican League titles (1927, 39, 41, 42, 59, 60, 64, 86, 2018, 28, 32, 34).



Two-time defending Caribbean League champ Honduras set a new franchise wins record despite their very storied history at 112-50. The Horsemen’s playoff streak grew to 12 seasons with their fourth consecutive Central Division. It was a very high scoring division with the Horsemen and Nicaragua both at 923 runs and Salvador at 922, each among the best in CABA history.

Honduras specifically had a team slugging percentage of .520, the best single-season in CABA history. Salvador meanwhile set a CABA record for team on-base percentage at .350. The Horsemen had a .299 batting average, tied for the best-ever in CABA. Both Nicaragua and Salvador got wild cards at 93-69, which was the third wild card in four years for both squads.

Jamaica got the #2 seed and the West Division title at 102-60. It was their third straight playoff trip, but first division title since 2017. Santo Domingo was second at 94-68 and extended their playoff streak to five years as a wild card. The Dolphins have only missed the playoffs once in the last decade. The Jazz set their own single-season CABA team record with 138 triples. SD notably sold 2,715,830 tickets, the third-best in CL history. Haiti was third in the West at 91-71 and ultimately fell two games short in the wild card race behind Nicaragua and Salvador. This was the first playoff miss since 2026 for the Herons.

Lastly in the East Division, Curacao rolled at 95-67 for their second-ever division title (2030). The Chaos notably had 1705 team hits, the second-best in CABA history. Their .298 batting average was good for the fourth best. Last year’s division champ Suriname was a very distant second at 84-78 despite allowing the league’s fewest runs at 659.

With all the record-setting offense came a new CABA home run king with Caribbean League MVP Amadeo Garcia for Jamaica. In only his second-year as a starter, the 21-year old Guatemalan DH also posted the 23^rd Triple Crown hitting season in CABA history and the first since Franklin Madrid in 2024. Garcia smacked 73 homers, passing the previous mark of 72 which was hit thrice; by Yohnny Galaz in 1988, Darion Gaudi in 2006, and Jose Angel Esqueda in 2031.

Garcia also led in runs (145), RBI (179), total bases (474), triple slash (.372/.437/.781), OPS (1.218), wRC+ (195), and WAR (10.5). The RBI mark was one short of Esqueda’s 180 from 2031 and was tied for the 11^th-best single-season in any world league. The 145 runs were tied for the fourth-best in CABA, six behind Donald Gonzalez’s 151 from 2005. Garcia also had 226 hits, 27 doubles, and 72 walks.

The 474 total bases were third-best in CABA history with Franklin Madrid getting 481 and 480 in 2024-25. He’s also good for the 23^rd most total bases in world history. Garcia’s slugging ranked seventh and OPS sixth among qualifying CABA seasons. 73+ homers have happened 36 times across all of the pro leagues. Before this explosion, Jamaica already knew they had discovered a budding superstar. In September 2033, Garcia signed an eight-year, $174,600,000 extension; believed to be the biggest deal ever signed by someone who was age 20.

Honduras’s Franco Barron won Pitcher of the Year and nearly got his own Triple Crown, leading in wins (22-3), ERA (2.36), WHIP (0.84), K/BB (19.1), FIP- (66), and WAR (6.7). The 29-year old Mexican righty struck out 306 over 221.1 innings, just three Ks behind Trinidad’s Bruno Padilla. Barron was in his ninth season with the Horsemen and signed a seven-year, $204,800,000 extension in May.

Both first round matchups needed all three games with Santo Domingo over Nicaragua and Salvador over Curacao. The Dolphins then not only beat their division rival Jamaica in the second round, but swept them 3-0. Despite SD’s recent success, this was their first trip to the Caribbean League Championship Series since winning it all in 2027.

Top seed Honduras held on the other side, but needed all five games to outlast Salvador. For the seventh time in nine years, the Horsemen were playing for the pennant. Honduras would cruise to a 4-1 win over Santo Domingo for the CLCS three-peat and their fifth pennant in seven years. The Horsemen now had 22 Caribbean League titles to their name. The only other team in all of the world leagues with 22 subleague titles was Minsk of Eurasian Professional Baseball.

With Honduras at 112 wins and Leon at 109, the 124^th CABA Championship was highly anticipated. The Horsemen had defeated the Lions two years prior to claim their tenth CABA crown. Honduras also defeated Leon in 2028 and were the favorite considering their franchise-best record. This was a storied finals rivalry, having also battled in 1959, 1942, and 1939. The Horsemen won in 1942, but the Lions were the 1959 and 1939 victors. Leon’s only other title was in 1941 over Puerto Rico, as they were 3-8 overall in the championship.



Many were surprised that Leon pulled off the 2034 victory over Honduras in only five games, earning their fourth CABA crown. The 74-year title gap was not the longest in CABA history, as Tijuana had a 101-year wait from 1919 to 2021 between rings. 1B Ferdinand Montoya was finals MVP in his fourth year with Leon. The 31-year old Cuban in 16 playoff starts had 18 hits, 7 runs, 4 doubles, 1 triple, 1 homer, and 8 RBI.



Other notes: CABA’s 41^st perfect game came on September 18 as Puerto Rico’s Beatle Oprel struck out nine against Barbados. Ecatepec reliever Adrian Bas pitched in 83 games, tying the CABA single-season record held since 1935 by Tommy Hall. Both Chihuahua’s Jeronimo Moreno and Salvador’s Fernando Silva had four home run games, which has happened 25 times in CABA history. Diego Carrasco of Guyana had a 34-game hitting streak, tied for the 7^th-longest in CABA history.

In milestones, Jamel Forsyth became only the 17^th member of the 3000 hit club. Forsyth and Benedetto Rodriguez became the 27^th and 28^th to 1500 runs scored. Rodriguez also became the 68^th with 2500 hits and the 69^th to 500 home runs. Franklin Madrid became the 41^st with 1500 RBI. Jose Toyos became the 17^th closer to 300 saves. SS Alvaro Valverde won his 7^th Gold Glove.

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The National Association was incredibly competitive in 2034 with only seven wins separating the top seed from the lowest wild card team. Even more, five teams were within two games of the top spot. Cleveland managed to narrowly take it outright at 97-65, repeating as Upper Midwest Division champ. The Cobras last took the #1 seed back in 2005. Grand Rapids was two back in the division at 95-67, earning a second wild card in four years.

The defending Baseball Grand Champion Washington repeated as East Division champ at 96-66, barely holding off both New York (95-67) and Brooklyn (93-69). The Admirals earned their seventh division title in a decade. The Yankees ended a 13-year playoff drought, while the Dodgers earned repeat wild cards. Baltimore, a wild card last year, notably dropped to 76-86.

Cincinnati was also one away from the top seed, taking the Lower Midwest at 96-66 for their second division title in four years. Last year’s division champ Indianapolis was second at 90-72, finishing three behind Brooklyn for the final wild card. Louisville was the association’s top scoring team with 828 runs, but finished 83-79 since they allowed the second-most runs at 833.

Quebec City won an intense Northeast Division at 91-71, two games better than both Buffalo and last year’s NA runner-up Toronto. The Nordiques ended an 11-year playoff drought and got their first division title since 2020. The Timberwolves and Blue Sox were both 89-73, four games short in the wild card race. That ended a three-year playoff streak for Toronto despite allowing the fewest runs in Major League Baseball at 569. Montreal, a wild card the prior two years, notably collapsed to 65-97 for their first losing season since 2023.

National Association MVP went to Grand Rapids RF Melvin Wegner in his fifth season. The Framingham, Massachusetts native led in RBI (148) and total bases (393). Wegner added 54 home runs, 199 hits, 106 runs, 20 doubles, a .326/.366/.644 slash, 185 wRC+, and 8.4 WAR. The 25-year old lefty was picked 20^th by the Growlers in the 2029 MLB Draft and was the 2030 Rookie of the Year.

Cincinnati’s Yoichiro Minami won his second Pitcher of the Year, having also done it in 2031. The 25-year old Japanese lefty led in quality starts with 26 and had a 3.09 ERA over 250.2 innings, 21-8 record, 217 strikeouts, and 4.4 WAR. This was the lowest WAR ever by an MLB POTY winner. It still helped Minami earn a six-year, $121,600,000 extension with the Reds the following August.

The three East Division teams won the first round playoff matchups. Washington swept Grand Rapids, while New York got the 3-1 road win over Quebec City and Brooklyn survived 3-2 at Cincinnati. The Dodgers then got the road upset 3-1 over top seed Cleveland, sending Brooklyn to the National Association Championship Series for the first time since 2017. They had only won the pennant twice, most recently in 2011.

Defending champ Washington swept the Yankees on the other side, giving the Admirals a shot at a third pennant in five years. They succeeded as Washington defeated Brooklyn 4-2 for their eighth National Association title (1912, 14, 30, 66, 2024, 30, 33, 34).



The American Association was also quite competitive and also had a seven win margin between the #1 seed and the lowest wild card. Birmingham surprised many as the top team at 99-63 atop the Southeast Division, the first-ever playoff berth for the 2021 expansion squad. Tampa was second at 92-70, which got them the third and final wild card. Jacksonville and Orlando were both only three way from the Thunderbirds at 89-73. Tampa’s playoff streak grew to three seasons. Birmingham’s berth left Sacramento as the only franchise remaining without a playoff trip yet.

San Diego was one away from the top seed at 98-64 atop the Southwest Division, giving them their ninth playoff trip since 2023. The Seals allowed the fewest runs in the AA at 595, but only held off defending World Series champ Albuquerque by one game for the division. The Isotopes (97-65) and Las Vegas (93-69) were the first two wild card teams with San Francisco (88-74) one of the first teams out. Albuquerque earned a third straight wild card while the Vipers got their third berth in four years.

Seattle returned to the Northwest Division throne at 95-67 after settling for a wild card last year. The Grizzlies now are riding a 12-year playoff streak, outlasting Anchorage (90-72) and Edmonton (89-73). The Avalanche fell two wins short in the wild card race with the Eels three back. Edmonton was MLB’s top scoring team at 888 runs, but their playoff drought grew to 35 years.

The weakest playoff record was Houston atop the South Central Division at 89-73. The Hornets’ playoff streak grew to eight years with their sixth successive division title. It was a departure from Houston’s 116-win 2033, which ended with a one-and-done in the playoffs. Dallas was second at 85-77, followed by San Antonio at 82-80.

It was a rough year for Vancouver, who went from the AACS runner-up in 2033 to a middling 76-86 in 2034. However, their 1B Alair White won his third consecutive American Association MVP, becoming the eighth in MLB history to three-peat. The Clarksdale, Mississippi native led in homers (65), RBI (144), runs (125), total bases (416), slugging (.686), OPS (1.069), and wRC+ (174). It was only the sixth-time in MLB history that a player had 65+ homers. The 24-year old White had 196 hits, 23 doubles, .323 average, and 8.0 WAR.

In his MLB debut with Anchorage, Saleh Naimtullah won Pitcher of the Year. The 35-year old Pakistani had been a successful two-way player with Peshawar of the Asian Baseball Federation from 2021-32. Naimatullah was traded to Ankara for 2033, who used him exclusively at first base. He had been limited to sporadic relief over the last few years to his chagrin following a torn flexor tendon in 2028. Wanting to return to full two-way play and a starting rotation, the Avalanche gave him that shot in MLB on a two-year, $15,600,000 deal for 2034.

Naimatullah won the ERA title at 2.09 and led with 25 quality starts. He had a 21-5 record, 250.1 innings, 219 strikeouts, 202 ERA+, and 7.7 WAR. Naimatullah also played 94 games with 67 starts in the field, getting 28 homers, a .846 OPS, 119 wRC+, and 1.7 WAR. The ERA and hitting earned him the award over Las Vegas’s Bo Jackson, who led in WAR (10.0) and Ks (282) with a 2.67 ERA.

Houston swept defending champ Albuquerque 3-0 in the first round of the playoffs, Las Vegas upset Seattle 3-2 on the road, and San Diego swept Tampa. Birmingham survived 3-2 against the Vipers in the second round, sending the Boomers to the American Association Championship Series for the first time. The Hornets upset the Seals 3-1 on the other side.

It was a chance at redemption for Houston after their playoff failure the prior year despite winning 116 games. The Hornets had a shot at their second pennant in four years. In a seven-game classic, Birmingham held on to become the first of the 2021 expansion teams to win a title.



Washington was the defending Baseball Grand Champion, but they had lost to Albuquerque in the 2033 World Series. The Admirals righted that wrong by defeating Birmingham 4-2 in the 134^th Fall Classic. It was the fourth ring for DC, joining the 2024, 1930, and 1914 campaigns. This also ended an eight-year win streak by American Association clubs, as the last National Association team to win the World Series was Detroit in 2025.

In his second MLB season, LF Harvey McLean was World Series MVP. The 31-year old Englishman signed with Washington in 2033 after nine seasons in Europe with Sheffield. In 17 playoff starts, McLean had 22 hits, 13 runs, 3 doubles, 5 homers, and 17 RBI.



Other notes: MLB’s 37^th perfect game came on March 30 from Ottawa’s Ramon Poulsen with five strikeouts against Raleigh. Despite the rarity of perfectos, this was the eighth time in MLB history that back-to-back seasons featured a perfect game. In other pitching notables, Riley Morales became the 12^th to 300 career wins and the 30^th to 3500 strikeouts. Through the 2036 season, Morales is one of only 46 aces in world history with 300+ wins.

Columbus’s Fabien Muller had a 21 strikeout game against Wichita on May 25. It was the fifth time in MLB that a pitcher had 21+ Ks, but Muller was the first to not need extra innings to do it. It was also his third time with a 20+ strikeout game. It has only happened 13 times total in MLB’s 134 year history. Muller also became the 105^th MLB pitcher with 3000 career strikeouts.

Mike Rojas became only the second MLB slugger to 800 career home runs, although he still had work to do to catch Isaac Cox’s 929. Mark Johnston became the 15^th member of the 700 homer club. Neil Hollinger, Pat Eichelberger, and Steve Castro each got to 600 homers, making that club 50 players strong. Hollinger was the 140^th to 1500 career RBI. A.J. Guy and Andre Small were the 127^th and 128^th to 500 homers.

Johnston, Milton Ramirez, and Jeff Bonner brought the 3000 hit club to 72 MLB members. Washington SS Jude Hoffer won his 10^th Silver Slugger, becoming only the 5^th in MLB history to win the honor 10+ times. CF Silvio Menoud won his 7^th Silver Slugger. Toronto’s Ethan Valentin had a four home run game against Columbus on August 15, this was the 48^th four homer game in MLB. Miami had MLB’s worst record at 57-105, extending their record-setting playoff drought to 62 seasons. LF Fabino Salasar won his 7^th Gold Glove.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

The 2034 Baseball Grand Championship was hosted in Hong Kong and was the 25^th edition of the event. Defending champ Washington was back to defend their title, representing MLB along with Birmingham. The other auto-bids were CABA’s Leon and Honduras, EAB’s Hamamatsu and Suwon, BSA’s Quito and Salta, EBF’s Warsaw and Ljubljana, EPB’s Irkutsk, OBA’s Tahiti, APB’s Tainan, CLB’s Changsha, WAB’s Bamako, SAB’s Delhi, ABF’s Tabriz, ALB’s Medina, and AAB’s Brazzaville. Earning the three at-large spots were SAB’s Ho Chi Minh City, WAB’s Libreville, and ABF’s Rawalpindi.

The Red Wings would surprise many by coming very close, taking second at 15-6. The top spot went to European Champion Warsaw at 16-5, becoming the second European Baseball Federation team to earn Grand Champion honors along with 2030 Berlin. Great pitching won the day for the Wildcats, who allowed the fewest runs at 51. They had a 2.34 team ERA and 5.30 H/9, both ranking as the second-best in event history. Warsaw’s ten saves also tied the event record.



The Wildcats offense was plenty good with 105 runs, second only to Ho Chi Minh City’s 107. They swept the top awards with Tournament MVP going to veteran RF Dominik Pucher. The 33-year old Slovak had 29 hits, 23 runs, 3 doubles, 12 homers, 21 RBI, .382/.478/.895 slash, 275 wRC+, and 2.3 WAR. Pucher tied the event runs scored record, set by Jude Hoffer the prior year, and was two hits from that record. Additionally, Pucher’s WAR was the sixth-best by a position player in BGC history.

Warsaw ace and 2033 EBF Pitcher of the Year winner Takao Watanabe won Best Pitcher honors. The 30-year old Japanese lefty had a 1.14 ERA over 31.2 innings, going 4-0 in five starts with 54 strikeouts and 1.3 WAR. Warsaw’s Anatoliy Gayduchenko also was notable as he stole 16 bases, tying the event record set in 2018 by Tomofumi Shimada.



For second place Rawalpindi, they set a new event team record with 58 home runs. Iqbal Kasuri had 16 of those, one short of the event record. Kasuri also had a four homer game against Honduras, the third such game in BGC history. On the downside, the Red Wings also had 269 strikeouts as a team, a new tournament worst. It was the third-time an Asian Baseball Federation team had finished in the top two, joining 2019 Tabriz and 2031 Hyderabad who both took first.

Birmingham, Libreville, and Ljubljana each finished next at 13-8. The tiebreakers put the Juggernauts third, Boomers fourth, and Lakers fifth. This gave EBF both the #1 and #3 teams. Ho Chi Minh City and Quito were next at 12-9, followed by defending champ Washington at 11-10 along with Tabriz and Hamamatsu.

Six teams finished 10-11; Leon, Medina, Salta, Suwon, Honduras, and Tainan. The Lions notably hit 57 home runs, which would’ve been the event record if not for Rawalpindi’s 58. Bamako and Irkutsk were both 9-12 and Brazzaville and Changsha both finished 8-13. Tied at the bottom at 5-16 were Delhi and Tahiti.

Other notes: Rawalpindi’s Rovshan Sultanov and Libreville’s Ibeh Ferguson both recorded five wins on the mound, tying the record which had been hit twice. Tahiti’s Dirk Murray had 68 strikeouts, second-most in BGC history behind Andrew Pendlebury’s 72 from 2030.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

Major League Baseball’s 2035 Hall of Fame class was an all-timer with four first ballot inductees. It was especially special being co-headlined by two guys in the top ten all-time in WAR. 334-win pitcher Vincent Lepp received 98.8% and home run king Isaac Cox got 98.2%, both frankly too low of percentages. SP Otis Hope quietly had his own firm induction at 91.5%. SP Clinton Edgar joined them at a respectable 77.1% for his own first ballot nod. No one else was above 50% with CL Heihachiro Okasawa as the best returner with 49.4% on his sixth ballot.



The lone player dropped after ten ballots was 3B Rueben Culmer, who had 19 years between Jacksonville, Baltimore, and Louisville. He won three Silver Sluggers and two Gold Gloves and ranks 92^nd in WAR among position players. Culmer had 2771 games, 2729 hits, 1416 runs, 380 doubles, 515 home runs, 1482 RBI, .266/.313/.472 slash, 122 wRC+, and 89.4 WAR.

Culmer is 13^th in WAR among third basemen in MLB, but a good chunk of that came down to defense and longevity. He was never a league leader and rarely had any eye-popping stats, leading voters to dismiss him as a compiler. Culmer was also hurt by playing on mostly terrible and forgettable teams. He peaked at 39.8% in 2027 before ending at 11.3%, but he remains popular with fans.



Vincent “Bronco” Lepp – Starting Pitcher – St. Louis Cardinals – 98.8% First Ballot

Vincent Lepp was a 6’4’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Park Forest, Illinois; a small Chicago suburb with around 22,000 inhabitants. Nicknamed “Bronco,” Lepp had fantastic stuff along with very good movement throughout his career. His control was quite solid in his prime, but became elite in his later years to extend his career a few more years once the stuff started to fade.

Lepp had a four-pitch arsenal with a 97-99 mph fastball, curveball, changeup, and circle change. All four options were equally potent and he was a master at changing speeds. Lepp had great stamina and was one of the true ironman pitchers. All 20 years of his career had 30+ starts and 220+ innings. Lepp also graded as a good defense pitcher with a strong pickoff move. Some thought he coasted on his natural talent sometimes and didn’t have a great work ethic, but Lepp’s natural talent was among the best in the history of the game.

His college career came with Florida State from 2007-09 with a 19-6 record, 1.81 ERA, 302.2 innings, 371 strikeouts, 55 walks, 177 ERA+, and 14.8 WAR. Plenty of teams were excited about Lepp for the 2009 MLB Draft and he went 16^th overall to St. Louis. He was a full-time starter immediately and was third in Rookie of the Year voting in 2010 with a 6.6 WAR and 2.222 ERA .

Lepp’s second season saw his first ERA title at 2.02, along with National Association bests for WHIP (0.88), complete games (17), and FIP- (58). He had 9.5 WAR and 293 strikeouts over 262.1 innings, taking second in Pitcher of the Year voting. Lepp bested that in 2012 and won the top award with a 1.94 ERA. In MLB’s 136-year history, there have only been 53 seasons by a qualified starter with an earned run average below two.

2013 was even better as Lepp repeated as Pitcher of the Year and posted arguably his finest season. He won the ERA title at 1.75, the ninth-best qualifying season in MLB history. It was also his only time leading in strikeouts with 293, along with career and NA-bests in WHIP (0.83), quality starts (28), shutouts (9), and WAR (10.3). It was a top 20 for WHIP and one of only ten MLB seasons with 9+ shutouts. Lepp’s 20-9 record kept him two wins short of the rare Triple Crown. In addition to POTY, Lepp finished third in MVP voting.

St. Louis had been largely mid-tier for the last few decades and broke a seven-year playoff drought in 2013 as a wild card, although they went one-and-done. Lepp was obviously going to be critical for any sustained success, so the Cardinals gave him a seven-year, $107,700,000 extension that winter. They were immediately rewarded as Lepp became only the fifth pitcher in MLB history to three-peat as Pitcher of the Year.

Lepp’s 2014 had his bests for wins (21-9) and strikeouts (296) along with a 2.18 ERA. Most importantly, St. Louis took the National Association’s top seed at 107-55, the second-best record in franchise history. The Cardinals won their first pennant since 1982, but were defeated in the World Series by Phoenix. This helped establish a reputation as a big game pitcher for Lepp, who had a 1.38 ERA in his four playoff starts with 33 strikeouts over 26 innings. He was merely okay in the Baseball Grand Championship, losing his four starts with a 3.62 ERA as St. Louis finished 7-12.

Earlier in 2014, Lepp had tied the World Baseball Championship event record for wins at 6-0, one of only 12 to win six games in WBC history. That helped the United States to a world title over Indonesia, one of five rings Lepp would earn with the American team along with 2010, 11, 17, and 20.

Lepp became one of the most tenured pitchers in event history pitching from 2010-27 with a 35-8 record, 3.18 ERA, 433.1 innings, 620 strikeouts, 90 walks, and 13.3 WAR. Through 2034, Lepp ranks 3^rd in WBC wins, 3^rd in innings, 5^th in strikeouts, 4^th in complete games (14), and 6^th in pitching WAR. These efforts increased his popularity across the US well beyond St. Louis.

St. Louis was even better in 2015, breaking their franchise record at 112-50. The Cardinals repeated as National Association champs, but were denied the World Series ring by Denver. Lepp’s season wasn’t award winning, but he had another fine run. In the playoffs, he had a 2.65 ERA over 37.1 innings with 42 Ks. He fared better in the BGC with a 2.31 ERA over 35 innings with 61 strikeouts, which is one of only 22 times in event history that a pitcher fanned 60+. St. Louis fared better, tying for sixth at 10-9.

The Cardinals were 99-63 in 2016, but ended up a wild card behind eventual NA champ Kansas City and went one-and-done. The next three years they were above .500, but outside of the playoffs. Lepp won his third ERA title in 2016 at 2.06 and led with 7.4 WAR, taking second in Pitcher of the Year voting. He was the WARlord for a third time in 2019 with 9.9 and had a career-best 52 FIP-, but the traditional metrics kept him from being a POTY finalist.

That also marked the end of Lepp’s initial run with St. Louis, as he surprised many by declining his contract option. He was a free agent for the first time heading towards his age 31 season in 2020 and had no shortage of options. Lepp ultimately inked a four-year, $96,800,000 deal with Los Angeles. The Angels had been a contender earlier in the decade, but hadn’t been able to get over the hump. They had just missed the playoffs in the last two years and hoped Lepp could get them back in.

Los Angeles just missed the cut in 2020 at 90-72, but won division titles in 2021 at 100-62 and 106-56 in 2022. Both times, they couldn’t get beyond the second round with Lepp struggling to a 5.92 ERA over four starts and 24.1 innings. His regular season production was a solid as ever though, including his fourth Pitcher of the Year award in 2022. Lepp had a 2.57 ERA, 286.2 innings, 254 Ks, 24 complete games, and 9.0 WAR. He was one of only eight pitchers in MLB to win the award four or more times.

Lepp declined the fourth-year option after the 2022 season, finishing the Angels tenure with a 60-27 record, 2.86 ERA, 832 innings, 764 strikeouts, 154 walks, 136 ERA+, 74 FIP-, and 22.8 WAR. Coming up on age 34, Lepp made a return to St. Louis with significant fanfare, signing for $137 million over four years. He never reached his earlier peaks, but he was good for 6+ WAR all four seasons.

The Cardinals were forgettable during this era with one wild card round exit in 2024. Lepp’s playoff numbers all-time for St. Louis saw a 2.18 ERA, 5-4 record, 74.1 innings, 80 strikeouts, 18 walks, 155 ERA+, 82 FIP-, and 1.7 WAR. In this return run, Lepp crossed the 250 career wins and 4000 strikeouts milestones.

Between stints for the Cardinals, Lepp had a 226-134 record, 2.58 ERA, 3499 innings, 3468 strikeouts, 653 walks, 159 complete games, 58 shutouts, 135 ERA+, 68 FIP-, and 106.8 WAR. Unsurprisingly, he remains very popular in St. Louis and later got his #20 uniform retired. Lepp’s stuff was starting to wane into his late 30s, but his control and durability still gave him plenty of value as someone who could eat innings. For 2027, he signed a two-year, $53,200,000 deal with Houston.

With the Hornets, Lepp had a 35-19 record, 3.98 ERA, 500 innings, 307 strikeouts, 65 walks, 112 ERA+, 84 FIP-, and 11.0 WAR. Houston made the playoffs both years but didn’t get beyond the second round. Lepp’s stats were lackluster with a 5.82 ERA over 21.2 innings. His overall career playoff numbers weren’t bad, but were surprisingly underwhelming considering his general success. Lepp had 120.1 innings with a 3.59 ERA, 6-9 record, 120 strikeouts, 25 walks, 106 ERA+, 90 FIP-, and 2.4 WAR.

Lepp hit two more big milestones while in Houston, becoming the 10^th MLB ace with 300 wins and the 6^th to 4500 strikeouts. He signed with Calgary in 2029, but his velocity was now peaking in the lower 90s. Lepp had a 13-14 record, 4.64 ERA, 254 innings, 113 Ks, and 3.8 WAR with the Cheetahs. His control was still excellent, so he might have been able to hang around in the back of the rotation a few more years. However, Lepp called it a career that winter at age 40.

The final stats for Lepp: 334-194 record, 2.87 ERA, 5085 innings, 4652 strikeouts, 919 walks, 434/649 quality starts, 261 complete games, 73 shutouts, 130 ERA+, 72 FIP-, and 144.4 WAR. He is MLB’s all-time leader in shutouts, but surprisingly never threw a no-hitter. Lepp ranks 4^th in wins, 10^th in starts, 11^th in innings, 20^th in complete games, 4^th in strikeouts, and 3^rd in WAR among pitchers. Among all MLB players, Lepp ranks 5^th in WAR.

Among MLB pitchers with 1000+ innings, Lepp is 78^th in ERA and his 1.04 WHIP is 34^th. He also ranks 65^th in opponent’s OPS at .622 with his .269 on-base percentage ranking 31^st. Few argue against Lepp for being MLB’s best pitcher of his era, but is he the best of all-time? He’s certainly in the conversation and makes basically any top ten list. Lepp usually is in the top five and could be as high as #1, although he has tough competition with the likes of Ned Giles, Newton Persaud, Parker Harpaz, T.J. Nakabayashi, and Spenser Emond.

On the world leaderboards, Lepp ranks 17^th in wins, 23^rd in innings, 11^th in shutouts, 35^th in complete games, 25^th in quality starts, and 19^th in pitching WAR. Among all players ever in baseball history, Lepp ranks 62^nd in WAR. He’s also 3^rd in WAR among American-born players and the best of the pitchers. His raw dominance numbers aren’t as high as some of the other aces on that list, but few could match his longevity and reliability as one of only 25 guys with 5000+ career innings.

Regardless of where one might rank him on the all-time lists, Lepp was one of baseball’s true immortals as a legend of Major League Baseball and one of the best-ever from the world’s largest baseball nation. He was critical in two pennants for St. Louis and multiple World Baseball Championship rings for the United States. 98.8% was frankly too low as Lepp co-headlined a four-player MLB Hall of Fame class in 2035.



Isaac “Lefty” Cox – Left/Right Field – Denver Dragons – 98.2% First Ballot

Isaac Cox was a 6’4’’, 200 pound left-handed corner outfielder from Kuna, Idaho; a town with around 24,000 within the Boise metropolitan area. Nicknamed “Lefty” as a kid for his handedness, Cox was known for impressive and steady home run power never before seen in MLB. Cox was especially dominant facing right-handed pitching with a career 1.019 OPS and 174 wRC+. Against lefties, he had a mere .753 OPS and 108 wRC+.

Especially against righties, Cox was a very strong contact hitter. He also had a rock solid eye for drawing walks, although his strikeout rate was unremarkable. His power was largely focused on dingers with a 162 game average of 45 homers, 23 doubles, and 7 triples. Cox had 13 seasons with 40+ home runs and topped 50+ four times on his way to becoming MLB’s career home run king. He also had surprisingly good speed, but Cox’s baserunning instincts were abysmal.

A big part of his success was longevity and consistency. From 2008-26, Cox was good for 139+ games each season. He split his career almost exactly evenly between right and left field and was a reliably above average-to-good defender. Cox was a great leader, but some felt he could be a bit greedy. Still, with his towering home runs and tenure, it is no surprise Cox became a global megastar despite his humble beginnings.

Cox left Idaho for Texas A&M University from 2005-07, playing 145 collegiate games with 143 hits, 106 runs, 18 doubles, 54 home runs, 109 RBI, 73 walks, .284/.386/.654 slash, 210 wRC+, and 10.0 WAR. He was picked sixth overall in the 2007 MLB Draft by Denver and was an immediate success. Cox was 2008 Rookie of the Year and debuted with 47 home runs, 7.4 WAR, and American Association bests for slugging (.668), OPS (1.043), and wRC+ (179).

In his third season, Cox was third in MVP voting and led in runs (113), OPS (1.033), wRC+ (185), and WAR (9.3). Denver ended a 14-year playoff drought in 2010 at 89-73 and got to the AACS, although they were defeated by San Diego. This started what became an MLB-record 13-year playoff streak and Northwest Division title streak for the Dragons. They got back to the AACS in 2011, but were ousted by Tampa despite Cox winning series MVP.

Cox won MVP and his first Silver Slugger (LF) in 2011, leading in runs (123), home runs (53), and slugging (.676). Despite his final tallies, this was Cox’s only season as the leader in homers. 2011 also had his career highs for runs, slugging, OPS (1.065), wRC+ (188) and matched his career best WAR of 9.3. Cox also had great playoff stats in his first two postseasons even if Denver didn’t go the distance. That winter, the Dragons wisely signed Cox to an eight-year, $125,900,000 extension.

Around that time, Cox also became a global star through his exploits in the World Baseball Championship. He played from 2009-16 for the United States team, then again at the end of his run in 2027-28. In 128 WBC games, Cox had 108 hits, 76 runs, 22 doubles, 32 homers, 81 RBI, .280/.401/.606 slash, and 6.0 WAR. He won world titles with the 2010, 11, and 14 American squads.

Cox won another Slugger and was third in 2012’s MVP voting, although Denver fell in the first round of the playoffs. This was his first time leading in total bases with 376. Cox bested that with 388 the next year and a career high 55 home runs, winning his second MVP and third Slugger. Denver was 97-65, but the focus was on 119-win Los Angeles or 106-win Phoenix as favorites in the American Association.

The Firebirds upset the Angels, but the Dragons beat Phoenix to take the pennant. Denver then denied defending champ Washington’s repeat bid to win their sixth World Series ring. Statistically, it was merely a decent run by Cox with .839 OPS, 127 wRC+, and 0.4 WAR. He more than made up for that with an impressive run in the Baseball Grand Championship with 25 hits, 18 runs, 7 homers, 18 RBI, 1.282 OPS, 260 wRC+, and 1.8 WAR. Denver finished 15-4 to be crowned as the fourth Grand Champion, placing Cox atop the professional baseball world.

The next few seasons were down by his standards, although still very solid by normal people standards, as he wasn’t a league leader or awards winner. Denver went 102-60 in 2014 but lost in the second round of the playoffs. The Dragons then were 100-62 in 2015 and again went all the way. They defeated Phoenix again in the AACS, followed by a World Series upset win over 112-win St. Louis.

This was Cox’s weakest playoff run with a .726 OPS, 104 wRC+, and 0.4 WAR. Yet again though, he followed it up with a BGC tear with 13 homers, 27 RBI, 22 hits, 18 runs, 1.425 OPS, 287 wRC+, and 1.9 WAR. Denver and Johannesburg finished tied in the top spot at 15-4, but the Jackalopes had the tiebreaker thanks to a 13-7 head-to-head victory over the Dragons.

Denver had 100+ win seasons from 2017-19, but had limited luck in the playoffs. From 2015-19, their only AACS trip was a 2017 defeat to San Francisco. Cox was racking up milestones quickly, joining the 500 home run club in late 2018. In May 2019, the Dragons gave him a new four-year, $92,800,000 extension. That was his strongest season in some time, taking third in MVP voting with a league-best .399 OPS. He also hit for the cycle in July against Seattle.

Cox was a leader for the last time with 118 runs and 1.058 OPS in 2020, taking second in MVP voting. Denver had their best season of the playoff streak at 114-48 and defeated Las Vegas in the AACS with Cox as series MVP. The Dragons then beat Cincinnati for Cox’s third World Series ring. He had 15 hits, 9 runs, 4 doubles, 4 gomers, and 15 RBI in 13 playoff starts.

Once more, Cox played his finest on the Baseball Grand Championship stage with 21 hits, 16 runs, 11 homers, 20 RBI, 1.192 OPS, 209 wRC+, and 1.5 WAR. Denver finished 15-4 and became the first franchise to earn Grand Champion honors twice. With the BGC win, World Series win, and 114 wins, the 2020 Dragons staked a claim among the absolute best teams in the history of the game.

Denver got back to the AACS in 2021 at 97-65, but a 112-win New Orleans proved too much to handle. The Dragons weren’t done though with a 106-56 record and the top seed in 2022. They beat San Francisco for the AA pennant, then knocked off Cincinnati in a World Series rematch for their fourth MLB title in a decade. Denver had nine MLB titles all-time, which was the most to that point, although they’d later get passed by both San Diego and Houston.

Fans were excited at the prospect of becoming the first franchise with three Baseball Grand Championship rings, but Denver was in the middle of the standings at 10-9. Cox again was strong with 16 hits, 14 runs, 9 home runs, 17 RBI, 1.086 OPS, and 1.2 WAR. Now 36-years old, these would be the final games of his storied run with the Dragons.

In the playoffs for Denver, Cox started 130 games with 142 hits, 87 runs, 26 doubles, 34 home runs, 88 RBI, .289/.361/.578 slash, 156 wRC+, and 6.1 WAR. The Dragons had MLB’s longest-ever postseason streak at 13 seasons, all division titles, with four World Series rings, eight AACS trips, and two Grand Championship wins. If Cox retired there, his legacy would’ve already been cemented as a true legend of the game.

Cox actually wasn’t the one who chose to end things, as Denver voided the team option year of his contract after the 2022 season. In 2333 games, Cox had 2612 hits, 1614 runs, 334 doubles, 113 triples, 685 home runs, 1668 RBI, 971 walks, .299/.373/.599 slash, 163 wRC+, and 106.7 WAR.

It was a cold business decision, one that backfired for the Dragons. On top of missing out on Cox chasing records later in his career, his first year gone marked the start of a five-year playoff drought. Still, he remained beloved in the Mile High City and his #14 uniform would later be retired. Cox’s next step was a three-year, $97,500,000 deal with Detroit.

The Tigers had won the National Association pennant in 2021, but had missed the playoffs in 2022. They had won 80+ games each year back to 1996, but the 2021 title was their only one of that stretch. Detroit had also only one other time gotten to the NACS. The Tigers hoped Cox’s playoff clutchness could prove decisive. There was also some hope that he could break the home run record in the Motor City.

Elijah Cashman’s 750 homers had stood as the record since 1936, but it finally fell in 2021 to Cody Lim. That was Lim’s last season as he finished with 758. If Cox maintained his averages, that was reachable in two seasons. Cox hit 37 dingers in 2023 and became the 8^th to join the 700 home run club. One month earlier, Killian Fruechte joined him in the 700 club and was also gunning for the new record. Fruechte ultimately fell just short, retiring after the 2024 season with 739.

Detroit went 101-61 in 2023, but lost in the NACS to Cincinnati. The Tigers won another division title in 2024 but had a second round exit. Cox was still a very capable starter with 5.4 WAR and .842 OPS, but he had a career low 29 home runs and 66 RBI. He had gotten 35+ homers and 90+ RBI in all of his seasons to that point. This put Cox at 751 career home runs, passing Cashman’s ancient record by one, but he was seven behind Lim.

At age 38 in 2025, Cox had a nice power rebound with 37 homers and 105 RBI, ending Lim’s short reign as MLB’s home run king. Detroit finished 99-63 and got hot, winning only their second-ever World Series by defeating Nashville. Cox joined a very select few in MLB history to have five rings for his career. He had another solid postseason run, finishing his Tigers career with 36 playoff starts, 38 hits, 25 runs, 5 doubles, 11 home runs, 22 RBI, .270/.304/.553 slash, 143 wRC+, and 1.2 WAR.

Cox had one more nice run in the Baseball Grand Championship, helping Detroit to fourth place at 12-7. In 94 career BGC games, Cox had 100 hits, 76 runs, 10 doubles, 43 home runs, 91 RBI, .316/.430/.769 slash 1.199 OPS, and 7.1 WAR. On the BGC leaderboard, Cox is 4^th in WAR for position players, 21^st in games, 4^th in runs, 10^th in hits, 6^th in total bases (243), 5^th in homers, and 2^nd in RBI.

He certainly lived up to the Tigers deal, delivering the record-breaking home run milestone and a World Series ring. In three seasons, Cox had 465 games, 430 hits, 280 runs, 51 doubles, 103 home runs, 269 RBI, .270/.366/.513 slash, 160 wRC+, and 16.4 WAR. Now 39-years old, Cox carried on with a two-year, $28 million deal with El Paso. The Prairie Dogs were a 2021 expansion team still trying to find their footing.

In 2026, Cox became the first in MLB to 800 home runs and the 7^th to 2000 RBI. He also joined the small club of guys to hit for the cycle twice, doing it again in June versus Oklahoma City. El Paso finished 82-80, the first winning season for the young franchise. 2027 saw Cox’s first major injury, a strained abdominal muscle that cost him nearly two months. Still, Cox became only the second to 2000 runs scored and the Prairie Dogs earned their first-ever wild card, although they went one-and-done. Cox surprisingly struggled to -0.3 WAR in the series.

For his playoff career, Cox played 170 games with 181 hits, 114 runs, 32 doubles, 45 home runs, 110 RBI, 61 walks, .280/.345/.563 slash, 149 wRC+, and 7.0 WAR. As of 2037, Cox is MLB’s all-time playoff leader in games, at-bats (646), hits, runs, total bases (364), doubles, home runs, RBI, and strikeouts (128). Certainly longevity plays a huge role; the next most games a player has is 120 compared to his 170. But Cox delivered and was a big reason for those appearances in the first place.

Cox was definitely older, but still effective in his first two years with El Paso, earning a two-year, $54,800,000 extension. He had another solid year in 2028 with 39 homers, 115 RBI, .922 OPS, and 4.1 WAR. On the same day, September 10, 2028, he became the first MLB slugger to 900 home runs and the 13^th player to 3500 career hits.

MLB’s runs and RBI records seemed reachable, both held by Stan Provost since the 1950 with 2348 runs and 2271 RBI. Cox was only 7 RBI away entering 2029, but he needed another 150 runs to catch that mark. Cox was also only 8 away from Provost to become the leader in total bases with the record at 6989. Unfortunately, Father Time caught up to Cox in 2029.

Another strained abdominal cost him significant time, but he was subpar when healthy with .759 OPS, 94 wRC+, and -0.3 WAR over 111 games. Cox still passed Provost as the RBI and total bases king. Overall for El Paso, Cox played 538 games with 565 hits, 357 runs, 87 doubles, 141 home runs, 396 RBI, 231 walks, .290/.370/.572 slash, 138 wRC+, and 14.8 WAR. He retired that winter shortly after his 43^rd birthday.

Cox played 3336 games with 3607 hits, 2251 runs, 472 doubles, 145 triples, 929 home runs, 2333 RBI, 1423 walks, 2209 strikeouts, 316 stolen bases, .294/.372/.584 slash, .955 OPS, 159 wRC+, and 137.9 WAR. Cox stands still as MLB’s leader in home runs, RBI, and total bases. He also ranks 2^nd in games, 3^rd in at-bats (12,259), 2^nd in runs, 7^th in hits, 78^th in doubles, 23^rd in walks, 28^th in strikeouts, and 3^rd in WAR among position players. Cox is 9^th in WAR among everyone when pitchers are included.

He also ranks 35^th in slugging and 34^th in OPS among MLB batters with 3000+ plate appearances. Home runs became more common in MLB in the 2020s and beyond, six other guys would pass Cashman’s old 750 record that had stood nearly 90 years, but Cox still stands far above. Only Mike Rojas challenged him with 872 homers through 2036, but Rojas is out of MLB entering 2037 and not expected to add to his counter.

On the world leaderboards, Cox ranks 21^st in games played, 7^th in runs, 36^th in hits, 18^th in homers, and 15^th in RBI. Cox is 52^nd in WAR among position players and 87^th among all players ever in baseball history. He ranks 6^th in WAR among American-born players.

The question then gets quickly asked, is Isaac Cox the greatest player in MLB history? You certainly could see a very strong case for him, especially if power stats are the most important to you. Only two position players have him beat in WAR; Morgan Short and Graham Gregor. Short is the big leader there at 170.47 with Gregor at 147.95. However, Short has a lot of value from his defense in center field and hitting efficiency with an incredibly low strikeout rate.

Cox’s team and playoff success though blows those guys out of the water. Few players in any world league had more playoff games or accumulations. Very few had won their league’s title five times and even fewer had two Grand Champion rings, along with his tallies in four editions of the event. Cox also had rings in the World Baseball Championship, stepping up on any big stage that came to him. Those accolades put him in rarified air even before remembering that he’s MLB’s home run king and RBI king and a top ten guy in the other big stats.

Of course, it is always impossible to truly evaluate such things and gets more complicated when you throw in pitchers or two-way guys into the GOAT conversations. For example, Cox’s Hall of Fame classmate Vincent Lepp has him beat for career WAR, but it’s hard to argue against Cox being more impactful especially when adding in the postseason stats.

Longevity also went a long way with Cox when comparing him to other all-time greats for all of baseball history. He never had any individual seasons with absurd record-setting numbers and his individual awards case is relatively bare compared to other legends. You wouldn’t think a guy with his tallies would’ve only won two MVPs and three Silver Sluggers. But the consistency over 22 years puts Cox in very unique territory.

In any event, Cox is one of baseball’s true immortals and is regularly cited in any list of top ten players in MLB’s 136-year history, sometimes sitting in the #1 spot. Lepp just beat him for voting share with Cox at 98.2%; again there’s always a few crusty voters preventing unanimous picks. But he co-headlined the four-player 2035 Hall of Fame class as Major League Baseball’s career home run king. Pretty good for a kid from a small town in Idaho.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

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Otis Hope – Starting Pitcher – San Francisco Gold Rush – 91.5% First Ballot

Otis Hope was a 6’1’’, 205 pound left-handed pitcher from Coldwater, Ohio; a village with under 5,000 people in the west-central part of the state. Hope had outstanding overpowering stuff while his movement and control were both above average to good. He had an impressive 99-101 mph fastball, but his circle change was his most devastating pitch. Hope also had a nice slider and an okay regular changeup in the arsenal.

Hope’s stamina was strong and he had solid durability for most of his run. He had an excellent pickoff move and was great at holding runners, but his regular defense was below average. Almost quietly, Hope put together a steady and strong 15-year career.

From 2010-12, Hope played collegiately at Wichita State and was used as a reliever in his first two seasons. He was moved to the rotation as a junior and finished his three years with a 9-5 record, 12 saves, 1.79 ERA, 130.2 innings, 136 strikeouts, 183 ERA+, 60 FIP-, and 4.6 WAR. In the 2012 MLB Draft, Hope was taken late in the first round, 54^th overall, by Detroit. Many don’t realize he began with the Tigers, since he never pitched a game for them.

Hope spent early 2013 in minor league Grand Rapids before being one of four prospects traded away in July to San Francisco in exchange for 2022 Hall of Famer SP Abdul Karim Hussein. He pitched the rest of 2013 and all of 2014 in minor league San Jose. The Gold Rush gave Hope the call-up for 2015 as a full-time starter. It was an impressive debut, leading the entire American Association with 285 strikeouts. He was a steady member of SF’s rotation for the following 11 years.

During that stretch, Hope wasn’t a league leader or awards candidate, but he put up remarkably steady production. From 2017-26, he was good for 5.9+ WAR and 200+ strikeouts each year. This was important as San Francisco ended a 16-year playoff drought in 2016, although they had a second round exit. In 2017, the Gold Rush took the top seed at 107-55 and won the AACS over Denver. However, they were defeated by Boston in the World Series.

Hope had a solid playoff run with a 2.76 ERA over 29.1 innings with 20 strikeouts and 0.8 WAR. San Francisco finished 11-8 in the Baseball Grand Championship, one of five teams with that record. This was only one win behind the top three teams all tied at 12-7; SF was officially seventh after tiebreakers. Hope had an excellent BGC run with a 2.02 ERA in his four starts, 35.2 innings, 3-1 record, 55 strikeouts, three complete games, and 2.3 WAR.

His later playoff stats were a mixed bag and he had some bad luck. Over 17 starts for San Francisco, he had a 3.62 ERA over 136.2 innings, 3-11 record, 117 strikeouts, 110 ERA+, 89 FIP-, and 2.6 WAR. After the 2018 season, the Gold Rush signed Hope to a six-year, $80,800,000 extension. SF was regularly in the playoff mix with berths in 2018, 21, 22, 24, 25, and 26. The Gold Rush only got back to the AACS twice, getting defeated in 2018 and 2022. They had the #1 seed in 2026 at 104-58, but were upset in the second round.

In May 2024, Hope signed another five year and $144,200,000 extension with San Francisco. He remained consistent into his mid 30s and started to get his first awards consideration, taking third in Pitcher of the Year voting for both 2025 and 2026. Hope led in Ks (246) and quality start (25) in 2025. His career best for strikeouts was 291 back in 2020. 2024 was Hope’s best WAR at 7.1.

Hope had his awards consideration in 2026 despite losing a month to a hamstring strain, his first notable injury. That year also saw the 200 win and 3000 strikeout career milestones. Hope’s one playoff start went extras, but was a defeat with six runs allowed in 9.1 innings. San Francisco was the top seed, but ended up upset in the second round by San Diego. The Seals went onto win the World Series and Grand Championship, kicking off their epic dynasty run.

It stung for San Francisco fans that Hope opted out of his contract after the 2026 season and hurt even more that he left for San Diego at four years and $118,400,000. That ended the Gold Rush’s run as a regular contender, spending the next few years mostly in the middle of the standings. Still, Hope was popular for his 12-year run and his #31 uniform would later be retired. With San Francisco, Hope had a 214-123 record, 3.04 ERA, 3163.1 innings, 3125 strikeouts, 130 ERA+, 81 FIP-, 193 complete games, 31 shutouts, and 74.6 WAR.

Hope was now 35-years old and had his career best ERA in 2027 at 2.41, taking third in Pitcher of the Year voting. Sadly, on August 12 he suffered a catastrophic stretched elbow ligament with a 10 month recovery time. Hope still earned rings with the 2027 Seals, who made a case for being the best team in MLB history. San Diego won the World Series at 119-43 and became the first team to repeat as Baseball Grand Champion. However, Hope had to watch the proceedings in a sling.

He made it back for summer 2028 and was effective in four starts, but lost another chunk to a strained shoulder. San Diego got the World Series three-peat, but Hope was lackluster in the playoffs with a 5.86 ERA over 27.2 innings. He fared better in the 2028 BGC with a 3.23 ERA over 30.2 innings with 22 strikeouts. The Seals couldn’t win an unprecedented third straight Grand Championship, but still had a nice showing in sixth at 12-7.

Hope stayed healthy in 2029, but his stuff had fallen off and his velocity now peaked in the mid 90s. He had a respectable 3.73 ERA over 234.1 innings, but was abysmal in the playoffs with a 7.37 ERA over three starts and 18.1 innings. Despite that, San Diego snagged the World Series four-peat in a rematch win over Ottawa. Hope decided to retire with that at age 37 and didn’t pitch in the 2029 BGC.

With San Diego, Hope had a 31-17 record, 3.04 ERA, 462 innings, 305 strikeouts, 101 walks, 144 ERA+, 92 FIP-, and 8.1 WAR. He won three World Series rings, but had a 6.46 ERA in his seven playoff starts. Hope’s career playoff numbers were unremarkable with a 4.34 ERA, 182.2 innings, 5-15 record, 139 Ks, 95 ERA+, 100 FIP-, and 2.6 WAR. However, he had a strong 2.58 ERA over eight BGC starts with 77 Ks in 66.1 innings.

Hope’s career numbers saw a 245-140 record, 3.04 ERA, 3625.1 innings, 3430 strikeouts, 930 walks, 293/442 quality starts, 218 complete games, 37 shutouts, 131 ERA+, 82 FIP-, and 82.8 WAR. He ranks 56^th in wins, 60^th in complete games, 42^nd in strikeouts, and 81^st in WAR among pitchers.

He was never considered the top pitcher during his time, but Hope was reliably solid in his run and finished in the top ten in strikeouts ten times. He played an important role in San Francisco being a regular contender and was a small part of San Diego’s historic all-time dynasty. Hope might be overlooked in a loaded four-player Hall of Fame class in 2035 for Major League Baseball, but he still earned the firm first ballot nod at 91.5%.



Clinton Edgar – Starting Pitcher – New Orleans Mudcats - 77.1% First Ballot

Clinton Edgar was a 5’10’’, 190 pound left-handed pitcher from Madolenihmw, Micronesia, a division of the island of Pohnpei with only about 37,000 people on the whole island. Edgar was the first Hall of Famer in any world league from the tiny island federation. He had great movement on his pitches along with very good control and solid stuff.

Edgar’s velocity regularly hit 98-100 mph with his fastball, although his most dangerous pitch was a similarly fast sinker. He also had a changeup as a third offering with an extreme groundball tendency. The sinker was especially devastating facing fellow lefties. Edgar had a career 2.85 ERA and 69 FIP- against left-handed batting compared to a 3.40 ERA and 87 FIP- against righties.

His stamina and durability were both generally good. Edgar was excellent at holding runners, but was an otherwise underwhelming defensive pitcher. He was one of the smartest aces in the game and was appreciated by teammates for his selflessness and team-first attitude.

The few notable prospects from Micronesia generally ended up in the Oceania Baseball Association along with their fellow Pacific Islanders. The country had an association with the United States though, which helped put Edgar on the radar of a few scouts during his impressive teenage years. New Orleans convinced him to move to the Bayou on a developmental deal in May 2010. He debuted in 2014 for minor league Lafayette. Edgar made 22 appearances with the big league club in 2015 with decent results, earning the full-time roster spot after that.

Edgar’s innings were somewhat limited in his first few years, but he became a standard ace as time went on with New Orleans. It was his longest tenure, but Edgar wasn’t an awards candidate or all-star with the Mudcats. In 2019, Edgar notably threw his lone no-hitter on August 13 with seven strikeouts and two walks against Vancouver. Still, he played an important role as New Orleans won five division titles from 2016-23. Prior to that, they had a playoff drought back to 2000.
All but one of those years was a first or second round exit.

2021 was a shocking outlier as one of the strongest single-season efforts in MLB history. New Orleans finished 112-50, dethroned reigning champ Denver for the American Association title, then defeated Detroit in the World Series. Edgar had a fantastic playoff run, going 4-0 in five starts with a 1.55 ERA, 40.2 innings, 28 strikeouts, 257 ERA+, 2 shutouts, and 1.2 WAR.

Edgar kept rolling into the Baseball Grand Championship, helping New Orleans take the top spot at 15-4. He won his four starts with a 2.60 ERA over 27.2 innings, 29 strikeouts, 6 walks, 156 ERA+, and 1.2 WAR. Edgar’s role in that magical championship season earned him a warm spot in the hearts of Mudcats fans despite only pitching just over eight seasons there. His #6 uniform would eventually be retired by New Orleans.

Although the team’s other playoff runs weren’t anything notable, Edgar had a 2.25 ERA, 6-1 record, 64 innings, 46 strikeouts, and 1.4 WAR in the postseason for the Mudcats. NO missed the 2022 playoffs, then had a second round exit in 2023. The Mudcats signed Edgar to a four-year, $76 million extension in January 2023. However, New Orleans found themselves with a payroll that the small market franchise had trouble with.

Surprising many, the Mudcats traded Edgar in July 2023 to San Diego for two prospect pitchers. For New Orleans, Edgar had a 115-68 record, 3.25 ERA, 1778 innings, 1216 strikeouts, 503 walks, 119 ERA+, 84 FIP-, and 37.7 WAR. It was his longest tenure and he was inducted as a Mudcat, but Edgar was more famous and impactful for many with the Seals. He played a critical role in kicking off what many consider to be MLB’s best-ever dynasty.

When he arrived though, San Diego had been stuck in the middle tier with no playoff berths from 2011-22. They snapped that drought in 2023 at 97-65 and upset Seattle for the American Association title. The Seals fell to Cincinnati in the World Series with Edgar posting a 3.49 ERA over 38.2 playoff innings. He was iffy in the 2023 BGC with a 4.23 ERA over four starts, although the Seals finished 11-8, officially sixth.

This wasn’t the dynasty yet though for San Diego. They had a 103-59 season in 2024, but lost in the first round. The Seals then missed the playoffs altogether in 2025 at 83-79. However, these years were Edgar’s first as a Pitcher of the Year finalist, taking third in 2024 and second in 2025. The latter was his first ERA title, a career-best 2.39, and an association-best 8.5 WAR and five shutouts. Edgar’s 9.2 WAR from 2024 would be his career high.

In 2026, Edgar won the top honor at age 32, leading in wins (24-7), ERA (285.1), complete games (22), and WAR (8.2). San Diego was a 94-68 wild card, but upset Seattle in the AACS and beat Cincinnati for the first of their four straight World Series rings. In the playoff run, Edgar had a 3.35 ERA in six starts, winning five with 48.1 innings, 26 strikeouts, and 1.4 WAR. Edgar was solid on the Baseball Grand Championship stage with a 1.42 ERA in four starts, 3-1 record, 34 strikeouts, and 0.9 WAR. The Seals finished 15-4 and took baseball’s top team prize.

The 2027 Seals staked a claim as arguably the best team in baseball history. They finished 119-43, won the World Series over Montreal, and finished 14-5 for the first-ever Baseball Grand Championship repeat. Edgar was second in Pitcher of the Year voting and had a 2.48 ERA over 32.2 playoff innings. This was also his best BGC with a 1.60 ERA over 33.2 innings, 42 strikeouts, 4 walks, and 1.8 WAR.

Edgar had signed a four-year, $118,700,000 extension in March 2027. He had an elbow strain for part of 2028 and saw some regression with only 92 strikeouts in 201 innings, although he still had a 3.36 ERA and 4.0 WAR. Edgar stepped up again in the playoffs as San Diego three-peated at 108-54, beating Ottawa in the World Series. He won his four playoff starts with a 2.06 ERA over 35 innings. His last BGC had a 4.50 ERA over 28 innings though, as the BGC three-peat was denied with a sixth-place 12-7.

With San Diego, Edgar had an outstanding 15-2 playoff record with a 2.97 ERA, 163.2 innings, 99 strikeouts, 25 walks, 141 ERA+, 71 FIP-, and 4.9 WAR. His entire playoff career had a 21-3 record, 2.77 ERA, 227.2 innings, 145 Ks, 50 walks, 149 ERA+, and 6.3 WAR. He was the first MLB pitcher to 20+ playoff wins, although Riley Morales would later pass him. Edgar also ranks second in playoff pitching WAR and has the most shutouts with five, cementing his place as one of the top big game pitchers.

If those numbers didn’t seal it, Edgar’s Baseball Grand Championship numbers were likewise impressive. Over 20 starts, he had an 11-6 record, 2.78 ERA, 148.2 innings, 162 strikeouts, 38 walks, 132 ERA+, 74 FIP-, and 4.3 WAR. Between New Orleans and San Diego, Edgar was in very unique territory with three Grand Champion rings.

He had always been a groundball pitcher and San Diego’s great defenses helped Edgar thrive. However, the team was worried about his quickly weakening stuff. Edgar still was reaching the 96-98 mph range in 2028, but reported to spring training in 2029 with 93-95 mph peaks. His numbers were so underwhelming that San Diego shockingly cut him after spring training, becoming a free agent for the first time at age 35.

With San Diego, Edgar finished with a 103-36 record, 2.79 ERA, 1372 innings, 967 strikeouts, 289 walks, 151 ERA+, 72 FIP-, and 39.6 WAR. Edgar didn’t stay unemployed long and El Paso gave him a chance, but he was lousy in 2029 for the Prairie Dogs. Edgar had a 6.62 ERA over 151 innings with 53 Ks and 0.6 WAR. Clearly cooked, Edgar retired for the game that winter.

Edgar’s final stats saw a 224-114 record, 3.21 ERA, 3301 innings, 2236 strikeouts, 854 walks, 252/426 quality starts, 168 complete games, 37 shutouts, 126 ERA+, 81 FIP-, and 77.9 WAR. Because of his sudden decline and relatively short career, Edgar missed the top 100 for all of the regular season counting stats. There would be some voters held up on accumulations (and low strikeouts in particular) that felt Edgar missed the cut.

Even if the regular season stats were arguably borderline, you couldn’t argue against Edgar being a top-tier postseason pitcher. He was a big reason for three Baseball Grand Championship rings, four World Series rings, and two of the best-ever single-season runs in MLB history with the 2021 Mudcats and 2027 Seals.

Those accolades and two ERA titles got Edgar across the line for most voters. He only got 77.1%, but that was enough to get the first ballot nod to cap off a stacked four-player 2035 Hall of Fame class for Major League Baseball. Edgar also proudly represented the Federated States of Micronesia as the first Hall of Fame ballplayer from the tiny island nation of just over 100,000 people.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

Third baseman Manuel Aquino stood alone for induction into the Central American Baseball Association’s Hall of Fame for 2035 with 96.4% of the vote. SP Amauris Huerta barely missed the 66% cut line in his debut at 65.2%. RF Jose Leal was also close on his third ballot, but fell short at 61.6%. No other players were above 50%.



Dropped after ten failed ballots included LF/DH Marvin Orellana, who had a 17-year career with four teams. He won two Silver Sluggers and an MVP in 2010 with Costa Rica, finishing with 2320 hits, 1336 runs, 301 doubles, 211 triples, 519 home runs, 1408 RBI, .286/.334/.566 slash, 142 wRC+, and 62.2 WAR.

Orellana was one mostly forgettable teams though and lost some points for making the majority of his starts as a designated hitter. The tallies were just low enough to hurt him even with 500+ homers, getting as close at 55.1% in 2034 before ending at 44.2%. He was never below 39%, but ends up as a firm Hall of Pretty Good type.

Three others fell off after ten ballots, including 1B Ivan Moran who had one MVP, one Silver Slugger, and one Gold Glove. He was important for Haiti’s 2006-07 repeat titles, winning MVP in 2007. Moran did lose tallies though playing five seasons later in his career with MLB’s Hartford. In CABA, he had 1674 games, 1787 hits, 1105 runs, 262 doubles, 386 homers, 1091 RBI, .304/.397/.562 slash, 150 wRC+, and 65.9 WAR.

Including the MLB seasons, Moran had 2322 hits, 1454 runs, 330 doubles, 500 homers, 1406 RBI, 1320 walks, .279/.379/.513 slash, 142 wRC+, and 79.6 WAR. He was one of the better walks guys in CABA and ranks 16^th in OBP among those with 3000+ plate appearances. Even with the MLB credit, Moran’s tallies were borderline. He peaked at 51.4% in 2034 before ending at a low of 23.9%.

SP Santiago Gamez made it ten ballots, but he peaked at 30.9% in 2027 before ending at only 7.2%. In 14 years between Jamaica and Torreon, he had one ERA title, a 190-125 record, 3.23 ERA, 3018.2 innings, 2733 strikeouts, 122 ERA+, 87 FIP-, and 57.0 WAR. Gamez retired just past his 35^th birthday despite still putting up decent stats, keeping him from the accumulations needed. His rate stats were comparable to some other HOFers, but lower accumulations and poor playoff stats kept Gamez from gaining traction.

CF Jeronimo Martinez likewise ended at 7.2% after peaking with his debut at 37.4%. He had his entire 16-year run with Hermosillo with six Silver Sluggers, finishing with 1977 games, 2193 hits, 1135 runs, 386 doubles, 296 triples, 289 homers, 1092 RBI, 683 steals, .309/.347/.569 slash, 158 wRC+, and 86.2 WAR.

Sabermetrics like Martinez, ranking him 63^rd in WAR among position players. He’s also 12^th in triples, but nagging injuries kept him from some of the counting stats voters want. He’s notably 12^th in WAR among CABA center fielders as well. Martinez remains very popular with Hyenas fans, but he didn’t have the accumulations or home run power many voters fixate on.



Manuel “Sneezy” Aquino – Second Base – Hermosillo Hyenas – 96.4% First Ballot

Manuel Aquino was a 6’2’’, 200 pound left-handed hitting second baseman from Patarra, Costa Rica; a district on the San Jose province with just under 12,000 inhabitants. Nicknamed “Sneezy,” Aquino was one of the most reliable power hitters of his era with 40 home runs per his 162 game average. He also got you 21 doubles and 8 triples per 162 for a steady diet of extra base hits.

Aquino graded as a rock solid contact hitter with a decent strikeout rate, although he drew much fewer walks than most sluggers. He was better against right-handed pitching with a career .971 OPS and 172 wRC+, but was still plenty potent against lefties with a .852 OPS and 138 wRC+. Unlike typical sluggers, Aquino had impressive speed and was very skilled at stealing bases.

Defensively, Aquino was exclusively a third baseman. He graded as a subpar defender overall, but you could definitely do much worse. Aquino was a scrappy spark plug with an outstanding work ethic and great adaptability, always making the most of his opportunities. His durability was also generally solid over a 16-year career.

Aquino left Costa Rica for Mexico in April 2009 on a developmental deal with Hermosillo, where he’d spend nearly his entire pro career. Aquino spent the better part of six years in their academy, although he did have 38 pinch-hit at-bats between 2013-14. He was rostered full-time in 2015 with 122 games and 36 starts, posting promising results with a .999 OPS and 2.9 WAR. The Hyenas named Aquino the full-time starter at 3B from 2016 onward.

From 2016-22, Aquino was good for 7+ WAR, 40+ homers, and 115+ RBI each year. He won Silver Sluggers from 2016-20, as well as in 2022 and 2027. Aquino was also second in 2017’s MVP voting and third in 2019, although he never won the top award. 2017 was his finest effort, leading the Mexican League with career highs for RBI (141), total bases (411), slugging (.700), and WAR (10.3). Aquino had 56 homers that year and in 2019, posting a career-best 1.079 OPS in 2019. He was the RBI leader again in 2018 and 2021 and the total bases leader in 387.

Hermosillo had been a contender in the late 2000s, then fell into the middle-tier for Aquino’s earlier years. The North Division was also a tough climb with Juarez’s dynasty run in the 2010s and 2020s. The Hyenas earned three wild cards from 2018-20 and got to the MLCS in 2018 and 2020, but couldn’t go deeper. Still, they were delighted by Aquino’s production and gave him an eight-year, $162,400,000 extension in June 2020.

Although they didn’t have the deep runs, Aquino’s playoff stats were outstanding in a small sample size. With 31 starts, he had 40 hits, 30 runs, 8 doubles, 4 triples, 14 homers, 35 RBI, .320/.366/.784 slash, 214 wRC+, and 2.6 WAR. Hermosillo was right back in the middle-tier in the 2020s, never winning fewer than 79 games in a season for the rest of Aquino’s tenure. However, they only made the playoffs once with a wild card and divisional series defeat in 2026.

Aquino was still productive into his mid 30s, but his power stats did begin to dip from his prime years. He did notably hit for the cycle on August 12, 2025 against San Luis Potosi. Aquino lost some time to a concussion in 2026, then saw more of a platoon role in his later years. The big contract finally ended after the 2028 season, sending Aquino to free agency for the first time at age 35.

For Hermosillo, Aquino had 2121 games, 2322 hits, 1345 runs, 295 doubles, 115 triples, 539 home runs, 1450 RBI, 932 steals, .311/.351/.598 slash, 166 wRC, and 96.1 WAR. His last season was still good for 3.8 WAR, .802 OPS, and 28 homers in 132 games and 94 starts. Toluca, a 2025 expansion team, was optimistic that Aquino could help them to their first winning seasons. The Tortugas gave him a three-year, $21 million deal.

Unfortunately, Aquino fell completely off a cliff with Toluca. He played 117 games and started 62, eventually benched after posting -0.8 WAR, a .215/.261/.394 slash, and only 15 home runs. Aquino retired that winter at age 36, but Hermosillo quickly brought him in and honored him by retiring his 23 uniform.

Aquino finished with 2238 games, 2382 hits, 1374 runs, 296 doubles, 117 triples, 554 home runs, 1492 RBI, 438 walks, 1420 strikeouts, 947 steals, .308/.347/.591 slash, 163 wRC+, and 95.3 WAR. Aquino ranks 50^th in runs, 93^rd in hits, 63^rd in total bases (4574), 45^th in homers, 46^th in RBI, 17^th in steals, and 41^st in WAR among position players. He ranks 6^th in WAR among third baseman and is the steals leader for 3Bs.

While he falls just short of the “inner-circle” level of Hall of Famer, Aquino was generally considered the best third baseman of his era in the Mexican League. Most scholars rank him as a top ten 3B in Central American Baseball Association history, making him an easy choice on the 2035 ballot. Aquino received 96.4% and stood alone for induction.