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Ex-MLB All-Star Choo Shin-soo falls off Hall of Fame ballot

Published: 21 Jan. 2026, 11:06 Updated: 21 Jan. 2026, 16:49

Former SSG Landers player Choo Shin-soo speaks during a press conference ahead of his retirement ceremony at Incheon SSG Landers Field in Incheon on June 14, 2025. [YONHAP]

Former All-Star outfielder Choo Shin-soo has dropped off the National Baseball Hall of Fame after failing to clear the minimum vote threshold.

Results for the Hall of Fame voting by members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) were announced Tuesday. With 425 ballots submitted, candidates had to earn at least 75 percent of the votes, or 319, to be elected, and needed 5 percent, or 22 votes, to remain on the ballot for another year.

Choo received three votes to fall off after just one year on the list. He did become the first Korean to even be nominated for the Hall of Fame.

Choo was one of 11 first-time candidates to drop off, including former National League MVP Ryan Braun, who only had 15 votes.

Two former star outfielders, Carlos Beltran with 358 votes and Andruw Jones with 333, were selected in this voting cycle.

Players no longer on the BBWAA ballot may still be inducted through voting by the Veterans Committee, made up of Hall of Fame players, baseball executives and media members.

Choo is by far the most successful Korean-born position player in MLB history. Over his 16-year career with the Seattle Mariners, Cleveland Indians — currently the Guardians — Cincinnati Reds and Texas Rangers, Choo posted three 20-20 campaigns — with at least 20 homers and 20 steals — and finished with 218 home runs in 1,652 career games. He once held the mark for the most home runs by an Asian player in big league history, until Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers surpassed him in 2024.

Choo earned his lone All-Star selection in 2018, when he established a Rangers franchise record by reaching base safely in 52 consecutive games.

Yonhap