One of the best baseball players in Major League Baseball history is undoubtedly Japan’s Ichiro Suzuki, who is among the 14 new candidates for the Baseball Hall of Fame. On the ballot sent by members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA), Venezuelan Felix Hernandez and his compatriot Carlos Gonzalez also stand out. In addition, the names of Dominicans Hanley Ramirez and Fernando Rodney, as well as Americans CC Sabathia and Dustin Pedroia, were added.

Ichiro Suzuki’s brilliant MLB careerSuzuki arrived for the Seattle Mariners in the 2001 MLB season, and stood out as the first Japanese-born fielder in Major League history. Suzuki won the American League Most Valuable Player award, as well as the Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year award in the same season, a feat only Fred Lynn of the Boston Red Sox had accomplished in 1975. During his 19 MLB seasons, Suzuki had 3,089 hits and became the first player with 10 consecutive 200-hit seasons, including a record 262 in 2004, when he won his second batting title with a .

372 average. The first came in his rookie year when he batted . 350 with 242 hits and 56 of his 509 career stolen bases.

To be elected, candidates must appear on 75 percent of the ballots cast by selected members of the BBWAA with 10 or more consecutive years of MLB coverage, and be part of the induction weekend from July 25-28, 2025 in Cooperstown, New York. ‘King Felix’ among the candidatesHernandez also has all the merits to become a solid candidate to be enthroned in the Hall of Fame. The Venezuelan played only for the Mariners over 15 seasons, and won the American League Cy Young Award in 2010, a year after finishing second in the voting behind Zack Greinke, and was again second in the Cy Young voting in 2014, behind Corey Kluber.

Hernandez was called up to the MLB All-Star Game six times, and started the 2014 game in Minnesota. The right-handed pitcher led the American League in fewest hits per nine innings pitched three times, earned run average twice, shutouts twice, starts twice and once each in wins, winning percentage and innings pitched. As if that were not enough, King Felix threw the 23rd perfect game in MLB history on August 15, 2012, a 1-0 victory over Tampa Bay with 12 strikeouts.

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