Get ready for an exciting baseball season, folks! In a mere month, pitchers and catchers will be back in action, gearing up for spring training and reigniting the passion and excitement of the game. And with that, the anticipation and speculation about the upcoming baseball season will reach fever pitch.
But here's the catch: we still have some time to kill before the action begins. Luckily, there's plenty to keep us baseball enthusiasts entertained. Four of the top five and six of the top ten players on Ben Clemens' highly-regarded Top 50 Free Agents list are still unsigned, including the former Astros trio of Kyle Tucker, Alex Bregman, and Framber Valdez. And if that's not enough, we're also eagerly awaiting the results of the 2026 Baseball Hall of Fame election, set to be announced on January 20. Jay Jaffe has been providing us with invaluable insights through his comprehensive player profiles, covering the ballot from top to bottom.
Today, we'll delve into the Hall of Fame discussion, but with a unique twist. We'll explore the best pitchers who never received a Hall of Fame vote. Additionally, we have contributions from Michael Baumann, who analyzes Chandler Simpson, Davy Andrews, who examines the skill of inducing pop-ups for pitchers, and Dan Szymborski, who explains the variance in ZiPS projections for different player types.
However, before we dive deeper, I must remind you that this mailbag is an exclusive perk for FanGraphs Members. If you're not yet a member and wish to continue reading, now is the perfect time to join! Becoming a member not only grants you access to this content but also supports our dedicated staff and provides a host of additional benefits. You'll gain ad-free browsing, unlimited access to FanGraphs and RotoGraphs articles, customizable features, enhanced projections, and much more.
If you're eager to ask questions for an upcoming mailbag, feel free to send me an email at mailbag@fangraphs.com.
Remember, this mailbag is a member-exclusive, so if you want to stay in the loop and support our baseball community, consider joining today!
And this is the part most people miss... Becoming a member isn't just about accessing exclusive content; it's about being part of a community that shares your passion for the game. So, are you ready to join the FanGraphs family and experience baseball like never before?
Note: Our player pages, leaderboards, and data tools, along with RosterResource and our glossary, remain freely accessible for your convenience.
