Former MLB Superstars Who Should Be in Cooperstown (But Aren’t)

Adrian Beltre — Third Baseman

Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

Teams: Los Angeles Dodgers, Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox, Texas Rangers


Quietly, Adrian Beltre became one of the best players of his generation. Beltre made his Major League debut with the Dodgers in 1998 at the age of 19. In 2004 — his final year in Los Angeles — Beltre slashed .334/.388/.629 with 48 HR and 121 RBI and finished second for the NL MVP. Not only was he a force at the plate, but Beltre became one of the greatest defensive third basemen to ever play the game. A great teammate as well, Beltre helped lead the Rangers to the World Series in 2011. Over the course of a 21-year career, Beltre accumulated 3,166 hits, 477 HR, five Gold Gloves, and four All-Star appearances. Eligible for the HoF in 2024, Beltre is more than worthy of a place in Cooperstown.