The 2026 Baseball Hall of Fame class is official, and it features two long-debated names finally getting their due: Andruw Jones and Carlos Beltrán. Jones made it in on his ninth try, while Beltrán crossed the threshold in his fourth year on the ballot. But further down the list-well below the 75% needed for enshrinement-you’ll find a trio of former Reds who each received a handful of votes, a nod to their solid, if not Cooperstown-worthy, careers.
Edwin Encarnación, Shin-Soo Choo, and Matt Kemp all appeared on the ballot this year. None will return next year, as each fell short of the 5% minimum required to stay in the running. Encarnación led the group with six votes (1.4%), while Choo picked up three and Kemp collected two-both under 1%.
Let’s take a closer look at their careers, especially their time in Cincinnati and how their journeys unfolded after leaving the Queen City.
Edwin Encarnación: A Late-Blooming Power Threat
Encarnación’s path to Cincinnati began in 2001, when the Reds acquired him from Texas in a deal for pitcher Rob Bell. Early on, he showed flashes of offensive promise, but his glove at third base was another story.
In his first full season, he committed 25 errors in just 111 games-a league-high that year. While defensive metrics from that era can be murky, it’s safe to say third base was never his strong suit.
By 2009, Cincinnati had seen enough. Encarnación was sent to Toronto at the trade deadline in a package that brought back veteran third baseman Scott Rolen. That trade would mark a turning point-not just for the Reds, but for Encarnación’s career.
Once he settled in with the Blue Jays, Encarnación transformed into one of the most feared sluggers in the game. From 2012 to 2019, he launched 297 home runs across stints with Toronto, Cleveland, the Yankees, and Seattle.
He wrapped up his career with the White Sox in 2020, adding 10 more homers in a shortened season. All told, Encarnación finished with 424 career home runs and a .260/.350/.496 slash line over 16 seasons.
He may not be headed to Cooperstown, but his second act was nothing short of elite.
Shin-Soo Choo: A One-Year Wonder in Cincinnati, A Legend for Korea
Choo’s time in Cincinnati was brief but impactful. Acquired in a nine-player, three-team blockbuster after the 2012 season, Choo slotted in as the Reds’ everyday center fielder in 2013-and he delivered.
In 712 plate appearances, he hit .285 with 21 home runs, 34 doubles, two triples, and a staggering .423 on-base percentage. While he didn’t make the All-Star team that year (his lone selection came in 2018), that Reds season remains one of the best of his career.
After that standout year, Choo signed a long-term deal with the Rangers, where he played from 2014 to 2020. He retired with a .275/.377/.447 career slash line, 218 home runs, and 157 stolen bases over 16 seasons.
But Choo’s legacy stretches beyond MLB box scores. He’s the most accomplished South Korean-born position player in Major League history-by a wide margin.
His 34.7 career WAR dwarfs the totals of Korean pitching stars like Hyun Jin Ryu and Chan Ho Park. He has more hits (1,671), more home runs (218), and more plate appearances than any other Korean-born player.
And he remains the only Korean position player to make an All-Star team. That’s a legacy that transcends Hall of Fame votes.
Matt Kemp: A Star That Shined, Then Fizzled in Cincinnati
Kemp came up with the Dodgers and quickly became one of the most dynamic players in the league. From 2006 to 2014, he was a staple in LA’s lineup, peaking with an MVP-caliber 2011 season. But after bouncing from San Diego to Atlanta and back to Los Angeles, he was part of a seven-player trade that brought him to Cincinnati in 2019.
Expectations were high following a 2018 All-Star season where he hit .290 with power. But Kemp’s time with the Reds was forgettable.
He struggled out of the gate, hitting just .200/.210/.283 and was released after only five weeks. He resurfaced briefly with Colorado in 2020, hitting better in a 43-game stint, but that would be the final chapter of his MLB career.
Still, Kemp’s overall numbers tell the story of a player who had a significant impact during his prime. Over 15 seasons, he hit .284/.337/.484 with 287 home runs and 184 stolen bases. While his time in Cincinnati was short-lived and underwhelming, his career as a whole is worthy of recognition-even if it stops short of Cooperstown.
A Quick Note on Nick Markakis
And then there’s Nick Markakis, who received a single Hall of Fame vote. Though he never played a game for the Reds, he was actually drafted by Cincinnati twice-in 2001 and 2002-but chose not to sign either time.
He eventually broke in with the Orioles and enjoyed a long, productive career. Just a quirky footnote in the Reds’ connection to this year’s ballot.
Final Thoughts
While Jones and Beltrán headline the 2026 Hall of Fame class, the ballot also serves as a moment of reflection for players like Encarnación, Choo, and Kemp-guys who didn’t quite reach the Hall but still left their mark on the game. Whether it was Encarnación’s late-career power surge, Choo’s trailblazing path for Korean players, or Kemp’s electric peak in Los Angeles, each of them gave fans plenty to remember.
They may not have plaques in Cooperstown, but they’ve earned their place in the broader story of modern baseball.