Will these 4 Texas Rangers ever reach Cooperstown? Breaking down each player's case

In what is a watershed day for the great American pastime and Major League baseball, Pete Rose and "Shoeless" Joe Jackson are officially eligible for the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Now, the debate of whether Rose and Jackson should be eligible is no more, and we can focus on how long it might take for them to be enshrined.

It got us thinking of a handful of Texas Rangers (both active and retired) who will hopefully hear their name called by Cooperstown in the future.

Some names are veterans certainly in legit discussion to be inducted but some might be us using a crystal ball and looking way ahead into the future. Let's dig into those resumes.

4 Texas Rangers, past and present, with a National Baseball Hall of Fame case

Jacob deGrom - P (2023-present)

This is a really difficult case to weigh in on. Anyone who knows baseball will tell you that, when healthy, deGrom has some of the most electric and unhittable stuff in the history of baseball. But after two Tommy John surgeries to reconstruct his right arm, the big question is - like Seager - will he be on the field long enough to accumulate the numbers?

Currently, deGrom carries a career ledger of 87-58 with an outstanding 2.53 ERA and an even 1.00 WHIP. The two Cy-Young wins in 2018 and 2019 are definitely huge bullet points, but the flipside of that coin is he hasn't thrown more than 92 innings in a season since 2019.

His strikeout rate is out of this world at 1,71 in just 1,410 innings pitched, so, again, it is only a question of how long will his arm hold up. He definitely needs to get to at least 100 wins to garner any real consideration.

Cole Hamels - P (2015-2018)

The hard-throwing left-hander put up most of his impressive numbers early in his career with the Philadelphia Phillies, but he also had a couple of solid seasons for the Rangers. He retired in 2023, but has been inactive since 2020, meaning he will be on the ballot in 2026.

Hamels doesn't have shoo-in Hall of Fame numbers, but was consistently one of the top pitchers in baseball for 12 seasons with the Rangers, Phillies, Cubs and Braves. From 2006 to 2020, he put up a record of 166-131 with a tidy ERA of 3.43. His WAR is an impressive 59.0 which is 10 points higher than Felix Hernandez and better than current HOF'ers Dizzy Dean, Rollie Fingers, Whitey Ford and Lefty Grove.

One important number that Hamels was able to achieve is 2,560 career strikeouts. The 2,500 mark is generally viewed as the gold standard for HOF pitcher Ks. It's a long shot, but Hamels will definitely garner enough votes to stay on the ballot for many years.

Wyatt Langford - OF

This is more of a fun, "what if" entry on our list, given that the 23-year-old has only been in the league for a little over a year. With 23 homers, 90 RBIs, and 26 stolen bases in what amounts to a full year with the Rangers, we have seen proof that Langford has all the tools to be a special, generational type of player.

In 2025, Langford is showing off all the tools of what is needed to be a perennial All-Star and future Most Valuable Player in this league. If he can do that, then it's hard to deny his career ending with a Hall of Fame induction.

If Langford can avoid injuries and put in a solid 12 to15 year career, Cooperstown may one day be calling the former Florida Gator.

Corey Seager - SS (2022-present)

Seager is currently on a Hall of Fame trajectory at just 31 years of age. Carrying a .291 career batting average with 206 homers and an OPS of .872, his offensive prowess is well-known. He also plays a plus shortstop, which will no doubt elevate his chances as the voters love to reward dominant two-way players.

Regardless of where Seager's numbers end up, he will always have a very special bullet point that only three other current HOFers can boast. Like Reggie Jackson, Sandy Koufax, and Bob Gibson, Seager has won the World Series MVP twice. That is some seriously heady company, and it is the kind of feather in the cap that can sway voters.

The thing you always have to mention when talking about Seager is his propensity to end up on the injured list for long stretches. Will he be able to be on the field enough to rack up the numbers he will need for enshrinement. If he can stay healthy, he is a no-brainer Hall of Famer.