Ken Griffey Jr. and Mike Piazza headline the 2016 National Baseball Hall of Fame class, and Griffey received a record 99.3 percent of the vote. The goal of every major league player is to make the Hall of Fame, but there are a select few current players that are destined to head to Cooperstown at the end of their careers. Here are the six players we think are in the midst of Hall of Fame careers:
Albert Pujols, Los Angeles Angels
Pujols is as sure of a lock to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer as there is in today's game. With a career WAR over 100, Pujols has blasted 560 homers in his career and has recorded over 100 RBIs in 12 of this 15 career seasons - including 10 straight from 2001-2010. Add in his playoff success (.323 BA, 15 HR, 54 RBIs in 77 career postseason games, two World Series titles (2006, 2011)), and Pujols is a shoo-in (and will go in as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals).
Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers
Chances are that Cabrera won't be a first ballot Hall of Famer when he retires, but he'll get in sooner rather than later. A Triple Crown winner with two MVP awards, he had 11 straight seasons with over 100 RBIs and has six seasons with an OPS of .998 or better.
Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers
As long as he plays three more years (which he will) to meet the Hall's 10-year mininum, he's a lock to be enshrined in Cooperstown. He already has three Cy Youngs to his name and won the NL MVP in 2014, along with a career ERA around 2.50.
David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox
Ortiz announced that he will retire following the 2016 season, but the Red Sox slugger won't have to wait very long until he enters the Hall. He's the best designated hitter of all-time and is one of the most clutch players in MLB history, having a career World Series batting average of .455(!!!) and hitting 17 home runs in 82 career playoff games while leading Boston to three titles.
Bryce Harper, Washington Nationals
It's still very, very early in Harper's career, but all signs point to Harper being a first-ballot Hall of Famer. At 23 years old, Harper is already a three-time All-Star and MVP winner with 97 home runs in and a .289 BA in his four-year career. Barring a set of devastaing injuries, Harper is well on his way to being a first-ballot Hall of Famer when he calls it a career.
Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels
Another young player, Trout and Harper both look like Hall of Fame shoo-ins. At just 24 yeards old, Trout is already a four-time All-Star, four-time Silver Slugger award winner, and MVP winner. He too will be a surefire first-ballot guy - and could be the one to surpass Griffey's votes received record.