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FuzzyRussianHat · 10-21-2025, 08:16 AM

West African Baseball’s 2037 Hall of Fame ballot was stacked with sluggers as four earned first ballot nods with above 90%. 3B/1B Okoro Yusuf (98.8%) and DH Desmond Jaiyeola (97.3%) had the highest shares with OF Ahmed Kone and OF/DH Hassan Amara both at a strong 90.6%. The only other player above 50% was SP Jacques Ahouansou, debuting at 52.9%. The best returner was SP Joseph Masuta at 47.5% for his sixth ballot. No players were dropped after ten failed ballots.

Okoro Yusuf – Third/First Base/Designated Hitter – Cape Verde Vulcans – 98.8% First Ballot

Okoro Yusuf was a 6’3’’, 200 pound left-handed hitting corner infielder from Ondo, Nigeria; a city of around 258,000 inhabitants in the country’s southwest. Yusuf had world class contact ability that graded as an 11/10 by some scouts at his peak. He was solid at drawing walks as well, although his strikeout rate was unremarkable. Yusuf’s had very good power specifically against right-handed pitching with a career 1.125 OPS and 184 wRC+.

He still hit for a high average against lefties, but had a .842 OPS and 120 wRC+ with weaker power. On the whole, Yusuf got plenty of extra base hits with 41 home runs, 38 doubles, and 4 triples per his 162 game average. His speed was okay, but Yusuf was a very clumsy baserunner. At his peak, Yusuf was one of the most efficient hitters in the world, becoming a superstar both in West Africa and globally.

Yusuf’s career starts were roughly split into thirds between third base, first base, and designated hitter. He graded as a very good defender at 1B and even won a Gold Glove in 2027. Yusuf was subpar, but passable at 3B. He had some injury woes, but held up alright in a 16-year career. Yusuf was beloved by comrades and foes as a high character individual. He was a team captain with high marks for leadership, loyalty, work ethic, and intelligence.

In April 2013, Yusuf left for Cape Verde on a developmental deal. After three years in the Vulcans’ academy, he debuted in 2016 at age 19, although he struggled in 55 games and 21 starts. Yusuf was a full-time roster member after that and started most of 2017 with respectable results. He found his power stroke in 2018 with 45 homers. Yusuf was on pace for similar in 2019, but lost about two months to a herniated disc.

From 2020-25, Yusuf had one of the best six-year runs a batter could have. All six years, he was the Western League leader in WAR, wRC+, OPS, and on-base percentage. Yusuf won Silver Sluggers each year with the first four at 3B and the last two at 2B. He won five MVPs (2020-23, 25) and was second in 2024’s voting. Yusuf is one of only four in WAB history to win 5+ MVP awards.

During the run, he also led in hits thrice, runs once, total bases twice, slugging thrice, and batting average four times. Yusuf had a .404 average in 2022 and .407 in 2024, which rank as the 8^th and 5^th best qualifying seasons in WAB history. He’s one of six players in world history with multiple .400 seasons. Yusuf had committed long-term to Cape Verde during the run with an eight-year, $113,500,000 extension signed in July 2021.

2022 was Yusuf’s best season for OPS (1.222), slugging (.766), wRC+ (206), WAR (11.5), homers (52), runs (126), doubles (49), and total bases (464). The OPS ranks as the 6^th-best qualifying season in WAB history. In 2023, Yusuf had his best for RBI at 163 while 2024 was his best for hits (246) and OBP (.468).

Prior to his arrival, Cape Verde had been generally uncompetitive apart from a random pennant win in 2002 and WLCS loss in 2010. They were awful to end the 2010s, but got back above .500 from 2020-23 during Yusuf’s rise. They only made the playoffs twice with wild cards in 2022 and 2023. The Vulcans lost in the second round in 2022, then fell to Abidjan in the 2023 WLCS. In his 12 career playoff games, Yusuf had a 1.025 OPS, 174 wRC+, and 0.7 WAR.

Yusuf did get a chance on the World Baseball Championship stage for Nigeria from 2018-22 and from 2026-30. In 112 games, he had 116 hits, 76 runs, 19 doubles, 34 home runs, 75 RBI, 36 walks, .305/.389/.629 slash, 197 wRC+, and 6.8 WAR. Yusuf became a national hero as Tournament MVP in 2022 as the Nigerians defeated Poland for their first-ever world title. In 27 starts, he had 40 hits, 25 runs, 14 homers, 30 RBI, 1.364 OPS, 303 wRC+, and 2.99 WAR. The WAR ranks as the 9^th-best by a position player in event history.

That run made him a superstar despite spending his entire career in the small island nation of Cape Verde on mostly forgettable teams. After their 2023 WLCS loss, the Vulcans spent the next five seasons with losing records. Yusuf was unable to repeat his MVP pace in his 30s and had a few injuries, including a fractured thumb and bruised wrist in 2028. Still, he remained a strong starter and Cape Verde gave him a five-year, $145 million extension in March 2029 at age 32.

Yusuf was still good for 42 homers in both 2029 and 2030 as a DH, but he fell below a .300 average for the first time in 2030 and saw his strikeout rate jump up. Cape Verde got back to 85-77 in 2030, but fell one win short of the playoffs. Despite the other issues, Yusuf did notably hit for his lone cycle on June 1, 2030 against Bissau.

The decline was incredibly steep in 2031 and he was ultimately benched, struggling to .650 OPS, 65 wRC+, and -0.5 WAR over 76 games and 50 starts. Yusuf retired that winter at only age 35. Immediately, Cape Verde honored Yusuf by retiring his #39 uniform. He would be the franchise’s first Hall of Fame inductee.

Yusuf finished with 2177 games, 2820 hits, 1477 runs, 516 doubles, 55 triples, 552 home runs, 1644 RBI, 732 walks, 1712 strikeouts, 97 stolen bases, .353/.414/.639 slash, 1.052 OPS, 168 wRC+, and 94.7 WAR. Yusuf ranks 57^th in games, 25^th in runs, 21^st in hits, 20^th in total bases (5102), 39^th in doubles, 25^th in homers, 19^th in RBI, 31^st in walks, and 10^th in WAR among position players.

Among batters with 3000+ plate appearances, Yusuf’s triple slash ranks 8^th/5^th/11^th and his OPS is 4^th. Among Hall of Famers and retired locks, Yusuf is 6^th in batting average, 8^th in on-base percentage, 26^th in slugging, and 10^th in OPS. While West African Baseball’s high offense environment does play a role, Yusuf was undoubtedly an incredibly efficient batter in his prime.

The lack of longevity and lack of team success puts Yusuf on the borderline of being an inner-circle level Hall of Famer. He was admired though for his high character and dedication to Cape Verde despite the franchise’s general ineptitude. Yusuf was a slam dunk inductee at 98.8%, the highest percentage of the four inductees for WAB in 2037.

Desmond Jaiyeola – Designated Hitter – Lagos Lizards – 97.3% First Ballot

Desmond Jaiyeola was a 6’2’’, 200 pound left-handed designated hitter from Lagos, Nigeria’s most populous city. Jaiyeola was renowned for his home run power, which some scouts called a 10/10 in his prime. From 2020-30, he had 11 consecutive seasons with 50+ homers and topped 60+ six times and 70+ thrice. Jaiyeola was especially strong against right-handed pitching with a career 1.034 OPS and 152 wRC+, compared to only a .822 OPS and 108 wRC+ facing lefties.

Jaiyeola was a good contact hitter against righties and average against lefties. He drew fewer walks than you’d expect and did struggle with strikeouts with a 25.2% K rate. Jaiyeola was always swinging for the fences and only got 25 doubles per his 162 game average, but that wasn’t an issue with 58 dingers and 130 RBI per 162. He was an incredibly skilled and savvy baserunner, providing impressive results despite having subpar speed.

He was a career designated hitter, making only one non-DH start for his entire career with only 39.1 total innings with his glove. You knew Jaiyeola was always ready in the lineup with his bat as he had great durability. He was one of the smarter guys in the game, but some teammates and peers felt he was self-centered and only focused on personal glory.

Jaiyeola’s power potential shot him up the prospect rankings and he went 12^th to Abidjan in WAB’s 2013 Draft. He was a very raw prospect and had limited options without defensive value. The Athletes kept him in the developmental system all of 2014 and most of 2015 save for 14 plate appearances. Jaiyeola saw part-time action the next three years with mix results. For Abidjan, he played 313 games with 165 starts, getting 212 hits, 132 runs, 32 doubles, 66 home runs, 162 RBI, 46 walks, 206 strikeouts, .266/.311/.560 slash, 114 wRC+, and 3.0 WAR.

Abidjan was underwhelmed by his progress and didn’t see a long-term spot for Jaiyeola. In 2018, they had the Western League’s top seed, but lost to Banjul in the WLCS. Just before the 2019 season started, the Athletes opted to trade Jaiyeola straight up to Nouakchott for SS/2B Farouka Ibrahim. The Night Riders made him a full-time starter and he started to put things together, starting his streak of 50+ homer seasons in 2020.

Jaiyeola got his first Silver Sluggers from 2020-22 with Nouakchott and was third in 2020’s MVP voting, second in 2021, and third in 2022. He was a league leader for the first time in 2021 in runs (123), hits (217), homers (59), RBI (153) and total bases (427). That season had his career best for hits and batting average (.330). Nouakchott got wild cards from 2019-21 and made the 2020 WLCS, although they fell to Conakry. The other two years had first round exits. Jaiyeola struggled in the small playoff sample size with .649 OPS and 59 wRC+.

Overall for Nouakchott in four seasons, Jaiyeola had 624 games, 803 hits, 480 runs, 126 doubles, 221 home runs, 540 RBI, 125 walks, 142 steals, .325/.365/.657 slash, 154 wRC+, and 22.6 WAR. He was now a premiere slugger and looked to cash in, heading to free agency for 2023 heading into his age 29 season. Jaiyeola found the big payday back in his hometown on a six-year, $146,600,000 deal with Lagos.

Jaiyeola won Silver Sluggers in 2023, 25, and 28 for the Lizards. His lone MVP win came in 2024 and he took second in 2025. Jaiyeola led the Eastern League in homers in all six seasons with Lagos, peaking with 78 dingers and 160 RBI in 2024. He crushed 76 homers in 2025 and 74 in 2028, holding the top three seasons in WAB history. Jaiyeola is one of nine players in all of pro baseball history with three or more seasons of 70+ homers. His 78 in 2024 is tied for the 12^th-best in world history. Jaiyeola also had four seasons of 150+ RBI, a feat only met in WAB by Mo Reda and Youssoupha Diop.

He led in RBI twice, total bases thrice, slugging once, and runs once during the Lagos run. 2025 had his career bests for WAR (6.5), wRC+ (167), and OPS (1.078). 2028 was his top mark for runs (140), while his best slugging was .721 in 2024. On August 27, 2028; Jaiyeola had a four homer game against Ouagadougou; one of ten such games in WAB history.

Lagos had been terrible generally in the 2010s, but ended an eight-year playoff drought in 2024. They also made it in 2026 and 2027, each time as a wild card. Only once did the Lizards make the ELCS, losing to 112-win Cotonou in 2026. Jaiyeola again had awful playoff stats with a .200/.250/.333 slash, 37 wRC+, and -0.4 WAR.

The biggest knock on Jaiyeola was his playoff failures. In 41 career starts, he had 34 hits, 21 runs, 9 homers, 23 RBI, 61 strikeouts, .205/.253/.392 slash, 51 wRC+, and -0.4 WAR. He did alright in his limited World Baseball Championship action from 2021-27 with Nigeria. Jaiyeola was usually a reserve with 43 games and 18 starts, but had a .787 OPS, 125 wRC+, and 0.9 WAR. He did receive a world championship ring as part of Nigeria’s 2022 triumph.

For Lagos, Jaiyeola played 953 games with 1099 this, 743 runs, 143 doubles, 410 home runs, 820 RBI, 216 walks, 1021 strikeouts, 114 steals, .295/.338/.670 slash, 147 wRC+, and 30.2 WAR. He was popular in his hometown, but the short tenure and playoff woes kept him from getting his jersey retired. Jaiyeola hoped to get a big contract as he returned to free agency for 2029 heading towards age 35. Despite his 74 homers the prior year, he had to settle for only $38 million over four years with Monrovia.

Jaiyeola still hit 50+ homers with 100+ RBI in 2029-30 for the Diplomats, although his overall production was starting to dip from his Lagos prime. Monrovia ended an 18-year playoff drought in 2030 at 90-72, but had a second round exit. At this point, Jaiyeola was more focused on milestones. Darwin Morris had been the home run king since 2014 with 806, the first in WAB to breach 800. Jaiyeola was one of five guys who had a good shot to catch that mark heading into the 2030s.

At the start of the 2031 campaign, Jaiyeola joined the 800 club. It was a down season overall for him, getting reduced to a platoon role with 116 games, 88 starts, .808 OPS, 102 wRC+, and 0.9 WAR. He got to 829 homers to become WAB’s career leader. Jaiyeola’s time on the throne was brief as Abdel Aziz Ashraf got to 800 in late 2031 and passed Jaiyeola in 2032. Youssoupha Diop would also pass Jaiyeola by 2035.

For Monrovia, Jaiyeola played 420 games with 398 hits, 262 runs, 60 doubles, 132 home runs, 336 RBI, 118 walks, 428 strikeouts, .269/.325/.582 slash, 119 wRC+, and 6.9 WAR. Jaiyeola didn’t meet the vesting criteria for the fourth year of the deal, becoming a free agent for 2032. He wanted to still play, but teams felt he had little utility at this point. After going unsigned, Jaiyeola retired in the winter of 2032 at age 38.

Jaiyeola ended with 2310 games, 2512 hits, 1617 runs, 361 doubles, 32 triples, 829 home runs, 1858 RBI, 505 walks, 2300 strikeouts, 5424 total bases, 337 steals, .297/.341/.640 slash, .981 OPS, 141 wRC+, and 62.7 WAR. Jaiyeola ranks 34^th in games, 16^th in runs, 45^th in hits, 15^th in total bases, 3^rd in homers, 12^th in RBI, and 48^th in WAR among position players. He ranks 9^th in slugging among WAB batters with 3000+ plate appearances and 27^th in OPS. Jaiyeola is also 25th in slugging among world Hall of Famers and retired locks.

He also ranks 42^nd on the world leaderboard for home runs. For pure, raw power, few in baseball history can match Jaiyeola. His other deficiencies and playoff putridness though keep him from being considered an inner-circle player among West African Baseball’s greats. But that exceptional power alone made Jaiyeola a Hall of Fame lock, joining WAB’s four-man 2037 class at 97.3%.

10-21-2025, 08:16 AM	#2516
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 3,285	2037 WAB Hall of Fame (Part 1) West African Baseball’s 2037 Hall of Fame ballot was stacked with sluggers as four earned first ballot nods with above 90%. 3B/1B Okoro Yusuf (98.8%) and DH Desmond Jaiyeola (97.3%) had the highest shares with OF Ahmed Kone and OF/DH Hassan Amara both at a strong 90.6%. The only other player above 50% was SP Jacques Ahouansou, debuting at 52.9%. The best returner was SP Joseph Masuta at 47.5% for his sixth ballot. No players were dropped after ten failed ballots. Okoro Yusuf – Third/First Base/Designated Hitter – Cape Verde Vulcans – 98.8% First Ballot Okoro Yusuf was a 6’3’’, 200 pound left-handed hitting corner infielder from Ondo, Nigeria; a city of around 258,000 inhabitants in the country’s southwest. Yusuf had world class contact ability that graded as an 11/10 by some scouts at his peak. He was solid at drawing walks as well, although his strikeout rate was unremarkable. Yusuf’s had very good power specifically against right-handed pitching with a career 1.125 OPS and 184 wRC+. He still hit for a high average against lefties, but had a .842 OPS and 120 wRC+ with weaker power. On the whole, Yusuf got plenty of extra base hits with 41 home runs, 38 doubles, and 4 triples per his 162 game average. His speed was okay, but Yusuf was a very clumsy baserunner. At his peak, Yusuf was one of the most efficient hitters in the world, becoming a superstar both in West Africa and globally. Yusuf’s career starts were roughly split into thirds between third base, first base, and designated hitter. He graded as a very good defender at 1B and even won a Gold Glove in 2027. Yusuf was subpar, but passable at 3B. He had some injury woes, but held up alright in a 16-year career. Yusuf was beloved by comrades and foes as a high character individual. He was a team captain with high marks for leadership, loyalty, work ethic, and intelligence. In April 2013, Yusuf left for Cape Verde on a developmental deal. After three years in the Vulcans’ academy, he debuted in 2016 at age 19, although he struggled in 55 games and 21 starts. Yusuf was a full-time roster member after that and started most of 2017 with respectable results. He found his power stroke in 2018 with 45 homers. Yusuf was on pace for similar in 2019, but lost about two months to a herniated disc. From 2020-25, Yusuf had one of the best six-year runs a batter could have. All six years, he was the Western League leader in WAR, wRC+, OPS, and on-base percentage. Yusuf won Silver Sluggers each year with the first four at 3B and the last two at 2B. He won five MVPs (2020-23, 25) and was second in 2024’s voting. Yusuf is one of only four in WAB history to win 5+ MVP awards. During the run, he also led in hits thrice, runs once, total bases twice, slugging thrice, and batting average four times. Yusuf had a .404 average in 2022 and .407 in 2024, which rank as the 8^th and 5^th best qualifying seasons in WAB history. He’s one of six players in world history with multiple .400 seasons. Yusuf had committed long-term to Cape Verde during the run with an eight-year, $113,500,000 extension signed in July 2021. 2022 was Yusuf’s best season for OPS (1.222), slugging (.766), wRC+ (206), WAR (11.5), homers (52), runs (126), doubles (49), and total bases (464). The OPS ranks as the 6^th-best qualifying season in WAB history. In 2023, Yusuf had his best for RBI at 163 while 2024 was his best for hits (246) and OBP (.468). Prior to his arrival, Cape Verde had been generally uncompetitive apart from a random pennant win in 2002 and WLCS loss in 2010. They were awful to end the 2010s, but got back above .500 from 2020-23 during Yusuf’s rise. They only made the playoffs twice with wild cards in 2022 and 2023. The Vulcans lost in the second round in 2022, then fell to Abidjan in the 2023 WLCS. In his 12 career playoff games, Yusuf had a 1.025 OPS, 174 wRC+, and 0.7 WAR. Yusuf did get a chance on the World Baseball Championship stage for Nigeria from 2018-22 and from 2026-30. In 112 games, he had 116 hits, 76 runs, 19 doubles, 34 home runs, 75 RBI, 36 walks, .305/.389/.629 slash, 197 wRC+, and 6.8 WAR. Yusuf became a national hero as Tournament MVP in 2022 as the Nigerians defeated Poland for their first-ever world title. In 27 starts, he had 40 hits, 25 runs, 14 homers, 30 RBI, 1.364 OPS, 303 wRC+, and 2.99 WAR. The WAR ranks as the 9^th-best by a position player in event history. That run made him a superstar despite spending his entire career in the small island nation of Cape Verde on mostly forgettable teams. After their 2023 WLCS loss, the Vulcans spent the next five seasons with losing records. Yusuf was unable to repeat his MVP pace in his 30s and had a few injuries, including a fractured thumb and bruised wrist in 2028. Still, he remained a strong starter and Cape Verde gave him a five-year, $145 million extension in March 2029 at age 32. Yusuf was still good for 42 homers in both 2029 and 2030 as a DH, but he fell below a .300 average for the first time in 2030 and saw his strikeout rate jump up. Cape Verde got back to 85-77 in 2030, but fell one win short of the playoffs. Despite the other issues, Yusuf did notably hit for his lone cycle on June 1, 2030 against Bissau. The decline was incredibly steep in 2031 and he was ultimately benched, struggling to .650 OPS, 65 wRC+, and -0.5 WAR over 76 games and 50 starts. Yusuf retired that winter at only age 35. Immediately, Cape Verde honored Yusuf by retiring his #39 uniform. He would be the franchise’s first Hall of Fame inductee. Yusuf finished with 2177 games, 2820 hits, 1477 runs, 516 doubles, 55 triples, 552 home runs, 1644 RBI, 732 walks, 1712 strikeouts, 97 stolen bases, .353/.414/.639 slash, 1.052 OPS, 168 wRC+, and 94.7 WAR. Yusuf ranks 57^th in games, 25^th in runs, 21^st in hits, 20^th in total bases (5102), 39^th in doubles, 25^th in homers, 19^th in RBI, 31^st in walks, and 10^th in WAR among position players. Among batters with 3000+ plate appearances, Yusuf’s triple slash ranks 8^th/5^th/11^th and his OPS is 4^th. Among Hall of Famers and retired locks, Yusuf is 6^th in batting average, 8^th in on-base percentage, 26^th in slugging, and 10^th in OPS. While West African Baseball’s high offense environment does play a role, Yusuf was undoubtedly an incredibly efficient batter in his prime. The lack of longevity and lack of team success puts Yusuf on the borderline of being an inner-circle level Hall of Famer. He was admired though for his high character and dedication to Cape Verde despite the franchise’s general ineptitude. Yusuf was a slam dunk inductee at 98.8%, the highest percentage of the four inductees for WAB in 2037. Desmond Jaiyeola – Designated Hitter – Lagos Lizards – 97.3% First Ballot Desmond Jaiyeola was a 6’2’’, 200 pound left-handed designated hitter from Lagos, Nigeria’s most populous city. Jaiyeola was renowned for his home run power, which some scouts called a 10/10 in his prime. From 2020-30, he had 11 consecutive seasons with 50+ homers and topped 60+ six times and 70+ thrice. Jaiyeola was especially strong against right-handed pitching with a career 1.034 OPS and 152 wRC+, compared to only a .822 OPS and 108 wRC+ facing lefties. Jaiyeola was a good contact hitter against righties and average against lefties. He drew fewer walks than you’d expect and did struggle with strikeouts with a 25.2% K rate. Jaiyeola was always swinging for the fences and only got 25 doubles per his 162 game average, but that wasn’t an issue with 58 dingers and 130 RBI per 162. He was an incredibly skilled and savvy baserunner, providing impressive results despite having subpar speed. He was a career designated hitter, making only one non-DH start for his entire career with only 39.1 total innings with his glove. You knew Jaiyeola was always ready in the lineup with his bat as he had great durability. He was one of the smarter guys in the game, but some teammates and peers felt he was self-centered and only focused on personal glory. Jaiyeola’s power potential shot him up the prospect rankings and he went 12^th to Abidjan in WAB’s 2013 Draft. He was a very raw prospect and had limited options without defensive value. The Athletes kept him in the developmental system all of 2014 and most of 2015 save for 14 plate appearances. Jaiyeola saw part-time action the next three years with mix results. For Abidjan, he played 313 games with 165 starts, getting 212 hits, 132 runs, 32 doubles, 66 home runs, 162 RBI, 46 walks, 206 strikeouts, .266/.311/.560 slash, 114 wRC+, and 3.0 WAR. Abidjan was underwhelmed by his progress and didn’t see a long-term spot for Jaiyeola. In 2018, they had the Western League’s top seed, but lost to Banjul in the WLCS. Just before the 2019 season started, the Athletes opted to trade Jaiyeola straight up to Nouakchott for SS/2B Farouka Ibrahim. The Night Riders made him a full-time starter and he started to put things together, starting his streak of 50+ homer seasons in 2020. Jaiyeola got his first Silver Sluggers from 2020-22 with Nouakchott and was third in 2020’s MVP voting, second in 2021, and third in 2022. He was a league leader for the first time in 2021 in runs (123), hits (217), homers (59), RBI (153) and total bases (427). That season had his career best for hits and batting average (.330). Nouakchott got wild cards from 2019-21 and made the 2020 WLCS, although they fell to Conakry. The other two years had first round exits. Jaiyeola struggled in the small playoff sample size with .649 OPS and 59 wRC+. Overall for Nouakchott in four seasons, Jaiyeola had 624 games, 803 hits, 480 runs, 126 doubles, 221 home runs, 540 RBI, 125 walks, 142 steals, .325/.365/.657 slash, 154 wRC+, and 22.6 WAR. He was now a premiere slugger and looked to cash in, heading to free agency for 2023 heading into his age 29 season. Jaiyeola found the big payday back in his hometown on a six-year, $146,600,000 deal with Lagos. Jaiyeola won Silver Sluggers in 2023, 25, and 28 for the Lizards. His lone MVP win came in 2024 and he took second in 2025. Jaiyeola led the Eastern League in homers in all six seasons with Lagos, peaking with 78 dingers and 160 RBI in 2024. He crushed 76 homers in 2025 and 74 in 2028, holding the top three seasons in WAB history. Jaiyeola is one of nine players in all of pro baseball history with three or more seasons of 70+ homers. His 78 in 2024 is tied for the 12^th-best in world history. Jaiyeola also had four seasons of 150+ RBI, a feat only met in WAB by Mo Reda and Youssoupha Diop. He led in RBI twice, total bases thrice, slugging once, and runs once during the Lagos run. 2025 had his career bests for WAR (6.5), wRC+ (167), and OPS (1.078). 2028 was his top mark for runs (140), while his best slugging was .721 in 2024. On August 27, 2028; Jaiyeola had a four homer game against Ouagadougou; one of ten such games in WAB history. Lagos had been terrible generally in the 2010s, but ended an eight-year playoff drought in 2024. They also made it in 2026 and 2027, each time as a wild card. Only once did the Lizards make the ELCS, losing to 112-win Cotonou in 2026. Jaiyeola again had awful playoff stats with a .200/.250/.333 slash, 37 wRC+, and -0.4 WAR. The biggest knock on Jaiyeola was his playoff failures. In 41 career starts, he had 34 hits, 21 runs, 9 homers, 23 RBI, 61 strikeouts, .205/.253/.392 slash, 51 wRC+, and -0.4 WAR. He did alright in his limited World Baseball Championship action from 2021-27 with Nigeria. Jaiyeola was usually a reserve with 43 games and 18 starts, but had a .787 OPS, 125 wRC+, and 0.9 WAR. He did receive a world championship ring as part of Nigeria’s 2022 triumph. For Lagos, Jaiyeola played 953 games with 1099 this, 743 runs, 143 doubles, 410 home runs, 820 RBI, 216 walks, 1021 strikeouts, 114 steals, .295/.338/.670 slash, 147 wRC+, and 30.2 WAR. He was popular in his hometown, but the short tenure and playoff woes kept him from getting his jersey retired. Jaiyeola hoped to get a big contract as he returned to free agency for 2029 heading towards age 35. Despite his 74 homers the prior year, he had to settle for only $38 million over four years with Monrovia. Jaiyeola still hit 50+ homers with 100+ RBI in 2029-30 for the Diplomats, although his overall production was starting to dip from his Lagos prime. Monrovia ended an 18-year playoff drought in 2030 at 90-72, but had a second round exit. At this point, Jaiyeola was more focused on milestones. Darwin Morris had been the home run king since 2014 with 806, the first in WAB to breach 800. Jaiyeola was one of five guys who had a good shot to catch that mark heading into the 2030s. At the start of the 2031 campaign, Jaiyeola joined the 800 club. It was a down season overall for him, getting reduced to a platoon role with 116 games, 88 starts, .808 OPS, 102 wRC+, and 0.9 WAR. He got to 829 homers to become WAB’s career leader. Jaiyeola’s time on the throne was brief as Abdel Aziz Ashraf got to 800 in late 2031 and passed Jaiyeola in 2032. Youssoupha Diop would also pass Jaiyeola by 2035. For Monrovia, Jaiyeola played 420 games with 398 hits, 262 runs, 60 doubles, 132 home runs, 336 RBI, 118 walks, 428 strikeouts, .269/.325/.582 slash, 119 wRC+, and 6.9 WAR. Jaiyeola didn’t meet the vesting criteria for the fourth year of the deal, becoming a free agent for 2032. He wanted to still play, but teams felt he had little utility at this point. After going unsigned, Jaiyeola retired in the winter of 2032 at age 38. Jaiyeola ended with 2310 games, 2512 hits, 1617 runs, 361 doubles, 32 triples, 829 home runs, 1858 RBI, 505 walks, 2300 strikeouts, 5424 total bases, 337 steals, .297/.341/.640 slash, .981 OPS, 141 wRC+, and 62.7 WAR. Jaiyeola ranks 34^th in games, 16^th in runs, 45^th in hits, 15^th in total bases, 3^rd in homers, 12^th in RBI, and 48^th in WAR among position players. He ranks 9^th in slugging among WAB batters with 3000+ plate appearances and 27^th in OPS. Jaiyeola is also 25th in slugging among world Hall of Famers and retired locks. He also ranks 42^nd on the world leaderboard for home runs. For pure, raw power, few in baseball history can match Jaiyeola. His other deficiencies and playoff putridness though keep him from being considered an inner-circle player among West African Baseball’s greats. But that exceptional power alone made Jaiyeola a Hall of Fame lock, joining WAB’s four-man 2037 class at 97.3%. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game fictional world reports The Level Playing Field: Alternate MLB History From 1884-Onward Continental Baseball Federation world reports (8-tier promotion/relegation sim and college feeder)