[VanillaGorilla]

Orlando Cepeda is the first First Ballot entry (with the exception of the members of the Inaugural Class) to enter this HOF. At the age of 41, Cepeda is the youngest player to enter the HOF.

9 of the the 13 entrants, here, are members of the RL HOF.

Cepeda was selected by the Indianapolis Stripes (formerly the San Diego Padres) with the 13th overall pick in the 2017 draft.

Cepeda played throgh the 2039 season. He made 14 All Star Game rosters, the most of any HOFer.

From his rookie season in 2018 through 2030, Cepeda hit at least 30 HRs every year. In 2031 he only played in 60 games, due to injury. In 2032 he got right back on track and hit a career high 55 HR and drove in c career high 157 while slashing 319/371/629 for a npa OPS+ of 163. He hit at least 34 HRs in each of the 4 seasons that followed.

That's a lot of HRs.....698, to be exact, but never led the league in HR. He enters the HOF 3rd on the career HR list. He is second on the career RBI list (behind Hank Aaron) with 1989. Runs scored? There he is third with 1739.

Cepeda won two batting titles. In 2012 he hit a career high .369. His career slash line of 321/367/597 (17th/*/18th) works out to a npa OPS+ of 158 and a career OPS that ranks 23rd, all-time. Cepeda's 604 doubles rank him 4th all time in that category.

In 6 post seasons, Cepeda hit 18 HRs in 203 ABs and generated a SLG of .591. He appeared in one WS in 2024, but his Stripes fell to the Astros in 7.

Orlando Cepeda enters the HOF as a 1Bman. He won one GG at that position.

ADD: Cepeda has the second most base hits, 3214, trailing only Hank Aaron, at the time of his induction.

Black Ink: 26 (14)
Gray Ink: 270 (196)
HOFm: 327 (126)
HOFs: 69 (37)

Gorilla Composite: 6.3 (3.4)

This is the first OOTP HOF into which Cepeda has gained entry.