Baseball: The World's Game

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Flaco “Flip” Villanueva – Starting Pitcher – Houston Hornets – 72.1% Second Ballot

Flaco Villanueva was a 6’4’’, 200 pound left-handed pitcher from Brownsville, Texas; a city of about 187,000 on the Gulf Coast on the border with Mexico. Nicknamed “Flip,” Villanueva was known for having impressive stuff along with above average control and decent movement. His velocity peaked in the 96-98 mph range with a three-pitch arsenal of cutter, curveball, and changeup. Villanueva’s ability to change speeds in particular made him one of MLB’s top strikeout guys of the era.

His stamina was solid relative to other MLB aces, but he did run into a couple major injuries over a 15-year career. Villanueva had an excellent pickoff move and was elite at holding runners, although his defense otherwise was average. He was quiet and humble with an outstanding work ethic. Being a tall lefty earned Villanueva attention as a teenager, leaving Texas for Rutgers for his collegiate career.

In three years with the Scarlet Knights, Villanueva had an 18-11 record, 2.02 ERA, 263 innings, 151 strikeouts, 169 ERA+, 31 FIP-, and 14.4 WAR. He did notably miss half of his sophomore season to an elbow strain. His college run though earned him plenty of attention ahead of the 2016 MLB Draft. Villanueva made his return to his home state as Houston picked him 22^nd overall.

He made only one regular season appearance in 2017, spending the season otherwise in minor league Corpus Christi. Villanueva did notably make three playoff appearances as the Hornets lost in the second round. Villanueva split time between the minors and majors the next two years with mixed results. Houston was a wild card in 2019 at 93-69, but got hot and made a surprise run to a World Series win over defending champ Kansas City.

Villanueva was a critical part of the playoff run, posting a 2.43 ERA over four starts with 37 strikeouts and 1.0 ERA in 29.2 innings. He had less luck in the Baseball Grand Championship with a 4.72 ERA over 34.1 innings, although he still had a 3-1 record, 48 Ks, and 1.0 WAR. The Hornets finished seventh in the event at 10-9. This earned Villanueva a full-time rotation spot, which he held through 2027 for Houston.

From 2021-24, Villanueva was the American Association leader in strikeouts, thrice getting above 300. He peaked with 318 Ks in 2024, while 2023 had his career bests for wins (24-7), ERA (2.67), and WAR (9.5). 2023 was Villanueva’s only time leading in wins. He also had 9.4 WAR in 2022 and 8.3 in 2021. Despite that, Villanueva’s only time as a Pitcher of the Year finalist was a third place in 2023. That was plenty though to get a five-year, $67,800,000 extension with the Hornets that winter.

Houston didn’t immediately follow up the World Series win with success, missing the playoffs in 2020-21. They got a division title in 2022 at 102-60, but lost in the second round. After another playoff miss in 2023, the Hornets earned the top seed in 2024 at 106-56. Houston claimed the AACS over Seattle, but lost the World Series to Washington.

Villanueva was a stud in the 2024 playoff run with a 1.38 ERA and 3-1 record in five starts, 38 strikeouts, 39 innings, and 1.7 WAR. He was even more dominant in the BFC with an 0.76 ERA over four wins, 35.1 innings, 50 strikeouts, and 2.0 WAR. Houston finished 12-7, one win short of the top spot, but fifth after tiebreakers. His ERA ranks as the 33^rd-best qualifying mark in a BGC (21 innings required) and he posted the 34^th-best pitching WAR in the event.

In August 2025, Villanueva suffered a torn meniscus that ended his season. He was still a good starter after that, but never came close to his previous peaks. The Hornets had second round playoff exits in 2025 and 2027. For his playoff career with Houston, Villanueva had a 7-5 record, 2.54 ERA, 106.1 innings, 117 strikeouts, 160 ERA+, 66 FIP-, and 3.6 WAR. He was certainly a huge reason for their two pennants and his #37 uniform would later be retired by the Hornets.

In total with Houston, Villanueva had a 170-91 record, 3.38 ERA, 2351.1 innings, 2449 strikeouts, 628 walks, 154 complete games, 30 shutouts, 121 ERA+, 76 FIP-, and 62.7 WAR. He declined his contract option after the 2027 campaign, becoming a free agent at age 31. Villanueva got a hefty six-year, $132,600,000 deal with Nashville.

However, Villanueva struggled with Nashville with below league average ERAs in his first three seasons. He dealt with injuries as well, including a partially torn labrum in 2030. The Knights did get a division title in 2029, but lost in the second round with Villanueva posting a 5.12 ERA over three starts. They got back to the playoffs in 2031-32, but Villanueva wasn’t used and they didn’t make it out of the second round.

Villanueva did return to form somewhat in 2031 with a 3.85 ERA, although his strikeouts were down from his peak. He had a similar pace in 2032, but suffered a torn labrum in late July with a 9-10 month recovery time. Villanueva made one relief appearance in spring 2033 but was shellacked, getting cut by Nashville on June 14.

For the Knights, Villanueva had a 58-48 record, 4.44 ERA, 969 innings, 761 strikeouts, 268 walks, 46 complete games, 6 shutouts, 98 ERA+, 97 FIP-, and 14.1 WAR. While he wasn’t outright bad, he definitely wasn’t the big free agent splash Nashville had hoped for. Villanueva wanted to still pitch and Louisville gave him a minor league deal in September, making six poor relief appearances in Lexington. Realizing he was cooked, Villanueva retired that winter at age 37.

Villanueva finished with a 228-139 record, 3.69 ERA, 3320.1 innings, 3210 strikeouts, 896 walks, 234/428 quality starts, 200 complete games, 36 shutouts, 113 ERA+, 82 FIP-, and 76.8 WAR. He ranks 71^st in strikeouts and 97^th in K/9 (8.70) among those with 1000+ innings. Outside of that, he isn’t in the top 100 for any stats, which made Villanueva a borderline Hall of Fame choice for many voters. His forgettable 30s didn’t get him to the big tallies many voters wanted.

However, Villanueva had a lot going for him. Few guys can say they led in strikeouts four straight years. He also had two very strong playoff runs that helped Houston to pennants and a World Series win. Villanueva’s grand tallies weren’t undeniable and he didn’t have a Pitcher of the Year award, but supporters felt he had crossed the line. Villanueva missed the 66% requirement in his 2039 ballot debut at 62.1%, but made it in at 72.1% for Major League Baseball’s 2040 class.



Kwang-Sik Oh – Shortstop-Third Base – Kansas City Cougars – 66.7% Fifth Ballot

Kwang-Sik Oh was a 6’1’’, 200 pound left-handed hitting shortstop and third baseman from Ulsan, South Korea’s eighth-largest city with more than a million inhabitants. He is the third Korean-born player to make it into MLB’s HOF. Oh was a tremendous contact hitter and graded as a 10/10 overall at his peak. He was also excellent at avoiding strikeouts, although he drew walks at a below average rate.

Oh wasn’t a mere slap singles hitter, as his 162 game average got you 33 doubles, 5 triples, and 23 home runs. His power was far more pronounced facing right-handed pitching with a career .919 OPS and 160 wRC+. Facing lefties, he had a .772 OPS and a 121 wRC+. Unlike a lot of high average guys, Oh’s speed was subpar, but his baserunning and stealing skills were rock solid.

Through age 30, Oh was a career shortstop with lousy defensive metrics. He made the switch to third base after that and was a reliably average-to-above average glove there. Oh’s durability was generally strong, playing 135+ games in all but one year from 2013-29. Perhaps most importantly, Oh was an absolute gem of a human. He was a beloved team captain and one of the highest character guys the game has ever had, universally praised for his leadership, work ethic, intelligence, and selflessness. It is no surprise he became extremely popular worldwide by fans and peers alike.

Oh was one of the rare teenage South Koreans that signed a developmental deal north of the 38^th parallel, joining Hamhung in March 2009. He debuted in 2011 at age 19 and had 128 games and 34 starts over his first two seasons. Early in 2012, he had a bone marrow edema in his knee that knocked him out for months. This would be the last significant injury Oh had for the next decade. He was a full-time starter in 2013 and held that for the next five years for the Heat.

After a decent 2013, Oh rattled off four consecutive Korea League batting titles from 2014-17. He won Silver Sluggers each year and emerged as an MVP contender. From 2015-17, Oh led in OBP and WAR; posting three straight 10+ WAR seasons. His .395 average in 2017 was his peak, which ranks as the sixth-best qualifying season in East Asia Baseball history at induction. Oh’s .392 in 2016 ranks as ninth-best and that season featured a 31-game hitting streak. He also twice led in hits and led with a career-best 45 doubles in 2015.

Oh earned MVP honors in 2015, while finishing third in 2016’s voting and second in 2017. This gave Hamhung fans something to cheer, as they had been abysmal in recent memory with only one winning season from 1991-2010. The Heat ended a playoff drought in Oh’s debut 2011 season with a first round exit. They were back below .500 the next three years before a wild card and first round exit in 2015. Hamhung spent the rest of Oh’s tenure just below .500.

The Heat wanted to keep him long-term, but it was clear that Oh was a world class talent that would have plenty of suitors. He left for free agency after the 2017 season heading towards his age 26 campaign; an incredibly young age for such a talent to hit the market. With Hamhung, Oh played 914 games with 1157 hits, 446 runs, 205 doubles, 43 triples, 108 home runs, 508 RBI, 98 steals, .369/.404/.565 slash, 162 wRC+, and 42.1 WAR.

At induction, Oh is EAB’s career leader for batting average among all players with 3000+ plate appearances. He holds #1 by a strong margin too, with the next best being at .350. Oh is also sixth in on-base percentage and 24^th in OPS among EAB qualifiers. This brief run did get him as high as 42.6% for EAB’s Hall of Fame, although he wasn’t around long enough there to get more traction than that.

Oh moved to the United States in 2018 on an eight-year, $195,800,000 deal with Kansas City, who had recently become a contender. The Cougars won the 2016 National Association pennant and lost the World Series to Charlotte, then took second in the Baseball Grand Championship. They were fresh off a second round exit in 2017, but hoped Oh could help them make a dynasty run.

In his debut, Oh won his fifth straight batting title (.358) and was the leader in hits (227) and WAR (9.9). It was a remarkable debut, winning a Silver Slugger and taking second in MVP voting. They won the Upper Midwest Division at 105-57 and earned the top seed, holding the tiebreaker over Boston. The Cougars bested the Red Sox 4-2 in the NACS with Oh earning series MVP. KC then defeated Las Vegas 4-2 for only the franchise’s second-ever World Series win, joining their 1991 triumph.

For the playoff run, Oh had 23 hits, 12 runs, 6 doubles, 1 homer, 5 RBI, .907 OPS, 182 wRC+, and 1.0 WAR; instantly earning a spot in the hearts of the Cougar faithful. He had a respectable showing in the BGC with 19 hits, 14 runs, 6 homers, 12 RBI, .810 OPS, 139 wRC+, and 0.8 WAR. Kansas City would finish 10-9, one of five teams even with the seventh-most wins.

Oh never had an MVP-level season again, but he remained excellent with 6+ WAR each of the next four years for KC. He was the leader in hits again in 2019 and won Silver Sluggers at SS from 2019-21. The Cougars were 107-55 in 2019 and repeated as National Association champs sweeping Boston, but dropped the World Series to Houston in a seven-game thriller.

He had another solid playoff run with 24 hits, 7 runs, 3 doubles, 1 homer, 4 RBI, .938 OPS, 189 wRC+, and 0.7 WAR. In the Baseball Grand Championship, Oh had 23 hits, 11 runs, 5 doubles, 4 homers, 5 RBI, .840 OPS, 130 wRC+, and 0.6 WAR. Kansas City finished 12-7 to earn a third place finish. The Cougars would be a 96-66 wild card in 2020 and got back to the NACS, falling to divisional foe Cincinnati 4-1.

That marked the end of Kansas City’s dynasty run, as they’d miss the playoffs at 85-77 in 2021. The Cougars then spent the next seven years below .500. Oh was there through 2025 and led thrice in doubles, winning his lone Silver Slugger at third base in 2025. Counting EAB, this gave him nine Sluggers for his career. His signing certainly proved a major success for Kansas City, who retired his #36 uniform for his role in their dynasty run.

With the Cougars, Oh played 1226 games with 1548 hits, 692 runs, 263 doubles, 22 triples, 220 homers, 687 RBI, .324/.350/.526 slash, 162 wRC+, and 51.2 WAR. He became a free agent for 2026 heading into his age 34 season and signed for five years and $146 million with Detroit. The Tigers were the defending World Series champ and had been a playoff regular in the 21^st Century. They hoped that like KC, Oh’s skills and leadership could help create a dynasty run.

Oh had his usual production in his debut with Detroit getting a wild card at 90-72, losing in the first round. The Tigers posting losing seasons the next three years as their run had come to an end. Oh was still a respectable starter in 2027-28, but his power noticeably dropped off. 2028 was also the first time he had a batting average below .300 in his career.

In 2029, Oh had a mediocre .698 OPS and 83 wRC+, but still was marginally above replacement level. He was reduced to a bench role in 2030 and spent much of the year with knee injuries, struggling to -0.3 WAR and 56 wRC+. Overall for Detroit, he had 662 games, 682 hits, 309 runs, 100 doubles, 72 home runs, 328 RBI, .299/.332/.452 slash, 113 wRC+, and 15.5 WAR. Oh hoped to play in 2031, but went unsigned all year and retired that winter at age 39.

For his combined pro career, Oh played 2802 games with 3387 hits, 1447 runs, 568 doubles, 81 triples, 400 home runs, 1523 RBI, 493 walks, 966 strikeouts, 216 steals, .332/.363/.522 slash, 151 wRC+, and 108.7 WAR. That resume all in one league is a no-doubter, but Oh did have to deal with seven seasons, including his strongest ones, being in EAB.

His Major League Baseball career had 1888 games, 2230 hits, 1001 runs, 363 doubles, 38 triples, 292 home runs, 1015 RBI, 301 walks, 718 strikeouts, 118 steals, .316/.344/.502 slash, 146 wRC+, and 66. WAR. Since the run was only 11 years, he doesn’t make any top 100 lists on the MLB leaderboards. Some Hall of Fame voters give partial credit for stats in other leagues, but others disregard it entirely. For those especially enamored with accumulations, Oh just wasn’t around long enough to belong.

Supporters fixated on Oh’s critical role in two pennants and a World Series ring for Kansas City. But even still, the lower accumulations and lack of big home run numbers hurt him with some voters. Oh debuted on the MLB ballot in 2036 at 53.4% and hovered around there with 55.3%, 49.9%, and 56.8% after. In 2040, he got the boost to 66.7%, just crossing the 66% threshold to earn a fifth ballot induction.

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For the first time since 2021 and only the second time in the 21^st Century, the Central American Baseball Association didn’t add any players into the Hall of Fame. Closer Diamante Navarette was the only one fairly close to the 66% induction threshold, debuting at 61.2%. LF Fabino Salasar was the only other guy above 50%, debuting at 53.0%. The top returner was 1B Bradley Jaya at 42.1% on his third try.



The only player to drop after ten failed ballots was 2B Leonardo Robles, who peaked at 22.4% in his debut and ended with 8.9%. In 13 seasons with Havana, he won three Silver Sluggers and was part of their 2019 championship. Robles led in stolen bases five times and finished with 1565 games, 2002 hits, 1056 runs, 311 doubles, 188 triples, 64 home runs, 585 RBI, 911 steals, .330/.364/.475 slash, 125 wRC+, and 53.0 WAR. He was done as a starter by age 32, which combined with being a leadoff guy didn’t get him the tallies needed to have any ballot traction.

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East Asia Baseball home run king Kunihiko Ishiguro headlined the 2040 Hall of Fame class with a near unanimous 99.0%. SS Min-Jae Lim joined him on the first ballot at 89.1%. SP Takeo Kobayashi just missed the 66% requirement with 62.9% on his eighth try. Also above 50% was SP Shin-Nin Ikegami debuting at 55.1% and DH/LF Jae-A Choi at 51.0% on his tenth and final try.



For Choi, he got as close as 62.8% in his debut and was also above 60% in 2038, although he was as low as 36.5%. Choi had a 212-year career mostly with Bucheon, playing 3028 games with 3328 hits, 1532 runs, 609 doubles, 75 triples, 508 home runs, 1771 RBI, .298/.344/.503 slash, 132 wRC+, and 71.5 WAR. His longevity put him at 12^th in games played, 35^th in runs, 9^th in hits, 19^th in total bases (5611), 3^rd in doubles, 82^nd in homers, and 18^th in RBI.

Despite that, Choi is outside the top 100 for WAR and never won a Silver Slugger or was a league leader. He also was on mostly bad Bucheon teams with only 20 playoff games over his long career. Choi was dismissed as a compiler by many voters, although it is still shocking to see a guy in the top 10 in hits over 100+ years miss the cut. No player in world history who failed to make their Hall of Fame in ten tries has more career hits.

Close Tatsuya Ueno was also dropped after ten tries, peaking at 44.0% in 2032 and ending with 10.9%. He was hurt by having his 16 year career split between EAB, CABA, and MLB. Ueno did win three Reliever of the Year awards in EAB and had 244 saves, 356 shutdowns, 2.52 ERA, 1007 innings, 1103 strikeouts, 139 ERA+, 79 FIP-, and 20.8 WAR. His combined career had 269 saves, 2.64 ERA, 1238.2 innings, 1314 Ks, 134 ERA+, 80 FIP-, and 24.1 WAR. Even most reliever-friendly voters would agree that Ueno belongs in the Hall of Pretty Good at best.

SP Tai Miura also had his tenth and final try in 2040, ending at 3.7% after a debut at 24.5%. In 13 seasons with six teams, he won three Gold Gloves with a 175-142 record, 3.14 ERA, 2936.1 innings, 2649 strikeouts, 118 ERA+, 89 FIP-, and 52.0 WAR. A fine effort, but he was only a Pitcher of the Year finalist once and struggled in limited playoff outings. Miura was another guy properly left for the HOPG.



Kunihiko Ishiguro – Outfield/Designated Hitter – Gwangju Grays – 99.0% First Ballot

Kunihiko Ishiguro was a 6’3’’, 190 pound left-handed outfielder from Ashikaga, a city with around 140,000 people in central Japan’s Tochigi Prefecture. Ishiguro was known for outstanding home run power along with impeccable durability over a 22 year career. He especially mashed against right-handed pitching with a career 1.023 OPS and 189 wRC+. Facing lefties, he had a decent .765 OPS and 121 wRC+.

Ishiguro’s 162 game average got you 46 home runs, 17 doubles, and 13 triples. Despite being a power-focused slugger, he had rock solid speed and baserunning skills. Ishiguro graded as merely above average-to-good for contact ability. He was better than most at drawing walks and had a middling strikeout rate. His ability to sock towering homers made him one of Japan’s most famous baseball superstars.

One downside is that Ishiguro was a terrible defender at any spot he tried. About half of his career starts came in right field. Most of the rest were split between left field or designated hitter with occasional use at first base. You had to get him in the lineup though and his ironman durability saw him play 145+ games in all but his rookie season. Ishiguro was appreciated for leadership skills and loyalty, but he did get criticized for a weak work ethic and occasionally resting on his laurels.

Ishiguro left Japan for South Korea in October 2008 as a teenager on a developmental deal with Gwangju. He spent most of five years in their academy, debuting in 2013 at age 20 with 74 games and six starts. Ishiguro became a full-time starter in 2014 and immediately became a superstar with a record-shattering season, winning Most Valuable Player and a Silver Slugger as a DH.

At only age 21, Ishiguro crushed 79 home runs, breaking EAB’s record of 73 by Soo-Geun Yim from 2005. This mark remains the EAB record and is tied for 14^th among all leagues. Ishiguro also set the EAB total bases record with 491, passing Yim’s 485. That mark would be passed by only Masanori Fukuoka’s 523 from 2028, but it still ranks 16^th among all world leagues. Gwangju was a perfect fit for his power, as their ballpark was very homer-friendly with only around 310 feet down the lines and 399 feet to dead center.

Ishiguro’s 163 RBI ranks as the fourth-best EAB season and his .765 slugging is ninth. It was also his lone season as the WARlord with a career best 9.8. He also led in runs (133) and wRC+(198). Gwangju at 101-61 was a wild card, their sixth playoff trip in seven years. However, the Grays yet again were unable to win it all. They upset Incheon in the divisional round, but were upset by 89-win Seongnam in the Korea League Championship Series.

In the playoffs, Ishiguro had a 1.124 OPS, 190 wRC+, 12 hits, 6 runs, 4 homers, and 14 RBI. After that historic effort, the Grays gave Ishiguro an eight-year, $82,540,000 extension. Despite his continued dominance, this was Gwangju’s peak during his reign. The Grays spent the next two years around .500, then had only losing records for the rest of his tenure. Despite that, Ishiguro led the KL seven times in homers and total bases, thrice in runs, four times in RBI, five times in slugging, five times in OPS, and four times in wRC+ with Gwangju.

Ishiguro smacked 71 homers in his second full season and had his career bests for OPS (1.128) and wRC+ (203). 2016 saw his peak for runs scored at 138. Ishiguro won his second MVP in 2016 and finished second in 2015 and 2020. He was third in MVP voting for 2017, 2019, and 2021. Ishiguro won Silver Sluggers in each of his Gwangju seasons, winning four as a DH, two in LF, and one apiece in RF and 1B.

Despite all that, Gwangju was going nowhere fast and didn’t expect Ishiguro to re-sign once his deal was up after the 2022 season. Thus, he was traded in December 2021 in a seven-man deal with Hiroshima. For the Grays, Ishiguro played 1353 games with 1513 hits, 960 runs, 151 doubles, 108 triples, 501 home runs, 1061 RBI, 300 stolen bases, .314/.361/.703 slash, 184 wRC+, and 64.3 WAR. He remained a beloved franchise icon long after leaving and his #37 uniform would eventually be retired.

He ended up a one-year rental for the Hammerheads, who went 94-68 in 2022 but had the misfortunate of sharing a division with 110-win eventual champ Fukuoka. It was Ishiguro’s weakest season to that point, although he still had 41 home runs, .894 OPS, 177 wRC+, and 4.4 WAR. He left that winter for free agency at age 30 and joined Osaka on a six-year, $160,000,000 deal.

Ishiguro was still a reliably solid power hitter with the Orange Sox, but never came close to his Gwangju peaks. He won a lone Silver Slugger in 2025 (RF), but was never a league leader or MVP finalist. One downside of moving to the Japan League was the lack of DH, forcing him to display his putrid defense full-time. Osaka had posted a dynasty from 2017-20, but had fallen short of the playoffs twice prior to Ishiguro’s arrival. Osaka stayed above .500 through 2027, but their lone playoff trip was a first round wild card exit in 2025.

For Osaka, Ishiguro played 931 games with 812 hits, 544 runs, 90 doubles, 73 triples, 230 home runs, 490 RBI, .265/.330/.568 slash, 169 wRC+, and 30.2 WAR. He did hit for the cycle in 2027 facing Hamamatsu. Ishiguro also notably started reaching milestones, getting to both 700 home runs and 1500 RBI in 2026, followed by the 1500 run mark in 2027.

Even if he didn’t have league-best power anymore, Ishiguro was still regularly getting 30-45 dingers per year. With his durability and 700+ by his mid 30s, many felt he could challenge Soo-Geum Yim’s career mark of 921. Yim had retired in 2018, passing Lei Meng’s 897 homers that had held since 1971. Hitoshi Kubota also notably finished at 905 after his 2025 retirement. Now 36, Ishiguro’s next deal was for three years and $23,300,000 with Chiba. It was a big pay cut, since he was making more than that entire deal in single seasons with Osaka.

Ishiguro’s production remained remarkably steady in three years with the Comets, who hovered around .500 in his campaigns. He quickly passed the 800 home run milestone and hit for the cycle a second time in 2031 facing Kawasaki. For Chiba, Ishiguro played 465 games with 437 hits, 287 runs, 43 doubles, 47 triples, 101 home runs, 260 RBI, .277/.352/.557 slash, 162 wRC+, and 15.6 WAR. He finished his tenure at 873 home runs, tied with Hyeog-Jun Wi for fourth on the leaderboard and 48 from the record.

Now 39-years old, Ishiguro signed a two-year, $49,200,000 deal with Niigata. The Green Dragons were on a five-year playoff streak and had won two EAB titles, with Ishiguro thinking this could be his last shot at playoff glory. His debut season had 35 homers, joining the vaunted 900 home run club. At 908, he was now #2 in EAB history and only 13 from tying Yim. That season also saw Ishiguro breach the 3000 hit and 2000 RBI milestones. The Green Dragons won another division at 100-62, but lost in the divisional round. They would be one-and-done the next year as a wild card.

However, Ishiguro earned individual glory in 2033 as his 27 home runs were enough to become East Asia Baseball’s HR king. He also scored 81 runs to become the new leader for runs scored and the second to cross 2000. Hits leader Byung-Oh Tan’s 2010 runs had been the top mark since 1953. For Niigata, Ishiguro played 302 games with 263 hits, 166 runs, 24 doubles, 16 triples, 62 homers, 170 RBI, .255/.328/.489 slash, 146 wRC+, and 8.3 WAR.

For 2034, Ishiguro signed a one-year, $6,800,000 deal with Yokohama, who traded him near the deadline in July to Goyang. He was still quite playable with .883 OPS, 164 wRC+, and 3.7 WAR over the split season with 148 games. He went 2-11 in the playoffs as the Green Sox saw a first round exit. Ishiguro’s limited playoff experience saw 26 games, .990 OPS, 180 wRC+, and 1.3 WAR; so you can’t call him a playoff choker despite having such little team luck in his career.

In 2034, Ishiguro also passed Yim’s 7015 total bases and Hitoshi Kubota’s 3304 games played to become EAB’s career leader for both stats. He was up to #2 in RBI, but wouldn’t catch Yim’s 2279. Ishiguro wanted to keep going and seemingly still had something to offer, but he was unsigned for all of 2035. He finally officially retired that winter at age 43.

Ishiguro finished with 3359 games, 3300 hits, 2123 runs, 345 doubles, 268 triples, 963 home runs, 2157 RBI, 1050 walks, 1985 strikeouts, 7070 total bases, 809 stolen bases, .287/.346/.615 slash, .960 OPS, 172 wRC+, and 126.4 WAR. At induction, Ishiguro is East Asia Baseball’s career leader for homers, runs scored, games, and total bases. He also ranks 11^th in hits, 31^st in triples, 2^nd in RBI, 25^th in walks, and 11^th in WAR for position players. His slugging is 16^th among all EAB batters with 3000+ plate appearances and his OPS is 32^nd.

On the leaderboards for all of professional baseball history, Ishiguro is 19^th in games played, 23^rd in runs, t-10^th in home runs, and 38^th in RBI. He’s certainly one of the game’s immortals and one of the finest sluggers and ironmen ever. Ishiguro’s exact spot among EAB’s best can be contentious as certainly the counting stats places him as a top five bat for many scholars. Others rank him lower since he never had notable team success and because of his poor defense/time as a DH. Regardless, Ishiguro is an inner-circle Hall of Famer and earned the near unanimous 99.0% to headline for EAB in 2040.



Min-Jae Lim – Shortstop – Changwon Crabs – 89.1% First Ballot

Min-Jae Lim was a 6’0’’, 190 pound right-handed shortstop from the Seoul, the South Korean capital. Lim was a rock solid contact hitter with the exact same wRC+ facing lefties or righties. He didn’t have prolific power, but you still get some extra bases with 29 doubles, 14 triples, and 19 home runs per his 162 game average. Lim was better than most in EAB at avoiding strikeouts, but middling at drawing walks.

Lim was a highly skilled baserunner with very good speed for most of his career. He was a career shortstop and an excellent defender that was just a notch below Gold Glove level. Lim probably would’ve won one had he not shared a league for most of his run with 17-time winner Jae-Won Park. His durability was mostly good in his 20s, but his body was wrecked in his later years. Lim was a sparkplug and one of the scrappiest guys in the game, which made him very popular across a 20-year run.

He exceled at Seoul’s Chung-Ang University and was the #3 overall pick in the 2014 EAB Draft for Changwon. Lim was a full-time starter right away and an immediate success, earning 2015 Rookie of the Year with a .858 OPS, 6.4 WAR season. He would be worth 7.8+ WAR for the following nine years with the Crabs and helped the franchise see a remarkable turnaround.

Changwon had only made the playoffs once between 1981-2015 and had been abysmal with 64.25 wins per season from 2007-14. In Lim’s rookie season, the Crabs got back above .500 at 83-79. In 2016, they won the South Division at 92-70 and outlasted Seoul 4-3 to win the Korea League Championship Series. Changwon then swept Yokohama for the franchise’s first East Asian Championship win since 1963.

In the playoff run, Lim had 15 hits, 7 runs, 2 doubles, 3 homers, 4 RBI, 120 wRC+, and 0.5 WAR. He was average in the Baseball Grand Championship with .672 OPS, 100 wRC+, and 0.2 WAR as the Crabs finished 6-13. However, Changwon proved it wasn’t a fluke run by taking the Korea League’s top seed in 2017 at 100-62. They again bested Seoul in the KLCS, then defeated Osaka to repeat as EAB champ. Lim missed the start of the playoffs to a strained back, but had 1.050 OPS, 189 wRC+, and 0.5 WAR in nine games. He was unremarkable in the BGC with a .699 OPS, 93 wRC+, and 0.1 WAR as the Crabs finished 8-11.

2017 also was Lim’s first year representing South Korea in the World Baseball Championship. Through to 2032, he played 163 games with 159 hits, 71 runs, 30 doubles, 6 triples, 13 homers, 56 RBI, .278/.342/.420 slash, and 3.8 WAR. It was a down era for the Korean team, whose only playoff berth with Lim came in 2031.

2018 was Lim’s finest individual effort, winning MVP and his first Silver Slugger with league and career bests for hits (226), RBI (131), batting average (.391), OBP (.427), and WAR (11.3). He also had his bests for wRC+ (176), OPS (1.026), and runs (99). Changwon had their best record yet at 110-52, but was upset by Seongnam in the divisional round. That winter though, the Crabs locked up their star Lim to an eight-year, $157,400,000 extension.

Lim was the WARlord again in 2019, 2022, and 2023 with a run of five seasons of 9+ WAR. He was second in 2019, 2021, and 2022’s MVP voting and had a streak of Silver Slugger wins through to 2025, winning eight total. He led in WAR for 2019 despite missing more than a month to a strained ACL.

Changwon remained a contender, but couldn’t reclaim the full glory of the repeat. They were the top seed in 2019 at 97-65, but again had a one-and-done; this time because of Goyang. They missed the playoffs by a tiebreaker in 2020, but rebounded with a six-year streak. The Crabs were 100-62 in 2021, but a wild card behind 109-win Busan in the South Division. Changwon had the last laugh by beating the Blue Jays 4-1 in the KLCS, but were denied the EAB title in a seven-game battle with Kyoto.

In the 2021 run, Lim had 24 hits, 7 runs, 4 extra base hits, 128 wRC+, .804 OPS, and 0.8 WAR. He struggled to .657 OPS, 81 wRC+, and 0.2 WAR in the BGC as Changwon went 6-13. The Crabs had division titles in 2022-23 including a 108-win mark in the latter, but Lim missed both runs to injury and they went one-and-done. Their last KLCS trip was in 2024 as a 92-win wild card, but Busan got revenge against them.

Changwon got additional wild cards in 2025, 26, and 28, but didn’t win any playoff series. For his playoff career with the Crabs, Lim had merely okay starts in 60 starts with 71 hits, 26 runs, 8 doubles, 5 triples, 5 homers, 30 RBI, 30 steals, .295/.331/.432 slash, 117 wRC+, and 1.8 WAR. He had a career-best 29-game hit streak in summer 2025, but missed two months to injuries. Lim declined his contract option that winter at age 33, but renegotiated to a five-year, $134,800,000 extension to stay with Changwon.

The rest of his tenure was plagued with injuries despite his heart and efforts, although he was still effective when able to play. The first big one came in May 2027 with a broken bone in his elbow. In April 2029, a ruptured finger tendon knocked him out basically the entire season. Changwon got off to a poor start in 2030 and accepted that the run was over. Lim was in the final year of his deal and they traded him at the start of July to Pyongyang for three prospects. One of them was Hideki Yamauchi, who would emerge as a respectable starter and Gold Glove-winning third baseman for the Crabs.

For Changwon, Lim played 1914 games with 2387 hits, 1173 runs, 368 doubles, 170 triples, 223 home runs, 1072 RBI, 899 steals, .331/.374/.523 slash, 149 wRC+, and 115.7 WAR. He remained a beloved franchise icon for his role in their dynasty and turnaround. Lim’s #35 uniform would be retired at the end of his career.

He had a healthy second half with Pyongyang, who was in an intense North Division battle with Goyang. The Pythons finished 109-53, but had to settle for a wild card ending three games behind the Green Sox. Pyongyang was upset in the first round by Jeonju. For the combined season, Lim had .734 OPS, 106 wRC+, and 3.9 WAR. He was now a merely decent hitter at age 38, but still was a strong defender when healthy.

Lim signed a two-year, $48 million deal with Suwon, who was that year’s KLCS runner-up. He was still a solid contributor despite some injury woes, playing 214 games with 218 hits, 124 runs, 33 doubles, 12 triples, 20 homers, 86 steals, .288/.355/.443 slash, 125 wRC+, and 7.4 WAR. The Snappers had a second round exit in 2031, then lost the 2032 KLCS against Busan. Now 40, Lim next joined Goyang on a two-year, $24,600,000 deal.

Torn ankle ligaments kept him out part of the year and kept Lim from reaching the vesting criteria for the second year of the deal. Still, he posted 3.9 WAR over 102 games with .894 OPS and 143 wRC+. Lim struggled to -0.1 WAR and .438 OPS in the playoffs as the Green Sox dropped the KLCS against Incheon. The Inferno would be his final stop for 2034, but he struggled and was limited to a bench role with 56 games and 29 starts. Lim retired that winter at age 42.

Lim finished with 2351 games, 2833 hits, 1426 runs, 427 doubles, 202 triples, 270 home runs, 1246 RBI, 610 walks, 956 strikeouts, 1046 stolen bases, 648 caught stealing, .324/.369/.512 slash, 145 wRC+, and 128.8 WAR. Lim ranks 58^th in runs, 42^nd in hits, 98^th in total bases (4474), 88^th in doubles, 88^th in triples, 25^th in steals, 15^th in caught stealing, and 8^th in WAR among position players.

Among batters with 3000+ plate appearances, Lim ranks 51^st in batting average and 72^nd in OBP. His career 212.0 zone rating also ranks 14^th best among East Asia Baseball shortstops. Lim’s defensive value was a big reason he was a top ten guy for WAR despite not being at the tip-top of counting stats or home run power. He ranks 3^rd in WAR specifically accrued at shortstop.

Lim might be a tough one to rank among all of EAB’s bests and might be a guy you could call under-rated. Changwon fans certainly recognize his huge role in turning the team into a contender with three pennants and two EAB titles after decades of futility. Lim received 89.1% for a first ballot Hall of Fame nod in 2040 as part of an impressive two-man group for East Asia Baseball.

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In a weaker 2040 Hall of Fame ballot for Beisbol Sudamerica, only one player breached the 66% induction threshold. Closer Igor Vigil made it on his first ballot narrowly at 71.3%. 2B Walter Perez barely missed with a 64.7% debut, as did C Cruz Pereira at 63.1% for his third try. Also above 50% was LF R.J. Zavaleta at 53.0% in his fifth ballot and SP Noel Sandoval with a 51.7% debut.



Dropped after ten failed attempts included LF Sam Rubio, who debuted at 60.4% but was down to 41.6% at the end. In a 15-year career, Rubio won three Silver Sluggers and played 2205 games with 2545 hits, 1254 runs, 332 doubles, 303 triples, 430 home runs, 1366 RBI, 590 steals, .320/.343/.600 slash, 158 wRC+, and 71.3 WAR. Rubio is 12^th on BSA’s triples leaderboard, but never led any other stat and also struggled in the playoffs. He needed either more accolades/dominance or another few years of tallies to escape the Hall of Pretty Good.

Also dropped was SP Adrian Chacon, who peaked at 32.4% and managed to survive all ten ballots despite six years below 10%. In 16 seasons with Medellin, Chacon won eight Gold Gloves with a 206-120 record, 3.57 ERA, 3108.2 innings, 2577 strikeouts, 525 walks, 114 ERA+, 85 FIP-, and 65.3 WAR. He’s arguably BSA’s best-ever defensive pitcher, but the lower strikeout tallies meant he was never a Pitcher of the Year finalist. He did win Copa Sudamerica with the Mutiny, but a career 4.82 ERA in 115.2 playoff innings didn’t help his cause.

Bruno Batista also deserves a quick mention, falling below 5% on his seventh try. His totals were hurt by playing his final four seasons in West African Baseball, but he was a league leader in stolen bases seven times. His combined career had 1374 swipes, 36^th on the world leaderboard. He was also Copa Sudamerica MVP in Quito’s title win.



Igor Vigil – Closer – Porto Alegre Armadillos – 71.3% First Ballot

Igor Vigil was a 6’4’’, 195 pound right-handed relief pitcher from San Pedro, Colombia; a municipality of around 30,000 in the country’s northwest. Vigil was known for having incredible stuff along with rock solid control and movement. He had a 99-101 mph fastball along with a slider, both of which were quite potent. Vigil was especially strong facing right-handed bats with a 1.85 ERA, 211 ERA+, and 36 FIP-; compared to a 2.43 ERA, 158 ERA+, and 66 FIP- against lefties.

Vigil had fantastic durability and never missed time to injury. For a reliever, his stamina was rock solid as well. Vigil’s great work ethic also helped make him more popular than your typical reliever. In April 2015, his pro career began as he signed a developmental deal with Porto Alegre. After five years in their academy, Vigil debuted with 49 relief appearances in 2020.

The Armadillos were a 2009 expansion team and 2020 was only their second-ever playoff berth. It was also their deepest run, falling to Santiago in the Southern Cone League championship. Vigil was not quite big game ready, giving up six runs in 9.2 innings over seven playoff appearances. Porto Alegre hovered mostly around and just below .500 for the rest of his tenure.

However, Vigil took the closer role in 2021 and led the league twice in games pitched and once in saves. He was third in 2023’s Reliever of the Year voting, which would see a career-best 5.8 WAR. Vigil then won the honor three straight years from 2024-26. He had 5.8 WAR again in 2026 and a career-best 1.27 ERA and 154 strikeouts. In seven seasons for Porto Alegre, Vigil had 227 saves and 272 shutdowns, 467 games, 574.1 innings, 1.99 ERA, 858 strikeouts, 188 ERA+, 41 FIP-, and 29.4 WAR.

The Armadillos traded Vigil after the 2026 season to Buenos Aires for two prospects. The Atlantics were the defending Copa Sudamerica winner, having gone on a surprising run as a 92-70 wildcard. They had the same record in 2027, but missed a wild card by one game. BA bounced back in 2028 with a division title at 100-62. Vigil was third in that year’s Reliever of the Year voting.

Vigil made his mark though in the playoffs, as the Atlantics went all the way to a Copa Sudamerica win over Lima. In 10 playoff appearances, Vigil had nine saves with a 1.00 ERA over 18 innings, 34 strikeouts, 358 ERA+, and 0.9 WAR. He would then toss 6.1 scoreless innings in the Baseball Grand Championship as Buenos Aires finished 8-11.

The Atlantics were again one win short of the playoffs in 2029, but Vigil snagged his fourth Reliever of the Year award. At induction, he’s one of 11 closers in BSA history to win the award 4+ times. In three years for Buenos Aires, Vigil had 107 saves and 114 shutdowns, 2.14 ERA, 214 games, 236 innings, 382 strikeouts, 168 ERA+, 48 FIP-, and 10.2 WAR.

He was 31-years old and a free agent for the first time with worldwide offers. Vigil ended up moving to Major League Baseball on a one-year, $8,700,000 deal with Washington. Even while in the United States, Vigil remained a regular for his native Colombia in the World Baseball Championship. He was often a starter for the Colombians from 2022-33 with a 2.04 ERA over 167.1 innings, 10-7 record, 6 saves, and 297 strikeouts. Despite his impressive stats, Colombia didn’t make the playoffs any of his seasons.

Vigil wasn’t the closer for the Admirals in 2030, but was excellent in his role with a 1.58 ERA over 62.2 innings. He gave up one run over six playoff innings as Washington won the National Association pennant, losing the World Series to Seattle. They went 8-13 in the BGC with Vigil giving up three earned runs over six innings.

Next up was a three-year, $19,200,000 deal with Oklahoma City. Vigil was notably third in 2032’s Reliever of the Year voting. OKC made the playoffs once with a first round loss in 2031 and Vigil getting rocked in his lone appearance. Overall in three years, he had 69 saves, 2.69 ERA, 197.1 innings, 193 Ks, 161 ERA+, 81 FIP-, and 4.2 WAR. This run also got Vigil to 400+ career saves across his entire pro career.

For his combined MLB run, Vigil had 73 saves, 105 shutdowns, 2.42 ERA, 277 games, 260 innings, 274 strikeouts, 176 ERA+, 73 FIP-, and 6.3 WAR. Now 35, Vigil returned to South America on a two-year, $10,800,000 deal with Valencia. He was used in a limited role in 2034 with a 2.45 ERA and 4 saves over 40.1 innings and 1.2 WAR. Vigil surprised many by retiring that winter at age 36 despite his stuff still being viewed as excellent.

For his combined pro career, Vigil had a 107-92 record, 411 saves, 504 shutdowns, 2.14 ERA, 944 games, 1110.2 innings, 1567 strikeouts, 281 walks, 180 ERA+, 51 FIP-, and 47.1 WAR. Vigil just misses the world top 50s for saves and WAR among relievers. However, his ERA+ notably makes the cut at 48^th. Just in Beisbol Sudamerica, Vigil had a 75-65 record, 338 saves, 399 shutdowns, 2.05 ERA, 850.2 innings, 1293 strikeouts, 195 walks, 181 ERA+, 44 FIP-, and 40.8 WAR.

Vigil ranks 27^th in saves and 39^th in games pitched, although his rate stats compared favorably with some of the other Hall of Fame relievers in BSA. The four ROTY awards and the outstanding postseason run for Buenos Aires’ 2028 cup win helped him big time with skeptical voters. Vigil also had the benefit of debuting on a weaker 2040 ballot that didn’t have any other inductees. At 71.3%, he just crossed the 66% requirement for a first ballot nod as Beisbol Sudamerica’s lone 2040 selection.

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Three entered the European Baseball Federation Hall of Fame for 2040, captained by world triples leader 1B Aleksandr Parts with a near unanimous 98.9%. Two returners joined him with SP Jack McConnell getting 82.0% on his third ballot and 3B/2B Albert de Jong at 72.0% on his fourth go. LF Micha van Vugt came up painfully short of the 66% threshold with 65.9% for his third attempt. Also above 50% was SP Isak Alsaker at 51.3% in his fifth try.



Among those to fall off the ballot after ten failed tries was LF Danijel Rajovic, who peaked with his 47.9% finish and was as low as 13.4% the prior year. In 13 seasons with Belgrade, Rajovic won two MVPs and four Silver Sluggers with 1920 games, 2126 hits, 1067 runs, 321 doubles, 51 triples, 385 home runs, 1137 RBI, .320/.371/.557 slash, 160 wRC+, and 66.1 WAR. His downfall was a very abrupt decline in his early 30s and he was done as a full-time starter by age 34.

Rajovic did have good playoff stats, getting the Bruisers twice to the conference finals. He needed a few more years of totals to get across the line despite an impressive start with two MVPs in his first four seasons. Rajovic didn’t run into injury issues either, he just fell off faster than you’d expect.

Catcher Gaetano Di Vincenzo also made it ten ballots, ending at 23.4% and peaking with a 39.2% debut. He played 18 years with Milan and won two Silver Sluggers and two Gold Gloves. Di Vincenzo played 2347 games with 2275 hits, 881 runs, 490 doubles, 82 triples, 181 home runs, 1062 RBI, .284/.332/.433 slash, 114 wRC+, and 68.2 WAR. Di Vincenzo is the all-time WARlord for EBF catchers with the lone prior inductee being Ulrich Thomsen. He’s also the leader among catchers for games, hits, total bases, singles, and doubles.

Still, catchers always have a rough time gaining traction with the lower totals that come from the position by its nature. Those biases hurt Di Vencenzo, but even supporters acknowledge he was less an outstanding player and more a guy that was consistently solid for a long while. Being on perpetually mid Maulers teams didn’t get him attention either. Despite being arguably EBF’s best-ever catcher, he misses the cut as with so many other backstops before him.

SP Stefan Romic lasted ten ballots as well, debuting at 26.0% but ending at 8.8%. In 11 seasons, he had a 146-95 record, 3.14 ERA, 2324.2 innings, 2648 strikeouts, 449 walks, 120 ERA+, 73 FIP-, and 62.2 WAR. Romic was a POTY finalist twice, but fell off after bone chips in his elbow at age 33, retiring and declining sharply only two years later. He did notably have a big playoff run with Thessaloniki for their 2017 pennant. Romic’s pace was good, but he needed a few more years of steady totals to have a shot at the Hall.

Lastly, SP Saro Lorikyan ended at 5.4% on his last try and peaked at 32.2% in 2032. In 15 seasons for Warsaw, he had one Gold Glove and a 187-135 record, 3.20 ERA, 2917 innings, 2815 strikeouts, 117 ERA+, 90 FIP-, and 48.2 WAR. Lorikyan was only a POTY finalist once and never a leader in the major stat categories. He had a steady career, but not one impressive enough to warrant induction per the voters.



Aleksandr “Hercules” Parts – First Base – Zagreb Gulls – 98.9% First Ballot

Aleksandr Parts was a 5’9’’, 200 pound right-handed first baseman from Maardu, Estonia; a town of roughly 17,000 within Tallinn’s metropolitan area. He’s the second-ever Estonian Hall of Famer, joining ABF ace Oskar Tamm. Nicknamed "Hercules," Parts had an incredibly unique profile, especially as a career first baseman as that spot expects big, tall power hitters. Despite being 5’9’’, the stocky Parts was a stellar defender at first, winning ten Gold Gloves.

Instead of big home run power, Parts also was known as a tremendous contact hitter who was stellar at finding the gap. His 162 game average got you 28 doubles, 26 triples, and 17 home runs. Parts also had a strong eye for drawing walks and had a low strikeout rate. His batting results were near equal whether against righties or lefties. Parts was also one of the most skilled baserunners and base stealers you’d find and had good-to-great speed for much of his prime.

Parts had some injuries mostly in his later years, but held up remarkably well over a 24-year pro career. That unique skillset made the stout Parts extremely popular throughout Europe despite his humble beginnings. Small Estonia didn’t get a ton of scouting attention, but Parts was noticed by a visitor from Zagreb. He signed a developmental deal with the Gulls as a teenager in December 2010 and soon would become beloved over the next two decades in the Croatian capital.

He spent about four years in their academy, debuting with 40 games in 2014 at age 20. Parts was a full-time starter the next year, but was a subpar hitter as a rookie. He made big gains in 2016, leading the Southern Conference for the first time in triples with 30. By 2018, he had truly arrived as a star, winning his first batting title (.371) and leading in OBP (.450), wRC+ (196), hits (216), and triples (28). Parts picked up his first Silver Slugger and was third in MVP voting.

Zagreb missed the playoffs in 2018, but their 90-72 mark was their best since their last playoff trip way back in 1997. They just missed again the next year finishing 88-74. The Gulls had been mostly mediocre in the 21^st Century to that point, but had been just mid enough to avoid relegation. The franchise had won the European title in 1960 and 1975, but their longest consecutive playoff run was three years. Soon with Parts leading the way, Zagreb was a sustained contender for a full decade.

From 2018-23, Parts won five batting titles and led the conference four times in hits, on-base percentage, wRC+, and WAR. He also led thrice in OPS, twice in slugging, total bases, and stolen bases, and once in runs scored. 2019 was his first Gold Glove and a second place in MVP voting, despite boasting his career bests for WAR (12.0), hits (229), triples (43), and wRC+ (204). He shared a conference that year with Jean-Paul Lafontaine, who had 54 homers and 11.7 WAR. Parts’ 43 triples was the third-best single-season mark in both EBF and world history (the top six single seasons are all EBF guys).

Parts won his first MVP in 2020 and got a Silver Slugger, while also hitting his lone cycle in June against Bratislava. He posted his career bests for doubles (38), homers (24), total bases (393), and steals (117). Most importantly, Zagreb ended their 22-year playoff drought at 102-60, although they were stuck as a wild card finishing four behind top seed Naples in the Central Division.

The Gulls went one-and-done in an upset loss to eventual champ Munich, but this began an eight-year playoff streak for Zagreb. This also began their intense rivalry with the Mavericks, whom they’d run into five times in the Southern Conference Championship over the next decade. Parts was critical of course, inking an eight-year, $119,700,000 extension that winter.

2021 had a slight dip in production with a fractured foot in September, although he did have a 27-game hitting streak. Parts was back for the playoffs and played well as Zagreb had the top seed at 108-54, but they were denied 4-1 by Munich in the conference finals. Parts then earned repeat MVPs and Silver Sluggers in 2022-23, leading in hits, average, OPS, wRC+, and WAR both years. 2023 had his peak triple slash of .388/.451/.673 with a 1.125 OPS. There have been two qualifying seasons in EBF of a .450+ OBP, which Parts did twice. It was also impressive to lead in slugging twice despite never topping 25 homers in a season.

Zagreb was a wild card in 2022 with a second round loss, yet again running into Munich. The Gulls set a franchise record in 113-49 and got to the conference final, but the 94-win Mavericks were the kryptonite again. Zagreb went 104-58 in 2024, but fell two short of a division title because of Munich. The Mavericks were upset in the second round by Chisinau, but Zagreb couldn’t get around the Counts either with a 4-2 conference finals loss.

The Gulls were now getting the label as being unable to win the big one. After a strong 2021 run, Parts notably was middling in the 2022-24 runs and outright awful in 2025. He fared better in the remaining runs, but his career playoff stats weren’t as great as you’d expect given his regular season results. In 90 starts, Parts had 97 hits, 43 runs, 19 doubles, 8 triples, 4 homers, 38 RBI, 36 walks, 42 steals, .286/.358/.425 slash, 117 wRC+, and 3.2 WAR.

Parts was done as an MVP candidate after the 2022-23 repeat, but he was still worth 6+ WAR from 2024-30 each year sans 2028, which featured a concussion that kept him out for a sizeable chunk. He got recognized for his defense at this point, winning Gold Gloves from 2024-31 and in 2033. Along with the 2019 win, that gave Parts ten Gold Gloves, one of seven in EBF history to achieve that feat at any spot. Notably, he’s one of three at first base to do it.

Zagreb continued to come up short in the big one. They had the top seed in 2025 at 108-54, but went down to Zurich in the second round. That winter, Parts opted out of his current contract, but signed a new richer six-year, $158,400,000 extension to remain in Croatia. The Gulls made the conference finals in 2026 but again fell to Munich.

In 2027, they were the last team in the field as a 90-72 wild card. This time, Zagreb finally slayed the Mavericks in a 4-3 conference finals upset. The Gulls would be defeated 4-1 by Rotterdam in the European Championship. Parts did notably put up an excellent run in the 2027 Baseball Grand Championship with a 1.272 OPS, 21 hits, 17 runs, 7 homers, 19 RBI, 254 wRC+, and 1.7 WAR. They tied for seventh in the event at 10-9.

It looked like the run might be done as Zagreb missed the playoffs at 84-78 in 2028. However, they bounced back for one more division title in 2029 at 98-64. The Gulls were the underdog to top seed Munich in the Southern Conference Championship, but Zagreb pulled off a shocking sweep, taking out years of frustration. The Gulls played a classic with Kharkiv, but fell 4-3 in the European Championship. Parts had unremarkable stats in the run and the BGC, which saw a 7-14 finish.

Zagreb had one more playoff trip as a wild card in 2030, but lost in the second round. They would spend the next six years in the 70s win range, officially marking the end of their longest sustained run. Although the Gulls never won the tip top prize, getting two conference titles, six conference finals trips, four division titles, and ten berths over 11 years is a run most franchises would be thrilled with. Parts was there for all of it as a beloved figure, eventually getting his #20 uniform retired.

Parts was in his late 30s as the 2030s dawned and was hitting statistical milestones, including 3000 hits and 400 triples in 2030. At induction, only 12 players in world history have 400+ career triples. The EBF record was Carsten Dal’s 457, which had become the world record in the mid 2010s. Over in West African Baseball, the eventual world hits king Fares Belaid passed that mark, retiring as the leader with 472 after the 2032 season.

After the 2030 season, Parts signed a three-year, $62,200,000 extension with Zagreb. Injuries started to pop up in these later years, including a fractured knee in 2031 and both ACL and oblique strains after that. Parts’ production had dipped in 2031-32, but in 2033 at age 33 he was still good for .911 OPS, 155 wRC+, and 5.1 WAR. He also got 13 triples that year to get to 454 for his career, three short of Dal’s EBF record.

His deal was up that winter, sending him to free agency for the first time heading into his age 40 season. For Zagreb, Parts played 2724 games with 3393 hits, 1801 runs, 470 doubles, 454 triples, 283 home runs, 1555 RBI, 1089 walks, 1265 strikeouts, 1208 stolen bases, .340/.404/.565 slash, 167 wRC+, and 130.0 WAR. He remained beloved in the Croatian capital, but some diehards were briefly annoyed as Parts joined the hated Mavericks for 2034 on a two-year, $24,800,000 deal.

Munich’s own 13-year playoff streak had ended by this point and like Zagreb, they were now firmly in the mid-tier. Parts only played one year in Germany and was plagued by knee issues, playing only 86 games with .714 OPS, 103 wRC+, and 1.4 WAR. He did get seven triples though, passing Dal to become EBF’s all-time leader and #2 on the world list. Parts was also close to 3500 hits and thought he could still get there and maybe get to 2000 career runs. However, European teams thought he was cooked and that marked the end of his EBF career.

Parts was determined to still play somewhere and took a two-year, $9,840,000 with Cotonou of West African Baseball for 2035. Torn ankle ligaments kept him out much of the year with only 63 games, .887 OPS, 137 wRC+, and 1.7 WAR. He didn’t meet the vesting criteria and was a free agent again for 2035. Parts signed a one-year deal with WAB’s Kano, but more torn ankle ligaments limited him to only 43 games, although he did have a .939 OPS, 149 wRC+, and 1.6 WAR in the small sample.

He was now at 469 triples, three away from Belaid’s world pro baseball record of 472. Parts wanted to get it and stayed in WAB for 2037 with Libreville. Smaller injuries limited him early in the season, then he suffered a catastrophic broken kneecap in late July. In 63 games, Parts had .940 OPS, 148 wRC+, and 1.6 WAR; still competent when healthy. He got three triples that year, tying him with Belaid for the world record.

In three WAB seasons, Parts had 169 games, 212 hits, 113 runs, 40 doubles, 11 triples, 19 home runs, 94 RBI, 47 steals, .330/.405/.516 slash, 144 wRC+, and 4.8 WAR. Parts didn’t want the broken kneecap to be his final time on the field and rehabbed hard in hopes of playing in 2038. However, he went unsigned all year and finally retired that winter at age 44.

For his combined pro career, Parts played 2979 games with 3683 hits, 1949 runs, 520 doubles, 472 triples, 307 home runs, 1680 RBI, 1189 walks, 1430 strikeouts, 1277 stolen bases, 548 caught stealing, .337/.402/.556 slash, .958 OPS, 164 wRC+, and 136.2 WAR.

In addition to being tied for the world record in triples, Parts ranks 39^th in the world list for hits and just misses the top 50 for runs and steals. Among world Hall of Famers and retired locks, Parts is 43^rd in batting average and 34^th in OBP. He also just misses the top 100 for WAR among all players ever, sitting 105^th at induction. Just in EBF, Parts had 2810 games, 3471 hits, 1836 runs, 480 doubles, 461 triples, 288 homers, 1586 RBI, 1115 walks, 1303 Ks, 1230 steals, 532 caught stealing, .338/.401/.558 slash, 166 wRC+, and 131.4 WAR.

On the EBF leaderboards, Parts is 10^th in games, 10^th in runs, 5^th in hits, 13^th in total bases (5737), 7^th in singles (2242), 18^th in doubles, 1^st in triples, 29^th in RBI, 6^th in steals, 24^th in caught stealing, 14^th in walks, and 9^th in WAR among position players. Among batters with 3000+ plate appearances, Parts ranks 39^th in batting average, 17^th in on-base percentage, and 75^th in OPS.

Parts is easily an inner-circle Hall of Famer for the European Baseball Federation and one of the game’s immortals. Despite not being a big bopper, he’s also the EBF WAR leader at first base and is considered the positional GOAT by some. Some have Parts as a top ten all-time position players in EBF history and almost all place him in the top 20 rankings somewhere. At 98.9%, he headlined a three-man 2040 class for EBF and proudly represented his native Estonia.

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Jack McConnell – Starting Pitcher – Berlin Barons – 82.0% Third Ballot

Jack McConnell was a 6’2’’, 195 pound left-handed pitcher from Stenhousemuir, a town of just under 10,000 in Scotland’s Central Lowlands. McConnell’s biggest strength was having stellar pinpoint control for his entire career with excellent movement. This made up for having merely above average stuff with a peak velocity of 91-93 mph; among the lowest of any Hall of Famer you’ll find.

McConnell’s arsenal was fastball, curveball, screwball, changeup, and splitter with an extreme groundball tendency. He had fantastic durability and pitched 200+ innings each year from 2017-34. McConnell’s stamina for going deep in games though was merely above average relative to most great aces. He was better than most at holding runners, but otherwise had unremarkable defensive stats.

In April 2011, a teenaged McConnell left Scotland for Finland on a developmental deal with Helsinki. While in the academy, the Honkers were relegated to the European Second League after going 55-107 in 2013. McConnell spent about six years in training, debuting with two relief appearances in 2016. McConnell earned a full-time rotation spot from 2017 onward.

It became clear he was better than most E2L talent right away, as he was second in both Pitcher of the Year and Rookie of the Year voting in 2017. He was second in POTY again in 2019 and won a Silver Slugger with a decent bat by pitcher standards. McConnell was the leader in wins for 2019 and in wins, ERA, and WAR in 2020.

Helsinki had playoff trips in 2017 and 2019, but failed to advance out of the round robin. The Honkers in 2020 finally got to the conference finals, earning a promotion back to the EBF Elite Tier. In his four E2L seasons, McConnell had a 70-25 record, 2.06 ERA, 923 innings, 883 strikeouts, 196 walks, 159 ERA+, 67 FIP-, and 27.9 WAR. He showed he could hang right away in the top level with back-to-back 7+ WAR seasons.

Although they were back up, Helsinki had finished 80-82 and 73-89 upon their return. McConnell was grateful for his start there, but it was clear that he wasn’t likely to stick around once free agent eligible for 2024. Thus before the 2023 season, the Honkers traded McConnell to Rotterdam for two prospects. He correctly left the sinking ship, as Helsinki was an abysmal 54-108 the next year and demoted right back.

In his one year with the Ravens, McConnell was second in Pitcher of the Year voting, leading the Northern Conference in FIP- (58) and WAR (8.8); both career bests in EBF. He also had a 2.79 ERA, 19-6 record, 242.1 innings, and 240 Ks. Rotterdam won their division at 110-52, but was denied the conference crown by 114-win Dublin, who was amidst a dynasty run. McConnell’s playoff debut in the top tier had a 2.89 ERA over 18.2 innings.

McConnell did have tournament experience before that, as he represented his native Scotland from 2022-34 in the World Baseball Championship. Over 187 innings, he had a 14-8 record, 2.50 ERA, 186 strikeouts, and 5.3 WAR. Despite his efforts, the Scots never secured a playoff berth.

Now a free agent at age 29 for 2024, McConnell signed a seven-year, $163,800,000 deal with Berlin. His most famous run would be in the German capital. The Barons were competitive in his first six years with five winning seasons, but their lone playoff appearance was a wild card and second round exit in 2025. McConnell was second in 2024’s POTY voting, his only time as a finalist with Berlin. Still, his production was steady, consistent, and rock solid.

2030 was a breakthrough for the Barons, who took the Northern Conference’s top seed at 103-59. Berlin bested Nantes 4-2 in the final for their first pennant since 1998. The Barons then defeated Cluj-Napoca 4-2 to win their second-ever European Championship (1958). McConnell was critical in the playoff run, winning his four starts with a 1.50 ERA over 30 innings, 20 strikeouts, and 0.8 WAR.

McConnell kept rolling into the Baseball Grand Championship, winning those four starts with a 1.91 ERA over 33 innings with 35 Ks and 1.6 WAR; taking third in Best Pitcher voting. Most importantly, Berlin finished 17-4 and became only the second European club to claim the Grand Champion honor. It was a hell of a way to cap off McConnell’s seven-year run with the Barons and forever made him a very popular figure in the German capital.

For Berlin, McConnell finished with a 110-62 record, 3.05 ERA, 1713.2 innings, 1427 strikeouts, 191 walks, 72 complete games, 20 shutouts, 129 ERA+, 78 FIP-, and 41.1 WAR. Back to free agency for 2031 at age 36, McConnell signed a two-year, $29,200,000 deal with Lyon. He was still steady with the Lords, posting a 2.91 ERA over 476 innings, 29-20 record, 347 Ks, 123 ERA+, 89 FIP-, and 8.1 WAR. Lyon earned its first-ever playoff berth in the top tier in 2032, falling in the second round as a wild card.

McConnell was back to free agency and surprisingly couldn’t find another European home despite his consistency and still excellent control. He ended up in Sudan on a three-year, $36 million deal with Khartoum of Arab League Baseball. McConnell was still reliable in his first two years, although he was surprisingly poor in three playoff starts with three defeats and a 6.87 ERA over 18.1 innings. The Cottonmouths lost in the 2033 Western Conference final and fell in the second round of 2034.

In 2035, McConnell’s stuff and control plummeted and he was limited to only 44.1 innings. Overall in ALB, he had a 30-19 record, 3.61 ERA, 460.2 innings, 375 strikeouts, 67 walks, 120 ERA+, 92 FIP-, and 7.9 WAR. He hoped to still pitch in 2036 somewhere in the world, but went unsigned all year and finally retired in the winter at age 42.

The trouble for McConnell’s Hall of Fame candidacy is having only 12 seasons in the European Baseball Federation Elite Tier, as the four E2L seasons don’t count as major league. Adding the ALB seasons, his combined top-flight pro stats saw a 218-132 record, 3.45 ERA, 3384.2 innings, 2825 strikeouts, and 80.5 WAR. Just in EBF, he had a 188-113 record, 3.04 ERA, 2924 innings, 2450 strikeouts, 327 walks, 110 complete games, 27 shutouts, 127 ERA+, 77 FIP-, and 72.6 WAR.

Still, McConnell ranks 45^th in WAR among pitcher. However, he is 71^st in wins, 97^th in innings, 62^nd in complete games, 39^th in shutouts, and outside of the top 100 for strikeouts. His 1.01 BB/9 is notably 9^th among all pitchers with 1000+ innings and his rate stats overall are favorable compared to many other inductees. McConnell did have detractors though with the lower accumulations (strikeouts especially) and the lack of a POTY award or ERA title.

His efficiency was a big plus for supporters, but the biggest thing in his favor was Berlin’s 2030 title run. McConnell was an absolute stud in that postseason run, pushing the Barons to not only the European Championship, but the Baseball Grand Championship. The lower tallies still kept him just barely out below the 66% threshold with 65.7% and 64.9% in his first two ballots. McConnell saw the big boost to 82.0% in 2040 for a third ballot spot into EBF’s Hall of Fame.



Albert “Nervous” de Jong – Third/Second Base – Frankfurt Falcons – 72.0% Fourth Ballot

Albert de Jong was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right-handed third and second baseman from Middelharnis, a town of about 7,000 in the western Netherlands. Nicknamed “Nervous,” de Jong was a well-rounded batter at his peak with good-to-great marks for contact and power. His 162 game average got you 36 home runs, 22 doubles, and 18 triples for a steady dose of extra base hits. On the downside, he was subpar at drawing walks and avoiding strikeouts.

De Jong was a bit better facing left-handed pitching (.964 OPS, 162 wRC+) but was plenty potent facing righties (.906 OPS, 147 wRC+). He was a highly skilled baserunner and clever thief with good speed. Defensively, de Jong saw just over half of his starts at third base, where he graded as a reliably solid glove. Most of his other starts were at second, where he was below average, but passable.

High adaptability served him well over a 15 year career with mostly good marks for durability. De Jong was notably very outspoken, but wasn’t necessarily a troublemaker or malcontent. Many fans appreciated his candor and he was one of his era’s more popular players. As a teenager, he left the Netherlands in October 2013 on a developmental deal with Frankfurt. De Jong spent most of four years in their academy, officially debuting in 2017 with eight games.

De Jong’s full-time debut came in 2018 with decent results. That year, the Falcons earned their first-ever playoff appearance in the EBF Elite Tier at 93-69 and had a surprise run to the Northern Conference Championship, falling 4-2 to Birmingham. De Jong had an impressive postseason with a 1.408 OPS and 0.9 WAR over 10 starts. By the next year, he had emerged as elite with his first of five straight seasons worth 7+ WAR and first of nine straight worth 5+.

His first Silver Slugger wins came in 2019 (3B) and 2020 (2B). He was the conference WARlord at 9.7 in 2020, which would be a career best as was his 175 wRC+, .331 average, .368 OBP, and 1.009 OPS. Frankfurt won division titles both years, but couldn’t advance beyond round two. They missed the cut in 2021, then had a wild card and first round exit in 2022.

Although he was a star in Germany, de Jong did regularly represent the Netherlands in the World Baseball Championship from 2019-31. He played 113 games with 111 hits, 54 runs, 22 doubles, 5 triples, 27 homers, 67 RBI, 30 steals, .261/.322/.526 slash, 144 wRC+, and 4.1 WAR for the Dutch team.

De Jong was back winning Silver Sluggers in 2023 (2B), 2025 (3B), and 2026 (3B). 2023 was his lone time as an MVP finalist, taking third by leading the conference with 395 total bases. 2025 had de Jong’s peak for homers (48), RBI (123) and runs (119). In August 2024, he committed to a seven-year, $184,800,000 extension with the Falcons. Frankfurt was almost always above .500 for the rest of the decade, but wouldn’t make the playoffs from 2023-29 despite his efforts.

2028 was his largest injury to date with a torn abdominal muscle in the fall. He was still solid in 2029, but was reduced to a part-time role in 2030 with 118 games and only 42 starts. Frankfurt got back to the playoffs at 100-62, but were a one-and-done wild card. The Falcons ended up voiding the team option year of de Jong’s deal, sending him to free agency at age 35.

His outspoken nature did cause some clashes with management at the end, which some suspect is why his #27 uniform wasn’t retired. For 2031, de Jong signed a three-year, $16,800,000 deal with Rome. He struggled in a limited role with 101 games, 34 starts, .666 OPS, 87 wRC+, and 0.1 WAR. With a roster spot not guaranteed next year, de Jong retired that winter at age 36.

De Jong played 1967 games with 2127 hits, 1215 runs, 262 doubles, 217 triples, 438 home runs, 1199 RBI, 355 walks, 1469 strikeouts, 537 steals, .302/.336/.587 slash, 152 wRC+, and 80.4 WAR. He ranks 97^th in total bases (4137), 73^rd in triples, and 90^th in WAR for position players. De Jong had good marks for efficiency, but his totals weren’t exceptional. Although Frankfurt was always decent in his run, they also never had the big championship run with de Jong.

Many figured his resume was borderline, but de Jong was quite popular and had friends in high places. He debuted in 2037 at 62.0%, only narrowly missing the 66% requirement. De Jong dropped to 59.4% in 2038, then missed by the slimmest margin at 65.9% in 2039. He got across the line at 72.0% in 2040 to earn a fourth ballot induction as part of a three-man class for the European Baseball Federation.

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Eurasian Professional Baseball had a strong three-man Hall of Fame class in 2040 with each earning first ballot nods. Co-headlining was hit king RF Timofei Averkin at 99.1% along with P Aleksei Kotyukh at 97.5%. SP Araz Aliev joined them with 76.9%. Four were above 50%, but short of the 66% requirement for induction. SP Tagir Jumayev debuted at 58.2%, SP Yaroslav Alalykin got 53.2% in his eighth ballot, and both CL Dimo Antonov and CF Roman Sheshukov received 50.6% on their second tries.



3B/RF Tayyar Abdualiyev got 48.4% in his tenth and final chance, peaking at 60.1% in 2038. He had a 19-year EPB career with five Silver Sluggers, 2519 games, 3002 hits, 1028 runs, 525 doubles, 79 triples, 192 home runs, 1086 RBI, 299 walks, .314/.336/.446 slash, 134 wRC+, and 75.3 WAR. Abdualiyev ranks 5^th in hits, 3^rd in doubles, 15^th in batting average (min 3000 PA), but only 67^th in WAR.

Abdualiyev is the EPB career leader in singles at 2206, with some dismissing him as a mere singles-merchant and compiler. It didn’t help that he played on mostly forgettable teams and never made the playoffs in his prime run with Chelyabinsk. Still, it is surprising to see the #5 guy in hits across more than 80 years of history miss the cut, even with his other deficiencies.

His former Cadets teammate 1B Sergei Stoev also fell off after ten ballots, debuting with a 59.6% peak and ending at 38.0%. His entire 15-year run was with Chelyabinsk with one MVP and three Silver Sluggers. Stoev was also still there when the Cadets became a winner with their 2019-20 EPB Championship repeat. He played 2199 games with 1929 hits, 1122 runs, 320 doubles, 619 home runs, 1337 RBI, 561 walks, 2720 strikeouts, .242/.297/.528 slash, 143 wRC+, and 59.5 WAR.

Stoev ranks 12^th in homers, 33^rd in RBI, but misses the top 100 for WAR among position players and is 12^th in strikeouts. He was the inverse player of Abdualiyev in many ways in being all homers, but weak in other aspects of the game. Similar to the 3000 hit mark, many would assume that 600 homers in a low-scoring league like EPB would be a magic number, but alas. Stoev did notably also have unremarkable playoff stats despite being part of a dynasty run.

2B Pavel Khuzin also deserves a quick nod, falling below 5% on his eighth ballot. He won nine Silver Sluggers (7 at 2B, 2 at DH) and was a key cog in Rostov’s 2013 title win. Khuzin played 2222 games, 2332 hits, 1261 runs, 403 doubles, 144 triples, 192 home runs, 800 RBI, 1036 walks, 736 steals, .282/.361/.435 slash, 141 wRC+, and 71.1 WAR. Even if he was the best hitting second baseman of his day, Khuzin still wasn’t dominant enough relative to everyone to get much HOF traction, peaking at 26.9%.



Timofei “Farmer” Averkin – Right Field – Perm Pitbulls – 99.1% First Ballot

Timofei Averkin was a 6’3’’, 205 pound right-handed hitting right fielder from Tuapse, Russia; a small city of around 61,000 on the northeast shore of the Black Sea. He was nicknamed “Farmer” as he loved spending his offseasons out on the farm. Averkin was known for his impressive consistency across a 20-year career with a balanced bat against both lefties and righties.

Averkin graded as a rock solid contact hitter with stellar gap power and respectable home run power. His 162 game average got you 26 doubles, 19 triples, and 30 home runs. Averkin was surprisingly mediocre at drawing walks, but had a low strikeout rate and was great at putting the ball in play. He was a very skilled baserunner when he got on and an adept thief with good-to-occasionally great speed.

He was a career right fielder with occasional use as a designated hitter. Averkin was mediocre defensively, but you could definitely do a lot worse. He was a true fan favorite and among the most beloved ballplayers ever in Russia, known for his impressive work ethic, strong loyalty, and thoughtful intelligence. The one downside is that he wasn’t going to be a vocal leader in the clubhouse.

In December 2010, a teenaged Averkin joined Perm on a developmental deal. The Pitbulls were still a new franchise having debuted with the 2008 expansion. After four full years in the academy, Averkin debuted in 2015 with 63 games and 40 starts, although he struggled to -0.5 WAR. He still got a full-time gig the next year with better results. From 2017-24, he would be worth 6+ WAR each season for Perm. Averkin won his first Silver Slugger in 2017 and was a league leader for the first time with 25 triples.

In July 2018, he hit for the cycle twice in a month, an EPB first. Averkin won his second Slugger and was second in MVP voting, leading the Asian League in runs (103), hits (202), triples (22), total bases (353), slugging (.568), OPS (.915), and wRC+ (180). Perm also finished 88-74, missing the playoffs but earning the franchise’s first winning season. They went 86-76 the next year, one win short of a wild card, and Averkin won another Slugger.

In 2020, Averkin didn’t win a Slugger but was third in MVP voting with a league and career-best 110 runs. Perm got its first division title at 106-56, but got upset by eventual champ Chelyabinsk in the first round. Averkin led in runs again in 2021 and Perm was 104-58, this time the top seed. They avenged the prior year’s loss to the Cadets in a seven-game ALCS classic, then defeated Moscow 4-1 for their first-ever EPB Championship.

Averkin was finals MVP in the win over the Mules, posting 24 hits, 11 runs, 3 doubles, 3 triples, 2 homers, 13 RBI, .936 OPS, 188 wRC+, and 0.8 WAR over 16 playoff starts. The Pitbulls went 7-12 in the Baseball Grand Championship with Averkin posting a .838 OPS, 128 wRC+, and 0.6 WAR. He was the franchise’s first superstar, delivering the first title in the team’s 14-year existence. That winter, Perm signed Averkin to an eight-year, $73,100,000 extension.

He was also broadly popular in Russia and played often in the World Baseball Championship, but surprisingly he was usually a reserve. He played from 2019-32 but in 42 games with only 21 starts with 25 hits, 12 runs, 6 doubles, 5 homers, 11 RBI, .287/.364/.529 slash, and 1.3 WAR.

Averkin was second in MVP voting in 2022, 2023, and 2028 for Perm with a third place in 2025. He won Silver Sluggers from 2022-28 with the last one his only win as a DH. Averkin led in both OPS and wRC+ from 2024-25. He also hit for the cycle again in 2026, making him and Armand Gonzalez the only guys in EPB history to do it thrice. Averkin also posted a six-hit game in 2027 against Yekaterinburg.

Perm remained a contender with division titles in 2022-23, but both years saw first round playoff exits. The Pitbulls had a surprising drop to 73-89 in 2024, but rebounded with another West Division crown in 2025 at 90-72. Perm made the ALCS, but was defeated by Krasnoyarsk 4-2. The Pitbulls fell back below .500 the next two years before a wild card in 2028 at 93-69. They made it back to the ALCS, but lost 4-1 against Vladivostok.

Averkin’s later playoff stats were respectable, finishing with 47 starts for Perm, 58 hits, 28 runs, 5 doubles, 5 triples, 9 homers, 26 RBI, .309/.332/.532 slash, 161 wRC+, and 1.9 WAR. Although there was some disappointment that the Pitbulls didn’t get back to the finals, Averkin was beloved for delivering that first title. His #10 uniform would later be retired for his efforts.

To the surprise of many, Averkin declined his contract option after the 2028 season, leaving for free agency at age 34. He signed a four-year, $80,800,000 deal with Krasnoyarsk, who was riding an 11-year playoff streak. The timing was poor for Averkin, as the Cossacks streak ended in his debut and they spent his entire run just below .500.

It wasn’t his fault, as in 2029 he led in runs, hits, triples, total bases, slugging, OPS, and wRC+. Averkin then led and had career bests for hits (218), doubles (38), triples (30), total bases (379), batting average (.357), OPS (.997), and wRC+ (184) in 2030. He got Silver Sluggers both years and was second in 2030’s MVP voting. Averkin ultimately never won the top prize despite being a six-time finalist, 12-time Silver Slugger winner, and 16-time all-star. He’s one of only four in EPB history with 12+ Slugger wins.

Averkin’s pace was still strong in 2031, but he missed a month to back spasms. He didn’t meet the vesting criteria for the fourth year of the deal, becoming a free agent for 2032. With Krasnoyarsk, Averkin played 429 games with 564 hits, 268 runs, 101 doubles, 66 triples, 62 home runs, 247 RBI, 138 steals, .330/.357/.576 slash, 168 wRC+, and 19.1 WAR.

Coming up on his age 38 season, Averkin joined Volgograd on a two-year, $33,200,000 deal. His production did dip from his previous baseline, but Averkin was still productive in 308 games with 344 hits, 185 runs, 52 doubles, 18 triples, 63 home runs, 195 RBI, 121 steals, .291/.324/.525 slash, 136 wRC+, and 8.5 WAR. The Voyagers lost in the first round of the playoffs both years with Averkin playing surprisingly poorly with a .351 OPS, -6 wRC+, and -0.4 WAR in nine starts.

Career milestones became a focus at this point as in 2032, Averkin breached the 3000 hit, 1500 run, and 1500 RBI milestones. To that point, he was the 4^th to 3000 hits, 5^th to 1500 runs, and 11^th to 1500 RBI in EPB history. The hits record was only 3044 set by Igor Urban in 2002, a mark Averkin surpassed in 2032. After 2033 he was at 1632 runs, just behind Igor Gorbatyuk’s 1669 for the top spot. Averkin was also at 1680 RBI, ranking 5^th but only 75 short of Ivan Musahilov’s record of 1755.

Averkin felt he could reach both marks and for 2034, returned ‘home’ to Perm on a threre-year, $25,200,000 deal. Back spasms kept him out the first two months and his production dipped to replacement levels with 109 games, .688 OPS, 97 wRC+, and 0.3 WAR. He scored 57 runs to become the all-time leader, but his 46 RBI left him 29 short of that record.

For his combined Perm tenure, Averkin played 2111 games with 2457 hits, 1236 runs, 302 doubles, 255 triples, 409 home runs, 1284 RBI, 323 walks, 1089 strikeouts, 806 steals, .297/.328/.544 slash, 160 wRC+, and 84.8 WAR. Averkin retired that winter after a 20-year career at age 40.

Averkin played 2848 games with 3365 hits, 1689 runs, 455 doubles, 339 triples, 534 home runs, 1726 RBI, 436 walks, 1463 strikeouts, 1065 steals, 650 caught stealing, .301/.332/.546 slash, 159 wRC+, and 112.4 WAR. At induction, Averkin is still Eurasian Professional Baseball’s leader for hits, runs, and total bases (6100). He also ranks 9^th in games, 13^th in doubles, 2^nd in triples, 23^rd in homers, 4^th in RBI, and 3^rd in WAR for position players.

Among batters with 3000+ plate appearances, Averkin’s .878 OPS ranks 30^th and he is 40^th in batting average and 20^th in slugging. He’s often ranked as a top five position player in EPB history and sometimes even gets the #1 spot, as EPB doesn’t have a clear undisputed #1 guy like some leagues. At a near unanimous 99.1%, Averkin co-headlined the three-man 2040 Hall of Fame class for Eurasian Professional Baseball.