The 2025 National Baseball Hall of Fame class was inducted yesterday, with the late former Blue Jays outfielder/DH Dave Parker earning his spot in Cooperstown. Parker&#8217;s time with the <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/">Blue Jays</a> was brief &#8211; 13 games in 1991 &#8211; but he finished his career with Toronto before retiring. Will Wagner&#8217;s father, Billy, was also inducted into the Hall of Fame, with the younger Wagner attending the ceremony, leading the Jays to call up Alan Roden in his spot.

With the newest class now in the books, it&#8217;s time to turn our attention to the 2026 ballot and some potentially new faces that have some ties to the Toronto Blue Jays organization. A few names stick out, a few others will make you think, &#8216;I forgot he played for the Jays. &#8216;
Let&#8217;s take a quick look at the eligible names &#8211; minimum ten years of service time and last played in 2020. Not every player may find their name on the ballot, but they at least meet the criteria to be considered.
Edwin Encarnacion &#8211; 1B/DH
One of the most intriguing newcomers to meet the criteria for the Hall of Fame ballot is slugger <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/throwback-thursday-looking-at-edwin-encarnacions-walk-off-home-run-against-the-orioles-in-the-2016-al-wild-card-game">Edwin Encarnacion.</a> As part of the trade package for Scott Rolen in 2009, Encarnacion took a few seasons to find a groove but broke out in a big way in 2012, where he posted a .941 OPS and 42 home runs. This would turn into an impressive career with Toronto that spanned eight seasons, with the right-handed hitter amassing a .268/.355/.522 slash line with 239 home runs, 679 RBIs, and a .878 OPS.
His patented &#8216;walking the parrot&#8217; home run trot was a hit with the fanbase, and his walk-off home run during the 2016 Wild Card game against the Baltimore Orioles will forever live in Blue Jays lore. Encarnacion would eventually leave when the front office and the slugger couldn&#8217;t agree on a deal, with the Jays pivoting to Kendry Morales while Encarnacion signed with the Cleveland Guardians.
He would finish his career with a 35.3 bWAR while posting a 123 OPS+ and 424 home runs, suiting up for the Jays, Reds, Guardians, Mariners, White Sox, and Yankees. Encarnacion is now back with the Jays in a coaching position and can be seen in the dugouts on gameday.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OurMoment?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OurMoment</a>: Blue Jays Edwin Encarnacion celebrates after hitting a walk off 3 run home run… <a href="https://t.co/Q97rifZgPz">https://t.co/Q97rifZgPz</a> <a href="https://t.co/3f24MB68Sn">pic.twitter.com/3f24MB68Sn</a>
&mdash; Toronto Star (@TorontoStar) <a href="https://twitter.com/TorontoStar/status/783515290521001984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Of the listed players, Encarnacion is going to find his name on the ballot, while the others are potential maybe&#8217;s, while also being considered &#8216;one and dones&#8217; on the list, should they be listed.
Justin Smoak &#8211; 1B
Spending five years with the Blue Jays, switch-hitter <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/there-wont-be-a-justin-smoak-blue-jays-reunion-this-season">Justin Smoak</a> became a fan favourite amongst the organization for his cowboy demeanour and being able to hit the ball a long way. He would be acquired from the Seattle Mariners during the 2014/2015 offseason, with the slugger being placed on waivers.
Through five years with Toronto from 2015 to 2019, Smoak authored a .237/.338/.459 slash line with 117 home runs in 684 games.
Emilio Bonifacio &#8211; UTIL
Hailing from the Dominican Republic, Emilio Bonifacio spent just one season with the Jays. He was acquired by the club as part of the massive trade with the Marlins in 2012 that saw numerous players heading each way.
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OTD?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OTD</a> 6 years ago, Jays &amp; Marlins complete huge trade:
To Jays; &#8211; Jose Reyes &#8211; Josh Johnson &#8211; Mark Buehrle &#8211; John Buck &#8211; Emilio Bonifacio
To Marlins: &#8211; Henderson Alvarez &#8211; Yunel Escobar &#8211; Adeiny Hechavarria &#8211; Jeff Mathis &#8211; Jake Marisnick &#8211; Anthony DeSclafani &#8211; Justin Nicolino <a href="https://t.co/HuVnmwb2k2">pic.twitter.com/HuVnmwb2k2</a>
&mdash; Kevin Glew (@coopincanada) <a href="https://twitter.com/coopincanada/status/1062330930864496640?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Bonifacio would suit up in 94 games for the Jays, collecting 57 hits through 262 at-bats (.218) and playing numerous positions on the field. He would be traded to the Kansas City Royals in mid-August.
Jeremy Jeffress &#8211; RHP
Acquired by the Blue Jays during the 2012/2013 offseason from the Kansas City Royals, Jeremy Jeffress spent two seasons with the organization  (2013 and 2014) but struggled to find a role in the big leagues. He made just 13 relief appearences for the Jays, compiling a 3.29 ERA in the process, before being designated for assignment on April 15th, 2014. He would choose free agency and re-sign with the Brewers, the team that drafted him back in 2006.
Jeffress would spend most of his career with the Brew Crew, earning an All-Star nod in 2018. He retired with a 3.08 ERA through 414 appearences, all but one being in the bullpen.
Erik Kratz &#8211; C
A backup catcher for most of his career, Erik Kratz played for nine different organizations throughout his career and spent part of the 2014 season with the Toronto Blue Jays. He was originally drafted by the Jays in 2002 in the 29th round and would later sign with the Pittsburgh Pirates during the 2008/2009 offseason without appearing in a big league game under the Toronto banner.
The Jays would re-acquire Kratz during the 2013/2014 offseason as part of the trade package for reliever Brad Lincoln. He would appear in 34 games for the Jays, collecting 16 hits and posting a .572 OPS. Kratz and reliever Liam Hendriks would be traded at the deadline for infielder Danny Valencia.
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The 2025 National Baseball Hall of Fame class was inducted yesterday, with the late former Blue Jays outfielder/DH Dave Parker earning his spot in Cooperstown. Parker's time with the <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/">Blue Jays</a> was brief - 13 games in 1991 - but he finished his career with Toronto before retiring. Will Wagner's father, Billy, was also inducted into the Hall of Fame, with the younger Wagner attending the ceremony, leading the Jays to call up Alan Roden in his spot.



With the newest class now in the books, it's time to turn our attention to the 2026 ballot and some potentially new faces that have some ties to the Toronto Blue Jays organization. A few names stick out, a few others will make you think, 'I forgot he played for the Jays. '

Let's take a quick look at the eligible names - minimum ten years of service time and last played in 2020. Not every player may find their name on the ballot, but they at least meet the criteria to be considered.

Edwin Encarnacion - 1B/DH

One of the most intriguing newcomers to meet the criteria for the Hall of Fame ballot is slugger <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/throwback-thursday-looking-at-edwin-encarnacions-walk-off-home-run-against-the-orioles-in-the-2016-al-wild-card-game">Edwin Encarnacion.</a> As part of the trade package for Scott Rolen in 2009, Encarnacion took a few seasons to find a groove but broke out in a big way in 2012, where he posted a .941 OPS and 42 home runs. This would turn into an impressive career with Toronto that spanned eight seasons, with the right-handed hitter amassing a .268/.355/.522 slash line with 239 home runs, 679 RBIs, and a .878 OPS.

His patented 'walking the parrot' home run trot was a hit with the fanbase, and his walk-off home run during the 2016 Wild Card game against the Baltimore Orioles will forever live in Blue Jays lore. Encarnacion would eventually leave when the front office and the slugger couldn't agree on a deal, with the Jays pivoting to Kendry Morales while Encarnacion signed with the Cleveland Guardians.

He would finish his career with a 35.3 bWAR while posting a 123 OPS+ and 424 home runs, suiting up for the Jays, Reds, Guardians, Mariners, White Sox, and Yankees. Encarnacion is now back with the Jays in a coaching position and can be seen in the dugouts on gameday.

https://twitter.com/TorontoStar/status/783515290521001984

Of the listed players, Encarnacion is going to find his name on the ballot, while the others are potential maybe's, while also being considered 'one and dones' on the list, should they be listed.

Justin Smoak - 1B

Spending five years with the Blue Jays, switch-hitter <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/there-wont-be-a-justin-smoak-blue-jays-reunion-this-season">Justin Smoak</a> became a fan favourite amongst the organization for his cowboy demeanour and being able to hit the ball a long way. He would be acquired from the Seattle Mariners during the 2014/2015 offseason, with the slugger being placed on waivers.

Through five years with Toronto from 2015 to 2019, Smoak authored a .237/.338/.459 slash line with 117 home runs in 684 games.

Emilio Bonifacio - UTIL

Hailing from the Dominican Republic, Emilio Bonifacio spent just one season with the Jays. He was acquired by the club as part of the massive trade with the Marlins in 2012 that saw numerous players heading each way.

https://twitter.com/coopincanada/status/1062330930864496640

Bonifacio would suit up in 94 games for the Jays, collecting 57 hits through 262 at-bats (.218) and playing numerous positions on the field. He would be traded to the Kansas City Royals in mid-August.

Jeremy Jeffress - RHP

Acquired by the Blue Jays during the 2012/2013 offseason from the Kansas City Royals, Jeremy Jeffress spent two seasons with the organization  (2013 and 2014) but struggled to find a role in the big leagues. He made just 13 relief appearences for the Jays, compiling a 3.29 ERA in the process, before being designated for assignment on April 15th, 2014. He would choose free agency and re-sign with the Brewers, the team that drafted him back in 2006.

Jeffress would spend most of his career with the Brew Crew, earning an All-Star nod in 2018. He retired with a 3.08 ERA through 414 appearences, all but one being in the bullpen.

Erik Kratz - C

A backup catcher for most of his career, Erik Kratz played for nine different organizations throughout his career and spent part of the 2014 season with the Toronto Blue Jays. He was originally drafted by the Jays in 2002 in the 29th round and would later sign with the Pittsburgh Pirates during the 2008/2009 offseason without appearing in a big league game under the Toronto banner.

The Jays would re-acquire Kratz during the 2013/2014 offseason as part of the trade package for reliever Brad Lincoln. He would appear in 34 games for the Jays, collecting 16 hits and posting a .572 OPS. Kratz and reliever Liam Hendriks would be traded at the deadline for infielder Danny Valencia.

<hr />

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Love baseball? Don’t miss The 6ix Inning Stretch — the brand new podcast from The Nation Network, presented by Betway. Hosted by Toronto sports reporter Lindsay Dunn and 3-time MLB All-Star Whit Merrifield, this weekly show delivers insider stories, unfiltered Jays talk, player interviews, and expert analysis from around the majors. New episodes drop every Wednesday — listen on your favourite podcast platform or watch on the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@bluejaysnationdotcom" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/@bluejaysnationdotcom&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1752618160475000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0OzeJ9qt2a5kxzVjmdwaEg">Bluejaysnation YouTube channel.</a>

Former Blue Jays who are eligible for the 2026 Hall of Fame ballot

Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman (35) hits a home run during the sixth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

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