Former Phillies third baseman Scott Rolen elected to National Baseball Hall of Fame
Scott Rolen joins fellow former Phillies 3B Mike Schmidt in the Hall of Fame
Former Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Scott Rolen will forever be enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Results of the 2023 Hall of Fame election were announced on Tuesday evening, revealing Rolen as this year's second Cooperstown inductee, joining first baseman Fred McGriff — who was unanimously elected by the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee earlier this winter.
Rolen will join the Hall of Fame after his sixth year on the Baseball Writers' Association of America ballot. He becomes just the 18th Hall of Fame third baseman of all-time — joining Phillies legend Mike Schmidt, among others.
A 17-year veteran, Rolen was named on 297 ballots — just five more than the 292 required to meet the 75 percent election threshold. Also a seven-time All-Star, eight-time Gold Glove Award winner, Silver Slugger and 2006 World Series champion, the Indiana native's career started gaining national attention in 1997, when he won the National League Rookie of the Year Award as a member of the Phillies.
Rolen played in parts of seven seasons in Philadephia, slashing .282/.373/.504 with 207 doubles, 19 triples, 150 home runs, and 559 RBI. He went on to play six seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, two with the Toronto Blue Jays, and four with the Cincinnati Reds before retiring after the 2012 season.
Phillies Managing Partner John Middleton congratulated Rolen with a statement following Tuesday's announcement.
Saying that Rolen "richly deserves" Hall of Fame enshrinement, Middleton added that Philadelphia was "privileged to have witnessed the beginning of his extraordinary baseball career."
Rolen was a member of the 2010 Reds team that was no-hit by fellow Hall of Famer Roy Halladay in the National League Division Series at Citizens Bank Park. In that series, Rolen collected just a single and eight strikeouts across 11 plate appearances.
While Halladay entered the Hall of Fame with no logo on his cap, Rolen says that he is not yet sure what cap will be on his plaque. He told reporters that he is “very appreciative” of all four teams he played for.
Rolen and McGriff will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in New York on July 23.