The 2026 Hall of Fame ballot doesn't feature any quintessential Cincinnati Reds greats from years past, though fans can at least root for Edwin Encarnacion, whose formative years were spent in the Queen City even if his career exploded elsewhere.
While we await the results of the BBWAA ballot, we already know that former San Francisco Giants great Jeff Kent will be one of the players immortalized in Cooperstown, thanks to his selection by the Contemporary Era Committee.
Kent never made his way to the Reds during his playing days, but in a process that is rooted so much in precedence and baselines, his selection bodes well for a Cincinnati great who will be up for eligibility in 2029, Joey Votto.