Mets to induct Carlos Beltran, Lee Mazzilli and Bobby Valentine into club's Hall of Fame
From left, the Mets' Lee Mazzilli, Bobby Valentine and Carlos Beltran. Credit: AP / Harry Harris; AP / Bill Kostroun; Jim McIsaac
Carlos Beltran, Lee Mazzilli and Bobby Valentine have been named to the Mets Hall of Fame, the team announced Thursday, bringing the number of inductees to 38.
The ceremony will be held sometime in 2026.
“Carlos’ impact on the organization was and continues to be invaluable,” owners Steve and Alex Cohen said in a statement. “His unique blend of power, speed and defensive grace made him one of the most dynamic players ever to wear a Mets uniform.”
Beltran, who currently serves as a special assistant to president of baseball operations David Stearns, also is on the ballot for the Baseball Hall of Fame. One of the franchise’s most dynamic five-tool players, he was a five-time All-Star, a three-time Gold Glove winner and a two-time Silver Slugger in his seven seasons with the team and helped lead the Mets to the NLCS in 2006.
Mazzilli had a .264/.357/.396 slash line in 10 years over two tenures with the Mets, the team that drafted him. He was a pivotal piece of the 1986 championship team, with a hit and a run in both Games 6 and 7, and his 152 stolen bases rank sixth on the all-time franchise leaderboard.
Valentine managed the team from 1996 to 2002, earning 536 wins, third in franchise history. In 1999, he led the team to its first playoff berth in 11 years and took the team to the 2000 World Series, a five-game loss to the Yankees.
He “became the first skipper to guide the team to consecutive postseason appearances,” the Cohens said. “Known for his innovation, baseball intellect and relentless pursuit of every competitive edge, Bobby V left a lasting mark on the Mets organization.”
Laura Albanese is a reporter, feature writer and columnist covering local professional sports teams; she began at Newsday in 2007 as an intern.
