OVERLAND PARK, Kan. - The College Baseball Foundation (CBF) has announced 21 standouts, including Stanford’s Dave McCarty, who will be inducted as part of the 2026 class of the College Baseball Hall of Fame. The class is comprised of players, coaches and other builders of the game – all who have positively impacted college baseball.
McCarty, who will be inducted posthumously following his passing in 2024, is the second former Cardinal to be inducted into the College Baseball Foundation - joining legendary head coach Mark Marquess who was inducted in 2021.
McCarty ranks among the most accomplished hitters in Stanford baseball history. A standout athlete from Texas, McCarty chose baseball as his primary pursuit. From the moment he arrived at Stanford, he established himself as a cornerstone of the Cardinal lineup, starting 166 games at first base from 1989 through 1991, including an impressive streak of 133 consecutive starts.
McCarty’s junior season in 1991 stands as one of the finest in Stanford history. In 62 games, he delivered a dominant .420 batting average with 24 home runs and 66 RBIs, while posting a remarkable .828 slugging percentage. Nearly half of his 100 hits went for extra bases, and during a 26-game stretch, he hit an extraordinary .490 with 10 home runs and 32 RBIs. His .420 average remains one of the highest single-season marks in program history.
For his performance, McCarty was named Baseball America’s College Player of the Year, earned first-team All-America honors, was selected first-team All-Pac-10, and was recognized as the Pac-10 Southern Division Player of the Year. These accolades capped a stellar career that also included a standout sophomore season in 1990, when he hit .336 with 12 home runs and 69 RBIs to help lead the Cardinal to the 1990 College World Series.
On the international stage, McCarty represented the United States with distinction. He competed in the 1990 Goodwill Games and World Championships, where he excelled with a combined .445 batting average.
On June 3, 1991, he was selected third overall in the Major League Baseball Draft by the Minnesota Twins, making him one of the highest draft picks in Stanford history. He had an 11-year professional career (1993–2005) in which he played for multiple organizations. McCarty was a key contributor to the Boston Red Sox’s historic 2004 World Series championship team.
McCarty’s impact at Stanford and in professional baseball has been recognized with his induction into the Stanford University Athletics Hall of Fame.
"On behalf of the College Baseball Foundation Board of Trustees, we are honored to welcome these 21 extraordinary individuals into the College Baseball Hall of Fame," Chairman of the Board of Trustees Craig Ramsey said. "The Class of 2026 represents excellence across every level of our game—from legendary players and championship coaches to dedicated umpires and lifelong contributors whose impact extends far beyond the field. Their achievements helped shape the history of college baseball, and their stories will inspire future generations of student-athletes, coaches and fans. We are proud to recognize their contributions and look forward to celebrating each of them at the Night of Champions as we continue building a permanent home that preserves and honors the rich heritage of college baseball."
The 19th induction class will be honored at the 2027 Night of Champions presented by Prairiefire on February 11, 2027, in Overland Park, Kansas, the home of the College Baseball Hall of Fame. For more information and to purchase your tickets, please visit 2027 Night of Champions.
As part of CBF’s new partnership with Lamar Advertising, the 2026 College Baseball Hall of Fame class will be recognized with custom congratulatory digital signage near the location of the award winner’s institution and hometown as well as other markets throughout the nation. The digital recognition program was launched today in coordination with the Hall of Fame class announcement.
To be eligible for the College Baseball Hall of Fame ballot, players must be out of college for 15 years and have completed one year of competition at a two-year institution in the CCCAA, NJCAA or a four-year NCAA (Division I, II or III) or NAIA institution. Ballot-eligible coaches must be retired for two years or be active and no less than 75 years old.
THE 2026 COLLEGE BASEBALL HALL OF FAME CLASS
Players
*Earl Bass, Pitcher, University of South Carolina, 1972-75
Barry Bonds, Outfielder, Arizona State University, 1983-85
Jeff Brantley, Pitcher, Mississippi State University, 1982-85
Dave Clark, Outfielder, Jackson State University, 1981-83
*Bruce Gardner, Pitcher, University of Southern California, 1958-60
Marquis Grissom, Outfielder/Pitcher, Florida A&M University, 1987-88
Bobby Jones, Pitcher, Fresno State, 1989-91
*Bobby Layne, Pitcher, University of Texas, 1944, 1946-48
Scott Livingstone, Third Baseman, Texas A&M University, 1985-88
*David McCarty, First Baseman, Stanford University, 1989-91
Lloyd Peever, Pitcher, Seminole State College, 1990-91 / LSU, 1992
Buster Posey, Shortstop/Catcher, Florida State University, 2006-08
Mike Smith, Infielder, Indiana University, 1989-92
Dave Stegman, Outfielder, University of Arizona, 1973-76
Huston Street, Pitcher, University of Texas, 2002-04
Brent Strom, Pitcher, University of Southern California, 1968-70
Coaches
Danny Hall, Head Coach, Kent State University, 1988-93 / Georgia Institute of
Technology, 1994-2025
*Hal Smeltzly, Head Coach, Florida Southern University, 1958-76
Administrators / Contributors / Umpires
Jim Darby, Contributor, University of California, Berkeley, 1977-current
Gus Rodriguez, Umpire, Dominican University New York, 1982-2016
Tony Walsh, Umpire, Austin Peay State University, 1979-2022
* To be inducted posthumously