Mauer would join very exclusive club by making Hall of Fame on first try

Only two catchers have ever been elected by Baseball Writers' Association of America members to the Hall of Fame on the first ballot: Johnny Bench and Ivan Rodriguez. Joe Mauer hopes to become the third on Tuesday. The voting history of the 18 catchers already enshrined, eight of whom were elected by special committees:

Buck Ewing (inducted in 1939*): 1 year on BBWAA ballot; received 0.7% of the vote on first ballot.

Roger Bresnahan (1945*): 6 years on ballot; received 20.8% on first ballot

Mickey Cochrane (1947): 6 years on ballot; received 35.4% on first ballot

Bill Dickey (1954): 9 years on ballot; received 6.9% on first ballot

Gabby Hartnett (1955): 12 years on ballot; received 0.0% on first ballot

Ray Schalk (1955*): 16 years on ballot; received 1.8% on first ballot

Roy Campanella (1969): 5 years on ballot; received 57.2% on first ballot

Yogi Berra (1972): 2 years on ballot; received 67.2% on first ballot

Josh Gibson (1972**): 0 years on ballot

Rick Ferrell (1984*): 3 years on ballot; received 0.5% on first ballot

Ernie Lombardi (1986*): 9 years on ballot; received 1.8% on first ballot

Johnny Bench (1989): 1 year on ballot; received 96.4% on first ballot

Carlton Fisk (2000): 2 years on ballot; received 66.4% on first ballot

Gary Carter (2003): 6 years on ballot; received 42.3% on first ballot

Louis Santop (2006**): 0 years on ballot

Mike Piazza (2016): 4 years on ballot; 57.8% on first ballot

Iván Rodríguez (2017): 1 year on ballot; 76.0% on first ballot

Ted Simmons (2020*) : 1 year on ballot; 3.7% on first ballot

* — Elected by veterans committee

** — Elected by Negro Leagues committee