Barry Bonds, Curt Schilling, Roger Clemens headline 2021 Hall of Fame ballot

Nov. 16 (UPI) -- The Baseball Writers' Association of America released the 2021 National Baseball Hall of Fame ballot on Monday, with 11 newcomers joining 14 holdovers from last year's ballot.

Barry Bonds, Curt Schilling and Roger Clemens are the leading candidates returning to the ballot in a year without any clear favorites among the new names joining the list.

Schilling finished third behind Derek Jeter and Larry Walker with 278 of 397 votes last year, ending up at 70% and 20 votes shy in balloting by the BBWAA. Clemens received 242 votes for 61% and Bonds had 241 for 60.7%, with both players falling well short of the required 75% for induction.

Bonds and Clemens were considered overwhelming favorites to enter the Hall of Fame before suspicions of steroids use. Clemens has denied using performance-enhancing substances, and Bonds said he never knowingly used steroids.

All three players will be making their ninth appearance on the ballot this year, which is one short of the limit.

The 11 newcomers on the ballot include: Mark Buehrle, A.J. Burnett, Michael Cuddyer, Dan Haren, LaTroy Hawkins, Tim Hudson, Torii Hunter, Aramis Ramirez, Nick Swisher, Shane Victorino and Barry Zito. None of them are expected to receive the 75% of the votes needed for enshrinement in Cooperstown this year.

Voting will be announced Jan. 26. Anyone elected will be inducted July 25 alongside Jeter and Walker, whose inductions were postponed for a year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.