2016-Present
By comparison with Hall classes of prior years, recent classes have been devoid of jaw-dropping performers. For that reason, the honor of decade’s best probably goes to the class that is headed by the only unanimous inductee in Hall history. That would be the Mariano Rivera class of 2019, which also included Edgar Martinez, Roy Halladay and Mike Mussina.
Wins Above Replacement would probably give the honor to the 2017 class of Jeff Bagwell, Tim Raines and Ivan Rodriguez. That trio averaged a career 72.67 WAR, four points better than the 68.22 of the Rivera group.
"Devastating cut fastball frustrated batters, generating broken bats at a prolific rate."From Mariano Rivera Hall of Fame plaque
But WAR is notoriously unfriendly to relievers, which Rivera obviously was. Setting his personal WAR aside, the 2019 class averages 72.22, which is right there with 2017. The unanimity of Rivera’s election makes the difference.
2016-Present personal favorite. In 2022, the Hall’s Early Baseball Era Committee finally elected Buck O’Neil, who deserved enshrinement as much for his post-playing career as for anything he did on the field. In the Negro Leagues, O’Neil was a very good but not historically great first baseman. But, he was also a marvelous scout, a groundbreaking coach, and a spokesman of profound importance.