Pirates Announce 2026 Hall of Fame Class; Candelaria, Wilson Get In

The Pittsburgh Pirates will have three new members joining the franchise Hall of Fame this year.

It was announced on Wednesday that left-handed pitchers John Candelaria and Wilbur Cooper, and shortstop Jack Wilson will be inducted into the Pirates Hall of Fame.

“The playing careers of the three inductees who make up the 2026 class of the Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Fame span nearly 100 years, reflecting the rich history of our organization and the special place these players hold within it,” said Pirates Chairman Bob Nutting.

“This recognition is about the celebration of the career achievements and a testament to the impact they had on our organization. We established the Pirates Hall of Fame to ensure the stories of players like Wilbur, John and Jack are shared with generations of Pirates fans, and we are proud to welcome them as the class of 2026.”

Candelaria, who was originally drafted by the Pirates in the second round of the 1972 draft, spent 12 of his 19 MLB seasons with the Pirates (1975-85, 1993).

Nicknamed the “Candy Man,” Candelaria was part of the 1979 World Series champion Pirates and was named an All-Star in 1977 after leading MLB with a 2.34 ERA and an .800 winning percentage (20-5) in 33 starts. The left-hander threw the fifth no-hitter in franchise history against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Aug. 9, 1976.

Cooper pitched for Pittsburgh from 1912-24 and is the franchise’s all-time leader in wins with 202 and complete games with 263. Cooper became the first National League left-hander to reach 200 wins and was a four-time 20-game winner, including when he led the league with 22 in 1921.

Wilson is the most recent player to be inducted into the Pirates Hall of Fame. He spent the first nine seasons of his big-league career with the Pirates from 2001-09 and was an All-Star and a Silver Slugger winner in ’04, when he led the league with 12 triples and hit a career-best .308.

Wilson totaled 1,128 games at shortstops with Pittsburgh, good for the fourth-most in franchise history.

This year’s class will be honored as part of a special pre-game ceremony on the field before the game against the Angels on Sep. 4, following their official induction on Sep. 3.

The Pirates Hall of Fame, which was launched in 2022, now consists of 32 members.

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