NEW YORK — Scott Rolen could become just the 18th third baseman elected to baseball’s Hall of Fame, the fewest of any position.

“It stems from an original prejudice that third base is not important defensively,” John Thorn, Major League Baseball’s official historian, said Monday. “I think Brooks Robinson changed that perception. So that just as relief pitchers for the longest time were regarded as failed starters rather than as a new position in the changing game, third basemen were regarded as washouts.”

A seven-time All-Star who retired after the 2012 season, Rolen is among the top contenders on the 28-player ballot considered by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America in a vote announced Tuesday night. He received just 10.2% in his first ballot appearance in 2018 and climbed to 52.9% in 2021 and 63.2% last year, when he fell 47 votes shy of the needed 75%.

The leading vote-getters are first baseman Todd Helton at 79.8%, Rolen at 79.2% and reliever Billy Wagner at 73.2%, according to Ryan Thibodaux’s Hall of Fame Ballot Tracker, which included 183 public plus anonymous ballots as of Monday afternoon among an estimated total of 396.

When David Ortiz was elected last year, his final figure of 79.8% was down from 83.1% of public ballots ahead of the announcement. Barry Bonds declined from 76.8% of public ballots before the announcement to 66% and Roger Clemens from 75.4% to 65.2%, so it is possible no one will be elected by the BBWAA for the second time in three years. This could become the first three-year span with only one player voted in by the writers since annual voting started in 1966.

Anyone voted in would be inducted at Cooperstown on July 23 along with Fred McGriff, elected last month by the contemporary baseball era committee.

There are 84 pitchers in the Hall (including nine who were primarily relievers), 27 right fielders, 26 each among first basemen and shortstops, 24 center fielders, 23 left fielders, 20 second basemen, 19 catchers and 17 third basemen. There also are three players who were primarily designated hitters, a position that didn’t exist until 1973.

Among players since the expansion era started in 1961, the only third basemen elected by the BBWAA have been Robinson (1983), Mike Schmidt (1995), George Brett (1999), Paul Molitor (2004), Wade Boggs (2005) and Chipper Jones (2018). Ron Santo was inducted in 2012 following a veterans committee vote.

Rolen had a .281 batting average with 316 homers and 1,287 RBI for Philadelphia (1996-2002), St. Louis (2002-07), Toronto (2008-09) and Cincinnati (2009-12). He was a unanimous pick as the 1997 NL Rookie of the Year, hit .421 as the Cardinals won the 2006 World Series and won eight Gold Gloves.

Helton, a five-time All-Star, batted .316 with 369 homers and 1,406 RBI with Colorado from 1997-2013. He won the 2000 NL batting title and three Gold Gloves. Helton’s vote percentage rose from 16.5% in 2019 to 52% last year.

Wagner had 422 saves, sixth on the career list, and was a seven-time All-Star in a 16-year career with Houston (1995-2003), Philadelphia (2004-05), the New York Mets (2006-09), Boston (2009) and Atlanta (2010). Wagner’s vote increased from 10.5% in 2016 to 51% last year.

Carlos Beltran, John Lackey and Jered Weaver are among 14 newcomers, the first time writers will evaluate Beltran following his role in the Houston Astros cheating scandal en route to the 2017 World Series title.

ANGELS: Owner Arte Moreno has decided not to sell the team.

Moreno took his franchise off the market after announcing his plan to explore a sale of the team last August. The 76-year-old owner met with prospective buyers during the winter.

“During this process, it became clear that we have unfinished business and feel we can make a positive impact on the future of the team and the fan experience,” Moreno said in a statement. “This offseason, we committed to a franchise record player payroll, and still want to accomplish our goal of bringing a World Series championship back to our fans.”

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said he is “very pleased” Moreno is staying in the game.

“Despite strong buyer interest in the Angels, Arte Moreno’s love of the game is most important to him,” Manfred said.

Moreno is an outdoor advertising mogul from Arizona who originally bought the Angels from the Walt Disney Company in 2003, shortly after the franchise won its only championship.

Moreno immediately showed a willingness to spend money to attract big-name free agents to Orange County, and the Angels won five AL West titles during his first seven seasons of ownership. But Moreno also angered many of his team’s fans early in his tenure by dropping Anaheim from the franchise’s name in a bid to improve the franchise’s marketability and television visibility.

The Angels’ fortunes under Moreno have flagged mightily since an appearance in the ALCS in 2009. Despite a hefty payroll and big-market fan support, the Halos have not won a playoff games in the past 13 years, making just one postseason appearance in 2014 and getting swept.

The Angels are currently mired in the majors’ longest streaks of losing seasons (seven) and nonplayoff seasons (eight, tied with Detroit) despite the presence of former AL MVPs Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani on their roster.

TRADE: The Minnesota Twins acquired veteran Michael A. Taylor from the Kansas City Royals, adding depth and defense to their outfield in exchange for two relief pitching prospects, according to a person with knowledge of the trade.

Taylor batted .254 with nine home runs and 43 RBI in 414 at-bats last season for the Royals, his second year with the club after spending his first seven major league seasons with the Washington Nationals. Taylor was a Gold Glove winner in his Royals debut in 2021 and gives the Twins a third outfielder on their roster who has won the award, joining Byron Buxton (2017) and newcomer Joey Gallo (2020 and 2021).

The Twins sent 23-year-old right-hander Steven Cruz and 25-year-old left-hander Evan Sisk to the Royals.

WHITE SOX: It looks as if slugger Eloy Jimenez could spend a lot of time at designated hitter this year.

Jimenez himself has other plans.

The 26-year-old Jimenez said he is preparing to play more games in the outfield, especially in right after Chicago signed Andrew Benintendi to a $75 million, five-year contract. The White Sox also have Luis Robert in center, to go along with Gavin Sheets and prized prospect Oscar Colas in the mix in right.

Jimenez was sidelined for a couple months last season after he had surgery in April to repair a torn hamstring tendon behind his right knee. He returned in July and finished with a career-high 50 starts at DH – not exactly his favorite opening in the lineup.

Asked if he would embrace the DH role this year, Jimenez responded: “I don’t know.”

“Last year, when I was DH’ing more than (playing) the outfield, it was because I got surgery. And I understand that,” he said. “But this year, I’ve been working really hard to play the outfield more than DH. So I don’t really think that I’m going to accept it, because if I’m working hard, I’m going to get better, and I want to play in the outfield.”

Jimenez has been a bit of an adventure in the outfield since he made his major league debut with Chicago in 2019. He missed the start of the 2021 season after he ruptured his left pectoral tendon trying to make a defensive play during an exhibition game.

But he remains a force at the plate, and there is no questioning his importance to the White Sox.

After Jimenez returned last year, he hit .305 with 15 homers, 47 RBI and an .895 OPS in his last 73 games. He bashed 31 homers during his rookie year in 2019, and then batted .296 with 14 homers and 41 RBI in 55 games during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

Chicago went 81-81 in 2022 and missed the playoffs after reaching the postseason in the previous two years.

CUBS: When Manager David Ross spoke with Trey Mancini about joining the team, the skipper mentioned playing first base, designated hitter and the corner outfield spots.

For Mancini, the playing part was the key message.

“I told him: `I don’t care where I play at all. I like playing. Wherever you want me, I’m there,”‘ Mancini said.

The addition of Mancini, who finalized a two-year contract on Friday that could be worth up to $21 million, is part of a flurry of moves for Chicago after it went 74-88 last season. Shortstop Dansby Swanson, right-hander Jameson Taillon, outfielder Cody Bellinger, first baseman Eric Hosmer, reliever Brad Boxberger and catcher Tucker Barnhart also signed with the team in free agency.

Mancini was in the mix for Team Italy for the World Baseball Classic, but he said he has decided to stay in Cubs camp so he can spend time with his new teammates.

BREWERS: Now that his shoulder isn’t bothering him anymore, new Milwaukee Brewers acquisition Brian Anderson is hoping he can recapture the hitting success he enjoyed earlier in his career.

The Brewers announced the signing of Anderson, though the deal was initially reported Wednesday. Terms weren’t revealed, but a person close to the situation said the former Miami Marlins third baseman/right fielder received a one-year, $3.5 million contract and could earn an additional $2 million in performance bonuses.

“I’m healthy, I’m working out, I’m full go,” Anderson said. “I don’t even notice my shoulder anymore, so that’s great news. I’m excited to have an actual offseason where I’m healthy and can go in and really try to build that strength and try to put on more muscle. That way I can really drive the ball again the way that I should.”

Anderson, who turns 30 on May 19, finished fourth in the NL Rookie of the Year voting in 2018 and had an OPS of over .800 in 2019 and 2020 before tailing off the last two seasons while dealing with shoulder issues.

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