Who is still permanently banned by MLB? Pete Rose, 'Shoeless' Joe exit list

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Commissioner Rob Manfred announced Tuesday that Pete Rose, "Shoeless" Joe Jackson and other players permanently banned by the sport – often for gambling – would have their statuses restored at death.

The ruling opens a path for Rose and Jackson to be considered for the Hall of Fame. Here are all of the players and other figures who have been permanently banned by the office of the commissioner, and those who have now had those bans lifted.

No longer banned

Chicago "Black Sox"

March 12, 1921 — Chicago White Sox pitchers Eddie Cicotte and Claude "Lefty" Williams, first baseman Chick Gandil, shortstop Charles "Swede" Risberg, third baseman Buck Weaver, outfielders Jackson and Happy Felsch and infielder Fred McMullin were suspended by Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis. (The players were suspended by the team on Sept. 28, 1920, following their indictment on charges of throwing the 1919 World Series. Gandil at that time was already on suspension in a salary dispute).

The players were acquitted on Aug. 3, 1921, but banned for life by Landis the following day. St. Louis Browns pitcher Joe Gedeon was also banned for his connections to the betting plot.

"Regardless of the verdict of juries, no player who throws a ballgame, no player that entertains proposals or promises to throw a game, no player that sits in conference with a bunch of crooked players and gamblers where the ways and means of throwing games are discussed and does not promptly tell his club about it, will ever play professional baseball," Landis wrote.

Joe Jackson, Eddie Cicotte, Buck Weaver, Claude "Lefty" Williams, Happy Felsch, Fred McMullin, Charles "Swede" Risberg, and Chick Gandil have all been removed from the permanently ineligible list by Commissioner Rob Manfred as of May 13, 2025, as was Joe Gedeon.

Former Philadelphia Phillies infielder Gene Paulette

March 24, 1921 — Paulette was banned indefinitely by Landis for allegedly accepting a loan from Elmer Farrar of St. Louis that was tied to a gambling scheme. Paulette was never reinstated by Landis or his successors, until Manfred did so 104 years after Landis' sentencing.

Former Chicago Cubs infielder Lee Magee

1921: Magee was accused of fixing a 1919 game by the same grand jury that was investigating the Black Sox scandal, which caused the Cubs to release him. Magee sued, claiming he had shocking evidence in his favor that justified the suit, but the courts ruled in favor of the Cubs. Landis would ban Magee, but Manfred reinstated him in 2025.

Former New York Giants outfielder Benny Kauff

April 7, 1921 — Kauff was suspended indefinitely by Landis following his indictment on charges of auto theft and possession of a stolen car.

"An indictment charging felonious misconduct by a player certainly charges conduct detrimental to the good repute of baseball," he said.

Kauff was acquitted on May 13, but Landis refused to reinstate him. A lawsuit filed by Kauff against the commissioner for reinstatement was dismissed. Manfred also reinstated Kauff in 2025.

Former New York Giants pitcher "Shufflin’" Phil Douglas

Aug. 18, 1922 — Douglas was banned for life by the club for writing a letter to St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Leslie Mann asking him to throw a game. Mann gave the letter to Branch Rickey, who sent it to Landis. The commissioner backed the ban, saying Douglas’ letter was "tragic and deplorable."

Manfred, under the same ruling as the rest of his reinstatements, lifted Douglas' ban posthumously 103 years after it began.

Former New York Giants outfielder Jimmy O’Connell and coach Cozy Dolan

Oct. 1, 1924 — Both were banned for life by Landis for offering a $500 bribe to Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Heinie Sand to throw game on Sept. 27, 1924. Sand told Phillies manager Art Fletcher, who told Landis. O'Connell and Dolan were both removed from the list by Manfred.

Former Philadelphia Phillies president William D. Cox

Nov. 23, 1943 — Cox was banned for life by Landis for making "approximately 15 or 20 bets" of "from $25 to $100 per game on Philadelphia to win." Cox was forced to sell his share of the team to Ruly M. Carpenter Jr. Manfred lifted Cox's ban in 2025.

Former Cincinnati Reds manager Pete Rose

Aug. 23, 1989 — Rose agreed to a lifetime ban with Commissioner A. Barlett Giammati for gambling on Reds games. That ban was lifted posthumously by Manfred on May 13, 2025.

Former Houston Astros assistant general manager Brandon Taubman

November 15, 2019 – Taubman was placed on the ineligible list following inappropriate comments made in the clubhouse to three media members – all of them women – regarding the Astros' acquisition of domestic abuser Roberto Osuna. Taubman was then kept on the ineligible list for his part in the Astros' sign-stealing controversy. While Taubman reportedly applied for reinstatement and was granted it back in 2021, per the NY Post, he not only no longer works in MLB, but would be permanently banned were he to commit another "material violation" per Manfred's own sign-stealing ruling.

Currently banned by MLB

Former St. Louis Cardinals scouting director Chris Correa

January 30, 2017 – Correa received a lifetime ban from Manfred for his part in hacking the Houston Astros' scouting database, and the Cardinals themselves were forced to pay the Astros $2 million and give them their top two picks in the 2017 draft (No. 56 and No. 75) as compensation. Correa was then sentenced to 46 months in prison by a federal judge, and later transferred to confinement in his home, for his role in the database hack.

Former Toronto Blue Jays special assistant Roberto Alomar

April 30, 2021 – Following an investigation into a sexual misconduct allegation, Hall of Fame second baseman Roberto Alomar was released from his position of special assistant with the Blue Jays, and Manfred placed him on the ineligible list. Alomar was not removed from the Hall of Fame, however, which serves as a reminder that MLB and Cooperstown might run parallel to each other at times, but Cooperstown is not under MLB's control and vice versa.

Former Los Angeles Angels pitching coach Mickey Callaway

May 26, 2021 – A history of sexual harassment spanning Callaway's career with the Mets, Guardians and Angels resulted in his placement on the ineligible list. He has been eligible to apply for reinstatement since his suspension concluded at the end of the 2022 season, but has not done so. If Callaway ever were to apply for reinstatement and have it granted, like with Taubman, another "material violation" would have him permanently banned.

Former San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano

June 3, 2024 — Marcano was banned for life by Commissioner Rob Manfred for making 387 baseball bets, including 231 related to MLB, from Oct. 16-23, 2022, and July 12, 2023, through Nov. 1, 2023, while on the roster of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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