VOTE: Roberto Clemente Award nominees revealed

VOTE: Roberto Clemente Award nominees revealed

September 15th, 2024

The Roberto Clemente Award, considered baseball's most prestigious individual honor for Major Leaguers, annually recognizes the MLB player who best represents the game through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field.

Beginning today, fans can vote for the Roberto Clemente Award presented by Capital One via MLBTogether.com/clemente21 (in both English and Spanish). The site, which will feature bios of each of the nominees, will allow fans to vote until the end of the season on Sunday, Sept. 29. The winner of the fan vote will count as one vote among those cast by the blue-ribbon panel.

The concept of honoring Major Leaguers for their philanthropic work began in 1971 with the creation of the Commissioner’s Award. The recognition was renamed the Roberto Clemente Award in 1973 as a tribute to Clemente following his passing the previous year.

Here is each club’s nominee for the 2024 Roberto Clemente Award.

AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST

Blue Jays:
Soon after Bassitt signed with the Blue Jays ahead of the 2023 season, he and his wife, Jessica, created “Bassits Pitch In,” an initiative focused on helping children find a sense of belonging through sport. The Bassitts have pledged to donate $10,000 for every game that the Blue Jays win in which Chris pitches. Proceeds from “Bassitts Pitch In” support the Blue Jays’ charitable arm, Jays Care Foundation, and its Nike RBI Summer Edition program -- a free sport-for-development program designed to enhance the mental and physical health of kids in Toronto’s under-resourced communities. Chris has also spent time and brought gifts to the pediatric patients at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital throughout the 2024 season.

Orioles:
McCann is committed to helping children and families. He and his wife, Jessica, purchased backpacks, clothing and shoes for students at Harlem Park Elementary Middle School in West Baltimore this past August. McCann has also visited the school to teach youngsters during PE class, and he personally engages with students and school staff when they are invited to attend Orioles batting practice at every Friday home game. He has fulfilled the wishes of children with life-altering conditions through the Dream On 3 organization. James and Jessica also offer gifts and encouragement to families in need at local Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs). In 2017, James and Jessica’s twin boys were born prematurely and spent seven weeks in the NICU.

Rays:
Prior to being traded to the Padres on July 30, Adam supported myriad nonprofit organizations while with the Rays. He served meals at Ronald McDonald Houses around St. Petersburg and elsewhere while on road trips. He has advocated for youth education programs and participated in events that support children diagnosed with dyslexia and aphasia. Jason and his wife, Kelsey, have worked with Compassion International, which aims to end child poverty. They are also involved with International Justice Mission, a global organization that focuses on combating sex trafficking.

Red Sox:
A six-time Roberto Clemente Award nominee, Hendriks has continued making significant off-the-field contributions in his first season with Boston. After beating Stage 4 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2023, he has remained dedicated to meeting with cancer patients during homestands and while traveling with the team. He has worked with the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Young Adult Program to provide VIP experiences at Fenway Park for cancer patients and survivors. He is a staunch ally of the LGBTQ+ community, has appeared in an ad campaign for Stand Up To Cancer, supports the Lymphoma Research Foundation and is passionate about animal rescue.

Yankees:
In 2018, Stroman founded the Height Doesn’t Measure Heart Foundation, which aims to create opportunities for in-need youth to rise above their circumstances. To date, the foundation has served nearly 1,000 youth and provided 300,000 meals. It also launched a scholarship program earlier this year that awarded a $25,000 scholarship to two Bronx high school seniors. A native of Medford, N.Y., Stroman has partnered with the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club, DREAM Charter Schools, the YMCA, the NYPD and other groups to emphasize to students the importance of work ethic, mental health and education.

Geurys Fiorentino and Elani Wyatt receive their scholarships from Marcus Stroman.Bryan Hoch/MLB.com

AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL

Guardians:
Kwan is in his second year of mentoring eighth-grade students at Cleveland Metropolitan School District’s Hannah Gibbons-Nottingham school. Through the district’s True 2U volunteer mentorship program, Kwan has spent hours talking to students about career pathways, how to navigate peer pressure and the benefits of journaling to escape daily life. An avid chess player, Kwan has developed a lasting friendship with students in the John Marshall High School chess club. He has invited its members to Guardians games, and the club has held a graduation party in the Guardians' dugout.

Royals:
Perez’s humanitarianism knows no bounds. The three-time Clemente Award nominee distributes food and much-needed supplies to families in his hometown of Valencia, Valenzuela, each winter and he has assisted more than 10,000 families over the past decade. He has paid for dozens of surgeries for children with cleft lips and annually gives more than a thousand toys to children’s hospitals. He is a member of “Sarah’s Soldiers,” a group that raises money to find a cure for ALS, and he has partnered with Braden’s Hope for Childhood Cancer. In Kansas City earlier this summer, the Royals’ captain hosted more than 100 kids from the city’s urban core for a baseball clinic and made sure each child went home with a backpack filled with school supplies for the upcoming year.

Tigers:
Earlier this year, Tarik and his wife, Jessica, donated to the Detroit Tigers Foundation to support both the foundation, as well as Alternatives for Girls, a multiservice agency dedicated to empowering homeless and at-risk young women. The couple’s donation focused on helping domestic violence survivors. Skubal has been involved in the Tigers’ Autographs for a Cause program since 2021. His cards benefit the team’s foundation and the Little League program in his hometown of Kingman, Ariz. Prior to this year, Skubal made an unrestricted donation to the Tigers Foundation, which has awarded more than $26 million in grants, Tigers tickets and college scholarships since its inception in 2005.

Twins:
López and his wife, Kaylee, helped launch the Twins’ “Pablo Day” initiative this season, which offers a special ticket package for each of López’s starts at Target Field. A portion of the proceeds from the ticket package benefit three local nonprofit organizations: Ruff Start Rescue, which advocates for animal welfare and pet adoption; Children’s Minnesota, an acute care children’s hospital; and Project Success, which strives to inspire and empower young people to achieve their life goals. López has visited local high school classes to help students practice their foreign language skills and is a prominent supporter of the Twins Community Fund and its youth development programs.

White Sox:
Vaughn and his wife, Lexi, created a community outreach program called “Going, Going, Gone” at the start of the 2024 season, and the two have made an impact in many areas throughout the year. During Spring Training, they provided toys, food and clothes to children and families affected by abuse. Andrew hosted children and families from La Rabida Children’s Hospital for a special Opening Day party in late March. Two months later, the Vaughns interacted with dozens of young men and women at Chicago’s Mercy Home for Boys & Girls. In August, Andrew hosted a Nike Home Run Derby for young athletes from the White Sox Amateur City Elite (ACE) and Team Teflon programs, which aim to inspire the next generation of Black baseball and softball players.

AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST

Angels:
Trout makes regular trips to local hospitals to brighten the days of children battling life-altering illnesses, fostering an atmosphere of love and support for kids and their families coping with unimaginable hardships. Many more across the country have received messages of encouragement from the 11-time All-Star. After the passing of his brother-in-law, Aaron, in 2018, Trout and his wife, Jessica, are also involved with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, bringing a personal touch to their work to reduce the stigma that prevents many individuals suffering with mental health issues from seeking support.

Astros:
Tucker, whose grandfather passed away in hospice care in 2021, started his Kyle Tucker Foundation in early 2022 to support nonprofits providing end-of-life care and those who benefit from their services both in Houston and in Tucker’s hometown of Tampa, Fla. The three-time All-Star hosts hospice care providers at Minute Maid Park throughout the season to recognize their efforts in supporting patients and their families. Tucker also regularly hosts meet-and-greets with families affected by childhood cancer during batting practice, and this past July, he surprised one family with a trip to the All-Star Game in Texas and $50,000 of financial support.

Athletics:
Miller, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in college, now dedicates his time to children living with the same condition, hosting his own meet-and-greets before games in Oakland and on the road, visiting patients at UCSF and working with Camp Sweet Escape, a program run by the South Carolina Youth Diabetes Association that provides a space for children with Type 1 diabetes to enjoy a variety of activities. Miller, along with his teammates, also makes visits to the Bay Area’s School of Imagination, an organization that provides early childhood education and intervention for neurodiverse learners.

Mariners:
Crawford dedicates his efforts to increasing access to baseball and softball in underserved communities, serving on the board of the Baseball Generations Foundation, which has provided resources, equipment and playing opportunities to thousands of children in need (of whom more than 100 have received Division I baseball scholarships, and another 28 have been drafted by MLB teams). He was a founder of the Mariners’ Hometown Nine Fellowship program, now in its fifth year of providing support to student athletes in the Seattle area, and Crawford and his wife, Kathleen, also lead the Mariners’ “Seattle Angels” program through which Mariners players and their families assist girls living in foster care with back-to-school shopping.

Rangers:
Semien is heavily involved with the Texas Rangers Youth Academy, mentoring athletes and assisting in distributing food to their families, including more than 200 yearly Thanksgiving dinners through the Rangers’ annual Thanksgiving distribution. Semien and his wife, Tarah, also partner with nonprofit organization Food for the Soul to provide food to athletes’ families over summer breaks, when those who rely on public school meal services often go hungry. Additionally, Semien and his father, Damien, work with student athletes and their families to provide education on financial literacy, entrepreneurship, social media, relationships and mental wellness.

NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST

Braves:
Sale has been in Atlanta for just one season, but he's already made a big impact on the community -- especially with local children and military families. Each month during the season, Sale hosts deserving Braves fans in a private pregame hospitality space at Truist Park to give them a unique and memorable gameday experience. Sale has welcomed families from Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children’s Miracle Network, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) and Camp Sunshine. Not only does Sale provide the groups with food and Braves swag, he takes time to hang out, take photos and sign autographs. Sale also played a big role in the Braves' Lou Gehrig Day celebration, which was personal for him, having lost his grandmother to ALS in 1995.

Marlins:
Luzardo has shown a passion for representing his hometown both on and off the field. Since joining the Marlins in 2021, Luzardo has committed to giving back to the community through collaboration with the Miami Marlins Foundation and hosting various events on his own. Among them: He hosts a free baseball clinic for area youth and his high school alma mater, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., and often visits the Challenger Baseball League, an adaptive baseball program for kids with special needs and disabilities. Luzardo has also participated in five baseball fantasy camps for kids hosted by the Marlins Foundation over the past three seasons. Earlier this year, he launched the Luzardo Family Foundation, a nonprofit organization that seeks to empower and uplift children from underserved communities to help them reach their full potential.

Mets:
Lindor has been active in his local communities since arriving in the Majors. From donating money to restore his old grammar school's sports program in Puerto Rico to hosting baseball clinics, promoting health and wellness and establishing a scholarship at his high school alma mater in Florida, Lindor has developed a reputation for caring and generosity. Two of his most recent efforts are a campaign to provide free backpacks for local students and a cleanup of Wilderness Beach in Puerto Rico through a partnership with Players for the Planet and Puerto Rico-based Rescate Playas Borinquen, a local initiative dedicated to the restoration and protection of natural resources and open-air recreation areas on the island.

Nationals:
Gray has had a strong desire to help others since arriving in Washington, regularly helping with the Nationals' summer reading program and at MLB PLAY BALL events, among other activities. Gray has also built strong bonds at the Nationals' Youth Baseball Academy, serving as a resource to the school-age children in its programs and acting as a link between the Nationals' clubhouse and the community. For the past three years, Gray has spent time helping Nationals Academy Scholar Athletes. In 2023, he became the first Nationals Player Ambassador to launch a customized event at the Academy with "Glow and Throw with JoJo," a night of glow-in-the-dark baseball activities for Scholar Athletes in the Academy's competitive baseball programs.

Phillies:
Schwarber has had a huge impact on the Philadelphia community through Schwarber's Neighborhood Heroes, which honors the area's first responders, military personnel and their families. The goal is to create positive experiences and fund wellness, education and crisis needs for these people and their families. Since its inception in 2017, the foundation has helped more than 630 families and awarded more than $660,000 in grants to nonprofits that support the cause, such as the Philadelphia Police and Fire Department Foundations, Families Behind the Badge Children’s Foundation, TAPS, Team Foster, USO and more. Schwarber has also visited several local police and fire departments throughout the season, delivering lunch to thank each member. He also often invites military and first responders, along with their families, to meet-and-greets on the field during batting practice.

NATIONAL LEAGUE CENTRAL

Brewers:
Peralta has been instrumental in spearheading a scholarship fund in collaboration with other Latin players and the Brewers Community Foundation in support of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC). This effort has raised more than $150,000 to provide scholarships to deserving Latino students. Through his leadership and active involvement, Peralta has not only helped bridge the financial gap for many young students, but he has also inspired hope and ambition within the community. In addition to his work with LULAC, Freddy has been a constant presence in various community outreach programs, focusing on youth development and education. This year, Peralta is co-chairing the Hispanic Professionals of Greater Milwaukee signature gala in support of their mission to increase economic prosperity and grow Latino influence in Wisconsin.

Cardinals:
A nine-time Clemente Award nominee, Goldschmidt's charitable and philanthropic efforts continue to be prolific. One of his latest major efforts came in June, when, in partnership with the Gateway Region YMCA and Boniface Foundation, he and Cardinals Care unveiled the Paul Goldschmidt Miracle League Field at the new YMCA Adaptive Sports Complex on the campus of the South County YMCA. The field provides a cushioned, barrier-free surface and dugout to provide accessibility for players with disabilities. Among many other efforts, Goldschmidt hosts an annual, free baseball clinic to help teach skills to young athletes and encourage parents and coaches to have a healthy attitude toward youth sports.

Cubs:
Since debuting in the Majors in 2018, Wisdom has distinguished himself as someone who gives back to the community, especially when it comes to pediatric cancer research. Since meeting a young cancer patient in the Minors, Wisdom has made it his mission to honor the boy's memory by raising money and awareness for St. Jude's Children's Hospital via a line of T-shirts, hoodies and autographed trading cards. Wisdom is also a regional ambassador for St. Jude's, working to raise money to ensure families at the hospital never have to pay a bill. In addition, Wisdom's involvement with Cubs Charities includes school visits, baseball clinics, fundraising events and more.

Pirates:
Bednar has been a major presence at community events for the Pirates and their nonprofit, Pirates Charities, whether during the season or during the winter months. Among those many activities is his work to reduce the stigma around mental health. Bednar has been highly involved in the Pirates' Chill Mobile project, which is a retrofitted RV that offers students across the Pittsburgh region a calming space where they can learn evidence-based coping skills and participate in interactive experiences to help improve their mental health. By sharing his own experiences and delivering the message, "It's OK to not be OK," Bednar has helped the Pirates engage more than 12,000 students and 1,000 school staff and faculty.

Reds:
Though he never played for his hometown team until this season, Suter has been involved in the Cincinnati community for years. Even while playing for other teams, Suter would visit the P&G MLB Reds Youth Academy to speak with the young athletes. Now that he's with the Reds, his work there has only grown. Beyond that, Suter's many charitable activities have included engaging with Make-A-Wish visitors during batting practice and meeting with patients at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. Suter will return to the hospital this month to read the children’s book he wrote, "The Binky Bandit." Suter is also an advocate for sustainability efforts. He partnered this season with La Soupe, a local organization that rescues food set to be wasted and repurposes it into soup and meals for those in need around the city.

NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST

D-backs:
Sewald and his family have partnered with the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation to raise money for Child Crisis Arizona, an organization that serves vulnerable children and their families by providing emergency shelter, foster care, counseling and early education services, among other forms of aid. Sewald has pledged more than $100,000 to Child Crisis Arizona via personal contributions and matching donations made by fans and the D-backs' front office since being traded to Arizona in July 2023. Sewald has also organized drives to provide kids from underserved communities with baseball equipment and school supplies across the country throughout his Major League career.

Dodgers:
Betts and his wife, Brianna, are the founders of the 5050 Foundation, an organization that seeks to improve the lives of children in underserved communities by supporting their physical, mental and emotional health. Every year, Betts partners with the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation to provide food to those in need, including contributing more than $300,000 over the last three years to feed thousands of families over the holidays. Betts has also funded renovations and refurbishments of youth sports facilities and partnered with UCLA Children’s Hospital to create the Betts on Us Fund, which provides families with financial assistance so that they may seek the healthcare services their children need.

Giants:
Yastrzemski was one of the driving forces behind the Giants' now-yearly participation in Mustache May, which grew from a light-hearted team tradition into a true awareness campaign for mental health and the support resources that often go unused by those in need. The Mustache May tradition has since spawned merchandise, the proceeds from which are donated to the Heart and Armor Foundation, a nonprofit that aims to protect the health of veterans, who often go without the mental health care they need after returning home after years of service. Yastrzemski and his wife, Paige, regularly host veterans and their families at Giants games, also making time to visit children living with severe illnesses and support young Bay Area baseball and softball players.

Padres:
Machado has been heavily involved in the projects of the Peter Seidler Legacy Fund, created in December 2023 following the passing of the Padres’ owner to continue serving the communities Seidler dedicated his own charitable efforts to. Machado has worked since then to aid in the development of the San Diego Rescue Mission South County Lighthouse, a shelter providing those experiencing homelessness with trauma-informed care. In partnership with the Padres, Machado also created a program to encourage higher school attendance rates in the San Diego Unified School District and regularly hosts children from underserved communities at Petco Park to watch batting practice and meet Padres players.

Rockies:
A Denver-area native, Freeland is a passionate supporter of Special Olympics Colorado, a cause he was introduced to by his Rookie-ball host family in Grand Junction, Colo. Freeland and his wife, Ashley, hold regular online fundraising raffles of baseball-related memorabilia for the organization and volunteer their time at Rockies-sponsored fantasy camps for athletes with intellectual disabilities.