Seven MLBbros Nominated For Distinguished Roberto Clemente Award | Giving Back To The Culture & Community

Seven MLBbros were nominated for one of Major Leagues Baseballs highest honors, the Roberto Clemente Award. Last season there were two nominees. 

All 30 teams nominated one player for the Award, given to the player who best exemplifies the game of baseball through sportsmanship, community involvement and their contributions to their teams. Clemente, a native of Puerto Rico played 18 seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates, winning the National League MVP award in 1966. He has 3,000 hits, won 12 straight Gold Gloves and four National League Batting Titles.

In December of 1972, just months removed from his 15th All-Star Game, Clemente who was known for his charity work in Latin America and the Caribbean took a mission trip to help the country of Nicaragua after they had recently been affected by an earthquake. Sadly, Clemente passed away when his plane crashed enroute. He was only 38-years old.

In his honor, Major League Baseball renamed the Commissioners Cup in his name.

 

Taylor Hearn

The Texas Rangers pitcher is the only Dallas, Texas native on the team and has had a major impact on the DFW community since he arrived to the Majors. He was selected for the 2021 Richard Durrett Hardest Working Man Award by the DFW chapter of the BWAA.

 

In addition to sponsoring a team in Ghana, visiting high school teams and working out with their players during the off-season, Hearn also plans to host his first baseball tournament this coming fall.

Josh Bell

Even though he now plays for the Padres, Bell will represent the Washington Nationals.

 

 

He has his own book club for fans and also collaborated with the D.C. Capital Guardian Youth Challenge Academy, which is an organization that focuses on helping at-risk teenagers in the area.

Triston “Dr. Stix” McKenzie

McKenzie is one of the younger nominees at just 24-years old.

 

 

He runs the True2You mentorship program where he mentors eight graders.

Jason Heyward

The veteran outfielder will represent the Chicago Cubs for a second straight year as their Roberto Clemente Award nominee.

 

 

He is a member of the Players Alliance and has been helping the Chicago community for years. J-Hey will be the head of a local Youth Academy which will open in 2023.

Tony Kemp

Kemp was also nominated for the award last season. He partnered with Players for the Planet and One Tree Planted donating $250 for every stolen base and extra base hit he has. 

Dillon Tate

Tate played in the MLB Academy in Compton, California growing up and now gives back some of the Game that was given to him.

 

 

He started his foundation, Baseball Academia, which helps teach the youth about personal development while helping them get better on the field. Tate has hosted 100 athletes to ballparks already this season.

Byron Buxton

In addition to making his first career All-Star Game this season Byron Buxton gets another honor in being named the Twins representative for the Roberto Clemente Award. Buxton, who is a two-time winner of Minnesota’s Twins Heart & Hustle Award has a brother serving in the U.S. Navy. The MLBbro also has Buxton’s Battalion program where he invites families of servicemembers to Target Field for batting practice and autographs. 

All of these MLBbros are giving their best on the field and also connecting with the community.