Major League Baseball announced that Marcus Stroman was named the New York Yankees’ 2024 nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award.
The Roberto Clemente Award is the annual recognition given to the Major League player who best represents the game of baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field.
As part of the annual program, each MLB Club nominates one player to be considered for the league-wide award in tribute to Clemente’s achievements and character.
“I’m very grateful and honored to be nominated for this prestigious award,” Stroman said. “It’s a testament to being in a position that I’m very thankful for — a position where I can give back to people. It’s also a testament to the team around me and how proactive we are in doing as much as we can in the community. For me, it’s gratifying to be able to help those less fortunate and be a light for kids or anyone else out there who needs it. I’m blessed to be at a point in my career where I can be an example for the next generation, while also teaching them that when they get to a certain level in life, it’s all about giving back.”
Stroman has maintained a philanthropic focus throughout his career, as this year marks the third time that he has been nominated for the honor, each with a different team (also 2023-Chicago-NL and 2017-Toronto).
In 2019, Stroman introduced the Height Doesn’t Measure Heart Foundation (HDMH), a nonprofit with a mission to create valuable opportunities for children and young people, especially those from inner cities and underserved areas, to help them rise above their circumstances and pursue their dreams. Often citing his status as one of the shortest pitchers in the league (which is the inspiration for his foundation’s name), Stroman’s story of overcoming doubt and outworking his peers has resonated with fans.
This season, the Medford, N.Y., native has focused his community outreach in the area around Yankee Stadium, holding a series of exclusive meet-and-greets with local youth and community organizations, including the Kips Bay Boys and Girls Club, DREAM Charter Schools, the YMCA and NYPD Blue Chips. Prior to one game each homestand, Stroman meets his guests in the Yankee Stadium Press Conference Room and takes part in a Q&A session, sharing stories and advice and emphasizing the importance of work ethic, mental health and education.
Earlier this year, in collaboration with the educational platform Bold.org, Stroman announced the launch of the Marcus Stroman Scholarship, an initiative aimed to empower Bronx-based high school seniors by offering them a chance to pursue higher education without the burden of financial constraints. Prior to the Yankees’ game vs. Cleveland on Aug. 20, Stroman met with this year’s two recipients — Geurys Florentino from Monsignor Scanlan High School and Elani Wyatt from Equality Charter High School — and presented each of them with $25,000 scholarships to help cover expenses for the 2024-25 academic year. Over a five-year span, 10 students will receive scholarships, with Stroman’s foundation committing $200,000 in addition to $50,000 from Bold.org.
During his two seasons in Chicago with the Cubs (2022-23), Stroman executed more than a dozen community events, notably hosting military veterans and various school youth groups at Wrigley Field, financially supporting LGBTQ+ non-profits during Pride Month and sitting down with hundreds of young people to discuss his book, “The Grip.”
During the COVID-19 shutdown, the HDMH Foundation supported the Food Bank For New York City and Long Island Cares, providing hunger assistance in both Nassau and Suffolk County. Stroman also supported a youth baseball team in Tampa, Florida, leading practices while providing meaningful baseball-oriented personal interaction to those struggling during the isolation period. In total, the HDMH Foundation has served nearly 1,000 young people and provided 300,000 meals.
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September 15, marks the 23rd annual Roberto Clemente Day, which was established by Major League Baseball to honor Clemente’s legacy as a humanitarian and to formally acknowledge Club nominees of the Roberto Clemente Award. As part of the league-wide celebration, the Roberto Clemente Day logo will appear on bases and official dugout lineup cards and a customized tribute video to Clemente’s legacy and the 30 Roberto Clemente Award nominees (English and Spanish) will be shown in all MLB ballparks on Roberto Clemente Day as well as across MLB Network, MLB.com, MLB.tv, Club sites and MLB Social Media platforms.
The league-wide winner of the Roberto Clemente Award will be honored at the 2024 World Series following selection by a blue-ribbon panel. This panel includes representatives from the Commissioner’s Office, MLB-affiliated networks (MLB Network, FOX Sports, ESPN and TBS), MLB.com, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Capital One, as well as Roberto’s children, Enrique, Luis and Roberto Clemente, Jr. Beginning today, fans can vote for the Roberto Clemente Award 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 League players for their philanthropic work was created in 1971 as the “Commissioner’s Award.” The recognition was renamed to the “Roberto Clemente Award” in 1973 in tribute to Clemente following his passing.