Yankees’ Aaron Judge named 2023 Roberto Clemente Award winner

Yankees captain Aaron Judge poses for a photo with the Clemente family and MLB commissioner Rob Manfred during a special press conference at Chase Field before Game 3 of the World Series to present Judge with the 2023 Roberto Clemente Award - Image Credit: MLB

NEW YORK — No. 99 will now have No. 21 embroidered on the back of his cap for the remainder of his career. All Rise for Aaron Judge. 

The 2022 American League MVP and New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge has achieved plenty of accomplishments in pinstripes throughout his career, however, the 31-year-old’s most prestigious honor came this past Monday, as the five-time All-Star, and three-time Silver Slugger, was named the recipient of the 2023 Roberto Clemente Award. 

The Roberto Clemente Award, presented by Capital One, “is the annual recognition of a 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,” noted in a statement from Major League Baseball. 

“The concept of honoring Major League players for their philanthropic work was created in 1971 as the ‘Commissioner’s Award.’ It was renamed to the ‘Roberto Clemente Award,’ in 1973 to honor the Hall of Famer and 15-time All-Star who died in a plane crash on New Year’s Eve 1972 while attempting to deliver supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.”

Here are a few significant contributions that Judge has made to the community across his home state of California, and in the Bronx, NY, where his baseball legacy continues to be cemented — notes provided by Major League Baseball. 

. ​​Founded the Aaron Judge ALL RISE Foundation in 2018, with the mission to inspire children and youth to become responsible citizens through activities that encourage them to reach unlimited possibilities.

. ALL RISE has supported thousands of youth from communities close to Judge’s heart – California’s San Joaquin County & Fresno County as well as his baseball home in the Bronx, NY.

. In 2023, the ALL RISE Mini-Grant Program, which is awarded three times a year, has supported six organizations including Bridge2College, NYC Autism Charter Schools (NYCACS), Tourette Association of America, Edward C. Merlo Institute of Environmental Technology (SUSD), Resiliency Center of Fresno and Birch Family Services. To date, the program has supported over 27 community-based organizations, public and private agencies, and faith-based organizations.

. Also in 2023, ALL RISE sent a delegation of 17 junior high school students from Linden Unified to attend the California Association of Directors of Activities and the California Association of Student Leaders (CADA and CASL) Modesto Central Valley Spring Student Leadership Conference. In 2019, ALL RISE provided registration and transportation for 118 students in California to one of three leadership conferences including the Modesto Spring Student Leadership Conference, the Woodland Fall Student Leadership Conference for high school students, and the Woodland Fall Student Leadership Conference for middle school students.

. Since the foundation’s inception in 2018, Aaron has hosted multiple baseball ProCamps in California and New York. In 2023, local youth attended the Aaron Judge ALL RISE Baseball ProCamp at Fordham University in the Bronx.

“Giving back and taking advantage of his platform and what this game has given him is very important to him,” said Yankees manager Aaron Boone about Judge in September of the 2023 regular season. “He’s demonstrated that throughout his career, starting with his ALL RISE Foundation very early in his career. Over the years, having come in contact with a number of guys that have won that award, often they will talk about that being the most meaningful thing that they’ve won in their careers.”

Furthermore, Judge became just the fourth Yankee in franchise history to be named a recipient of the Roberto Clemente Award — joining Ron Guidry in 1984, Don Baylor in 1985, and Derek Jeter in 2009. 

“This is amazing,” said Judge during a press conference on Monday night prior to Game 3 of the World Series at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona. “Just being a nominee is an incredible honor that a lot of players look forward to, now being a Roberto Clemente Award winner, it’s tough to describe. It’s definitely a moment I won’t forget, I’m truly blessed.”

“We can sit here and talk about the stats, but he (Clemente) was a generational talent off the field with how he touched the lives of the youth and inspired this next generation of ballplayers. He grew the game and that’s something I want to continue to do, this is just the beginning. I’m looking forward to helping more kids along the way.”

Although he is a six-foot-seven, 282 pound ‘giant,’ (the tallest recipient of the Roberto Clemente Award in MLB history), Judge is warmhearted, and signifies what baseball is all about — more than just a game we all love and cherish — as I have witnessed during Yankees batting practice and throughout pre-game routines with Judge consistently providing time to sign autographs for the youth while others savor the moment by capturing a photo with him. 

All in all, he is a true pro’s pro, and now, the newest recipient of the Roberto Clemente Award. A well-deserved honor for No. 99 in pinstripes.

Robert Rizzo is a journalist and editor of Latino Sports – Email: RobertRiz994@gmail.com

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