AIR YORDAN, YOR-A-LATINOMVP!
Houston’s left-handed slugger Yordan Álvarez, was presented with his 2022 American League LatinoMVP Award in a special on-the-field ceremony prior to the Royals-Astros game on Friday night at Minute Maid Park.
The 26-year-old, of Las Tunas, Cuba, received his one-of-a-kind LatinoMVP Award by Latino Sports founder and president Julio Pabón on the same evening of the Astros beginning their celebrations and festivities for Hispanic Heritage Month — Friday featured a José Abreu Los Astros Replica Jersey giveaway to the first 10,000 fans in attendance, a pre-game Happy Hour, and a post-game fireworks show. What a night in H-Town!
Julio Pabón presents Yordan Álvarez with his 2022 AL LatinoMVP Award. Álvarez’ reaction to seeing his 2022 AL LatinoMVP is priceless! – Image Credit: Houston Astros/MLB
The LatinoMVP is recognized as the most prestigious and oldest award exclusively given to Latino baseball players, dating back to 1990. Over the years, major league clubhouses (players, coaches, and front office executives) have compared the career milestone to winning the ‘Latin Grammy of Baseball.’
Latino Sports, the Latino Sports Writers and Broadcasters Association, and Major League Baseball, prefer and plan ahead in presenting recipients of the LatinoMVP Award throughout the following season during Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15th – October 15th) in front of the respective players home crowd.
Cuba flag on Minute Maid Park Scoreboard as the Astros celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month – Image Credit: Latino Sports
Uniquely enough, this marks the 33rd year of the illustrious LatinoMVP Awards with Álvarez becoming just the third-ever Cuban born player to win the AL/NL LatinoMVP Award — the first and second? Yoenis Céspedes, of Granma, Cuba, and Álvarez’ current-teammate José Abreu, who is from Cienfuegos, Cuba. Abreu achieved the LatinoMVP accomplishment in 2020 while Céspedes took home the honors in 2015.
We have had several big-leaguers in previous years, who were born in Cuba, win the AL/NL LatinoMVP Pitcher Award, same goes for the Reliever of the Year and Rookie honors, however; only three have hit the career-benchmark in being named for our pristine AL/NL LatinoMVP Award.
Yordan Álvarez, recipient of 2022 AL LatinoMVP Award, third-ever Cuban born player to accomplish the LatinoMVP career-feat. He also won the American League LatinoMVP Rookie of the Year in 2019 – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Nevertheless, throughout our voting process this past offseason, distinguished by the Latino Sports Writers and Broadcasters Association — Álvarez defeated 2022 AL LatinoMVP Award nominees: Rafael Devers of the Boston Red Sox, Luis Arráez of the Minnesota Twins (now with Miami), José Ramírez and Andrés Giménez of the Cleveland Guardians, as well as José Altuve, Álvarez’ teammate since 2019, who is also the recipient of the 2017 AL LatinoMVP Award.
Three LatinoMVP winners on the same squad in Alvarez, Abreu, and Altuve — call it LatinoMVP Royalty!
Below are some of Álvarez’ numbers from his 2022 LatinoMVP campaign, a season in which he capped off with a World Series Championship.
YORDADDY TO THE MOON. pic.twitter.com/4BiiPpjcTM
— Houston Astros (@astros) November 6, 2022
Air Yordan’s 2022 LatinoMVP Campaign Numbers🇨🇺
37 Home Runs (3rd in American League)
97 RBI (Tied-5th in American League)
.306 Batting Average (4th in American League)
.406 On Base Percentage (2nd in American League)
1.019 OPS (2nd in American League)
78 Walks (Tied-4th in American League)
On behalf of all of us here at Latino Sports, the Latino Sports Writers and Broadcasters Association, and Major League Baseball, congratulations to Yordan on his LatinoMVP career milestone!
33rd Annual Latino MVP Awards – Image Credit: Latino Sports
MARK THOSE CALENDARS: 33rd Annual LatinoMVP Award Presentation Schedule!
September 15th (Roberto Clemente Day) — New York Mets, Citi Field: Edwin Díaz, N.L. LatinoMVP Relief/Closer and Cleveland Guardians, Progressive Field: Emmanuel Clase, A.L. LatinoMVP Relief/Closer
Maz Adams, Artist and Julio Pabón, Latino Sports President handing Edwin Díaz during his 2022 NL LatinoMVP Relief/Closer Award presentation – Image Credit: Christopher Pasatieri
Emmanuel Clase and Robert Rizzo in pregame LatinoMVP presentation. The artwork for Clase’s award was done by one of our exclusive LatinoMVP artists Maz Adams – Image Credit: Cleveland Guardians/MLB
September 17th — Seattle Mariners, T-Mobile Park: Julio Rodríguez, A.L LatinoMVP Rookie
Latino Sports representative Michelle Davila and Julio Rodríguez during his 2022 AL LatinoMVP Rookie Award presentation – Image Credit: Latino Sports
September 19th — Miami Marlins, LoanDepot Park: Sandy Alcántara, N.L. LatinoMVP Pitcher
Sandy Alcántara receives his 2022 National League LatinoMVP Pitcher Award by Latino Sports South Florida Representative German DuBois III at loanDepot Park – Image Credit: Jasen Vinlove/Miami Marlins
September 20th — New York Yankees, Yankee Stadium: Nestor Cortes, A.L. LatinoMVP Pitcher
Maz Adams, Nestor Cortes, James Fiorentino and Julio Pabón during Nestor’s 2022 AL LatinoMVP Pitcher Award Presentation – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
September 22nd — Houston Astros, Minute Maid Park: Yordan Álvarez, A.L. LatinoMVP
September 23rd — San Diego Padres, Petco Park: Manny Machado, N.L. LatinoMVP
To Be Announced — Pittsburgh Pirates, PNC Park: Oneil Cruz, N.L. LatinoMVP Rookie
Robert Rizzo is a journalist and editor of Latino Sports – Email: RobertRiz994@gmail.com
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