Francisco Lindor Wins MLB's Roberto Clemente Award

Say the name "Roberto Clemente" to any native of Puerto Rico - not just aspiring baseball players - and it will elicit a reaction of reverence.

Say "Roberto Clemente Award winner" to New York Mets' shortstop Francisco Lindor and it will bring an ear-to-ear smile.

That smile was readily evident on Monday when MLB announced that Lindor, a Puerto Rican native who idolized his countryman Clemente while growing up, had been named the 2026 winner of the league's annual Roberto Clemente Award, which recognizes the philanthropic efforts of one player each year.

The award was initiated by MLB in 1971 - with Willie Mays the first winner - but subsequently named after Clemente after the Pittsburgh Pirates' Hall of Fame rightfielder was killed in a plane crash on Dec. 31, 1972, while attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to victims of an earthquake in Nicaragua.

“It inspired my generation,” Lindor said of Clemente’s lessons in a story on MLB.com on Monday. “Hopefully, this inspires another generation to continue to care for others, continue to love your neighbors, continue to give back.”

Lindor, who had previously been nominated four times for the honor, becomes the fifth Puerto Rican to win the award, joining Edgar Martinez (2004), Carlos Delgado (2006), Carlos Beltran (2013) and Yadier Molina (2018).

Lindor said that a commitment to giving back was instilled in him by his parents at an early age.

In fact, after learning that he would be receiving the award, Lindor called his father and thanked him for "putting this little seed in my head, planting this seed of blessing others with the stuff we have.”

These are some of the many ways that Lindor has worked to give back to the community, all of which helped him win the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award:

• Since 2020, he has donated more than $1 million to fund and develop Lindor Hall, a two-story middle school building at his high school alma mater, Montverde Academy, in Montverde, FL. The multi-purpose facility features state-of-the-art science and technology labs and athletic fields. Additionally, he established the Francisco Lindor Scholarship Fund to provide opportunities for students who otherwise would not have the financial means to attend the school.

• Following Hurricanes Maria in 2017 and Fiona in 2022, Lindor provided financial support for disaster relief, restored athletic facilities in his hometown of Caguas, hosted youth baseball clinics and partnered with various organizations to support recovery and environmental-conservation efforts.

• At the outset of the 2026 season, he launched “Lindor’s Leaders,” a season-long development program for students in the Sports Medicine Program at Bayside High School, which is located about five miles from Citi Field. With curriculum centered on mental health, communication, teamwork and leadership, the initiative gave Lindor the opportunity to mentor students while helping them build the confidence and skills necessary to become leaders in their communities.

• Lindor recently partnered with Seen, a nonprofit that helps families with children navigating physical disabilities, to give those children a day out at the ballpark.

• For several seasons, he has partnered with New Balance to deliver backpacks and school supplies to hundreds of children at the beginning of the school year in the fall.

“It’s a little bit surreal, you know?” Lindor said. “It’s bigger than baseball, in a way. Like, we are in the entertainment business, and we are there to bring smiles and joy to people, but also to carry it off the field to me is even cooler. So it’s something that I’ll forever continue to do.”