Major League Baseball has honored Francisco Lindor with one of its most prestigious awards, naming the New York Mets shortstop as the 2026 Roberto Clemente Award recipient. This humanitarian award goes to the player who best exemplifies MLB both on and off the field. Lindor is now the fifth Puerto Rican-born player to receive this award, named after the legendary Puerto Rican player, Roberto Clemente.
The New York Mets celebrated Lindor’s achievement on social media. They described him as representing baseball through his exceptional character, community involvement, and positive contributions both on and off the field. The team shared a video narrated by Lindor, showcasing his dedication to philanthropy.
“I’m all about bringing people together,” Lindor said. “I’m all about bringing them to the next step, and learn from them as well.”
Lindor has partnered with the nonprofit organization Seen to assist families with children who have physical disabilities. He founded Lindor’s Leaders, a program at Bayside High School focused on mental health, communication, and teamwork, aiming to nurture future community leaders. Additionally, Lindor organizes youth baseball clinics, donates backpacks and school supplies annually, supports environmental initiatives, and has restored athletic facilities in his hometown of Caguas.
This recognition follows Lindor’s completion of his 12th MLB season, reaching his 300th career home run milestone. Although he had been nominated by the Mets for this award in the past four years, this marks his first win. Lindor, a five-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove winner, expressed his gratitude for the recognition.
“It’s a little bit surreal, you know? It’s bigger than baseball, in a way,” Lindor said, according to MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo. “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. It’s something that I’ll forever continue to do.”