Star shortstop Bo Bichette has been chosen as the Toronto Blue Jays' nominee for the 2022 Roberto Clemente Award, given annually "to the player who best represents the game of Baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field."
Each club nominates one player for the award and a fan vote will determine the winner. Nelson Cruz, Adam Wainwright and Carlos Carrasco are recent winners.
Bichette was nominated by the Blue Jays for his all-star calibre play on the field and "his desire to do what he can to help others and inspire them to be their best selves."
The 24-year-old has spent time volunteering weekly at a local shelter in St. Petersburg, Fla., during the off-season and providing school supplies to students in the region. In addition to that work, he has also sponsored multiple baseball camps to promote the game to youth.
"Bo's ongoing support for community initiatives and passion for giving back during a pandemic is unmatched," a biography on MLB's website reads. "While he prefers the work to be done outside of the spotlight, his desire to make a difference in his community is unparallel to anyone on the team. Bo has been the true representation of the Club’s values and has an unmatched commitment to giving back to fans no matter where our 'home' is."
Other nominees for the 2022 award include Miguel Cabrera of the Tigers, Paul Goldschmidt of the Cardinals and Joey Votto of the Reds.
