SEATTLE -- Dee Gordon has never been the biggest guy on the baseball field, but the Mariners second baseman has always made a big impact both in his sport and in the community. For his charitable efforts off the field, Gordon has been named the 2020 winner of the prestigious Fred Hutch Award.

Gordon is just the third Mariner to win the Hutch Award, which has been awarded annually to one Major League player for the past 55 years. Previous Mariners winners were Jamie Moyer in 2003 and Raul Ibanez in '13. Three other former Mariners, John Olerud in 1993, Omar Vizquel in ’96 and Mike Sweeney in ‘07, received the award while they were playing for other clubs.

At 5-foot-11, 170 pounds, Gordon has always seen himself as an underdog in sports and uses that motivation to help others reach their goals as well.

“What drives me is I’m really not supposed to be here,” Gordon said. “I’m blessed to be here and to play well and do everything I’ve ever dreamed of doing in life because of what I do on the baseball field. So I just wanted to give back. I kind of grew up getting in trouble for fighting and looking out for others. Now I don’t have to fight as much anymore so I can just use my blessings to help others.

“Being 170 pounds, I’m the smallest guy out there every time I touch the field. So I have to play hard and play better than everyone and always be on top of my game. So just knowing and understanding that about myself, I just know it’s a blessing to be here. That’s literally why I do it.”

Because the annual Hutch Award luncheon will not take place this year in Seattle due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Gordon will be honored in mid-May with a virtual event that will include other notable baseball names.

Gordon’s “Flash of Hope” program has been instrumental in helping children and families affected by domestic violence, an effort close to his heart as Gordon lost his own mother to domestic violence when he was 6.

“It means a lot to me because people don’t understand the importance of letting kids see someone else who is going through the same thing as them and has actually made it,” Gordon said. “And honestly, nine times out of 10 the kids are already pretty much bigger than me or close to it. And it’s good for them to see I’m going to be bigger than this guy and we went through the same thing, so maybe I can be something, too. Maybe it’s not in baseball, but another field, but they’re trying to do something to be better.”

Gordon, 32, has also teamed up with Food for the Hungry and the Striking Out Poverty campaigns to raise funds to help some of the most underserved communities in the world.

Most recently, he hooked up with Jesse’s Rib Shack in his hometown of Orlando, Fla., to give out free meals to people struggling during the coronavirus pandemic.

“Right now we’re in a global pandemic and people are still being selfish and not looking after their neighbors,” Gordon said. “I was raised to look after each other and people aren’t doing it. A few are trying to do better, but we still have a long way to go.”

The Hutch Award was created in 1965 in honor of Fred “Hutch” Hutchinson, a standout Major League player and manager who was from Seattle. Hutchinson died of cancer in '64 and inspired creation of the Seattle-based cancer research center that bears his name.

“This award has an incredible history, and I’m grateful to be a part of its legacy,” Gordon said. “I believe it’s our duty as professional athletes to give back to the communities that support us. Recognition isn’t why I do it, but it is an honor when an organization like Fred Hutch recognizes the efforts.”