Major League Baseball today announced that Robinson Canó is the Seattle Mariners 2017 nominee for the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award, the most prominent individual player award bestowed by MLB.
The Roberto Clemente Award is the annual recognition of a player from each MLB club who best represents the game of baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field. 
Each team nominates one current player to be considered for the award in tribute to Clemente's achievements and character. Wednesday, September 6, marks the 16th Annual Roberto Clemente Day, which was established by Major League Baseball to honor Clemente's legacy and to officially acknowledge the 30 nominees. As part of the league-wide celebration, the Roberto Clemente Day logo will appear on the bases and official dugout lineup cards and a special tribute video will be played in ballparks.
Robinson Canó has made a significant impact on the lives of under-served children and communities both locally and globally. In 2011, he established the RC22 Foundation to focus his efforts on youth development and community healthcare, this is in addition to his support for such Seattle area charities and causes as Seattle Children's Hospital, Odessa Brown Clinic, City Year Seattle and the Boys & Girls Clubs of King County.
In 2015, Canó's RC22 Foundation opened a Montessori school in San Pedro de Macoris, Canó's hometown, in partnership with the Dominican Republic Education and Mentoring (DREAM) Project. The school provides high quality early childhood education for students ages 3-6 from an impoverished community. In addition, the school provides parenting programs and educational and vocational opportunities for community members. Since the school opened, 221 children have enrolled and 110 have graduated. Plans are underway to expand to serve other age groups.
The RC22 Foundation has also provided holiday gifts, educational tablets, bicycles and athletic equipment to thousands of children in the Dominican Republic including the donation of over 2,500 complete uniforms and baseball cleats to high-need youth baseball leagues.
The Roberto Clemente Award winner will be selected by a blue ribbon panel that includes individuals connected to the game including Baseball Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr., representatives from MLB-affiliated networks (MLB Network, FOX Sports, ESPN and TBS) and MLB Advanced Media, as well as Vera Clemente, the late Roberto's wife. Again this season, fans will have a say in choosing the winner. Starting October 2 through October 6, fans can participate in the selection process. Additional information about fan voting, including the address to the dedicated webpage, will be shared via MLB.com and MLB social media channels in the coming weeks.
The concept of honoring Major League players for their philanthropic work began in 1971 as the "Commissioner's Award," but was renamed the "Roberto Clemente Award" in 1973 in honor of the Hall of Famer and 15-time All-Star who died in a plane crash on New Year's Eve 1972 while attempting to deliver supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. Each September since 2002, Major League Baseball has commemorated Roberto Clemente Day. The 2017 Clemente Award winner will be announced during the World Series.
Mariners players have received the Clemente Award three times: Harold Reynolds in 1991; Jamie Moyer in 2003; Edgar Martinez in 2004.