Former Astros outfielder Carlos Beltran will be honored with Sports Illustrated's Hope Award as part of SI's Sportsperson of the Year Awards ceremony on Dec. 5 at the Barclays Center in New York. For the first time, the ceremony will be nationally televised, airing on NBCSN at 8 p.m. ET on Dec. 8, and Univision Deportes Network at 8 p.m. ET on Dec. 9.
The Hope Award, one of the new categories added to the annual Sportsperson of the Year Awards, is presented to athletes who continue to give back to their home communities as they find success across the globe. Beltran, who helped the Astros win the World Series and is a candidate for the vacant Yankees managerial position, has raised nearly $1.5 million for his native Puerto Rico after the island was devastated by Hurricane Maria in September.
Beltran was active in charitable work throughout his 20-year career, which included an American League Rookie of the Year Award, nine All-Star selections and 435 home runs.
Other athletes to be honored include Joel Embiid of the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers, who won the Rising Star Award, and Maya Moore of the WNBA champion Minnesota Lynx, who won the Performer of the Year Award.
All three will be featured in SI's upcoming Sportsperson of the Year issue and will be honored alongside other top names in sports, including SI's 2017 Sportsperson of the Year winner and Muhammad Ali Legacy Award recipient.