Major League Baseball today announced that David Bednar was named the Pittsburgh Pirates 2022 nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award presented by Capital One, baseball’s most prestigious individual honor for Major Leaguers.

The Roberto Clemente Award presented by Capital One is the annual recognition of a Major League player who best represents the game of Baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field. As part of the annual program, each MLB Club nominates one player to be considered for the league-wide Award in tribute to Clemente’s achievements and character.

As a Pittsburgh-area native, Bednar has been a staple in Pirates community activities during the last year. Since being acquired prior to the 2021 season, Bednar has actively helped make a tangible impact in support of the region where he grew up.

This past offseason, Bednar joined the Pirates community team for a mass Thanksgiving Dinner distribution event, where he personally helped load the cars of fellow community members with everything they would need to provide a Thanksgiving meal for their family.

In April, Bednar helped spearhead a donation of baseball equipment to his elementary school in Mars, PA to ensure the young students would have a chance to have baseball be part of their Physical Education curriculum. David personally visited the entire school and led a group of first graders through a baseball-themed gym class. Over the summer, Bednar worked with his father, Andy Bednar, to host baseball camps for more than 100 young kids in his hometown of Mars, PA, with all funds raised going back to his high school team at Mars High School.

In July, Bednar was one of five Pirates players who participated in the Pirates Charities Miracle League Fantasy Camp, hosted in partnership with the Miracle League of Southwestern PA. Bednar led the pitching station of the fantasy camp, posed for many photos and signed all of the kids’ jerseys, staying past the time he was committed to ensure everyone who wanted to interact with him had the chance.

The very next day, Bednar helped Pirates Charities host three-year-old Kayden at the ballpark. Kayden is a local boy who loves baseball and is currently battling Leukemia. Bednar made him feel like a Pirate for the Day, showing him around the clubhouse, allowing him to hang out at his locker and giving him the VIP treatment on the field during pregame. Bednar helped bring many smiles to Kayden and his entire family during a time when every smile means so much more.

In August, Bednar participated in the Pirates Favorite Things Basket Auction, donating a basket of his favorite things and autographed game-worn items to be auctioned off and raise funds for the work Pirates Charities does in the community.

“It is incredibly humbling to be nominated for this award,” said Bednar. “Growing up in Pittsburgh I was fortunate to have a greater understanding of who Roberto was as a player and, more importantly, as an incredible human being. It truly is an honor to be nominated for this award. I hope to continue in honoring the Clemente name with the Pirates by helping others in need and spreading the love of the game throughout the community.”

“David being named our Clemente Award nominee has extra special meaning,” said Pirates Chairman, Bob Nutting. “Since the day we acquired David in 2021, he expressed a true desire to partner with Pirates Charities to help make a real impact in his hometown. I am very proud of David and how he represents our commitment to make a difference in the lives of others in our community. It is a deep part of who we are as an organization and what Pirates Charities is all about.”

Thursday, September 15th marks the 21st annual Roberto Clemente Day presented by Capital One, which was established by Major League Baseball to honor Clemente’s legacy as a humanitarian and to formally acknowledge Club nominees of the Roberto Clemente Award. 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. Additionally, a customized tribute video to both Roberto and his wife Vera – Momentito (in English and Spanish) – will be shown in all MLB ballparks on Roberto Clemente Day as well as on MLB Network, MLB.com, Club sites and MLB Social Media Platforms.

The league-wide winner of the Roberto Clemente Award presented by Capital One will be selected via a blue ribbon panel, including Commissioner Manfred, representatives from Capital One, MLB-affiliated networks (MLB Network, FOX Sports, ESPN and TBS), MLB.com, as well as Roberto’s children, Enrique, Luis and Roberto Clemente, Jr. Beginning today, fans can vote for the Roberto Clemente Award presented by Capital One via mlb.com/clemente21 (English) and LasMayores.com/clemente21 (Spanish). The site will feature bios of each of the nominees and will allow fans to vote until the end of the season on Wednesday, October 5th. The winner of the fan vote will count as one vote among those cast by the blue-ribbon panel.

The concept of honoring Major League players for their philanthropic work was created in 1971 as the “Commissioner’s Award.” The recognition was renamed to 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.