Awards

Pablo López is a leader both on the field and off the field in our community. New to the Twins in 2023, Pablo has been an essential member of the starting pitching rotation. His passion for team culture is evident in this creation of the “Land of 10,000 Rakes” fishing vest. For the first time in his career, López was selected to be a member of the American League roster in the 2023 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.

Growing up in Venezuela with parents who were both doctors, Pablo understands the gift that education can provide. After he aced a standardized test, he was accepted to medical school in Venezuela at 16 years old. With much debate, he chose to pursue baseball with the knowledge that he could always continue his education later in life. His passion for education has driven him to want to support other young people in their quest for knowledge.

With his financial donation pledge to the Twins Community Fund, Pablo has made it clear that he is choosing to make an impact while he’s in Minnesota. He has been ever-present at Community Engagement events since his arrival. Hospital visits, speaking at schools and engaging with fans are the norm in his schedule. He provided mentoring to high school students through the MTCF High School Leadership Academy. He provided inspiration to young athletes at the Youth Game Takeover. Pablo is always ready to help someone.

In addition to the charitable work mentioned above, Pablo spent countless hours signing autographs at TwinsFest, helping to raise more than $140,000 annually for the Twins Community Fund, which benefits youth baseball and softball.

Former Twins utility player and current third base coach Tommy Watkins has always been known as a dedicated, consummate professional who always has a smile on this face and a passion for helping others. Tommy’s commitment to giving back to his hometown of Fort Myers and the communities where he’s played, managed and coached has been a priority his entire career.

Sports not only led Tommy to his career, but they also taught him life lessons about positive energy, friendship, setting goals and self-esteem on and off-the-field. This is why Tommy started his own nonprofit foundation. His goal is to ensure that current and future generations can grow up with hope and knowing their dreams can be a reality.

The Tommy Watkins Foundation is dedicated to providing social, athletic, educational and scholarship opportunities for youth in need. The Foundation continuously strives to improve the quality of life for children and young adults, enabling them to participate, learn and contribute to their community while experiencing lifelong memories.

As a coach, Tommy is always finding ways to give back to our local community. He has mentored young athletes from North Minneapolis, distributed free gloves to hundreds of kids, visited children in the hospital who are battling cancer, and speaks to young athletes at Twins Camps. He also spends countless hours signing autographs at TwinsFest, helping to raise more than $280,000 for the Twins Community Fund. He has also taken part in the Minnesota Twins Winter Caravan, spending four days traveling the Upper Midwest to visit with community groups and Minnesota Twins fans.