Besides having a World Series ring, Texas Ranger’s second baseman Marcus Semien can also add the distinction of being nominated for the Roberto Clemente Award to his list of accolades. Semien’s name was one of several players picked by Major League Baseball, as a nominee for baseball’s most prestigious individual honor, presented by Capitol One.
Form the get go, Semien, who joined the Texas Rangers in 2021, played an active role in the Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation, and the Texas Rangers Baseball Youth Academy, according to a release.
“Marcus Semien’s impact goes far beyond the field,” said Neil Leibman, Texas Rangers president of business operations and COO. “His leadership and commitment to the game set a powerful example for young athletes, and his dedication to giving back to the community truly stands out”
MLB
To mark his selflessness, Semien will be recognized as the Rangers 2024 Robert Clemente Award nominee in a pregame ceremony on Tuesday, September 17.
On the field, Semien is currently batting at .238, has 19 home runs, and 67 RBIs in 141 games. Off the field, Semien has also racked up some wins when it comes to helping those in need.
Since 2022, Semien has participated in the Annual Texas Rangers Youth Academy distribution, which donates over 200 Thanksgiving dinners to local families in West Dallas at the Youth Academy, according to a release. In 2023 and 2024, Semien and his wife, Tarah, expanded their efforts by sponsoring The Semien Family Food Distribution, partnering with the non-profit Food for the Soul to provide over 1,500 boxes of fresh produce and shelf-stable goods to Youth Academy athletes throughout summer programming.
To top this off, Semien has also helped secure a $5,000 grant each year for equipment to go to the Academy through the Nike RBI Ambassador Program. Besides helping this Academy get resources, Semien also meets with youth athletes competing in the Nike RBI Regionals and gives them tips and encouragement before tournaments.
Semien also participates in the Equip the Future events with The Players Alliance, which creates mentorship opportunities for baseball and softball players to gain insight from current and former professional players, according to a release.
Semien was selected as the Rangers recipient of the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association’s 2024 Heart and Hustle Award. This honor recognizes active players who demonstrate a passion for the game of baseball and best embody the values, spirit, and traditions of the game.
MLB
The Roberto Clemente Award itself is an annual award given to 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.
This list of nominees (individually nominated by each MLB Club) features players whose various community-impact and philanthropic activities have focused on advocating and supporting important causes such as education programs, cancer, mental health, access to baseball & softball, environmental sustainability, and more.
The 30 Club nominees for the 2024 Roberto Clemente Award presented by Capital One, are as follows:
Arizona Diamondbacks – Paul Sewald *
Atlanta Braves – Chris Sale *
Baltimore Orioles – James McCann
Boston Red Sox – Liam Hendriks
Chicago Cubs – Patrick Wisdom *
Chicago White Sox – Andrew Vaughn *
Cincinnati Reds – Brent Suter
Cleveland Guardians – Steven Kwan *
Colorado Rockies – Kyle Freeland
Detroit Tigers – Tarik Skubal *
Houston Astros – Kyle Tucker *
Kansas City Royals – Salvador Perez
Los Angeles Angels – Mike Trout
Los Angeles Dodgers – Mookie Betts *
Miami Marlins – Jesús Luzardo *
Milwaukee Brewers – Freddy Peralta *
Minnesota Twins – Pablo López
New York Mets – Francisco Lindor
New York Yankees – Marcus Stroman
Oakland Athletics – Mason Miller *
Philadelphia Phillies – Kyle Schwarber
Pittsburgh Pirates – David Bednar
San Diego Padres – Manny Machado *
San Francisco Giants – Mike Yastrzemski *
Seattle Mariners – J.P. Crawford *
St. Louis Cardinals – Paul Goldschmidt
Tampa Bay Rays – Jason Adam *
Texas Rangers – Marcus Semien *
Toronto Blue Jays – Chris Bassitt *
Washington Nationals – Josiah Gray
*=First-time Nominee
