By naming Aaron Judge the 2023 Roberto Clemente Award winner, MLB recognized that Judge’s extraordinary contributions go even deeper than his homers

When Judge traveled to Arizona to accept his award during the 2023 World Series, five past honorees were there to welcome him into a most exalted fraternity. Of the 54 Clemente Award winners, 21 are in the Baseball Hall of Fame, with others sure to join them. But their collective contributions to society outweigh even their greatest on-field achievements. (Photo Credit: MLB Photos)

Perhaps Aaron Judge should not have been surprised to learn that he had been named the recipient of Major League Baseball’s most prestigious individual honor, the 2023 Roberto Clemente Award.

Bestowed annually since 1971, when Willie Mays was named winner of the inaugural “Commissioner’s Award,” the Clemente Award recognizes the player who best represents the game on and off the field. Every year, each team nominates one of its own who exhibits extraordinary character, community involvement and philanthropy and positive contributions on the diamond.

Judge’s baseball accomplishments have already secured his place in Yankees lore. In 2022, he broke Roger Maris’ 61-year-old American League record by blasting 62 home runs. The five-time All-Star won his first AL MVP Award after that season, and he was named the 16th captain in Yankees history shortly thereafter.

But for as long as Judge has been impressing onlookers with his play, he has quietly carried himself in a way befitting of a Yankees captain and a Clemente Award winner. In college, Judge capped off the 2012 summer in the Cape Cod Baseball League by earning the Brewster Whitecaps’ Citizenship Award for being a positive team member. He dreamed of following in the footsteps of Major Leaguers such as Dave Winfield, Derek Jeter and CC Sabathia, who started their own charitable foundations. After reaching the Majors and earning 2017 AL Rookie of the Year honors, he huddled with his parents and laid the groundwork for the Aaron Judge All Rise Foundation, whose mission has been to inspire young people to become responsible citizens and future leaders.

Judge has embodied everything that Clemente stood for and was honored to be nominated for the award last September, but he never imagined what it would be like to win it. So, he was caught off guard when, a couple weeks after the 2023 regular season ended, he received a phone call from Yankees vice president of communications and media relations Jason Zillo, who asked the star outfielder if he was sitting down for the news he was about to hear.

“I’m like, ‘Is there a trade going on or something? Is something happening?’” Judge recalled. “He said, ‘You won the Roberto Clemente Award.’

“I was speechless.”

Judge shared that conversation during a press conference held in Arizona prior to Game 3 of the 2023 World Series. At Chase Field to help celebrate the newest Clemente Award winner were Commissioner Rob Manfred; Roberto Clemente’s sons, Luis Clemente and Roberto Clemente Jr.; and previous Clemente Award winners Jeter, Albert Pujols, David Ortiz, Harold Reynolds and John Smoltz.

“We talk about the Clemente Award being our highest honor,” Manfred said. “It is our highest honor, because it represents the combination of on-field excellence and service in our communities.

“Aaron, you are, like so many of your fellow players, a real credit to our game.”

Manfred highlighted some of the ways in which Judge has made an impact, from hosting Make-A-Wish kids at Yankee Stadium to conducting youth baseball and softball clinics to supporting the movement to make social media a more positive environment. The Commissioner was only scratching the surface, though. Spend some time exploring the All Rise Foundation’s website, or watching Judge interact with fans wherever he goes, or listening to the people in his orbit. What becomes evident is that helping others isn’t something he does — it’s who he is.

“I’ve never seen a gala like this. This is incredible.”

Judge smiled broadly as his mother, Patty Judge, handed him an oversized gavel, which he hoisted over his shoulder like a baseball bat, much to the amusement of the hundreds of people gathered at Cipriani Wall Street in January for the foundation’s biggest fundraising event of the year. In attendance were familiar faces from nearly every stop along Judge’s journey — Yankees teammates, college coaches, apparel partners, childhood friends — all eager to support the foundation’s mission. Bidding on items such as a game of HORSE with Shaquille O’Neal, guests raised nearly $800,000 that will go toward initiatives such as All Rise’s mini-grant program, which has provided financial aid to more than two dozen community-based organizations in his home state of California and New York City.

Not long after Judge reached the Majors, he and his mother, Patty, launched the All Rise Foundation, which has impacted the lives of countless youth in myriad ways. Winning the 2023 Roberto Clemente Award gave them further inspiration to keep going. “Roberto’s legacy provides a path for us as an organization to emulate and learn from as we continue to grow,” said Patty Judge. (Photo Credit: New York Yankees)

But even those who lost out on auction items gained a deeper understanding of what makes Judge tick. Sharply dressed in a blue pinstriped suit, Judge spoke to the crowd about the importance of giving back in ways that have nothing to do with money.

“Every day we wake up, we’re gifted with a new opportunity: time,” he said. “I’ve learned over the years, time is the greatest item you could ever give or receive because it can’t be bought, you can’t take it back, and you never know how much of it you have left. When you guys reflect on your most impactful moment in your life, I’m sure it involves someone who paused and just poured a little bit of time into you. Whether it be a child learning a new skill or an adult sharing a moment of wisdom, passing on some knowledge, the currency of time is invaluable.

“I believe by providing kids with the right tools, opportunities and time, we’re setting them up to become the best version of themselves: better friends, better family members, better employers and employees. And, ultimately, better people in our community. Through the All Rise Foundation and our programs, we strive to achieve the legacy that will live long after I’m done on the baseball field.”