When Francisco Lindor was growing up in Puerto Rico, one of the prominent history lessons growing up was about Roberto Clemente and the legacy that he left behind.
Clemente, a native of Puerto Rico, was one of the greatest baseball players of his generation, a staunch advocate for Latin American athletes and a humanitarian with a passion for helping the less fortunate and kids through sports.
Those lessons resonated with Lindor through his youth. Now, the Mets shortstop has received one of the top distinctions in Major League Baseball as he was named the 2026 recipient of the Roberto Clemente Award on Monday morning.
What Francisco Lindor said about winning Roberto Clemente Award
The award has been given each year since 1971 to a player who best represents baseball through sportsmanship, community involvement and positive contributions on and off the field.
"To me, this honor, this award, it's probably one of the most important awards in MLB, just because it's not about myself," Lindor said. "It's about my family, my parents, how much they have instilled in me to give and share the blessings that I have had.
"And to be part of a fraternity, a community of all the recipients that have won this award, guys like (Carlos) Delgado, (Carlos) Beltran, Edgar Martinez, guys that I grew up idolizing, the Molinas. There's so many big names that represented the game the right way on the field but off the field, they were even greater."
Lindor is the fifth player to receive the recognition as a member of the Mets, joining Curtis Granderson (2016), Delgado (2006), Al Leiter (2000) and Gary Carter (1989).
The award brings added meaning for Lindor as a native of Puerto Rico. He credited his parents for pushing him to give back and his wife for playing a key role in their philanthropic efforts.
"Hopefully this inspires another generation to continue to care for others, continue to love your neighbors, continue to love, continue to give back," Lindor said. "Sometimes us athletes can be seen like we're so far away from the general public, but we're not. We are in the communities. We are giving back and we are helping. Hopefully this is going to give me a bigger platform to continue to help and create better opportunities for people back home."
How Francisco Lindor is involved in the community
Lindor's efforts to give back predate his time with the Mets. Since 2020, he has donated more than $1 million to develop Lindor Hall, a two-story middle school with science and technology labs, at his alma mater Monteverde Academy near Orlando, Florida. He also established a scholarship fund at the school.
Along with his wife, Katia, the Lindor have partnered with the SEEN Foundation, which supports families and caregivers navigating cancer and disabilities. Lindor has done his part to bring out impacted children to the ballpark on his "Smile Tuesdays".
"One of the things I'm most proud of, I would say, the SEEN thing that my wife and I are involved (with), because my kids get to be in it too," Lindor said. "They get to greet that group. I'm extremely proud of it because my kids get to experience it firsthand, and hopefully, this is just us planting the seed in their heads that this is a way of living. We are blessed and we gotta bless others, not because it's a requirement but because it's in our personalities."
The Mets shortstop has also launched Lindor's Leaders, a development program centered on mental health, communication, teamwork and leadership for students in Bayside High School's sports medicine program where he mentors students.
"It's more about being there for them, not just touching them one time and disappearing," Lindor said. "It's about being there and being able to have conversations with them throughout the year. That's one that I take a lot of pride in."
Now, Lindor has been acknowledged as a diligent disciple of Clemente. He will receive the honor of wearing a patch of Clemente's iconic No. 21 on his hat each time he steps on the field and join the pantheon of other great MLB players who paid it forward.
"It's a little bit surreal," Lindor said. "This, to me, it's bigger than baseball. We are in the entertainment business and we are there to bring smiles and joy to people but to also carry off the field. To me, it's even cooler. It's something that I'll forever continue to do."
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Francisco Lindor wins Roberto Clemente Award. What he said about honor