BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Trey Mancini is the Baltimore Orioles’ nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award, an honor for players who exhibit character, sportsmanship and philanthropy, the team announced on Tuesday.
The first baseman has worked as an ambassador for the the Colorectal Cancer Alliance following his recovery from stage III colon cancer and serves on the organization’s “Never Too Young” advisory board, the team said.
Mancini was first diagnosed with cancer in spring training 2020 and missed the pandemic-shortened season as he recovered from surgery to remove a malignant tumor from his colon and endured six months of chemotherapy treatment.
The team also cited Mancini’s friendship Mo Gaba, a Baltimore sports superfan who went through four different battles with cancer before dying in July 2020. Mancini visited with Gaba, took him out for activities, brought him to Orioles games, and bought food and clothes for the Gaba family, the team said.
The Trey Mancini Foundation has also partnered with the Frederick branch of Blessings in a Backpack to provide weekend means for elementary school-aged children who face food insecurity, according to the team.
On the season, Mancini is batting .261 with 21 home runs and 66 RBI. On June 20, he became the fastest Oriole in team history to reach 100 career home runs.
During the All-Star break, Mancini finished second to New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso in the Home Run Derby.
Roberto Clemente Day, named for the famed Pirates outfielder and humanitarian, is scheduled for Sept. 15, when the Orioles host the New York Yankees. Between Sept. 15 and Oct. 3, fans can vote for the overall winner of the Roberto Clemente Award at mlb.com/clemente21.
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