Mookie Betts was named the 2025 recipient of Major League Baseball’s most prestigious individual player honor, the Roberto Clemente Award, which is annual recognition of an MLB player who best represents the game through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy, and positive contributions, both on and off the field.
Betts was nominated by the Los Angeles Dodgers for his many extraordinary efforts, including supporting young people in a variety of ways and helping victims of the L.A. fires. Betts will be formally presented with the Roberto Clemente Award at Dodger Stadium before Game 3 of the World Series.
An eight-time MLB All-Star, 2018 American League MVP, and three-time World Series Champion, Betts has made meaningful humanitarian contributions, creating opportunities and better outcomes for the less fortunate.
Betts is the founder of the 5050 Foundation, which is dedicated to breaking barriers for underserved youth through four core pillars: mental/emotional health, nutrition, financial literacy, and physical fitness. Additionally, his foundation raised more than $100,000 through community fundraising efforts this March.
He partnered with the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF) to contribute $160,000 to the Brother Crusade, supporting hunger and homelessness initiatives. In March, he served customers at a local Raising Cane’s in Alhambra, helping raise more than $100,000 for his 50/50 Foundation.
Betts donated more than $30,000 in Nike apparel to victims of the 2025 L.A. fires, and he and his foundation also helped the Franklin family of Altadena, who lost their home in the Eaton Fire, through financial assistance and recovery resources.
During the 2024-25 school year, Betts and the 5050 Foundation in partnership with the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) launched an academic challenge focused on students in high school athletics. Students competed for best overall grade-point average (team and individual), and most improved GPA (team and individual). Students received recognition at a Dodger game, and winning teams and students received sports equipment.
In June, Mookie invited the Baseball Generations organization to Dodger Stadium for a Juneteenth educational programming and Black Heritage Night game.
Betts partnered with the Obama Foundation to deliver youth sports equipment and fund the Mookie Betts Metro Baseball Tournament in Nashville. He also founded “Team Mookie” AAU basketball program in his hometown — funding six competitive youth teams, including the 2024 EYBL 16U National Champions.
Betts established the “Betts on Us Fund” at UCLA Children’s Hospital, supporting families of pediatric patients in need of financial assistance.
To introduce the 5050 Foundation to a broader audience, the organization launched the annual Mookie Betts + Friends Bowling Tournament in 2023, with proceeds from the 2024 event supporting field improvements at Jackie Robinson’s alma mater, John Muir High School — including dugout renovations, outfield widescreens, and other enhancements to elevate the quality of the field.
Betts and his 5050 Foundation also hosted a financial literacy workshop this past January for three different local high schools at Dodger Stadium, where students learned important financial literacy tools from seasoned Bank of America professionals.
Betts remains an active participant in Dodgers community initiatives, including Make-A-Wish visits, UCLA Health engagements, Jackie Robinson Day, Black Heritage Night celebrations and more.
Mookie Betts becomes fourth Dodgers’ player to win Roberto Clemente Awarrd
The concept of honoring Major League players for their philanthropic work was created in 1971 as the “Commissioner’s Award.” It was renamed to the “Roberto Clemente Award” in 1973 to honor the Hall of Famer and 15-time All-Star who died in a plane crash on New Year’s Eve 1972 while attempting to deliver supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.
Betts has now become the fourth Dodgers player to win the award, joining Steve Garvey (1981), Clayton Kershaw (2012) and Justin Turner (2022).
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