The Washington Nationals have picked Nasim Nuñez as their 2026 nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award, recognizing his work in the local community.
The award is handed out once a year to one active MLB player, with each of the 30 teams sending forward one nominee. It goes to the player who “best represents the game of Baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field.”
The honor carries Roberto Clemente’s name for a reason. Clemente’s charitable work helped define his legacy before his sudden death on the 31st of December, 1972.
Nuñez has been around the Nationals’ community efforts since joining the organization through the Rule 5 Draft before the 2024 season. According to his MLB.com bio, he has been a regular presence at the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy in D.C. He also took part in the Academy’s 2026 graduation ceremony for rising high school freshman, helped with the team’s Negro League Night, and began working this year with the District of Columbia Interscholastic Athletics Association.
Washington has never had a player win the Roberto Clemente Award, including during the Expos years. Recent Nationals nominees have included Trevor Williams in 2025 for his work with Project 34 and individuals with spinal cord injuries, Josiah Gray in 2023 and 2024, Josh Bell in 2022, Max Scherzer in 2021 and Sean Doolittle in 2020.
Nuñez’s on-field season has drawn plenty of attention for different reasons. His offense has lagged, and his 52 wRC+ is the third-lowest mark in any single season for a hitter with at least 450 plate appearances since 2021. But he has brought value everywhere else.
His 97th percentile sprint speed has helped make him the 12th-most valuable baserunner in MLB this season, and his 46 stolen bases lead the majors. Defensively, he has been sharp too, with a fielding run value of +11 and a defensive runs saved mark of +14 at the keystone, both fourth-best in the major leagues.
Fan voting for the 2026 Roberto Clemente Award is open now, and Nuñez will be on the ballot through the World Series.
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