ST. PETERSBURG — Cedric Mullins is admittedly “a quiet person by nature,” but he hasn’t been shy about his desire to help out in the local community.
The Clemente Award is given annually to the player who best represents the game through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field. All 30 Major League teams nominate one player to be considered for the league-wide award, which will be presented during the World Series.
Mullins was recognized by the Rays during a pregame ceremony at Tropicana Field on Tuesday night, when the Rays joined the rest of MLB in celebrating the life and legacy of Clemente, the Hall of Fame outfielder and humanitarian, on Roberto Clemente Day.
“I think it’s really cool,” Mullins said. “I have, over the course of the seasons, been chipping away at just helping others. Along this path, my journey, it’s kind of been the case for me — someone along the way has chipped into where I’m at today — and I just always want to give back and give it forward.”
Mullins has done that in a variety of ways, even after joining a new team and calling the Tampa Bay area home for the first time. Back in Spring Training, he began having conversations about how he could get involved in a new community and find ways to give back.
This season, Mullins has pledged $150 to Burg Baseball Inc. for each of his stolen bases. Burg Baseball is a youth baseball league in St. Petersburg that seeks to remove financial barriers for underserved youth who want to play baseball. That cause resonated with Mullins.
“Baseball can be a very expensive sport, and I want to be able to create opportunities for kids to not only enjoy the game but to be able to participate in it,” he said. “You never know how far that can go.”
Mullins has also pledged $50 to Water Mission for each of his hits this season. Water Mission is a global engineering nonprofit organization that builds safe water solutions in developing countries. Mullins came to that cause — “Clean water seems like a basic human right and need,” he noted — through Big League Impact and wanted to find a way to help.
With Mullins’ contributions and matching donations from the Rays Up Foundation, Burg Baseball and Water Mission are each projected to receive $20,000 in total donations this season, according to the Rays.
“I just feel like personally, whatever journey you’re on, there’s always going to be assistance along the way, whether it’s known or unknown,” Mullins said. “Just to be a part of someone else’s journey, whether they know it’s just a little asset to them or not, it always feels good.”
As the Rays’ nominee for the Clemente Award, Mullins received a $7,500 grant from MLB Charities to direct toward a cause of his choice. He chose the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation Central & Northeastern Florida Chapter, which seeks to find a cure for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis and improve the quality of life for those living with the diseases.
It’s a highly personal donation for Mullins, who was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 2020 and underwent intestinal surgery that November.
That ordeal also revealed a special element of Mullins’ character and care for others: He didn’t share the diagnosis or surgery until March 2022, because he wanted to make sure then-teammate Trey Mancini received the full spotlight as he returned to the Orioles after undergoing colon cancer surgery and chemotherapy.
Mullins said he learned how far-reaching Crohn’s disease was after making his diagnosis public. Now, he wants to serve as a beacon of hope to remind others affected that the disease doesn’t have to keep them from pursuing their goals.
“I just thought it was important to give back, especially to younger kids who are pursuing baseball as well who think that Crohn’s is a stopping point for them,” he said.
Mullins and his wife, Erika, have found other ways to volunteer throughout the season, with Mullins noting their community work is “definitely a team effort.”