Pitcher Marcus Stroman honored at Puerto Rico’s Day at the Ballpark event at Yankee Stadium

The Puerto Rico’s Day at the Ballpark event series kicks off its 2024 season on April 25, 2024 when New York Yankees starting pitcher Marcus Stroman will be honored before the game against the Oakland Athletics at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.

The Puerto Rico Convention District Authority (PRCDA) has officially signed on as the presenting sponsor for this year’s lead-off event, which will be followed with on-field ceremonies in Tampa on August 16 and Minnesota on September 15.

Puerto Rico’s Day at the Ballpark pays tribute to the island’s rich 125-year baseball history dating back to 1898, and also as a source of many notable Major League ballplayers over the years. In the fall of 2022, the organizers partnered with the PRCDA to honor baseball legend Roberto Clemente.

The teams participating in Puerto Rico’s Day at the Ballpark during the 2023 season included the Texas Rangers, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers, Minnesota Twins, Pittsburgh Pirates and Atlanta Braves.

The players honored included Ivan Rodriguez, Edwin Diaz, Joey Cora, Francisco Lindor, Alex Cora, Javier Baez, Juan Nieves, Alex Lange, Riley Greene, Joe Jiménez, Eddie Rosario, Joshua Palacio and Carlos Correa.

Marcus Stroman is Puerto Rican from his mother Adlin Auffant’s side of the family. Stroman, originally from Long Island, has been a frontline pitcher for the Blue Jays, Mets, Cubs and now with the Yankees.

As part of the series, the organizers commissioned custom-designed artwork commemorating each of the Puerto Rican ballplayers, while drawing from their heritage.

“Puerto Rico loves baseball for many reasons and we are proud that so many excellent players call us home. This sport is part of our tradition of who we are, of our history. It is impossible to speak about our Island without mentioning Ivan Rodriguez, Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada and Ed Figueroa and so many others,” said Mariela Vallines, executive director of the PRCDA.

“It’s a great honor to elevate the positive image of Puerto Rican baseball since the late 1800s until today by sharing historical baseball data and recognizing the Puerto Rican baseball stars on MLB teams in 2024,” said Ralph Paniagua, publisher of LatinoBaseball.com.

Puerto Rico Convention District Authority (PRCDA) is a public corporation whose mission is to develop and operate the Convention District, positioning Puerto Rico as a world-class business, tourism, and entertainment destination.

21 Events, based in Puerto Rico, is responsible for producing events that celebrate Puerto Rico’s culture and the success of the people of the island. 21 Events is a powerhouse sponsorship and activations platform for Latino sports, entertainment, experiential, and digital. 21 Events, has spearheaded Fortune 100 brand activations with more than 18 Major League Baseball teams, the Roberto Clemente Foundation, the Tito Puente Foundation and Jose Feliciano Family, among others.

LatinoBaseball staff