Charity extra special in hometown for Reds reliever Suter

This story was originally published on Sept. 11, 2024.

CINCINNATI -- As a player who has long prioritized community service and giving back, reliever Brent Suter is an unsurprising selection to be the Reds' nominee for this year's Roberto Clemente Award.

Local outreach is nothing new for Suter, who was active with community causes in and around Cincinnati even well before he pitched for the Reds.

"It's such an honor, so humbling to be even just mentioned with Roberto Clemente," said Suter, a Cincinnati resident since 1997 and a graduate of Moeller High School. "Being with my hometown team and receiving this honor, I'm really so thankful for the Reds and the opportunities they give all of us and the great work they do in the community. They make it really easy on us to give back."

The annual Roberto Clemente Award, chosen from among 30 nominees -- one per Major League club -- recognizes a Major League player who best represents the game of baseball "through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field."

When Suter signed with the Reds as a free agent in January after he spent time with the Brewers (2016-22) and Rockies (‘23), getting to play for his hometown team was certainly a key factor. But being able to hit the ground running with his community endeavors was also very important.

"It was definitely a huge factor in signing here -- it's been better than I could have ever imagined, in every way," Suter said.

One philanthropic endeavor Suter holds close to his heart is his work with the Joe Nuxhall Miracle League, which offers accessible and inclusive baseball fields for kids with special needs.

"I was involved with them since I was with the Hamilton Joes back in 2009-2010," said Suter, who played for that town's college summer baseball team, named after Reds Hall of Famer Joe Nuxhall.

Dating back to his years with the Brewers and Rockies, Suter frequently visited the P&G MLB Reds Youth Academy to mentor and speak with its young athletes. Since joining the Reds, he has remained involved at the academy. Suter was there for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at a new synthetic infield in April. During the All-Star break, he brought his family to the Reds Community Fund and USA Baseball event -- Fun At Bat -- where he pitched to kids and held a Q&A session.

"It's a special place. The Urban Youth Academy does such great work," Suter said.

Suter also regularly spends time with kids during Make-A-Wish visits and sees patients at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. That includes this month, when he is scheduled to return to the hospital to read the children's book he wrote, “The Binky Bandit.”

In June, Suter presented a check on behalf of the Reds to the ALS Triple Play initiative on Lou Gehrig Day.

An environmentalist and advocate for sustainability, Suter partnered with La Soupe. It's a local organization that takes food about to be wasted and repurposes it into soup and meals for those in need around the city.

Suter also does work for Players for the Planet, the group founded by former Reds outfielder Chris Dickerson, and helped with planting and gardening in the Bond Hill neighborhood as part of the RCF's annual community makeover. He also contributed to buying and delivering 30 beds through his connection to Sleep in Heavenly Peace -- a nonprofit that provides beds for kids in need.

"For sure, my faith is a big part of it," Suter said. "We try to be a light in the world and shine a light on others. Really, it's being thankful for the fans who show up and support us in our jobs. It's a responsibility to give thanks back to the fans and try to be part of the community and use our time and platform to bring joy to others and all of the people who support us. It's a really good responsibility, not just for baseball players, but athletes in general."