Kyle Higashioka will receive the Thurman Munson Award

EL NUEVO DIARIO, NEW YORK – Yankees catcher, Kyle Higashioka has been announced among the honorees of the 43rd annual Thurman Munson Awards dinner, which recognizes success and inspiration on the field of play, as well as community spirit off the field.

The Mets outfielder was also selected to receive the Munson Awards. Brandon Nimmo , Mets manager Buck Showalter and LPGA champion and World Golf Hall of Famer Annika Sörenstam. The dinner is scheduled for February 7 at Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piers in New York.

Tina Cervasio and Michael Kay will co-host the awards ceremonies and dinner, which pay tribute to the late Yankees captain, whose life was tragically cut short by a plane crash on August 2, 1979.

The longest-serving player in the Yankees organization, Higashioka is an ardent supporter of the MLB Youth Academy in Compton, California, of which he is a proud alumnus. The 32-year-old has devoted much of his spare time to ensuring that future major leaguers in inner-city neighborhoods have the same opportunities to thrive as those who grew up in less urban settings.

Higashioka is also a devoted supporter of the Special Operations Warriors Foundation a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering the families of fallen and seriously injured special operations warriors and the children of all medal honor recipients.

The event benefits the AHRC NYC Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports programs for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Diana Munson, Thurman’s widow, will be in attendance. She has been involved since its inception, helping to raise more than $19 million to support richer, more productive lives for the people AHRC serves.

AHRC NYC is one of the largest organizations of its kind, serving 15,000 children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism, cerebral palsy, and traumatic brain injury.

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