Unity in the Community

Before Tuesday night’s scheduled game, pitcher Andrew Abbott held a meet & greet and provided dinner in appreciation for the police officers who work the games and keep fans and players safe at Great American Ball Park.

Abbott spoke to and thanked the group of about 30 officers before signing autographs and taking photos. He also had Skyline Chili and Penn Station catered for the policemen to enjoy.

“I have the utmost respect for these guys. They’re out there protecting everybody, including myself,” Abbott said. “I just thought it would be nice to highlight some of the good that they do which people might disregard. They hold a near and dear place in my heart, I know a lot of the cops in my hometown. So a little recognition every now and then can go a long way.”

Jeimer Candelario, Santiago Espinal, TJ Friedl, Spencer Steer and Jose Trevino visited Seacrest Studios at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital on Tuesday.

The players met with patients and held a Q&A, played a game, signed autographs and posed for photos.

Madisonville Field, home to Shroder High School and the longstanding Madisonville Braves and Lady Braves organizations, is the most recent beneficiary of the Reds Community Fund’s local field renovation efforts. The highlight of the Madisonville Field project is a new synthetic infield which makes the field accessible to boys and girls of all ages while ensuring fewer weather-related cancellations.

“This has become really the staple of what we're trying to do with youth baseball and softball in our communities; these synthetic infields are a game changer,” Reds President and CEO Phil Castellini said. “Not only will this field get so much more playing time for the sports it's dedicated to, but so many other activities can take place for the community on this field. So it'll have a life well beyond baseball and softball, and I hope the entire community and the school continues to benefit.”

The Reds joined Major League Baseball’s annual celebration of Jackie Robinson Day with activities at the ballpark and the P&G MLB Cincinnati Reds Youth Academy.

On April 15, Reds pitcher Hunter Greene held a special meet & greet with the Wilberforce University baseball team to discuss the legacy and impact of Robinson and gifted the players new cleats. During the game, players, managers and coaches wore No. 42 jerseys to honor Robinson’s historic debut along with a ‘42’ patch on the caps. In addition, the Reds honored the baseball legend with pregame ceremonies and fans in attendance received a commemorative #42 adhesive patch, courtesy of Network for Hope.

A few days earlier, the Reds Youth Academy hosted its fourth annual Joe Morgan HBCU Classic along with six baseball and softball games from the Skyline Chili Reds Futures High School Showcase presented by PNC. The HBCU players wore throwback Negro Leagues jerseys and the high school players were provided a No. 42 tech T-shirt and black Nike cap.

On March 31, Reds players Nick Lodolo and Graham Ashcraft, along with Rangers players Jake Burger and Corey Seager, stopped by GiGi’s Playhouse Down Syndrome Achievement Center. The visit propels the notion that Baseball Welcomes All, which is the initiative of focus for the Reds Country Cares program in the month of April.

The Reds and Rangers were proud to come together to celebrate connection, joy and belonging. Big Leagues, Big Impact.

The visit was made possible by The Burger Family Foundation.

One day after taking the mound at Great American Ball Park for 2025 Opening Day, Reds pitcher Hunter Greene provided baseball gear for over 400 youth baseball and softball players.

On March 28, Greene welcomed local kids ages 8-17 to Madisonville Recreation Center where the young ballplayers were given an assortment of equipment ranging from baseball cleats and fielding gloves to bats, bags and more. There was a DJ onsite along with free snacks, entertainment and a Graeter’s Ice Cream truck for the three-hour event. The Reds All-Star partnered with Full Circle Consulting System, Inc., JustBats and local nonprofit Activities Beyond the Classroom to make the equipment drive possible.

On March 26, Elly De La Cruz visited Bea Taylor Market at Freestore Foodbank to pitch in for water sustainability. The Reds’ All-Star shortstop helped volunteers from the Holy Cross High School baseball team stock bottles of water at the local nonprofit while also taking time to sign autographs, pose for photos and speak with the media.