Josh Bell was named Player Ambassador to Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy.

On May 8th, 2021, the Washington Nationals announced that newly acquired first baseman Josh Bell was named the Player Ambassador to the Nationals Youth Academy, which is the signature program of Nationals Philanthropies, which acts as the official charitable organization.

Previous Player Ambassadors include Ian Desmond and Anthony Rendon.

"Since opening the doors of the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy, we have benefited from meaningful engagement from Nationals players with our Scholar Athletes," said Tal Alter, CEO of Nationals Philanthropies, said in the announcement over the weekend.. "The official Player Ambassador has forged deep and lasting relationships with our kids and cemented the bonds between the Academy and the clubhouse. Josh Bell will carry forward this legacy. We could not be more excited to have a player – and a person – of Josh's caliber encouraging our Scholars and representing the Academy in the community."

Josh will play an important role in representing the Youth Baseball Academy in the Nationals clubhouse and the D.C. community. He will support the Academy's work by making regular visits to the facility throughout the year and serving as a role model for the Academy's Scholar-Athletes.

Baseball is a wonderful game that has given so much to me and taught me many valuable life lessons," said Josh Bell. "I am humbled to serve as the Player Ambassador to the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy and to have the opportunity to share my love of baseball with the kids and all it has taught me. I cannot wait to be part of the Academy family and to begin forging meaningful relationships with the Scholar Athletes soon."

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Conceived as part of a public-private partnership between the District government and Major League Baseball in the deal that brought the Nationals to Washington, D.C., the Academy operates out of a state-of-the-art, nine-acre education and recreation campus constructed in the Fort Dupont Park neighborhood in Ward 7. The facility features an 18,000-square-foot education center complete with seven classrooms, a full teaching kitchen, and multi-purpose training/education space. Through a holistic youth development program – including academic enrichment, physical activity, and health education – the Academy imparts a lasting impact on the lives of school-age children living east of the Anacostia River.

For more information on the Academy, please visit natsacademy.org. To make a powerful and lasting difference in the lives of the Academy's Scholar Athletes, fans are encouraged to donate at bit.ly/NatsYBA.