It was a great night at LoanDepot Park in Miami! Marlins pitcher Declan Cronin was presented with the Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame’s Diaspora Award prior to the Marlins-Pirates game on Irish Heritage Night.
The award was presented by Sarah Kavanagh, Consul General of Ireland in Miami, and Robert Pecchio of the Irish American Baseball Society and the South Florida Emerald Society. Also in attendance were Ray Lynch and Keith Reynolds of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, as well as John and Ann Eustace and Bill Cassidy, representatives of the South Florida Emerald Society.
The term Irish diaspora refers to Irish immigrants and their descendants who live outside of Ireland. This award recognizes Declan Cronin’s pride in his Irish roots and his achievements in professional baseball.
Declan, whose great-grandparents came to America from County Cork, Ireland, is a graduate of Regis High School in New York City and the College of the Holy Cross, where he was an honor roll student with a major in history and a minor in philosophy.
He was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 36th round and made his MLB debut on July 30, 2023. In 2024, he set a Marlins franchise record by pitching 65 innings before allowing a home run and he was named the Marlins’ Rookie of the Year by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.
Congratulations, Declan, and good luck this season!
