SEATTLE -- Nelson Cruz didn't have to venture far to find the perfect role model for how to succeed as a designated hitter.
Major League Baseball announced Thursday that the 37-year-old Cruz has been selected as the 2017 winner of the Edgar Martinez Outstanding Designated Hitter Award, named after the man who has been Cruz's hitting coach with the Mariners for the past two and a half years.
"Nelson is truly deserving of the Edgar Martinez Outstanding Designated Hitter of the Year Award," Martinez said. "I see firsthand how his presence both in the clubhouse and in our lineup provides stability that makes his teammates around him better.