A lot of discussion has been had on what impact Jose Bautista brings to a team. If you were to look purely at the numbers, they tell a pretty compelling story.

Six consecutive All Star appearances, a Blue Jays’ first. Three-time Silver Slugger. Back-to-back titles as the MLB home run leader — the same years he received the Hank Aaron Award, voted by media and fans as the league’s top hitter. In fact, since 2010, Jose has led all of Major League Baseball with 249 home runs.

And in the Jays’ 40-year history, he ranks second overall in home runs, holds one of the top three highest on base percentage plus slugging stats and is the franchise leading position player with a wins above replacement of 35.6. It’s no wonder he’s seen as a formidable opponent, a face of the franchise and one of the greatest Blue Jays of all time.

But these numbers only tell half the story. Truth be told, what makes Bautista an All Star on the field, are his all-star contributions off the field.

What drives Bautista professionally is rooted in the strong family values instilled in him by his parents — lead by example, give back and most of all, the importance of an education. These core tenets have kept Bautista centred throughout his career and serve as a compass, guiding how he lives his life.

So much so, when his parents advised him against signing any baseball contract that did not outweigh the value of his education — he turned down the Yankees and then the Diamondbacks, opting to stay playing in the Dominican Republic, continuing school and waiting for the right offer.

It came from Don Odermann. Odermann founded the Latin Athletes Education Fund, which provided players from Latin America financial aid and the chance to study at and play for a U.S. college. It’s an opportunity that is crucial to players hoping to not only increase their chances of being seen and drafted, but equally as important, to do so while receiving an education — a significant gain if they weren’t destined for the big league.

But, Bautista was. He was one of the lucky ones.

So when he broke into the majors, he vowed to help those coming up in the ranks. It’s what inspired him to start the Bautista Family Education Fund (BautistaFund.org), to support student-athletes not only financially, but through mentorship. Jose felt it was his duty to carry on Odermann’s work and “do for other kids what he did for me.”

Being uniquely positioned to understand firsthand the challenges these individuals face, Bautista helps them navigate the system and culturally adapt to better set them up for success. In just five years, an impressive 37 recipients have benefited from this fund and the path he forged.

One key lesson he ensures to impart is that training your mind is as important as training your muscles. He continues to believe education should be part of the core foundation of any athlete’s college experience as well as coming up in the system. For Bautista, who went on to complete his degree in the off-seasons, it has provided the tools necessary to better understand the business side of sports, which would benefit both players and management. It has also enabled him to avoid missteps and capitalize on opportunities.

Remember the bat flip? Being at the centre of an epic moment in a club’s history is something most players only dream of. But thoughts of preserving the moment weren’t Bautista’s first. Charity was. He auctioned off the jersey he wore that night, raising more than $27,000 for his foundation. His bat has been used by the Jays Care Foundation and other charities as a way to raise funds for their respective causes.

That’s not unusual for Bautista. He negotiates a charitable element into every possible business deal he signs — a move that has helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for a number of causes and organizations.

Bautista recognizes he’s very fortunate to achieved all that he has and he takes great pride and joy in putting others first; doing it all quietly, and without fanfare.

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The history books will preserve his baseball accolades and stats, but the real impact of Jose Bautista will be felt for generations to come.

James Dodds is an executive with TD Bank Group, Canadian chair of the Bautista Family Education Fund and board member for the Jays Care Foundation.

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