Seattle Mariners prospect Braden Bishop honored for Alzheimer’s fundraising

Seattle Mariners prospect Braden Bishop is being honored by Alzheimer’s of Greater Los Angeles for his innovative fundraising efforts.

Seattle Mariners outfield prospect Braden Bishop is enjoying his first major league spring training. He’s already banged out eight hits in 21 at-bats and has a .381/.391/.524 batting line. Even more important, every one of those hits results in a donation to Alzheimer’s of Greater Los Angeles.

Bishop started things off by pledging money for every hit he gets in spring training with the hashtag #Hits2EndALZ, and more than 100 players and coaches have joined the cause. Pitchers are using the hashtag #Ks2EndALZ and donating for each strikeout they get.

Bishop will be honored for his fundraising work at the Visionary Women’s Luncheon in November as one of this year’s Breaking Boundaries awardees. The Breaking Boundaries Award is “for innovative, creative, or groundbreaking efforts related to Alzheimer’s advocacy, care, or research.” Bishop has used his status as a professional baseball player to inspire fundraising for the cause.

For Bishop, this is a very personal endeavor. His mother suffers from early-onset Alzheimer’s. Early-onset represents anyone under the age of 65. Bishop’s mother, Suzy, was just 50 years old when her symptoms became noticeable. Bishop has seen her struggle, saying,

"“Five years ago she was normal, and five years has completely changed her to not being able to have any freedoms.”"

At one time, Suzy was the vice president of production at NBC. Bishop remembers how eloquently she spoke and the times when she used to pitch batting practice to him in his little league days. Now she has difficulty communicating and confuses Bishop with his brother, Hunter, who plays baseball at Arizona State University.

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After playing baseball at the University of Washington, Bishop was drafted in the third round of the 2015 draft by the Seattle Mariners. It was a great moment personally for Bishop, but he didn’t know if he should pursue his dream of playing in the major leagues or stay home and spend time with his mother. Suzy encouraged him to chase his dream and he started his professional career with the Everett Aquasox in the Class-A Northwest League.

Whenever he plays, Bishop has “4MOM” either written on his arm or stitched into his glove. That’s the name of the charity he started while at the UW that is now partnered with Alzheimer’s of Greater Los Angeles. Bishop is committed to the cause, saying:

"“We want to find a cure. At some point, whether in my lifetime, or after it, or 100 years from now, the goal is to find a cure for this disease so hopefully one day people don’t have to be in the shoes me and my family are in.”"

Bracelets with amethyst stones and the 4MOM symbol are part of Bishop’s fundraising efforts.

In his baseball life, Bishop just completed his third professional season, splitting time with the High-A Modesto Nuts and Double-A Arkansas Travelers. He’s hit .296/.368/.376, with 43 steals in 279 minor league games, and is considered one of the top five prospects for the Mariners. His assets on the baseball diamond are his speed and defensive ability. He’s been compared to Kevin Pillar of the Toronto Blue Jays.

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In his real life, Bishop is a guy chasing a dream while doing what he can to prevent other families from going through what his family is going through — as he tweeted in February.

"“My charity @4MOM_ALZ started by me writing 4MOM on my forearm during games. Now it’s on my shoes, my glove, my hat and more importantly my mind. It provides perspective for me. Baseball is a game; Alzheimer’s is a life thing. It’s bigger than baseball.”"