By: Eustoria Marie Borja
Koror, Palau – Bligh Madris, a professional baseball right fielder for the Detroit Tigers, will be visiting Palau this year from November 10-15. Madris, the first Palauan to play in Major League Baseball, will be accompanied by Fastpitch Olympian Jessica Mendoza.
Their visit, organized under the U.S. State Department’s Sports Envoy program, aims to inspire young athletes and promote the importance of sports. This program recruits professional athletes to lead clinics, participate in community activities, and highlight the values of leadership and teamwork. Madris and Mendoza will hold sports clinics and outreach activities, aiming to empower Palau’s next generation of athletes.
Bligh Madris debuted his professional baseball career in June 2022 playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates and traded to Houston Astros in 2023 and 2024 back to Detroit Tigers. He hails from the State of Peleliu to father Style Madris and mother Kim Madris of Nebraska, USA.