COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — Carlos Beltrán, recently inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, paid tribute to his Puerto Rican heritage and family during his induction speech at the Clark Sports Center on Sunday. Speaking to a crowd estimated at 12,000, Beltrán incorporated a line from a song by Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny as a heartfelt acknowledgment to his parents, Wilfredo and Carmen.

While much of his speech was delivered in English, Beltrán switched to Spanish to quote a lyric from Bad Bunny’s “La Mudanza,” which he described as a tribute to parents. The phrase, “Un aplauso pa Mami y Papi porque en verdá rompieron,” translates to “One round of applause for Mom and Dad because they truly crushed it.” Beltrán remarked that he admires how Bad Bunny uses his music to promote Puerto Rican culture and highlight the importance of family.

Beltrán was inducted alongside former Dodgers players Jeff Kent and Andruw Jones. During his address, Beltrán emphasized the significance of honoring one’s roots and the influence of family in his career and personal life. Though he and Bad Bunny have not met, Beltrán expressed appreciation for the rapper’s contributions to Puerto Rican identity on a global stage, pointing to Bad Bunny’s recent performance at the Super Bowl halftime show as a prominent example.

The ceremony at the Hall of Fame celebrated the achievements of players who have left a lasting impact on baseball, with Beltrán’s homage underscoring the role of cultural pride and family support in reaching such milestones.