Major League Baseball is relying on diversity-focused programs to increase the number of black players

A recent study by the Central Florida Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sports revealed that in Major League Baseball (MLB), of all league players in 2023, only 6.2% were Black. This is the lowest percentage since last yr, when the percentage of Black players on the 2022 Opening Day roster was 7.2%.

According to , each numbers were the lowest since the study began in 1991, when 18% of players in the league were black. Of the five major skilled sports leagues (apart from the National Hockey League, wherein over 90% of players are white), including the National Basketball Association (NBA), National Football League (NFL), and Major League Soccer (MLS), MLB has the lowest percentage of blacks athletes of their squads.

In recent years, MLB has attempted to improve the recruitment of Black players and interact them in the sport through its programs focused on diversity. Most of these programs are funded by USA Baseball, the sport’s governing body in the United States. Some of these programs include the DREAM Series, Breakthrough Series, Hank Aaron Invitational, and girls baseball/softball events.

“We’re doubling down on what we’ve done,” said Del Matthews, MLB’s vp of baseball development, “because we’re producing kids who go to college and have internships in the sport. We’re seeing more kids playing in Division I college baseball leagues, and we’re seeing more kids getting called up to the minor leagues. So we just pass it on through the different programs we’ve had.”

USA Baseball pays for baseball-related amenities reminiscent of equipment, meals and potential travel to shows that will otherwise cost as much as $700 per event. Through various programs, between 1,200 and 1,500 children profit from participation, especially many children from lower-income families. Thanks to various programs, they will participate in several events a yr.

An annual tour of skilled camps across the state helps select kids with potential in sports. The route grows yearly. When it launched in 2018, it included 12 stops, and now 18 cities are participating. The goal age is around 13-14 years old, just before starting secondary school.

With programs like these, there are signs of progress at the skilled level. Approximately 17.4% of players chosen in the first round of the 2012–2021 baseball draft were Black. That number increased to 30% in 2022, with 4 of the first five selections being Black players. This was the first time this had happened, and all 4 were graduates of at the very least one MLB diversity initiative; 20% (10) of the first 50 players chosen in the first draft last yr were black players.

There is still much work to be done to increase these numbers. When the league recently announced its Spring Breakout lineups, 9.5% of players were Black. These include 31 graduates of MLB’s diversity programs.