Associated Press
NEW YORK – The percentage of Black players on opening day rosters increased in consecutive years for the first time in at least two decades, according to recent statistics released by Major League Baseball (MLB).
Some 6.8 percent of players on opening day rosters, injured lists and the restricted list were Black, up from 6.2% at the start of the 2025 season and 6.0% at the beginning of 2024.
This year’s 0.6% increase was the most in a season since a 0.7% rise from 2017 to 2018.
While the percentage of Black MLB players has risen slightly in the past year, the number remains significantly lower than the 18% recorded when the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport at Central Florida started issuing its reports in 1991.
Twenty of the 64 Black players had been in programs such as the MLB Youth Academy, Breakthrough Series, DREAM Series, Nike RBI and the Hank Aaron Invitational.
MLB said the total includes 22 players 25 or younger and eight older than 32. The average age of Black players was 27.8 and the overall average 29.25.
In addition, 17 Black players assigned to the minor leagues were on opening day 40-man rosters, including seven from MLB development programs.
