Former St. Louis Cardinals player Xavier Scruggs is embracing his role as the franchise’s first diversity, equity and inclusion consultant for the team’s Baseball Operations department.
His daily work will emphasize:
- Helping the Cardinals organization present favorable change concerning diversity and inclusion efforts.
- Educating and preparing players for cultural differences in baseball and their communities.
- Equipping players with resources and tools that best help them understand how their influence can affect people positively and/or negatively.
“I’m also grateful to be a part of positive change, and (President of Baseball Operations) John Mozeliak didn’t shy away from discussing that in our first conversation, about this position when I brought it up to him,” Scruggs said.
“This position is about acknowledging the past and moving forward with intentionality around many issues.”
He is also anxious to share thought and ideas with other diversity and inclusion leaders in the business community.
“I’d love to talk with anybody who has experience creating just and equitable work environments. So, I may work on my steps from there,” he said.
During his 26-game career in 2014 and 2015, Scruggs registered 57 at-bats with three doubles and nine RBI.
MLB offers minority business tips
Since its creation in 1998, Major League Baseball’s Diverse Business Partners program has spent more than $1 billion with diverse-owned businesses, and the Cardinals have been responsible for many of these expenditures.
The program has grown since its beginning to not just include minority and women owned businesses but also veteran-owned, LGBT-owned businesses and small businesses.
MLB is offering these tips to minority entrepreneurs seeking business opportunities with the Cardinals or any of the other 29 franchises.
- Know the Game of Baseball. Make it a habit to regularly check the baseball news and press release sections on MLB.com. Knowing the current issues or events in baseball can give your business a distinct advantage when proposing the use of your services.
- Certify your business with one of MLB’s preferred certifying agencies. MLB encourages diverse businesses to contact National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), Small Business Administration (SBA), National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC).
- Be Specific. Know the scope of your business and how it can service baseball. Suggesting that your business can service all 30 Clubs may not be practical. Be prepared to know which teams and markets you can support.
- Be realistic. Major League Baseball is proud of its world class brand. However, our franchises are small to medium size businesses. The demand for our business is competitive.
- Know your competition. Be prepared to identify who your competition may be and why your company is the preferred choice.