'Gonzo' believes in MLB Diversity Hiring Summit
Luis Gonzalez talks about summit held March 8 and 9th in Phoenix, Arizona.
Arizona Diamondbacks great Luis Gonzalez is bringing awareness to Major League Baseball's annual Diversity Business Summit, dedicated to diversifying the front offices of MLB franchises.
A five-time All-Star outfielder, Gonzalez, a Cuban-American whose nickname is "Gonzo," is promoting this year's summit, which is being held in Phoenix, Arizona, on March 8 and 9. The summit will allow people interested in working in MLB to meet directly with teams hoping to hire talented men and women.
Gonzo spoke to Fox News Latino, offering more details about the event – which, he says, is a great way for minorities looking to be a part of MLB franchises to get their foot in the door.
According to MLB's own statistics, of the 538 front-office employees available in in 2014, 72 percent (or 389) were filled by white people. Just 13 percent (69) were held by Latinos. Of the league's 376 team vice presidents, 86 percent were white and 5 percent (only 19) were Latino. And of the league's 1,701 senior team administrators 81 percent were white, with 10 percent (170) being Latino.
The statistics show that MLB's front offices are less diverse than the product they put on the field. According to MLB, in 2014, 60 percent of ballplayers in the league were white, while 29 percent were Latino.
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