SAN DIEGO — The 2022 Major League Baseball World Series between the Astros and Phillies was the first since 1950 that no U.S.-born black players played.
A former MLB player and local high school baseball coach told CBS 8 they're disappointed by the 2022 rosters but also say they're not surprised.
"We had players that looked like the people I grew up around and me, and it's sad to see we've gotten to this point," said Dallas Booker, the head baseball coach at Morse High School.
He said baseball expenses could be a barrier for some kids.
Former Major League Baseball player Jacque Jones agrees.
"You get cleats that will run you $200, and a glove is $200 or $300, a bat will run you another $200 or $300, and then you got to pay registration.
These travel ball teams are a couple of thousand dollars a pop," Jones said.
In addition, Baseball scholarships are harder to earn, with division one teams only having 11.7 scholarships to divide between a maximum of 27 players.
More scholarships for black students and more promotions from the MLB could help.
"Baseball is a multi-billion dollar industry, maybe more now. So I have always said I believe that major league baseball should step in and supply scholarships for baseball," Jones said.
Booker said looking at how the NFL operates could help the MLB.
"The NFL does a good job at targeting everybody, so maybe baseball can do a better job targeting all demographics," he said.
They said they're keeping their hopes high for the future of baseball.
Last summer was the first time in MLB draft history that four of the first five players selected were black Americans.
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