"I am ashamed of the game" - When former Astros manager Dusty Baker felt saddened over lack of US-Born Black Players in the World Series

Dusty Baker is a beloved figure in the MLB universe. The former player and manager has spent his entire life in the world of baseball dating back to 1968, when he made his MLB debut at 19 years old.

Following his playing career, Dusty Baker moved to coaching, a realm in which he excelled. Over the course of his coaching career, Baker served as a manager for 26 seasons, winning the Manager of the Year Award three times. However, one thing eluded him as a manager, winning the World Series.

Well, Baker was finally able to cross that off of his list, winning the World Series as the manager of the Houston Astros. Although that moment was an unforgettable one for him, there was an issue lingering over the 2022 World Series that bothered the future Hall of Famer, the lack of US-born black players.

When asked about the lack of US-born black players in the 2022 World Series, the then-manager of the Houston Astros told MLB insider Bob Nightengale, "Wow! Terrible, I’m ashamed of the game. Quote me. I am ashamed of the game."

"Dusty Baker asked about the fact this is the 1st World Series since 1950 without a U.S.-born Black player: “I don't think that that's something that baseball should really be proud of. It looks bad. It let's people know it didn't take a year or even a decade to get to this point” - @MarkBerman_

Dusty Baker explained that while he was disappointed by the lack of US-born black players in the 2022 World Series, he was optimistic that it was something that would change in the future. "You can tell by the number of African-American No. 1 draft choices. The academies are producing players," Baker told Nightengale.

As Dusty Baker said, there are a number of US-born black players considered top MLB prospects

The future of the MLB appears to be in a good place with the number of elite players rising through the ranks. The evolution of baseball has seen pitchers continually pitching faster, and a growing emphasis on physically gifted athletes.

This not only refers to the number of players in general but also the number of elite prospects from diverse backgrounds. When it comes to US-born black baseball prospects, there are a number looking to make an impact at the MLB level.

"Jordan Walker's inspiration: family and fans #ForTheLou" - @Cardinals

Some of those players include Jordan Walker of the St. Louis Cardinals, James Wood of the Washington Nationals, Termarr Johnson of the Pittsburgh Pirates, and Druw Jones of the Arizona Diamondbacks.