"I am the only Black guy, I dress a little different" - Rangers pitcher Marc Church gets emotional over challenges faced by people of color in MLB

Texas Rangers pitcher Marc Church may not be a household name at this point of his career, however, that is something that he hopes will change. The 24-year-old former prospect has been working this offseason in the hopes of earning a regular spot with the club this season.

After making his MLB debut in 2024, which saw him record a strikeout and give up a hit in his lone inning of work for the Texas Rangers, Marc Church could play an important role this upcoming season. While Church as the tools to succeed in Major League Baseball, the young pitcher gave an candid look at other aspects of the game that some fans, or even other players see.

In an interview with MLB insider Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News, Church gave an insight into playing professional baseball as a person of color. For Church, the young pitcher explained some of the challenges he has had to deal with as he looks to establish himself in Major League Baseball.

“There are a lot of challenges beyond the baseball field that guys don’t really consider. Most times, I am the only Black guy, or there are one or two others in the clubhouse. I listen to different types of music. I dress a little different. It’s just the way I am," Marc Church told Evan Grant.

Church explained that it has been helpful for him to have fellow young pitcher Kumar Rocker on the roster. Rocker, who was listed as the Texas Rangers' number 2 prospect in 2024, is the son of a Black father and Indian mother. Church explained that his friendship with Kumar has helped him throughout his baseball career.

"It’s always easier when you have somebody like that in the clubhouse with you, because this is a hard game, and you need somebody that you can talk to and you can relate to," Church continued.

Although there have been black pitchers throughout history, Grant notes that New York Yankees legend CC Sabathia is only the 4th black pitcher in the post-segregation era to earn Hall of Fame enshrinement.

Marc Church has been solid so far in Spring Training, which could help his case for a MLB spot

After a poor first outing of Spring Training against the Chicago White Sox, which saw Church give up a pair of runs over an innning of work, the young pitcher bounced back in his second outing.

On Thursday, Church entered the game against the Seattle Mariners and got the results he was looking for. Again, Marc Church pitched 1.0 innings, however, he was able to make it through without surrendering a hit, while also recording a strikeout. If he can keep this up, he could lock up a bullpen spot for the season ahead.