Ken Griffey Jr. using MLB Legacy to Elevate HBCU Baseball

Ken Griffey Jr. is aware of what greatness seems like. The swing. The swagger. The 630 dwelling runs. However now, the Corridor of Famer is utilizing his iconic standing to highlight a special type of legacy—one rooted in entry, visibility, and alternative on the HBCU degree. Griffey’s mission is easy: use his MLB legacy to raise Traditionally Black Faculties and Universities (HBCUs) and the gifted baseball gamers who typically go unseen. And he’s doing it by means of the HBCU Swingman Basic.

Griffey’s son, Tevin Griffey, lately performed soccer at Florida A&M College (FAMU), one of the crucial storied HBCUs within the nation. Throughout Trey’s taking part in days, Griffey didn’t simply present up as a star father or mother. He confirmed up with a digicam in hand. The Corridor of Famer took on a brand new position: sideline photographer—capturing FAMU video games from the sideline, not the posh field.

That have gave Griffey Jr. a firsthand take a look at the satisfaction, custom, and challenges that outline HBCU athletics.

“They’re not getting the popularity that they wish to advance to the subsequent degree,” Griffey advised USA TODAY Sports activities in an unique interview.

A Stage Constructed for HBCU Stars

That motivation led to the creation of the HBCU Swingman Basic—a showcase that includes 50 of the highest Division I baseball gamers from HBCUs. Now in its third yr, the sport kicks off MLB’s All-Star Week on Friday, July 11 at 7 p.m. ET, dwell from Truist Park in Atlanta and airing on MLB Community.

“It’s simply a chance to present a few of these youngsters a chance to be seen,” Griffey mentioned.

Sixteen HBCUs will probably be represented within the occasion. And it’s not only a sport—it’s a cultural celebration. Former MLB stars Brian Jordan and David Justice will handle the groups, whereas Emily Haydel, granddaughter of Hank Aaron, will function sideline reporter. Martin Luther King III was initially scheduled to throw out the primary pitch, underscoring the occasion’s extra profound social significance.

Not Simply About Race—It’s About Alternative

Whereas the Swingman Basic elevates Black baseball tradition, Griffey is evident: it’s open to all HBCU athletes.

“There are many youngsters who’re White and don’t have cash, and so they go to HBCUs, and so they need to proceed to play,” he advised USA TODAY Sports activities. “It’s not concerning the colour of your pores and skin. It’s the college that you simply go to.”

That inclusive mindset displays the guts of the sport. Griffey isn’t chasing headlines—he’s creating pipelines.

HBCU Expertise Deserves a Highlight

The Swingman Basic is already producing outcomes. Three gamers have been drafted after the 2023 sport. Two extra went professional final yr. With direct enter from MLB and the MLBPA, and stronger collaboration with HBCU coaches, the extent of competitors has solely improved.

Nonetheless, Ken Griffey Jr. believes extra may be finished, particularly in how Main League Baseball scouts consider expertise.

“The unhappy half is that the scouting division has gone away from looking for these diamonds within the tough,” he mentioned.

The Eye Check Nonetheless Issues

Griffey desires MLB to take a web page from basic school soccer recruiting—the best way Alabama and Clemson constructed dynasties by relentlessly searching for out expertise.

“Now, if it’s not on a pc… they will’t perceive expertise except they see it,” Griffey mentioned. “What does it seem like when it comes off the bat? What does it seem like when he throws the ball?”

Many HBCU applications lack entry to superior metrics and costly amenities. Griffey is aware of these limitations shouldn’t be a dealbreaker.

“Our youngsters should be seen,” he mentioned. “You give a child a chance to achieve success, and that’s all you ask for.”

Griffey’s Imaginative and prescient for the Way forward for HBCU Baseball

So long as Ken Griffey Jr. has a voice within the league workplace, he plans to make use of it to amplify HBCU expertise. The Swingman Basic is greater than a sport—it’s a motion. One which’s giving a platform to gamers who deserve greater than only a stat sheet.

And if Griffey has something to do with it, that is just the start.