ST. LOUIS — A familiar face is stepping into a new role with the team that first gave him a shot in the Major Leagues.
On Thursday former Cardinals first baseman Xavier Scruggs announced he's taking on a new role with the club as Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Consultant for the team's Baseball Operations department.
Scruggs announced his new position on Twitter, sharing this message along with the news:
"There are so many emotions around this for me, but the biggest one is just gratitude. This organization gave me a shot at living my dream as a player. I’ll always be grateful for that. I got so much love for so many people in that building.
"I’m also grateful to be a part of positive change, and [general manager] John Mozeliak didn’t shy away from discussing that in our first conversation, about this position when I brought it up to him. This position is about acknowledging the past and moving forward with intentionality around many issues.
"I’m promising every coach, staff member and player who throws on that Cardinals uniform in 2021 that if you come to me I’m going to fight to make sure your voice is heard through the entire organization. That’s step one. But there is so much more work ...
"I’d love to talk with anybody who has experience creating just and equitable work environments. So I may work on my steps from there. Also, if any players have ideas or just want to talk about their own experiences when it comes to DEI issues, my time’s always free to you.
"Last but not least, I’m grateful for anyone reading this far, and you already know ... Go Cards."
Scruggs shared that the three main initiatives of his new job would be:
— Helping the Cardinals organization present favorable change concerning diversity and inclusion efforts.
— Educating and preparing players for cultural differences in baseball and their communities.
— Equipping players with resources and tools that best help them understand how their influence can affect people positively and/or negatively.
Scruggs appeared in 26 games for the Cardinals across the 2014 and 2015 seasons. In 57 at-bats Scruggs hit .246 with three doubles and nine RBI.
