Minnesota Twins general manager Thad Levine isn't impressed with the hiring practices of Major League Baseball or the organization that employs him, calling them "flawed."
"We've become too reliant on the fact that there are so many candidates that desire to work in baseball. Unintentionally, we've become complacent," Levine said during a front-office diversity roundtable Tuesday, according to ESPN's Joon Lee.
"Our applicant pool that's flooded our office has been filled with a lot of talent. It's been in large regard homogeneous. We believe that diverse thoughts, life experiences, and beliefs inspire a welcoming, inclusive environment and enhances the development of our employees and fuel the growth of the Minnesota Twins organization. All of these words are substantive, we need our actions to be transformational."
The conference call was led by a panel of the Twins' Black front-office members, including director of amateur scouting Sean Johnson, senior adviser in scouting Deron Johnson, advance scouting analyst Josh Ruffin, and pro scouting fellow Navery Moore. Former Minnesota Timberwolves assistant GM Noah Croom moderated the event.
They discussed trying to find work and mentors as Black members of the baseball community, according to Lee.
The roundtable was the first in a series to be hosted by the Twins. The next session takes place Aug. 13 and is set to feature the organization's leading women.
