From HBCU To Major League Baseball

According to the 2023 MLB Racial and Gender Report Card, only 7.3% of Major League Baseball (MLB) professional staff are African American. Among them is Brandon Rembert, who works with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Born and raised in Pensacola, Florida, Rembert is the second oldest of seven children, hailing from a family deeply rooted in education and athleticism. His love for baseball began as a child and he played on a team in high school.

Rembert’s parents were both graduates of historically Black Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Florida. As a result, the idea of attending a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) was ingrained in his consciousness — however, he remained undecided initially. Eventually he felt guided toward Alcorn State University, in Mississippi, where he found a supportive community of like-minded individuals who helped move him towards his goals. It was at Alcorn that his passion for baseball came into full; he played for the Alcorn Braves.

Rembert’s professional journey began when he joined the Pittsburgh Pirates as a Minor League Baseball Operations Assistant in 2022. In this role, he juggled responsibilities ranging from video and data collection to administrative tasks and hands-on baseball duties. Despite the demanding nature of his job, Rembert approached each challenge with perseverance and a sense of accountability, traits that he believes were instilled in him through his HBCU experience.

Reflecting on his time at Alcorn State, Rembert acknowledges the profound impact it had on shaping his professional trajectory. In his words, “My HBCU experience taught me how to interact and build relationships with others. Experiences that I encountered going to an HBCU forced me out of my comfort zone and helped me [sharpen] my intrapersonal and communication skills.”

According to Ciera Graham, a professional career coach, “Sports have always been a space that fosters a familial atmosphere, but for HBCUs it meant that Black athletes could also build relationships with people who shared their same cultural identity. Studies show that Black college athletes at HBCUs felt more support than Black athletes at predominantly white colleges, especially from professors.”

The interpersonal skills honed through interactions within the HBCU community equipped Rembert with the ability to forge meaningful connections—a skill set invaluable in his role within the MLB. Moreover, the rigorous demands of being a student-athlete at an HBCU instilled in him the importance of time management. As Rembert explains, “I could compare being a student-athlete there to having a full-time job. It’s easy for academics and other things of importance to slip through the cracks if you’re not on top of time management.” This lesson integrated into his professional life, enabling him to navigate the demanding schedule of his role with the Pittsburgh Pirates effectively.

Rembert’s respect for the game of baseball extends beyond the field. He shared, “I feel [it] teaches you so much about life. The game of baseball teaches you how to push through tough times and circumstances. The game teaches you how to handle pressure; it teaches you how to handle failure. Most of all, the game of baseball teaches you about yourself.”

Through the highs and lows of baseball and his HBCU experience, Rembert gained important insights into his own character, reinforcing his belief in the transformative power of sports.