The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM) announced an all-star slate for its 2025 Hall of Game class: iconic managers Dusty Baker, Cito Gaston, Willie Randolph, and Jerry Manuel. Major League Baseball executive Tony Reagins will receive the museum’s inaugural JL Wilkinson “Innovator” Award.
It is my distinct honor to welcome Dusty Baker, Cito Gaston, Willie Randolph and Jerry Manuel to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum’s Hall of Game and to award Tony Reagins with the JL Wilkinson Innovator Award,” Bob Kendrick, President of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, said in a statement.
“They embody the winning spirit and leadership of the Negro Leagues, through their on and off-field endeavors. They are all leaders and innovators who have continued to move the great game of baseball forward while embracing the greats of Black baseball’s past.”
This year’s celebration honors Black managerial excellence on the 50th anniversary of Frank Robinson breaking MLB’s managerial color barrier in 1975. A fitting tribute that links today’s leaders to the legacy of the Negro Leagues’ brilliant, often overlooked managers.
The recognition also ties in with the museum’s new, multi-year theme, “Leaders & Innovators,” which is highlighted by a special exhibit that the museum has promoted as running through March 2026.
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By the Numbers: The 2025 Hall of Game Class
Dusty Baker — Managerial Icon
- Career record: 2,183–1,862 (.540) across 26 seasons.
- Championships: 2022 World Series (Astros); 3 pennants (2002 Giants; 2021, 2022 Astros).
- Honors: 3× Manager of the Year (1993, 1997, 2000).
- Milestone: First Black manager to reach 2,000 wins and the only manager to take five franchises to the postseason (Giants, Cubs, Reds, Nationals, Astros).
Cito Gaston — First Black Manager to Win a World Series
- Career record: 894–837 (.516) over 12 seasons with Toronto.
- Championships: Back-to-back World Series titles (1992, 1993) and 2 AL pennants.
- Division titles: 4 AL East crowns (1989, 1991–93).
- Barrier breaker: First African American manager to win a World Series.
Willie Randolph — Mets Winner, Yankees Mainstay
- Mets managerial record: 302–253 (.544); 2006 NL East title and 97 wins.
- Playing career highlights: 2,210 hits, 6× All-Star, .276 career average, 271 SB; won multiple World Series rings as player/coach.
Jerry Manuel — 2000 AL Manager of the Year
- Career record: 704–684 (.507) with Chicago White Sox and New York Mets.
- Accolades: AL Manager of the Year (2000) after guiding the White Sox to the AL Central title.
Tony Reagins — JL Wilkinson “Innovator” Award
- Current role: Chief Baseball Development Officer, MLB, leading youth and amateur growth initiatives globally; joined MLB’s office in 2015.
- Front-office track record: As Angels GM (2007–11), his teams went 363–285 (.560), with AL West titles in 2008–09; the 2008 Angels set a franchise record with 100 wins.
- Team USA: General manager for USA Baseball at the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
The 2025 Hall of Game class underscores how Black leadership has shaped modern baseball strategy, culture, and player development—on the field and in the front office. From Baker’s record-setting tenure to Gaston’s back-to-back titles, Randolph’s winning Mets run, Manuel’s award-winning White Sox turnaround, and Reagins’ youth-to-pro pipeline work, each honoree advances the game in the spirit of the Negro Leagues’ ingenuity.
The induction ceremony is set for Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, at the Sheraton Crown Center Hotel in Kansas City and is presented by Hy-Vee.
