D-Backs' Jon Duplantier Feels Like He's 'On an Island' as Black MLB Player

During a roundtable discussion titled "Being Black in Baseball and America," Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Jon Duplantier recounted how he felt when an opposing player made a racist remark toward him during his senior year of high school.

Duplantier said he was playing first base during a scrimmage when the player said, "I got a rope and a tree with your name on it."

He explained he was the only Black player on his team, which left him feeling isolated. The 25-year-old right-hander said that state of mind has remained him at times throughout his climb up to MLB.

"I feel like I'm on an island," Duplantier said. "I feel like a lot of guys feel like we're on an island, so we suppress all these…