MLB promotes Billy Bean, hires Curtis Pride for inclusion posts

Billy Bean has been promoted to vice president for social responsibility and inclusion by Major League Baseball. MLB has also added Curtis Pride as an ambassador for inclusion.

Bean came out as gay in 1999, four years after his final major league season. He was hired by MLB in July 2014 as a consultant and given the title ambassador for inclusion.

Bean will oversee MLB's workplace code of conduct and anti-bullying programming and continue to develop strategies with a focus on the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

Pride is 47 and has been deaf since birth. He spent parts of 11 seasons in the majors through 2006. His new role is meant to encourage participation and equal opportunity for MLB's youth programs, help develop an educational and training forum and be a resource for disability issues.

He will remain the baseball coach at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., where he is entering his eighth season. Gallaudet is a leading university for deaf and hard-of-hearing students.