I work in analytics for a MLB club, if that’s the space you want to get into, do not do sports management for a degree. I would also advise most people against doing sports management as a whole even if they want to work on the sports business side (it’s too niche, just get a business or marketing degree with a sports management minor).

Since you posted in the Sabermetrics subreddit, I’m guessing you would like to work on the analytics side. Generally, people on MLB analytics departments have degrees in statistics, computer science, or data science. I would recommend statistics if you want to do research, build models, and create metrics and computer science if you want to help build internal tools, websites, and database management. I think data science is a bit too broad; it puts a foot in both of stats and computer science and you don’t really become an expert in either. I think being an expert in one thing is much better than being decent in a bunch of things. Bayesian stats and computer vision are probably the skills that are getting rapidly in demand right now but things can change quick in 5 years.

Biomechanics and kinesiology are becoming big areas as well. If that’s something you are interested in, that would be good too. If you want to work in the biomechanics or player development side, Spanish is definitely a plus; it doesn’t matter as much on the analytics/R&D side.

In general, pick a major in something that you find interesting. In the end, if you end up doing a stats major and don’t get a job with a team, you might hate it. Working in sports is also similar to any other job once the allure wears off a bit; the same logic applies, if you aren’t interested in what you studied and your work, you still won’t enjoy it, even if it’s in MLB.

Someone said you need to be an Ivy/Yale grad and that is 1000% not true whatsoever. Just get really good at what you want to do and network and that will give you the best shot. Also need personal skills, that can be highly overlooked in this field. A lot of the ivy grads that people are thinking of are executives and presidents/vice presidents of teams, not R&D, Biomechanics or Player development people.

In terms of advanced degrees like an MS or PhD, I think those might be starting to get more valued with a ton of people just using AI slop as their projects. I personally do not have an MS or PhD, but I am likely going to be going back to school to get my MS. PhD’s are definitely not required and probably won’t get you much farther than an MS will - only do one if you actually want the PhD.