Rachel Balkovec: New York Yankees title first feminine supervisor to Minor League Baseball affiliate

The home stadium of the Tampa Tarpons also serves as a base for the New York Yankees during spring training

Rachel Balkovec becomes the first female manager in minor league baseball after the New York Yankees named her to one of their affiliated teams.

She will lead the Tampa Tarpons, who play at Low-A level, one of the lower tiers of the minor leagues.

Balkovec, 34, had served as a hitting coach for the Yankees’ rookie-level Florida Complex League team.

She was the first woman to become a full-time batting coach in a Major League Baseball (MLB) organization.

2020, Alyssa Naken became the first female trainer in the major leagues with the San Francisco Giants.

“I’m not the first woman to have a position in baseball, but I know this is a little bit different,” Balkovec told MLB.com of being called to her previous role.

“I’m a product of the women who came before me in the sport. If anyone thinks I’m a trailblazer, great because hopefully that creates an opportunity to believe that this is possible [others].”

In minor league baseball, players typically take several years to advance through the system, often starting out in rookie or low-A leagues after being signed or drafted before progressing to high-A, AA, and eventually to AAA, the final level, advance to reach the majors.