Yankees hire LSU grad, becomes first full-time female manager in professional baseball history

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - A Louisiana State University graduate is making history in the baseball world!

The New York Yankees have hired Rachel Balkovec is to become the first full-time female manager in Minor League baseball history. Balkovec has been named manager of the Yankees’ Low-A affiliate Tampa Tarpons next season.

Balkovec, a native of Omaha, Nebraska, received her master’s degree in sport administration from LSU in 2012.

According to the article on MLB.com, “Balkovec, 34, was serving as a hitting coach in the organization’s rookie-level Florida Complex League. She has been a coach in professional baseball for 10 years, becoming the first female full-time hitting coach in an MLB organization when she took on her previous role in 2019.”

LSU media relations director, Ernie Ballard, tweeted out the news saying, “Congrats to #LSU grad @_rachelbalkovec!”

Sports icon and former tennis star Billie Jean King applauded the move on Twitter as well.

King wrote, “History made in baseball! Congratulations to former college softball catcher @_rachelbalkovec on her promotion w/the #Yankees from hitting coach to team manager of the Low A Tampa Tarpons. She will be the 1st woman in history to manage a minor league baseball team. #Progress.”

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