In a male-dominated sport, Rachel Balkovec has earned a victory for women with the New York Yankees. Rachel has become the first-ever woman to manage a team in the Minor League.
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Coming in with a lot of experience from her work with different franchises, Rachel has attained the highest of highs. Notably, the 34-year-old has been working with the minor league since 2012, donning different roles.
Rachel Balkovec will lead New York Yankees minor league team
Back in 2012, Rachel started her coaching career with the St. Louis Cardinals for the minor league, as their strength and conditioning coach. However, she joined the Yankees in 2019 as their hitting coach, becoming the first-ever female hitting coach in a minor league.
Rachel Balkovec will become the next manager of the Low A Tampa Tarpons, per @lindseyadler
She will be the first woman to manage a minor league baseball team š pic.twitter.com/CmfI1KY6Is
ā FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) January 10, 2022
Breaking barriers once again, Rachel has become the first-ever female manager for the New York Yankees in the minor league. She will lead the team, Low-A Tampa Tarpons. The team has not officially announced the news; however, a source revealed it to āThe Athletic.ā
Undoubtedly, Rachelās stellar achievement will inspire many women across the globe, especially those who seek a future in American baseball.
Read More: New York Yankees Consider Surprising Name To Replace Eric Chavez as Assistant Hitting Coach
Rachel is opening doors for women in MLB
Remarkably, Rachel has wealthy experience in coaching. She has also played the role of Houston Astrosā Latin America strength and conditioning coordinator in the past. It was also the first time Astros had hired a woman for this role.
Rachel has overcome many hardships and rejections to reach this level. Notably, she had to even change her name once to get interviews. She had switched her name from Rachel to āRaeā on her resume.
We are so thrilled that Rachel Balkovec will become the first woman to manage a MiLB team. In 2021, @juliealexandria and @chica_deportes chatted with Rachel on 'Locker Room Talk' about her career in baseball and where she sees herself in the future. š pic.twitter.com/x1IAOMktiy
ā La Vida Baseball (@LaVidaBaseball) January 10, 2022
Post becoming the Yankees hitting coach in 2019, Rachel had said, āIām a product of the women who have come before me in sports. If somebody thinks Iām a trailblazer, great because hopefully thatās creating an opportunity to think itās possible for [others].ā
Many minor league managers have been promoted to become a part of major league baseball. To date, major league baseball has seen only one female general manager; Kim Ng was made Miami Marlinsā General Manager in 2020. Do you think more women will come forward as managers in major league/minor league in the future?
