Reports: Marlins hire Rachel Balkovec as director of player development
Rachel Balkovec is the first woman ever to manage a men's minor league team for the Tampa Tarpons. Tampa Tarpons won 4-1 over the Bradenton Marauders at Bradenton's LECOM Park Wednesday evening June, 29, 2022. On Sunday July 3, 2022, Bradenton Marauders will again host the Tampa Tarpons, starting at 6:30 p.m. with a Independence Day celebration post-game fireworks show. For more information visit milb.com/bradenton/tickets/promotions.
Sar Bradenton Marauders 34 credits: THOMAS BENDER/HERALD-TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK The Miami Marlins are bringing on Rachel Balkovec as their director of player development, multiple reports said Tuesday.
Balkovec is notable for being the first woman to work as a full-time hitting coach for a minor league team and the first woman to serve as the manager of an MLB-affiliated minor league team.
Balkovec did so in the New York Yankees' organization, joining them in November 2019 as a minor league hitting coach before being named manager of the Class-A Tampa Tarpons ahead of the 2022 season. The Tarpons went 122-136 in her two seasons there.
The 36-year-old native of Omaha, Neb., now will change addresses in Florida to begin working as farm director for the Marlins, who are no strangers to hiring women for vital roles.
The Marlins made Kim Ng the first female general manager in Major League Baseball history, but she declined to exercise her option after the 2023 season, reportedly after learning the team wanted to install a director of baseball operations to rank above her in the department.
—Field Level Media