Kim Ng Breaks Major League Barriers

It only took 150 years for a woman and Asian American to be named the general manager of an MLB team. What a day for all women who have dreamed of breaking into a man’s sport, but have consistently been told no.

Kim Ng made history this weekend as she was named the Miami Marlins’ general manager, but her knowledge and experience in the game came long before her hiring. Ng grew up an athlete playing multiple sports—including softball—in New Jersey, and she was always a huge New York Yankees fan. She continued her softball career for four additional years at the University of Chicago, primarily playing shortstop and third base. 

Although the idea of working for the MLB was not on her radar yet, she was an open advocate for addressing gender discrimination in sports. Majoring in public policy, she wrote her senior thesis on Title IX, a federal civil rights law passed in 1972. 

Ng’s career in baseball started off far from glamorous, as she had to work her way up the totem pole from the internship position she had with the Chicago White Sox in 1990. This eventually turned into another job working at the American League front office. In 1998, Ng made history when the Yankees brought her into their organization as an assistant general manager. Following this position, she joined the Los Angeles Dodgers as an assistant general manager and most recently served as MLB’s senior vice president of baseball operations for nearly ten years. 

“When I got into this business, it seemed unlikely a woman would lead a major league team, but I am dogged in the pursuit of my goals,” Ng said in a statement. 

Current Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman congratulated Ng when he heard the news of her huge accomplishment. He raved about the poise, talent and work ethic she displayed during her tenure in the Bronx. The Yanks won three World Series titles when Ng was a part of their team. The current co-owner of the Marlins, Derek Jeter, was a part of these championship teams.

“We look forward to Kim bringing a wealth of knowledge and championship-level experience to the Miami Marlins,” Jeter said in a statement. “Her leadership of our baseball operations team will play a major role on our path toward sustained success.”

The Marlins made the playoffs this year for the first time since 2003 and even made it to the second round after sweeping the Chicago Cubs in the Wild Card Series. Ng will be a nice addition to an organization that is already on the rise.

“My goal is now to bring championship baseball to Miami,” Ng said. “I am both humbled and eager to continue building the winning culture our fans expect and deserve.”

Other Women Making Noise 

Ng isn’t making these substantial accomplishments for women working in professional sports on her own. In January, the San Francisco Giants named Alyssa Nakken as first woman coach in the MLB. She played softball at Sacramento State and made history when she coached first base during a Giants exhibition game at the start of this year. Nakken’s No. 92 Giants jersey was donated to the Hall of Fame to celebrate the achievement. 

There have also been a number of female hitting coaches, such as Rachel Balkovec with the Yankees and Rachel Folden with the Cubs, who worked with MiLB hitters.

Raquel Ferreira became the highest-ranking woman in baseball operations for the Boston Red Sox in September 2019. She has been working with the ballclub for 22 years and is now the executive vice president and assistant general manager.

Women like Jessica Mendoza, a two-time Olympic softball player who joined ESPN in 2007, are also paving the way in sports broadcasting. She became the first woman to serve as an analyst on a national radio broadcast for a World Series game this year.

Ng may be the first woman to be a general manager in baseball, but she certainly will not be the last. As a woman myself who played softball at the collegiate level and is pursuing a broadcast journalism career, I am inspired and thrilled to see more women making a mark in the sports world. It shows how, with hard work and determination, women can achieve their dreams, even if they are in pursuit of something that has never been done before. 

Photo Courtesy of Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images.