The Yankees officially introduced Rachel Balkovec as the manager of their Low-A affiliate, the Tampa Tarpons, on Wednesday.
News of her appointment had first been reported on Sunday by The Athletic‘s Lindsey Adler, who noted that the move makes Balkovec the first-ever female manager in the minor leagues.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Balkovec said, “I don’t think you sign your name on the dotted line to do something like this and then say, ‘Well, I don’t want to be a role model.’ I just don’t subscribe to that. People as me, ‘Why are you on social media? And why this?’ And it’s like I want to be a visible idea for young women. I want to be a visible idea for dads that have daughters. I want to be out there. It’s just, I have two jobs and that’s fine.”
