April 8, 2022: Rachel Balkovec guides Tampa Tarpons to win as first woman to manage affiliated minor-league team

Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium, in Lakeland, Florida, was buzzing with anticipation on April 8, 2022. The 2,893 fans who entered the ballpark that evening knew they were on the brink of witnessing a historic occasion.

The Lakeland Flying Tigers, the Detroit Tigers’ Class A Florida State League affiliate, were set to face the Tampa Tarpons, a New York Yankees farm club, in an Opening Night game that was anything but ordinary. As the players prepared to take the field, they fully understood the significance of this moment.

Suiting up for the Tarpons that evening in her blue uniform with the number 22 on the back was first-year manager Rachel Balkovec, the first woman ever to manage an affiliate of a major league baseball team.1

Although it was the 34-year-old Balkovec’s inaugural stint in a managerial role, she was already well-versed in the intricacies of professional baseball.

In 2014, after internship stints with the St. Louis Cardinals, the Arizona Fall League, and the Chicago White Sox, Balkovec, who had played softball at Creighton University and the University of New Mexico, was hired as the Cardinals’ minor league strength and conditioning coordinator.2 She became the first woman to hold a position as a full-time strength coach in major league-affiliated baseball.3

In 2016 the Houston Astros hired Balkovec as their Latin American strength and conditioning coordinator.4 They promoted her in 2018 to be the strength and conditioning coach for their Double-A affiliate, the Texas League’s Corpus Christi Hooks.5

In November 2019, Balkovec broke new ground again when the New York Yankees hired her as the first female hitting coach in the history of affiliated professional baseball.6

Almost three years later, in January 2022, another first was added to the list as Balkovec assumed the role of manager of the Tarpons.7

Before the first pitch that evening, Balkovec relayed what the moment felt like:

“It’s been 10 years of just working to this point. Things have evolved. I was blatantly discriminated against back then. Some people say not to say that, but it’s just part of what has happened, and I think it’s important to say because it lets you know how much change has happened. So, blatant discrimination, that was 2010-ish, and now here we are 12 years later and I’m sitting here at a press conference as a manager.”8

She continued:

“On one level this is drawing young people to the game, female, or male, but this moment transcends sports. They may not know about minor league baseball, but they showed up for this moment. Sports always brings so many people together from different backgrounds and in my case, a different gender. And once you’re together in that same room, you realize you’re all just human beings and you’re going after the same thing. So, I think, that speaks to the fact this moment transcends sports and that sports is a beautiful way to bring different backgrounds together no matter who you are or where you’re coming from.”9

Acknowledging the importance of the occasion, the Tigers organization supported Balkovec’s debut by extending invitations to female student-athletes from every high school in Polk County. Over 1,200 young women accepted the invitation.10 The Detroit Tigers Foundation contributed nearly $15,000 to cover the cost of their tickets.11

The Flying Tigers’ starting pitcher was 23-year-old left-hander Brant Hurter, making his professional debut after the Tigers had selected him from Georgia Tech in the June 2021 amateur draft. The Tarpons took the lead in the second inning when third baseman Marcos Cabrera hit a changeup from Hurter over the right field fence.

Tarpons righty Tyrone Yulie, signed from the Dominican Republic in 2018 at age 16, had spent his first professional season with the Yankees’ Dominican Summer League team in 2019. After COVID shut down the minors in 2020, he pitched for two US-based Yankees affiliates in 2021. The Flying Tigers put together two runs against Yulie in the bottom of the second inning, on a solo home run by first baseman Chris Meyers and a sacrifice fly by second baseman Cristian Santana.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Flying Tigers extended their lead to 3-1 against former St. Mary’s College pitcher and 2019 draftee Kevin Milam. Meyers scored on a fielding error by Tarpons first baseman Anthony Garcia.

In the top of the fifth inning, Tarpons catcher Antonio Gomez stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded. Facing Aaron Haase, a right-handed relief pitcher from Amarillo, Texas, who was drafted in the 17th round from Wichita State in 2021, Gomez delivered. He smashed a line-drive triple into right field, driving in three runs and giving the Tarpons a 4-3 lead.

Meyers evened the score in the bottom half of the inning with a single to left field off Milam, scoring shortstop Manuel Sequera.

Now facing Dominican Republic native Francisco Jimenez, the Tarpons loaded the bases again in the top of the seventh. Garcia, a fellow Dominican, seized the moment, smashing a 2-and-0 pitch for a grand slam over the right-field fence. The ball rocketed off his bat at 111.2 mph.

After the game, Balkovec shared her relief after Garcia’s slam, noting, “When Garcia broke it open with that grand slam, I could finally breathe.”12

The Flying Tigers narrowed the gap in the bottom of the eighth to 8-5, on an RBI single by second baseman Cristian Santana off Tarpons pitcher Kenlly Montas.

In the ninth, with Erick Pinales now on the mound for the Flying Tigers, the Tarpons secured an insurance run on a throwing error by catcher Danuerys De La Cruz, restoring their four-run lead. With Montas still pitching in the bottom of the ninth, the Flying Tigers managed to score a run on a fielding error by second baseman Benjamin Cowles, setting the final score at 9-6.

Tarpons reliever Zach Messinger secured the final out by striking out Justice Bigbie in the bottom of the ninth, ending the game after 3 hours and 27 minutes, nine pitching changes, and five errors.13 He then handed the game ball to Balkovec.

The traditional postgame handshake line became a “hug line,” with each Tarpon embracing his new skipper.14

After the game, the box score was quickly forgotten as all attention turned to the historic event that had just unfolded.

The manager herself noted:

“I just love this team, and it’s not just because we won tonight. They’re just my brothers and my sons. I don’t know if I was relaxed at all, but it was more calming, and I was more comfortable because I know that they’re right behind me and they definitely support me. It makes everything so much easier and so much more fun. And I feel the same way about them. I’m going to work really hard for them, and they’re going to work really hard for me, so this is a best-case scenario for a new manager.”15

Jasson Domínguez, a top Yankee prospect at the time, commented on how much the game meant to him personally: “It was an honor to play in the game and I feel very humbled. We just wanted to get that first win out of the way to give her some confidence in her new role and it was important to get that done today. I will never forget this day.”16

Pitcher Chandler Champlain said, “It’s unique and different and a big day in history, especially for women’s history. I’m proud and privileged to be part of this opportunity. It’s a day that’s going to go down in history.”17

After signing autographs near the Tarpons’ dugout, Balkovec positioned herself in the outfield to take in her surroundings. Reflecting on the moment, she remarked, “It’s done. And we won.”18

After the game, her cap and jersey were donated to the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York, where they were put on display.19 

It was a watershed time for women in major-league baseball. Four days later, on April 12, San Francisco Giants coach Alyssa Nakken became the first woman on-field coach in major-league history when she replaced the Giants’ first-base coach after he was ejected from the game.

The Tarpons ended the year with a record of 61-67 (.477), placing fifth in the six-team Florida State League West Division. The Flying Tigers finished the season with a 66-64 (.508) record, securing fourth place in the same West Division.

September 2023 marked the end of Balkovec’s second season as the manager of the Tarpons.20 In January 2024 she was hired by the Miami Marlins as their director of player development.21

Acknowledgments

This article was fact-checked by Thomas Merrick and copy-edited by Len Levin.

Photo credit: Rachel Balkovec, Trading Card Database.

Sources

In addition to the sources mentioned in the Notes, the author consulted Baseballcube.com, MiLB.com, Statscrew.com, and Baseball-Reference.com.

https://www.milb.com/gameday/tarpons-vs-flying-tigers/2022/04/08/670330/final/summary/scoringPlays

Notes

1 Mark Didtler, “Rachel Balkovec Cheered, Wins Debut Managing Yanks Affiliate,” AP News, April 9, 2022, https://apnews.com/article/mlb-business-sports-baseball-lakeland-3fdb8e38d132d9aef2a2ea65dfaabfdc. 

2 Lindsay Berra, “Cards Have Pioneer in Female Strength Coach Balkovec,” MLB.com, May 30, 2014, https://www.mlb.com/news/cards-have-pioneer-in-female-strength-coach-rachel-balkovec/c-77462528. 

3 Berra.

4 Brian McTaggart, “Astros’ Strength Coach Blazing Trail as Female,” MLB.com, February 27, 2023, https://www.mlb.com/news/astros-rachel-balkovec-breaking-down-barriers-c165143530. 

5 Matt Young, “What Rachel Balkovec Said About the Astros in Her Introductory Press Conference,” Houston Chronicle, January 13, 2022, https://www.chron.com/sports/astros/article/Rachel-Balkovec-Astros-Yankees-manager-first-woman-16770307.php.

6 Elizabeth Merrill, “New York Yankees Minor League Manager Rachel Balkovec Has Worked Her Entire Life for This Moment,” ESPN, April 8, 2022,

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/33691782/new-york-yankees-minor-league-manager-rachel-balkovec-worked-entire-life-moment. Balkovec was a roving hitting coach for the Yankees’ minor league affiliates, dividing her time between Florida and the Dominican Republic.

7 Nick Selbe, “Report: Yankees to Hire Rachel Balkovec as First-Ever Female Manager in Minor Leagues,” Sports Illustrated, January 9, 2022, https://www.si.com/mlb/2022/01/10/yankees-hiring-rachel-balkovec-first-ever-woman-manager-minor-leagues.

8 Didtler, “Rachel Balkovec Cheered, Wins Debut Managing Yanks Affiliate.” As proof of the discrimination Balkovec spoke about, at the suggestion of her younger sister, Stephanie, Balkovec decided to modify her résumé by changing her name from Rachel to Rae. This was intended as an experiment to gauge whether a gender-neutral name could impact her response rate. Stephanie’s intuition proved accurate. “Rae” suddenly began receiving a multitude of callbacks from organizations regarding potential employment opportunities.

9 Holly Cain, “Rachel Balkovec: Managing Just Fine, Thank You.” OSDBSports, 2022, https://www.osdbsports.com/editorials/rachel-bakovec-managing-just-fine-thank-you.

10 Nathan Maciborski. “Yankees Mag: Historic Night: The Fans Who Came Out to Witness Rachel Balkovec’s Managerial Debut Ensured It Was No Ordinary Evening,” MLB.com, May 9, 2022, https://www.mlb.com/news/yankees-mag-historic-night.

11 Maciborski.

12 Maciborski.

13 Maciborski.

14 Maciborski.

15 Maciborski.

16 Cain, “Rachel Balkovec: Managing Just Fine, Thank You.”

17 Cain.

18 Cain.

19 Maciborski, “Historic Night.”

20 The Tampa Tarpons finished the 2023 season with a 61-69 record (.469), last in the Florida State League West Division. They finished 18½ games behind the first place Clearwater Threshers.

21 Christina De Nicola, “Rachel Balkovec, Marlins Director of Player Development.” Minor League Baseball, January 16, 2024, https://www.milb.com/tampa/news/rachel-balkovec-marlins-director-of-player-development.