MLB’s Take the Field Supports Careers For Women in Baseball

December 8, 2023 

For the sixth consecutive year, MLB held ‘Take the Field’ - a two-day event to support women in finding front office and on-field roles in professional baseball. Representatives from all 30 Major League teams met with more than 100 young women to give them access to how the industry works. 

The league hosts Take the Field during its annual Winter Meetings, providing opportunities for education and engagement with Club and League personnel through panels, breakout sessions and professional development. Women – who are largely in college or recently out – can learn from current baseball employees, develop in their areas of interest and network with their peers and other baseball professionals. Sessions focus on analytics, baseball operations, coaching, player development, replay, scouting and umpiring, as well as leadership, communication and technology in baseball. 

At the event, attendees had opportunities to network with executives, hold mock interviews and discuss what makes a compelling candidate. Following this, MLB sends their updated resumes out to all 30 clubs. The event has led more than 40 women to land roles with Major League teams in the last five years – bringing a diversity in experience to the next generation of baseball leaders. 

“I’ve been so grateful to have these opportunities with MLB, on the field and off the field,” said Alexia Jorge from the Saint Elizabeth University’s baseball team. “I don’t really know what I would’ve done without events like Take the Field because I wouldn’t be involved in this area and environment without it.”

1.7% of professional baseball players are women and 98.3% are men. As of this year, approximately 30% of employees in the MLB Central Office are women. Although these numbers have improved, it shows a great disparity that events such as Take the Field are tackling. With men representing almost all decision-making positions, the program looks to double the talent pool and help create a more level playing field from which baseball front offices can pull from.

“I feel like everybody here has different goals on why they’re here,” said Meredith McFadden from South Carolina’s baseball team. “Some people are here to find a job. Some people are here to meet people. Some people are here to figure out what they want that career path to be if they are unsure. I think this is a great place to figure out those things, whether that is finding a job or just figuring out things you want to do or things you don’t want to do. Learning more about the intricacies of baseball that you can’t really find anywhere else.” 

After taking part in MLB Develops programs over the past decade, McFadden and Jorge came to Take the Field wanting to work in baseball after their playing careers end. The program doesn’t only bring more women into baseball clubs, but it also helps women climb the professional ladder. After attending the first two years of the program, Julia Hernandez now runs the event as MLB’s coordinator of on-field operations and is one of more than 20 alumnae to have returned to speak at the event.

“I would love to see a year where Take the Field can have all women club employees talking to all women participants,” Hernandez said. “I think it would be an incredibly empowering thing to have all women talking to all women. Being able to see yourself in the places that you want to be and the jobs that you want to have, in the seats at the table.” 

The program has grown since its first iteration in 2018 in Las Vegas, which received just 66 applications. The 2023 edition received 518 applications and attendance doubled from 46 to 101.

Source: MLB.com