For the first time in its history, the Pittsburgh Pirates will be relying on a woman to act as a field instructor, with Caitlyn Callahan taking on such a role at the team’s training complex in Bradenton, Fla.
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The main concern is therefore following in the footsteps of other women who have made their way into major baseball teams. Kim Ng became the general manager of the Miami Marlins on November 13, 2020, while in the previous July, Alyssa Nakken was the first instructor to work on a big league playing surface, she who worked on the first pad for the San Francisco Giants in a exhibition duel against the Oakland Athletics.
“Thanks to Michael Chernow [coordonnateur du développement des joueurs] and Marc Roche [coordonnateur de la technologie et de la vidéo dans les ligues mineures] for inviting me to Florida in November and submitting this incredible offer, Callahan commented on LinkedIn, as reported by MLB.com. I was more than impressed with all the coaches, players and staff I met. ”
The new Pirates instructor is a former first division softball player at Boston University and has worked as a video and technology intern for the Cincinnati Reds for the past two seasons. She also worked as a Baseball Operations Assistant for the Staten Island Yankees at Level A in 2019.