Marlin’s field, where Kim Ng will become the first female General Manager in MBL (Wikimedia Commons)

After 151 years in existence, Major League Baseball has its first female General Manager. 

Kim Ng, named by Derek Jeter as the Miami Marlins General Manager, will bring her career and their relationship full circle. One of Ng’s first roles in the baseball world was Assistant General Manager for the Yankees, where Jeter presented her with a Women in Sports and Events award in 2000, a precursor of the role he would appoint her 20 years later. 

No one can question Ng’s qualifications. She graduated from the University of Chicago in 1990 with a degree in public policy and was the captain of the schools softball team. Determined to break through the “boys club” atmosphere that often persists in the management of male-dominated sports, she accepted an internship with the Chicago White Sox after graduation. There, she quickly caught her co-workers attention and was soon named the Assistant Director of baseball operations.

Ng worked for the Yankees and Dodgers, as well as stays at both the American League office and Major League Baseball’s central office. But Yn long believed in her capabilities to head a team. Despite her impressive resume, no one seemed willing to break the barrier and appoint her as both the first woman and first Asian-America general manager.

Ng scored interviews with the Dodgers, Angels, Giants, Mariners, and Padres, before finally picking up the phone to accept her long-deserved dream role as the general manager of the Marlins.