Balkovec to run Marlins’ player development
The Miami Marlins are hiring Rachel Balkovec to become their new director of player development, according to multiple reports.
The newest member of the Marlins’ front office is no stranger to blazing new trails for women in a maledominated industry.
After graduating from LSU with a master’s degree in kinesiology, Balkovec took a temporary job as the strength and conditioning coordinator for the Johnson City Cardinals – the St. Louis Cardinals’ Rookie league affiliate. Two years later, that role became fulltime, and she was the first woman in baseball to hold the position.
In 2019, the New York Yankees hired Balkovec as a minor league hitting coach after she had spent time working for Driveline Baseball on a fellowship. She became the first woman in baseball to hold a hitting coach position.
Balkovec most recently served as the manager for the Tampa Tarpons, the Yankees’ Class A affiliate in baseball’s minor leagues. When she took that job in 2022, she was the first woman to be a full-time manager for a major league-affiliated team.
Balkovec led the Tarpons to a 64-62 record as their manager from 2022-23.
How’s the Marlins’ minor league system?
The former Yankees staffer will have her work cut out for her in taking over Miami’s player development program.
MLB Pipeline ranked the Marlins’ farm system at 24 out of 30 teams in August. FanGraphs is similarly low on the Marlins’ minor league prospects, ranking them 26th.
In the last five years, Miami has had just two AllStars come up through its minor league system: J.T. Realmuto (2018 All-Star) and Jazz Chisholm Jr. (2022). Only Chisholm is still with the team.
After making the playoffs, Miami will pick 16th in the 2024 MLB draft, which takes place in July.