Yankees to honor late scout Rodman with award

March 5th, 2020

LAKELAND, Fla. -- The Yankees plan to honor the memory of late scout Kelly Rodman by dedicating an award in her name, to be issued annually to a Minor League player in the organization who exhibits courage and resolve in the face of adversity.

Rodman, who was one of three active female scouts employed by a Major League club, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 44 following a battle with cancer.

“The New York Yankees mourn the loss of Kelly Rodman, a trusted scout and treasured member of this organization,” the club said in a statement. “Kelly was a huge part of our amateur scouting department and represented the Yankees with dignity and class while earning the admiration of countless people in the game.”

Known for her tireless work ethic and passion for the game, the first "Kelly Rodman Award for Persistence, Dedication and Determination" will be issued later this year.

Rodman had been with the Yankees since 2014, tasked with scouting amateur players in the northeast United States. She represented the club alongside Nick Swisher at last year’s MLB Draft in Secaucus, N.J., and was one of the evaluators responsible for the first-round selection of shortstop Anthony Volpe.

“I’m here to be a scout, to get the best players, to work in baseball -- to do my thing,” Rodman told the YES Network in a 2019 interview. “What do I say to young women and little girls? Go for it. If you want to work in this game of baseball, or if you want to work in another sport, just go for it. Do what you love. Be passionate about it.

“Go out. Do the work. Go to baseball games. Go talk to people about baseball. Talk to your dads, talk to your moms. Read everything you can. I’m a student of the game. I’ve always been a student of the game. That’s how we learn. It’s nonstop.”

Rodman played softball at Eastern Connecticut State University and in the New England Women's Baseball League in Connecticut and Boston. In 2013, she was invited to travel to Arizona for Major League Baseball’s three-week scouting school course, which led to a volunteer opportunity with the Yankees and later a full-time offer as an associate scout.

“The passion that she had for the sport of baseball and people in general was unmatched,” Yankees prospect Max Burt said in a tweet. “I wish everyone could have met her.”