From California to Massachusetts, from Arkansas to Iowa, from Florida to Washington, leadership in professional baseball is evolving.
At present, there are 15 women in general manager positions across Minor League Baseball. When most fans think of the GMs in baseball, they likely assume the job is all about building a roster. Minor League GMs have nothing to do with rosters, but everything to do with a team's financial stability and community impact, and the gameday experience of everybody -- from fans to players and coaches to employees -- who comes out to the ballpark.
On Jan. 7, 2026, the Albuquerque Isotopes announced the appointment of Chrissy Baines as the first female GM in franchise history. Here's an introduction to Baines and the cohort of women GMs she joins.
Chrissy Baines, Albuquerque Isotopes (Triple-A COL)
Baines has been working in professional baseball since 2002 and has worked for the Isotopes since 2004. A product of the University of West Georgia with a bachelor's degree in sports management, she's developed experience in numerous arenas of operating a franchise, from merchandise to ticketing and beyond. Baines was Albuquerque's assistant GM of business operations from 2015 until 2026, when she took on the GM role.
Kristin Call, Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Single-A CHC)
Call started her path to the GM role while she was still in college, interning in the South Atlantic League. After eight years, she joined the Pelicans in the marketing department in 2013 and was named GM in December of 2021.
"A spot opened up at the end of the [college internship], was able to land that job and then, quite honestly, I feel like I woke up five or six years later and had a career," she said.
Brooke Cooper, Worcester Red Sox (Triple-A BOS)
A native of Rhode Island, Cooper began her career as an intern with the WooSox when they were the PawSox -- based in Pawtucket. She gradually worked her way up to becoming the club's director of marketing and ultimately ascended to executive vice president and GM before the 2024 season.
"For girls and women interested in a career in baseball, I'd say be consistent," she said. "Anyone can be great once. Anyone can have a positive attitude, work hard and treat people right when they feel up for it. It takes real character to display those traits every day, especially when challenged by the grueling nature of the baseball season."
Shelly Haenggi, Midland RockHounds (Double-A ATH)
Haenggi already had an impressive resume in the world of marketing and advertising -- running agencies in California and Texas and also having worked for the Hearst Corporation and Princess Cruises in advertising and marketing roles. She joined the RockHounds in 2013.
Hollee Haines, Inland Empire 66ers (Single-A LAA)
New to the GM role this year, Haines has worked for the 66ers since 2018 -- most recently as assistant GM -- and has a background in the legal field. In announcing her promotion, the team praised her innovations in improving the gameday experience.
"I picked a career in baseball because it's been a big passion in my life," Haines said. "I played softball in college, and I just love baseball and what it can do for a community."
Christine Kavic, Lake Elsinore Storm (Single-A SD)
The CFO and co-general manager of the Storm, Kavic came to the San Diego affiliate with an extensive background in human resources, accounting and finance. She loves working in the close-knit and collaborative environment she's found with Lake Elsinore, and she's been active in mentoring and developing staff members with the team.
"The advice I have for girls and women who are interested in a career in baseball is to be proactive and take initiative, embrace challenges as opportunities for growth, advocate for yourself and be resilient!" Kavic said.
Abbie Lawson, Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (Single-A LAA)
Named the Quakes' GM in December 2025, Lawson worked for another California League team (the Fresno Grizzlies) in leadership roles from early 2022 until joining Rancho Cucamonga. She holds a master's in sports management from Baylor, where she was also the assistant director for intramural sports for six-plus years.
Julia McNeil, Quad Cities River Bandits (High-A KC)
McNeil was promoted from assistant GM in February, having begun her career as an intern for the collegiate wood-bat Nashua [New Hampshire] Silver Knights of the Futures League in 2014. She moved into the Minor Leagues with a role in ticketing for the Lowell Spinners (then the Short-Season Single-A affiliate of the Red Sox) before joining the River Bandits, where she's worked a number of positions.
"I wanted a career in baseball because I was an athlete my entire childhood and into adulthood, playing college softball," she said. "And while I was growing up, there was a Minor League Baseball team in my hometown. I always enjoyed going there over the summer, and the entertainment aspect really drew me into what Minor League Baseball really is."
Sophie Ozier, Arkansas Travelers (Double-A SEA)
Ozier grew up an avid St. Louis Cardinals fan and at a young age had her sights on working for the team. In college, she sought out opportunities that would put her on that path, taking internships with Fox Sports Midwest, the St. Louis Blues hockey team and independent baseball teams. She arrived to the Travelers as a corporate event planner and social media coordinator in 2017 and by 2021 had worked her way up to GM.
Chrystal Rowe, Durham Bulls (Triple-A TB)
Rowe came to the Bulls in 2023, having already amassed extensive experience in ticketing, sales and marketing, including with the NFL's Carolina Panthers. Durham named Rowe interim GM at the end of January.
"My very first job was working for the Hickory Crawdads during the summer," she said. "So, twenty-something years ago, baseball chose me."
Amanda Seimer, Palm Beach Cardinals (Single-A STL)
Promoted from director of ticketing to GM after the 2025 season, Seimer had 12 seasons at Roger Dean Stadium under her belt and had previously worked for four other Minor League, independent or summer collegiate baseball teams as well as working in tickets for Major League Soccer's Columbus Crew. Seimer is a graduate of Ohio University.
Ann Shively, Tri-City Dust Devils (High-A LAA)
Shively's worked for the Dust Devils since 2013, serving as assistant GM, sponsorships, for over 11 years. She was named Northwest League Woman Executive of the Year in 2018 and is now Tri-City's GM and vice president. Shively is a graduate of Gonzaga University.
Michelle Skinner, Fayetteville Woodpeckers (Single-A HOU)
Skinner began her career in baseball in 2010 with the Tri-City ValleyCats in Troy, N.Y. Then a member of the affiliated short-season New York-Penn League and an affiliate of the Astros, the ValleyCats moved over to the MLB Partner League Frontier League in 2021. By that time, Skinner had worked her way up to assistant GM, and in 2023 she was to work for a club under the Houston umbrella again as she stepped into the Woodpeckers' GM position.
"I actually wasn't a big baseball fan growing up," Skinner admitted, "but I did my internship with the Vermont Lake Monsters and fell in love with the community aspect of the game. I knew from that point on that I wanted to work in baseball."
Liz Welch, Wilmington Blue Rocks (High-A WSH)
Welch worked for her hometown independent team -- the Lancaster Barnstormers in Pennsylvania -- for 10 seasons, beginning as a gameday employee and tackling various positions before joining the Blue Rocks in 2017, when she began gaining more experience in all aspects of the club's operations.
Wilmington named her GM in 2023, with team owner Dave Heller saying of Welch "Over the past six years, she’s done just about every job there is to do in Minor League Baseball, and accomplished each with alacrity and aplomb."
Jen Yorko, Lake County Captains (High-A CLE)
Yorko came to the Captains right out of college in 2007, and over the years she's worked on overseeing everything from theme nights to the team's charity initiatives to merchandising and ticketing. That collection of experience earned her an assistant GM position in 2016, and she took over the GM role in 2019.
"The advice that I have for girls and women who are interested in a career in baseball would be to take the opportunity," she said. "Find a team that aligns with your passion and know that there's an opportunity in baseball for everybody. Enjoy the ride."