Jen Pawol exhibits a sense of readiness and vigor, positioning herself perfectly to surmount the grand gender boundary in the professional sphere.
Jen Pawol Set to Make History as First Female Umpire in Major League Baseball
Jen Pawol, a trailblazing umpire, is set to make history this weekend as she prepares for her major league debut. Pawol's journey to the big leagues began in the Gulf Coast League on June 24, 2016, but it was her encounter with big league umpire Ted Barrett in early 2015 that propelled her career forward.
Barrett, who noticed Pawol's potential, invited her to attend a clinic in Atlanta and then a MLB tryout camp at Cincinnati. This opportunity marked the beginning of a significant transformation in Pawol's umpiring career.
Pawol's introduction to umpiring can be traced back to the early 1990s when she was asked by a high school teammate. Over the years, she honed her skills in various leagues, including the High-A Midwest League in 2021, the South Atlantic League in 2019, and the Double-A Eastern League and the Triple-A International and Pacific Coast Leagues in 2023.
Notable female umpires who paved the way for Pawol include Pam Postema, Christine Wren, and Ria Cortesio. Postema reached MLB Spring Training games in 1988-89 but never officiated a regular-season game. Wren and Cortesio umpired in the Minor Leagues, reaching up to Double-A, but did not advance further. All three served as mentors and inspirations to Pawol during her path through professional baseball umpiring.
Pawol's historic milestone was reached after over a decade in the minors and following the groundwork laid by these predecessors. In 2025, she made history as the first woman to umpire a regular-season Major League Baseball game.
During her career, Pawol has worked diligently, earning her place at the top. She worked in the New York/Penn League in 2017, the Midwest League after the first two weeks of the 2018 season, and the South Atlantic League in 2019. She was called in for big league spring training in 2024 and '25.
For her major league debut, Pawol will work the bases during a doubleheader in Atlanta and call balls and strikes on Sunday. Ted Barrett, who played a pivotal role in Pawol's career, will be watching her debut from Oregon.
Before her umpiring career, Pawol was a three-time all-conference softball selection at Hofstra and umpired NCAA softball from 2010-16. Her dedication, hard work, and perseverance have led her to this monumental achievement, breaking barriers and setting a new precedent in the world of professional baseball umpiring.
Jen Pawol's historic debut as the first female umpire in Major League Baseball is imminent, following her remarkable career that began in the Gulf Coast League in 2016. After making history by umpiring a regular-season Major League Baseball game in 2025, Pawol will now turn her attention to sports like football and baseball, continuing to challenge stereotypes and inspire future generations in the world of sports officiating.
