Will Jen Pawol become the first MLB female umpire?
New Jersey native Jennifer Pawol became only the third woman to umpire in Major League Baseball (MLB) Spring Training, after Pam Postema (1988) and Ria Cortesio (2007). She was the third base umpire during a game between the Houston Astros and the Washington Nationals.
Pawol, 47, played soccer and softball at Hofstra University. She was a softball catcher and developed an interest in umpiring.
After graduating from Pratt Institute and Hunter College, she worked as an art teacher and became a part-time softball umpire.
In 2016, she attended the Minor League Baseball Umpire Training Academy in Vero Beach, Florida.
Minor League Baseball reported that her performance at the academy "led to a spot in the MiLB Advanced Course, which she completed in 2017."
She began her professional baseball career in the 2017 Gulf Coast League. During the 2023 season, she worked at the Triple-A level in both the International League and the Pacific Coast League, becoming the first Triple-A female in 34 years.
Pawol was the home plate umpire during the Triple-A National Championship Game and will be a crew chief during the 2024 Triple-A season.
MLB placed her on the call-up list for the 2024 season.
"I hear a lot of You’re going to do it. You’re going to be the first one. Keep going," Pawol told the Philadelphia Inquirer.