Milwaukee Brewers make Sara Goodrum the first female Minor League hitting coordinator in baseball history

The Milwaukee Brewers promoted Sara Goodrum to Minor League hitting coordinator. This is significant because she is the first woman in baseball history to ever hold that post. Her official title will be Coordinator - Hitting Development Initiatives.

Goodrum spent nearly four years in the Brewers’ sports science department before being promoted to her most recent role. She will oversee the Brewers’ hitting program throughout the organization, manage the hitting coaches at the team’s affiliates and, travel around the various minor league levels to assist in player instruction.

The 27-year old Goodrum spoke to Adam McCalvy.

The most eye-opening thing for me is that especially with the players who are coming up now, they don’t care if you’re a man or a woman...If you can provide them guidance that is going to help them accomplish their dream of making it to the big leagues, they don’t care...For me, it’s always been about showing first and foremost that I care about them. I’m going to continue to do that as I go into the role of being a little more on the front face with our players. Showing them, ‘I want to help you guys in your career, and I’ll be able to provide that information.’ Our hitting coaches are phenomenal, as well. I don’t think the players mind what your gender is. It’s about the information.

Goodrum played collegiate softball at the University of Oregon before acquiring a Master’s degree in exercise and sports science at the University of Utah.

There were several other coach announcements beyond Goodrum. Junior Spivey and Quinton McCraken join the Brewers’ organization. Spivey will be Coordinator - Baseball Diversity Initiatives. McCraken will serve as a Special Assistant - Baseball Operations and Player Development.

The Brewers announced that Rick Sweet would manage the Nashville Sounds, the Brewers new AAA affiliate. This will be the eighth season Sweet has held the manager’s role at the AAA level for the Brewers. Mike Guerrero will manage the AA, Biloxi Shuckers. Matt Ericsson will manage High Class-A, Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. Joe Ayrault will manage the Carolina Mudcats and Fred Dabney will be the Muscats’ pitching coach. Bobby Spain will be the Mudcats’ hitting coach.

Rafael Neda and David Tufo will each manage one of the two Rookie clubs in Arizona. Carson Cross will be a pitching coach with the Arizona Brewers. Victor Estevez will manage the Dominican Summer League. He will be joined by Jesus Hernandez, Luis De Los Santos, Natanael Mejia, Fidel Pena, Mike Habas, and Jose Pena to formulate the coaching staff in the Dominican.