Seattle Mariners hire MLB's first female full-time scout in 60 years

Hopkins is MLB’s first full-time female scout in almost 60 years.

The Seattle Mariners have hired Amanda Hopkins as a full-time amateur scout, making her the first female to hold that position in Major League Baseball in almost 60 years.

Susan Slusser of TheSan Francisco Chronicle first reported the news on Monday.

Hopkins is following in the footsteps of her father, Ron Hopkins, who spent eight seasons as a national cross checker for the Oakland Athletics before becoming the Texas Rangers‘ scouting director from 2003–09. He was also the special assistant to Rangers general manager Jon Daniels in 2010.

Hopkins’ brother, Ross Hopkins, was selected in the 40th round of the 2007 MLB draft by the Cincinnati Reds. He has since spent several seasons in the minor leagues.

Hopkins played softball at Central Washington University before joining the Mariners in the front office last season. The team sponsored Hopkins so that she could attend the Major League Scouting Bureau developmental program in the fall.

“She has it in her blood,” said Mariners amateur scouting director Tom McNamara. “She has good instincts and feel for scouting.”

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Edith Houghton and Bessie Larget, who worked during the 1940's and 50's, were the first female scouts in Major League Baseball. While many women work in the MLB front offices today, Hopkins in believed to be the first to be hired by the team since Houghton and Larget.

Hopkins will take over as Seattle’s Four Corners scout. She will be responsible for seeking out amateur players in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah. She replaces Chris Pelekoudas, who was promoted to West Coast supervisor. 

- Xandria James