Red Sox Hire Bianca Smith, First Black Woman to Coach Pro Baseball

The Red Sox will hire minor league coach Bianca Smith, making her the first Black woman to serve as a professional baseball coach.

The Red Sox have hired minor league coach Bianca Smith, making her the first Black woman to serve as a professional baseball coach, the team announced Tuesday.

Julian McWilliams of the Boston Globe first reported that Smith will work with the Gulf Coast League Red Sox—the organization's rookie-level affiliate in Fort Myers, Fla. Smith's work will center around position players. 

Bianca Smith will be joining the #RedSox organization this season, making her the first Black woman to coach in professional baseball history. pic.twitter.com/ZQsHd8iprD

— Red Sox (@RedSox) January 5, 2021

She most recently served as the assistant baseball coach and hitting coordinator at Carroll University in Wisconsin. She has worked there since 2019.

Before her time at Carroll University, Smith worked as the director of baseball operations from 2013–17 and served as an assistant coach at the University of Dallas in 2018. 

Red Sox vice president Ben Crockett told the Globe that Smith was a "great candidate" coming into the franchise.

"She's had some really interesting experiences and has been passionate about growing her skillset and development herself," Crockett said. "It's a meaningful, meaningful thing for the organization."

Smith's major league experience stems from 2017 when she interned in the baseball operations department for the Rangers. She also spent time working at Major League Baseball in amateur administration before interning in the Reds' baseball operations department.

Along with her internship experiences, Smith played softball at Dartmouth from 2010 to 2012.