French shortstop Melissa Mayeux becomes 1st female player on MLB international registration list

When July 2 rolls around, marking the beginning of a new signing period for international amateurs, 16-year-old shortstop Melissa Mayeux could become the first female prospect ever to sign with a Major League Baseball team.

On Sunday, Mayeux became the first known female to be added to MLB's international registration. That distinction, however, is largely irrelevant to her. Yes, she is female. She also happens to be French. But, more importantly, she's a baseball player.

"Melissa just wants to have (the) most opportunity she can in baseball," said Boris Rothermundt, a coach with the French national team who has been working with Mayeux since she joined the program two years ago as a member of the U-15 team. "She is not at all thinking about being the first female on the list."

Mayeux, who plays for the French U-18 junior national squad, was one of four players from her team selected to participate in MLB's European Elite Camp in August. European prospects haven't had much success making an impression in the major leagues, but Mayeux has certainly opened eyes among certain talent evaluators.

"She's a legitimate shortstop who makes all the plays and is very smooth and fluid in the field," said Mike McClellan, MLB Director of International Game Development. "She swings the bat really well and is fearless."

Though Mayeux may not necessarily accept a deal if approached by an MLB club, deferring would allow her to play baseball in the American university system.

"I would like very much to continue playing baseball in France until I'm 18 years old," she said, "and then have the ability to leave for university or another opportunity abroad. I'd like to stay in baseball as long as possible."

Mayeux, for the record, emphasized that she hasn't experienced any discrimination whilst playing for her country's national team, noting that she "never had a problem with integration or respect."

Fellow ballplayers may soon fear her, though, as Mayeux could conceivably take the field for France in the 2017 World Baseball Classic.

"In 2017, she'll still be on the young side, but she's improved steadily over the last two years and will continue to improve," McClellan said. "So could she play for France in the WBC? In her lifetime, I think she can."