Report: Red Sox hiring Bianca Smith, who'll be 1st Black woman to coach pro baseball

The Boston Red Sox will hire Bianca Smith as a minor-league coach, making her the first Black woman to serve as a professional coach in baseball history, according to Julian McWilliams of the Boston Globe.

Smith, whose hiring is expected to be officially announced in January, will work with position players at the minor-league facility in Fort Myers, Florida.

The former Dartmouth softball player interned in the front offices of the Texas Rangers and Cincinnati Reds and currently serves as an assistant coach and hitting coordinator at Carroll University.

"She was a great candidate coming in," said Red Sox vice president of player development Ben Crockett. "She's had some really interesting experiences and has been passionate about growing her skill set and development herself."

Smith will join a growing number of women who are professional on-field baseball coaches.

Alyssa Nakken made history in 2020 when she became the first female on-field coach in the big leagues for the San Francisco Giants.