Jen Pawol continues to blaze trail for female umpires

Jen Pawol, the third-base umpire at TD Ballpark, is making history. First assigned to a Spring Training game in 2024, Pawol is now just the third woman to officiate at this level, following in the footsteps of Pam Postema and Ria Cortesio.

A crew chief in the minor leagues and an MLB call-up umpire, Pawol was selected as the home plate umpire for the 2023 Triple-A Championship, making her the first woman in 34 years to officiate at the highest level of the minors.

Before transitioning to umpiring, Pawol was a standout softball player, catching for Hofstra University and competing in Amateur Softball Association Major Fast Pitch for a decade. She made her Spring Training debut last year as the third-base umpire for a game between the Houston Astros and Washington Nationals.

Pawol is also helping develop future umpires as an instructor at MLB's 2023 Umpire Prospect Development Camp. She is one of five women officiating in affiliated baseball this season, alongside Isabella Robb (Single-A Florida State League), Lianna Rix (Rookie-level Arizona Complex League), Gina Quartararo (ACL), and Xcaret Ramirez (ACL).

While no woman has officiated a regular-season MLB game, Pawol could be the first to break that barrier. As part of MLB's call-up list, she is eligible to step in if a regular umpire is unavailable-meaning her debut could be just a matter of time.

With more women stepping into roles traditionally held by men, Pawols rise is a sign of progress. As baseball continues to evolve, it seems inevitable that she-and others-will soon take their place on a major league field.