PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The Hillsboro Hops will make history when they take the field in 2023, thanks to a new member of their coaching staff.
The Arizona Diamondbacks affiliate announced Friday that Ronnie Gajownik will manage the Hops this season, making her the first woman to manage a team at the High-A level and the second female manager in Minor League Baseball history.
Gajownik was the Hops video coordinator in 2021 and says she is excited to make her return to Hillsboro.
“I’m very grateful to Josh Barfield and the Diamondbacks for giving me the opportunity to begin my managerial career with the Hillsboro Hops,” said Gajownik. “I’m ecstatic to return to Hillsboro in this elevated role and am fortunate to start this journey… A huge thank you to everyone who has helped me become the person and coach I am today.”
Last season, Gajownik was the first base coach for the Amarillo Sod Poodles, the Diamondbacks Double-A affiliate. She most recently was a coach for the Salt River Rafters in the Arizona Fall League.
Before joining the Diamondbacks, Gajownik was an assistant coach at Liberty University and UMass. As a player, she won a gold medal as an infielder with the USA women’s baseball team at the 2015 Pan American games. She graduated from South Florida University in 2015, where she was a two-year starter on the school’s softball squad.