How Jen Pawol Became the First Female Umpire in MLB History

Most sports figures have to wait decades between their debuts and making their presence known in a Hall of Fame. Jen Pawol did it in a few hours.

1. The MLB’s First Female Umpire
2. Getting the Call
3. What Comes Next for Pawol

On Saturday, August 9, Pawol made history as the first woman umpire to officiate a regular season Major League Baseball game. She was behind the plate at first base for a contest between the Miami Marlins and the Atlanta Braves. (At home, the Braves earned a 7-1 victory.) Immediately following the game, she handed over her umpire’s hat to a representative for the National Baseball Hall of Fame, where it’s destined to be displayed to commemorate her milestone appearance.

“The dream actually came true today,” Pawol told ESPN. “I'm still living in it. I'm so grateful to my family and Major League Baseball for creating such an incredible work environment ... I'm just so thankful.”

Like most so-called overnight successes, however, Pawol’s ascension to and through a glass ceiling in sports took a lot of time, calls, and patience.

The MLB’s First Female Umpire

There’s never been any official prohibition or rule excluding female officials in the MLB. Instead, it’s been the standard through the league’s 100-plus year history to recruit male umpires from the minor leagues and to pass on the handful of female officials who were looking to end the gender disparity. According to The Athletic, several women—Christine Wren, Pam Postema, and Shanna Kook, among others—all acted as umpires without getting the call to the majors. Only Ria Cortesio had made something of a dent, once officiating a spring training game in 2007.

It's not that these efforts were wasted. As Pawol notes, the women helped carve out a path for her own eventual success. A lifelong baseball devotee, Pawol played softball on scholarship at Hofstra University and as an amateur for a decade before moving over to officiating.

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“I took an aggressive approach to pushing my future doing all kinds of games, all kinds of tournaments,” she said in 2016. “I just love it, I absolutely love it … Where as a player you’re making the game happen, as an umpire it passes through you. I thought that was amazing.”

In 2016, she attended the Minor League Baseball Umpire Training Academy. She eventually worked her way up to Triple-A officiating in 2023, the first woman in the role in 34 years. The MLB had her officiating spring training games in 2024 and 2025. In all, Pawol officiated over 1200 minor league games.

Getting the Call

Pawol didn’t know she would be officiating the weekend games until last Wednesday, August 6, when she got the news from the MLB’s umpire operations team.

Pawol’s first two major league innings on Saturday were uneventful, as Braves pitcher Hurston Waldrep cleared out the Marlins and the Marlins’ Ryan Gusto returned the favor. No calls were needed at first base, where Pawol was stationed. In the third inning, she called Braves catcher Sean Murphy safe, though it was close; she called Marlin Xavier Edwards out, which also drew some controversy, though neither call was challenged.

For the second game in a doubleheader, Pawol worked third base; for Sunday’s game, she was behind home plate, where she made the first strike call of her MLB career against Edwards on the first pitch. Many thought it was clearly inside, but Pawol received acclaim for the following three innings, where she navigated the correct calls on close pitches.

The importance of the games was not lost on spectators: Pawol received applause from the crowd at Truist Park in Atlanta, a reception not normally afforded to umpires. Players also stopped to shake her hand and offer their support.

What Comes Next for Pawol

Pawol worked three games over the weekend, all part of the Marlins and Braves series. Still technically a Triple-A umpire, she is eligible to substitute in Major League games (known as a “rover”) when one of the 76 full-time umpires are absent as a result of vacation or illness. As of this writing, she’s awaiting her next assignment and to join other women in the NBA, NFL, and soccer’s World Cup as pro league officials. (The NHL has not yet enlisted a woman on the ice.)

“This historic accomplishment in baseball is a reflection of Jen’s hard work, dedication, and love of the game,” Commissioner of Baseball Robert D. Manfred, Jr. said in a statement. “She has earned this opportunity, and we are proud of the strong example she has set, particularly for all the women and young girls who aspire to roles on the field.”

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