The Boston Red Sox announced on Monday that they have appointed Bianca Smith, 29, to be their minor league coach.

Smith became the first black woman to train in professional baseball.

Smith has worked as assistant coach and hit coordinator at Carroll University in Wisconsin since 2018. With Red Sox, she will be based at the team player development facility in Fort Myers, Florida, working primarily with center players.

“The opportunity is fantastic,” Smith said Monday during an interview with MLB. “I’m still turning my head around her. Maybe I won’t make it drown until I’m really there.”

Bianca Smith will be joining # Red socks Organization this season, making her the first black woman to train in professional baseball history. pic.twitter.com/ZQsHd8iprD

RedSox January 5, 2021

Smith previously worked as a director of baseball operations at Case Western Reserve University from 2013 to 17, and as an assistant coach at the University of Dallas in 2018. She also did internships with Texas Rangers and Cincinnati Reds, in the baseball operations departments. .

“I think it’s also a great opportunity to inspire other women who are interested in this game,” Smith told The MLB Network. “This isn’t something I really thought about when I was younger. I kind of fell for it for being an athlete. So I’m excited to have this opportunity to show what I can do.”

In November, Miami Marlins appointed Kim Ng as General Manager, making her the first woman to serve as General Manager at MLB.