Produced by: Devin Morgan, Class of 2022, M.P.S., Sport Management
February 14, 2022
Caitlyn Callahan, who was hired in December by the Pittsburgh Pirates as the first female uniformed development coach in Major League Baseball (MLB), recently held a virtual discussion and question-and-answer session with Thomas Weber, Adjunct Professor, Division of Sport Management, and students in his class and others in the Sport Management program.
Ms. Callahan described many experiences she had which impacted her personal and coaching development. A former Division I softball player at Boston University and St. Mary’s College of California, she dealt with numerous injuries that significantly affected her years as a student athlete. She said she continues to have “a special interest in rehab players” because she can empathize with the tremendous emotional and physical toll injuries can take on an athlete.
Reflecting back on her time in 2017–18 with the Brewster Whitecaps in the Cape Cod Baseball League, a top summer college baseball league, Ms. Callahan recalled with amusement a moment when she was not so subtly challenged by a player who tested her baseball knowledge. She responded by dissecting every type of pitch he threw.
Ms. Callahan noted that she recognized she had “earned some respect” that day, proving to the player and the team that she was invested in their success and totally capable of helping them improve. The Whitecaps went on to win the 2017 Cape Cod Baseball League in her first year with the team.
While earning a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from St. Mary’s College, she worked as an Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach for Albany High School and then as a scout for Evolution Metrix, where she learned how to collect quantitative and qualitative data on baseball players.
While she acknowledged that skill development was obviously important for professional pursuits, she responded to a question about the merits of teaching a baseball-centric technology class at the collegiate level by saying how much more important an individual’s character is in the hiring process than their skills, which can be learned.
After a position with the now-defunct Staten Island Yankees as a Baseball Operations Assistant, she worked for the Cincinnati Reds as a minor league video and baseball technology intern in Goodyear, AZ. When she was released due to the COVID-19 pandemic in April of 2020, Ms. Callahan opted to stay in Arizona and took a job as a server at the Hillstone Restaurant Group in Scottsdale.
She was rehired to the same position with the Cincinnati Reds in February of 2021. Ms. Callahan acknowledged that the grind often associated with working with a baseball organization can be overwhelming. She described 12- to 14-hour workdays in-season that could easily lead some to succumb to “burning out.”
Ms. Callahan did not experience this personally, citing a pledge to herself to “do everything I can to help the team.” She encouraged students to take advantage of every opportunity.
“Caitlyn possesses many qualities that are necessary to be successful; she is hard-working, humble, and diligent,” said Prof. Weber. They worked together for the Brewster Whitecaps, and he noted that he admired the way in which she had managed her learning process and overcome barriers.
When asked if she felt comfortable being recognized as a trailblazer in the industry, Ms. Callahan responded that her aspiration was to be seen as the best candidate for the job.
“We are grateful Caitlyn shared her knowledge and experience with St. John’s students as she is a role model for women and aspiring coaches,” said Prof. Weber.