Could a woman be the next Shohei Ohtani?
Two-way player Kelsie Whitmore has made appearances this week as both an outfielder and a pitcher for the Staten Island FerryHawks, becoming the first woman to start and pitch in an Atlantic League game.
In her pitching debut, she forced former big leaguer Ryan Jackson of the Lexington Legends to fly out to left field to get her team out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth inning.
The first of many outings for @KelsieWhitmore!#HawkCity #FerryHawks #BigHawkEnergy pic.twitter.com/kjL7posDap
— SI FerryHawks (@FerryHawks) May 5, 2022
Three days earlier, Whitmore was the starting left fielder for Staten Island, going 0-for-2 with a hit by pitch.
Kelsie Whitmore takes the field as the first woman to ever start a game in Atlantic League history. Make sure to send this to every little girl who thinks they can’t play professional baseball! Those days are over fans, Kelsie Whitmore has arrived and she’s here to stay! pic.twitter.com/9i7fiCwOYU
— SI FerryHawks (@FerryHawks) May 1, 2022
Whitmore was a star softball player with Cal State Fullerton. She was the Big West Conference Player of the Year in 2021.
But she also has plenty of baseball experience, playing in a collegiate summer baseball league last year where she pitched five innings of scoreless baseball.
Her team says there will be future appearances by Whitmore.
The Atlantic League is an independent minor league that has a number of former MLB players sprinkled throughout.
