NEW YORK — Melissa Mayeux, the 16-year-old French shortstop who on Sunday became the first female player to be added to Major League Baseball’s international registration list , is unlikely to be the first woman to play in the majors. That is because the word “unlikely” has to be applied to just about any 16-year-old, regardless of gender, when it comes to making it to the top level of baseball.
Don’t get caught thinking that Mayeux’s inclusion is a publicity stunt, though, not when she plays for France’s U-18 national team. Her skills are evident.
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“I watched the video of her taking ground balls and hitting, and she looked really good for being 16,” said Yankees outfielder Garrett Jones. “She looked good for a 16-year-old boy. I’m for it. If a girl can play up to the level and compete with guys, I’m all for it. If she can compete and help the team win, why not? It’s pretty cool that girls are playing baseball. I didn’t know they had that in other countries, like France. So, why not? If a girl can compete with the guys and play, why not let her play?”
Between Mo’ne Davis’ captivating performance for the Taney Dragons in last year’s Little League World Series and Mayeux’s arrival on MLB’s international registry, the question is starting to shift from if a woman will someday play major league baseball to when it will happen.
“I don’t know if you can put a date or a timetable on it, but you’ve got to figure at some point, it’s bound to happen,” said Phillies right-hander Aaron Harang. “You look at UFC, and they’re talking about Ronda Rousey fighting men, and stuff like that. Muhammad Ali’s daughter, Laila, had the potential to box against men. At some point, it’s going to eventually happen. There’s always going to be a first for everything.”
One roadblock is a lack of opportunity for young women to advance in baseball, with softball so prominent on the high school and college sports landscape. Mayeux also plays softball, on France’s senior national team, but by her age, hardly any American girls are playing baseball.
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With so few opportunities for girls to pursue baseball at advanced levels, the arrival of a woman in the majors remains a distant prospect, but it also wasn’t that long ago that if you walked into a major league clubhouse and suggested the possibility, you would be laughed right out of the room.
That’s not the case anymore. It’s now something to expect to see. It’s just a matter of time and opportunity. Mayeux shows that the opportunity aspect is real.
“I don’t know how far it is off,” Jones said. “I think it’s still a ways, but you never know. A girl could come along and be able to compete. You never know. It could happen anytime. It’s cool to see this happening now, and I wish her the best. Hopefully she keeps improving, keeps playing, and you never know what can happen.”
