Rejected Baseball Intern Now Becomes Worcester Red Sox’s First Female General Manager

At 33, Brooke Cooper has made history with the Worcester Red Sox, becoming the first female general manager in the Boston Red Sox franchise’s history. Her appointment in March 2024 marks a significant milestone for women in baseball — a sport she once thought she could never pursue professionally.

Cooper’s path to leadership was anything but straightforward. At 12 years old, she believed her time in baseball had ended after aging out of her local Little League, which offered no further opportunities for girls. “I loved playing baseball,” she told CNBC Make It. “I never pictured I could have a career in baseball.” Although she tried softball, she found it lacked the same spark that baseball gave her.

Her professional journey began years later with a rejection. As a 20-year-old college student, Cooper applied for an internship with the Pawtucket Red Sox, the team’s former name, but was turned down. That summer, she waited tables and volunteered at a sports marketing firm, determined to stay close to the game in any way possible.

A baseball game | Source: Pexels

Two years later, while pursuing an MBA at Providence College, Cooper reapplied for the same merchandising internship — and this time, she was accepted. “The first time, I tried to play it cool,” she recalled. “That second time, I made it so clear how much I wanted it, how hard I would work.”

As an intern, Cooper balanced business classes with day-to-day tasks in the team store, from vacuuming floors to managing inventory. “I was running my own small business within the larger business,” she said. Though the role paid minimum wage, she described it as “professionally fulfilling.”

Her dedication soon translated into steady career growth. Cooper advanced from assistant to the director of merchandising to manager, and later became the director of marketing and merchandising. Among her projects was the team’s 2018 temporary rebranding to the “Hot Wieners,” a marketing success that demonstrated her creativity and leadership. She was named vice president of marketing in 2021 and assistant general manager in 2022 before her historic promotion to general manager in 2024.

When Cooper joined the Worcester Red Sox organization in 2015, she had not envisioned a long-term career in professional baseball. At the time, only one other woman worked in the team’s front office. “I say I don’t have imposter syndrome, and then when I describe it, it’s the definition of imposter syndrome,” she admitted. Yet, she credits that feeling with helping her succeed: “It allowed me to speak up and share my candid thoughts… without being afraid of losing the job.”

A baseball stadium | Source: Pexels

Throughout her tenure, Cooper says she has been supported by an inclusive team culture. “I never felt singled out for being a woman,” she said. “My managers and team leadership have treated every promotion as a matter of fact.” Her gender became notable only after her general manager appointment was made public. “I’m really, really happy to be part of an organization where this can be normalized,” Cooper said.

For Cooper, leading the Worcester Red Sox is more than a career achievement — it is the realization of a lifelong dream she once thought impossible. “I find working in Minor League Baseball professionally challenging in a good way, and also very personally fulfilling,” she said. “I am kind of living out my dream.”