How to Work in Baseball: Starting Your Journey
By Maya DiGiammarino
Fall 2025
What’s the word?
You know, the feeling of perfect happiness? Total peace and pure joy. It’s something like be- no, bli-wait. I got it. Baseball.
Baseball has always been more than a game for me. It’s been constant though all the changes in my life growing up. I’ve watched it, played it, analyzed it, worked on it, and loved it. I’ve worked in different states through different summers and the game is the only thing that never disappoints.
I can’t explain why I love baseball so much, it just makes me happy in a way nothing else does. Even talking about it makes me grin ear to ear. The field feels like home, no matter where I am. I feel welcomed, wanted, and at peace. The smell of dirt grounds me, the sound of the ball hitting the glove sends good chills down my spine, and the crack of the bat makes my whole body relax. There’s no logical reason why I love baseball the way I do, It’s just in my blood. I went to my first baseball game at four months old and I haven’t looked back since.
Growing up, my family attended baseball games regularly. Living outside of Washington, D.C., I was fortunate enough to have access to two Major League teams. The Washington Nationals and the Baltimore Orioles were the two baseball stadiums we went to growing up. As we got older we decided to go to more stadiums. These trips weren’t just bonding experiences for my family, they were also unknowingly steps in my future career.
I learned pretty quickly that I would never play professional baseball. This was based on the fact that I was a little girl and didn’t know changing the game could be possible. I wanted to be as close to the game as possible. The next best option for me was to work in baseball. I wanted to be around the game and help others enjoy it almost as much as I do. I started my baseball career the summer before my senior year of high school. That first internship taught me more than I could have imagined.
Going into it I was hoping there would be at least one other girl there, but there wasn't. I spent my summer working with teenage boys, proving to myself I could do this. I worked hard and always did more than asked. After every game I was exhausted and sometimes I didn’t want to work the next game. But I made a commitment and I needed to see it through. By the end of the summer, I knew this is what I wanted to do, where I wanted to spend my days. At the end of that summer I knew I wanted to work in baseball.
Think About It
If you’re thinking about working in sports, here is something that I’ve learned that you should take the time to consider. Working in sports is just as rewarding as it is demanding.
If you want to work in the MLB, remember that it can take a toll on you emotionally, mentally, and physically. Putting in a lot of hard work and dedicated hours. Scheduling your life around baseball, making your dream your number one priority. Working in baseball is not for those who like the game, it’s for those who love it.
Over the past five years I have completed 4 summer baseball internships as well as worked with a few clubs and teams and athletic departments. In order to get to where I am now I knew that I just had to start. A former co-intern of mine, Matthew Dennis, who helped me through a long and hot summer in Western Nebraska told me that, “I knew that if I wanted to work in sports, I had to figure out a way to get a foot in. Once you get a foot in, you’re in for life.” And he’s not wrong.
How You Can Do It
If you have ever thought about working in baseball there are so many ways to make that happen. Getting a job in baseball is not the easiest thing in the world, especially if you are a woman, but if you love the game, it’s definitely worth it.
When you are watching baseball, the obvious jobs are right in front of you. Being a player, a coach, manager. Even on TV, baseball shows you upfront jobs like announcers and reporters. But there’s so much more that goes on behind the scenes in order to make baseball, well baseball.
Getting into the baseball industry is not the easiest thing, as I have stated a couple times already. It can feel overwhelming, but taking it step by step can help you get through the process much easier.
Here are Some Steps to Help You on Your Way
Figure Out What Excites You Most, What Do You Enjoy Doing?
Growing up, my dad always told me that if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life. So, what about baseball do you love the most? There are so many different sides to baseball, coaching and player improvement, social media and graphics, broadcasting and play-by-play, even more behind the scenes like event management or marketing, even the money side is an opportunity.
Once you find the side of baseball that excites you, it becomes easier to move into the next steps.
Kyla Lewis of the Baltimore Orioles told me about how she started working in baseball, “I didn’t originally anticipate that I would be working in Major League Baseball.” she said. “But for me, it was the perfect opportunity to blend my passions, sports and recruitment, and did it with my hometown team.” Work hard and things will work out.
Get Early Experience
Any experience is a good experience, but you should try and get some experience somewhat related to what you enjoy doing. Don’t expect to go to the big leagues right away. Take it smaller first, try a local team or your school’s athletics department. Test the waters and try a bunch of different things.
Some advice I got from Matthew Dennis was to ,”Just do what everyone else doesn’t do.” Not a lot of people start their job experience early, doing this will give you an advantage.
Not every experience is going to be great, but each one is an opportunity to help you learn and grow, to gain confidence, build new skills, and make lasting connections.
Network, Network, Network
One of the most important parts of working in sports is networking. I will not be the only person to tell you this. Dr. Mara Berkland, Faculty Advisor for the North Central College Baseball Team told me, “the best advice, use your networks. Create networks, use the networks. Because that’s how you get places.”
In the sports industry it’s all about connections. “She always kept telling me, she’s like, if you want to work in sports, that it’s not really what you know, it’s who you know. And that’s kind of, honestly, how it’s always been. Sports is a small world.” Said Matthew Dennis.
Connect with professionals on LinkedIn, reach out to alumni and don’t be afraid to start conversations, even with people you don’t know. Sending an email asking questions or advice coils open different opportunities. You won’t know until you try.
Remember, Working in Sports is Competitive
Competition in the world of sports is rough. Try not to get discouraged when things aren’t perfect right away. Most people start with internships or part time jobs. Learn to work your way up the ladder and be open to change. Stay patient and be grateful for every opportunity. Work your hardest on every job no matter how big or small it is.
Use Every Resource Available
As Dr. Berkland said, “Put yourself out of your comfort zone.” Even if this includes being that extroverted introvert. Even Matthew Dennis said, “get comfortable being uncomfortable. Do things that the normal person doesn’t do.”
What about baseball do you love the most? There are so many different sides to baseball, coaching and player improvement, social media and graphics, broadcasting and play-by-play, even more behind the scenes like event management or marketing, even the money side is an opportunity.
What Nobody Tells You About Working In Baseball
From the outside, working in baseball can look like a pretty good gig, but it isn’t always what people say it is. Although it depends on your role, you could spend hours upon hours at the office. Or night after night on the road with the team. It’s long hours, unpredictable weather, and you’re always going.
There’s no time for family vacations during the season or nights out with the girls. I’m sure every job has their downsides and their upsides, but I think the upsides of baseball heavily outweighs the downsides. The lights, the energy, the crowd, the excitement! It’s all worth it.
Dr. Berkland also reminded me that your reputation follows you everywhere in the world of sports. The industry is small, and every impression matters. She’s right, the world of sports is small. Everyone knows everyone, and what people think about you is important. Every job or internship you’ve had follows you on your journey in sports. Think carefully about how you present yourself and make sure to always put your best foot forward.
When I spoke with the Manager of Talent Acquisition for the Baltimore Orioles, Kyla Lewis, she emphasized that you don’t always need to have an inside connection to get a job. There are a lot of different opportunities and platforms out there, “When I was in my master’s program, I learned about this platform called TeamWork Online. A lot of teams, including MLB and NFL organizations, post their job openings there,” said the Orioles’ Manager of Talent Acquisition. “I was just looking one day, came across an opening, applied, and from there was able to get the opportunity.”
In the end, working in baseball is all about passion and showing up for the things you love. Everyone’s path looks a little different, but if you’re willing to put in the work and stay true to what makes you excited, you can find your place in the world of sports.
Maya DiGiammarino is a senior at North Central College majoring in Sport Management with a minor in Digital Marketing. She has five years of experience working with different levels of baseball, from collegiate and summer teams to an MLB Triple-A affiliate. She is passionate about the game of baseball and wants others to love it almost as much as she does. She can talk about baseball for hours and never get bored of it.