Sara Goodrum Makes History

It took Sara Goodrum time to process the historic nature of her new assignment.

The Brewers announced that Goodrum would serve as minor league hitting coordinator on Jan. 28, making her the first woman to hold that position for a major league organization. 

“I was immediately just focused on, ‘Let’s get to work,’ ” said Goodrum, who previously served for three years as the Brewers’ coordinator for integrative sports performance. “Let’s start making our hitters become the best they can possibly be. I get to talk about what I love—and that’s hitting.”

The 27-year-old Goodrum was initially told of her promotion back in October.

Goodrum is native of Mesa, Ariz., who played Division I softball for four years as an outfielder for Oregon, where she majored in human physiology. She later earned a master’s degree in exercise and sport science at Utah and joined the Brewers in 2017 as a sports science intern.  

“Sara is well equipped to oversee a comprehensive hitting curriculum,” Brewers president of baseball operations David Stearns said. “She played at a very high level collegiately. She has studied how the body works, how the swing works and how those two elements work together. 

“She’s well-respected by our staff and players who have worked with her over the past four years.”  

As for being a woman in a field dominated by men, Goodrum said the hitters she has instructed have shown no bias.

“The most eye-opening thing for me—especially with the players coming up now—they don’t care if you’re a man or a woman,” she said. “If you can provide them with information and guidance that’s going to help them accomplish making it to the big leagues, they don’t care.” 

Goodrum intends to put perspective to good use as she instructs the Brewers’ hitters of the future.

“To be honest, I wasn’t the best hitter in college,” she said. “When I look back at my college career, if I knew then what I know now, I’d have been a much better hitter.” 

MICROBREWS 

— Goodrum thanked her parents for being “my biggest role models” in encouraging her to pursue her dream of working in sports. After being hired by the Brewers, with constant encouragement and mentoring from the staff, she knew this is what she wanted to do. 

“It’s always been at the forefront of my mind,” she said. “I feel at home when I’m on a baseball field. It brings so much joy to me. 

— Righthander Brandon Ramey, one of three pitching prospects acquired from the Phillies last season for reliever David Phelps, never made it to the mound this offseason after being assigned to the Australian Baseball League. Ramey developed a minor wrist injury while throwing bullpen sessions and he was shut down more as a precaution. 

— Utility player Jace Peterson, who saw action in 26 games for the Brewers last season, starting 15 of them, signed a minor league deal with an invitation to big league camp.