From a young age, boys usually play baseball while girls play softball. With a larger ball, different pitching style, shorter bats, and a smaller field, they're similar but very different. As a female pitcher, if you fall in love with overhand or sidearm pitching, switching over to underhand can be difficult, but necessary if you want to play in high school and college. That is, unless you are Yedlimar De Jesus. The 17-year-old Puerto Rican has officially begun practice at Monroe University in New York, where she is making history as the first-ever woman to be added to the baseball team's roster.
Last week, the University shared a video on Instagram about their new pitcher, which starts with Bad Bunny announcing that a Boricua is making history in the United States by joining the baseball team at Monroe University. Then, Yedlimar begins to introduce herself.
De Jesus was born and raised in Puerto Rico and began playing when she was 5 with her brother and family. "Being part of Monroe University is such a blessing," she says in the clip, expressing her excitement to play baseball and study at the college. In an older recruiting profile, she said she had goals of studying to become a physical therapist.
The video showed her playing with all the boys, revealing that practice has officially begun. As the only girl on the team, she explained that the team has been "very respectful." "They treat me like another player and like a sister. And that's something that I appreciate a lot, and I give them the same respect because this has to be mutual," she says in the clip.
De Jesus graduated from high school in 2025 and played baseball at Albergue Olímpico and AOBA Baseball Academy as a right-handed pitcher. On her NCWA recruitment profile, she explains, "My role as a pitcher is to close games. I have had to start games, but in most cases I have come in to relieve and close innings."
She was recruited at a showcase, telling EL VOCERO that she was able to strike out three players. "At the end, the coach came over and asked me if I wanted to play baseball or softball, and, with all due respect, I told him I wanted to [play baseball]. He quickly spoke with my mom to give her the information and make the decision,” De Jesús shared..
She's always had the support of her mother and family, despite them knowing there were fewer opportunities in baseball. “I once played softball, and I know there are more opportunities for girls there, but I love baseball even more because I've played it since I was little, thanks to my brother, and it's what I wanted: to succeed playing this game," she said.
"I remember talking to my mom about it, and from that moment on, she supported me until I got this scholarship, which fills me with pride, and I know will be a great motivation for other girls,” De Jesus continued.
As with any discussion when it comes to women's sports, De Jesus is going to deal with sexism and criticism throughout her career. “It's not easy dealing with the sexist people around this sport, especially if they stand out compared to other men," she said.
But the athlete is facing it with the strength of herself and the women who came before her. "But it was easy for me to ignore them because I'm the owner of my own steps, and that's what I was truly focused on. My mom, grandmother, and brother also had to deal with this, but what I have to say is that if I achieved something, it's because I deserve it and because I've worked very hard for it,” she continued.
