Jen Pawol Poised to Shatter MLB Gender Barrier — What’s Driving Her Unstoppable Energy?
Jen’s journey stretches back to a summer in the early ’90s at West Milford High in New Jersey. A simple invitation from a teammate—“Do you want to come umpire with me?”—kicked off an unexpected path. With a modest $15 paycheck and barely any clue what she was doing, Jen put on the gear and started calling balls and strikes. That first step set in motion a relentless pursuit fueled by passion and grit.
Awarded honors as a student-athlete and later recognized in her high school’s Athletic Hall of Fame, Jen transformed from a collegiate catcher to a top-level umpire candidate. It wasn’t until a chance meeting with MLB ump Ted Barrett in 2015 that the real climb began. Ted saw something special — not just physical toughness but a hunger to absorb knowledge. He warned Jen it would likely take a decade in the minor leagues to reach the bigs, yet here she stands, ready to prove him right and then some.
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