Kelly Rhoades ’14 is making her big league debut this spring as an assistant athletic trainer for the Detroit Tigers.
In this episode of Redbird Buzz, Rhoades shares her journey from Illinois State University’s athletic training program to nearly a decade with the Arizona Diamondbacks organization, primarily in Minor League Baseball (MiLB). Now, she is beginning her first Major League Baseball (MLB) role with the Tigers.
Originally from Poplar Grove, Rhoades made history by becoming the first female athletic trainer in Arizona Diamondbacks history when she was hired in 2016. Since then, Rhoades has been promoted from working with Rookie Ball, to Class A, to serving as a medical coordinator. Last November, she joined the Tigers and is making her MLB debut when Detroit opens the 2024 season at the Chicago White Sox March 28, a homecoming of sorts for the northern Illinois native.
Redbird Buzz is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts. Transcripts of each episode are available online at Alumni.IllinoisState.edu/Podcast.
