Former Miami Marlins general manager Kim Ng was named commissioner of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League, the league announced Wednesday.

Ng becomes the first-ever commissioner of the emerging league as it prepares for a pivotal expansion phase. Athletes Unlimited will hold a four-team, 10-city, 24-game tour this year, serving as a precursor to its planned 2025 shift to a six-team league with permanent locations.

Kim Ng, who served as a senior adviser to the league during its initial development, brings extensive front office experience. She was the Marlins' GM from 2020 to 2023, becoming the first woman to hold the position for a Major League Baseball team. Under her leadership, Miami posted a 220-266 record and secured its first full-season playoff berth in 20 years, earning a Wild Card spot in 2023 before falling to the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League Wild Card Series.

Kim Ng shares vision after being named Athletes Unlimited commissioner following Marlins tenure

Ng told ESPN that her passion for softball stems from her personal background in the sport.

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“I love this sport,” Ng said. “I grew up playing softball. From middle school on, I played softball, played in college and have, at some points in my career, worked to try and help strengthen the game. Have always kept my eye on it from afar, as I was in baseball, pursuing other things. But it's been a big part of my life. I have four sisters. Three of us played in college, so it's been a big part of our lives.”

Ng also discussed the league's broader impact on the sports landscape.

“When you talk about this, I think it's part of a movement. I think we're in the middle of this transcendence of women's professional sports, now a part of the mainstream conversation. And that's exciting to me.”

In an interview with Front Office Sports, Kim Ng emphasized the league’s unique structure and approach.

“I do think we are sister to baseball, but I think women are unique,” Ng said. “We don’t have all the same wants and needs as the men. We derive satisfaction and joy in some different ways. I think one of the really unique things about Athletes Unlimited is the fact that we are very player centric… I think Athletes Unlimited takes great pride in putting our athletes forward and giving them great platforms and trying to help them tell their stories and build their brands.”