Kennedi Landry's journey from SJI to Texas Rangers beat reporter

It’s rare to see a Black woman as a beat reporter for a Major League Baseball team. But for Sports Journalism Institute alumna Kennedi Landry, being rare is the norm.

“Working in a community that is not very diverse is different,” said Landry, beat reporter for the Texas Rangers. “It’s something that you try not to let dominate your mind, but it's hard not to notice that nobody looks like you in the press box or the ballpark.”

Landry began her role as the Texas Rangers beat reporter for MLB.com in 2020. Before she was a beat reporter, she landed an internship with MLB.com through the Sports Journalism Institute, making her transition into her full-time role all the more seamless.

Landry’s love for sports began early. Growing up in New Orleans, Louisiana, it was hard for Landry to ignore the ruckus surrounding sports teams like the New Orleans Saints or the LSU Tigers, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in mass communications. She was also quite an athlete, having played basketball, softball, and golf, but she had a particular fondness for softball.

She recalls attending her first MLB game when the Yankees faced the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field in 2009. She remembered seeing stars like Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada. She fell in love with the atmosphere, and it was then that she knew she wanted to cover Major League Baseball long-term.

Landry especially credits the Sports Journalism Institute for preparing her for her role.

“It’s the simple things like writing on deadline and fleshing out a feature story that really prepared me for this job,” Landy said. “Since I did SJI in the summer of 2020, it’s hard to explain how any of us could fully capture the essence of the program, but our instructors did a phenomenal job of setting us up for success. I surely wouldn’t be where I am without it.”

Last year, Landry hit a milestone as she covered her first World Series, in which the Texas Rangers beat the Arizona Diamondbacks in five games. She’s still high from this feat and isn’t in a rush to leave her beloved baseball beat.

“Hopefully, I can cover another World Series,” Landry said with a chuckle when asked what's next for her. “I have no immediate plans to leave my job at MLB.com, nor do I want to.

“During my first two years on the beat, I felt like I was drowning or treading water at all times,” she added. “But now, I finally feel like I truly know what I’m doing, and I’m swimming better than ever on a major league beat.”