A question I have been asked by parents through the years is whether their daughter should start out by playing baseball (we're talking rec here). I always tell them yes, provided she is not overwhelmed. In the half dozen cases where I have seen the player later on at 12 or 14U it seems to have paid off. I'm also sure there are instances where it didn't work out.
I have seen positive results in my region as well. From what I have seen locally, some coaches tend to coach boys completely differently than they coach girls. It's almost as if they assume the girls will not catch on as quickly. I think that is a mistake. Girls can learn the game just as quickly as the boys can if their coach trusts them and is good at teaching the game.