The league was founded in 2024 with an aim to elevate the visibility and proliferation of women's baseball, by establishing a path to professionalism forcollege andamateur players. It has no association withMajor League Baseball.Maybelle Blair,Cito Gaston,Digit Murphy, andAyami Sato assisted in the league's initial development. The league's competitions, played during summer, will consist of a four-weekregular season and two-weekpostseason, partitioned by anall-star game. Games will last seveninnings, and be played withaluminium bats. Teams will consist of 15–25 players, and be restricted to a totalsalary cap ofUS $95,000. The league intends to broadcast its games on a national network, instead of onregional sports networks.
The WPBL's establishment was announced to the public via apress release in October 2024.[12][13] Player registrations opened shortly afterwards, and within 24 hours, over 400 players from the U.S., Canada, Japan, and the United Kingdom registered their interest in playing in the league.[8][9] After a week, registrations grew to over 700 players.[13] The league's launch also cultivated significant public interest – aHart Research poll conducted in April 2025 found interest in the WPBL (19%) to be on par with the WNBA (21%) and NCAA women'scollege basketball (21%).[14]
In August 2025, the league held tryouts at the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy andNationals Park inWashington, D.C. to determine 130 eligible draftees.[15][16][17] Over 600 players registered to take part in the tryouts,[18][19] includingMo'ne Davis, whose return to baseball after five years attracted notable media attention.[19][20][21] The inaugural four teams of the WPBL were announced in late October,[22] and the firstdraft was conducted virtually in November 2025.[23]Kelsie Whitmore was the first draft pick; she was selected by the San Francisco team. Mo'ne Davis was the tenth pick, selected by the Los Angeles team.[24]
Competition in the Women's Pro Baseball League will consist of a four-weekregular season, starting in May, followed by anall-star game, and then a two-weekpostseason tournament that will determine the league's champion.[25][26] Each team will play two games a week, scheduled between Thursdays and Sundays.[26] WPBL games will last seveninnings, and be played withaluminium bats.[27][28]
The Women's Pro Baseball League is owned by its co-foundersJustine Siegal and Keith Stein.Assia Grazioli-Venier serves as the league'schair.[29][30] The league has no association withMajor League Baseball, a decision made to preserve both its independence and its women-led organizational structure.[13] A seven-memberadvisory board deliberates with Siegal and Stein on decisions regarding the league. It currently consists of Laura Gentile, Kate Childs Graham, Leslie Heaphy, Nona Lee,Digit Murphy,Ayami Sato, and Kat Williams. FormerPeoria Redwings pitcherMaybelle Blair also serves as its honorary chair.[31][32]U.S. national team captain Alex Hugo leads the league's player development and recruiting efforts.[33]
The Women's Pro Baseball League will commence play with four teams based in Boston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco.[15][22] An expansion to six[34] or eight[8] clubs is expected to occur afterward. The league's 2026 season will be held at Robin Roberts Stadium in Springfield, Illinois.[1] Players will be provided with accommodation, meals on gamedays, and ashare of revenue fromsponsors atop their regular salary, which is expected to be "comparable" to those in minor leagues.[25][33][35] Squads can be 15–25 players in size, though a totalsalary cap ofUS$95,000 will be enforced by the league.[25][35]
^Keyser, Hannah (January 17, 2025)."Can a Professional Women's Baseball League Launch in Softball's Shadow?".Front Office Sports.Archived from the original on January 17, 2025. RetrievedJanuary 25, 2025."According to MLB, 46% of the league's fans are women, and 53% of women consider themselves MLB fans. "Seems like a perfect time to start a women's pro baseball league." [...] And then next summer, a six-team league will play a 40-game season.
^Pelit, Asli (May 5, 2025)."Women's Pro Baseball League strikes media deal with Fremantle".The Athletic.Archived from the original on July 19, 2025. RetrievedJuly 19, 2025.According to a consumer polling conducted by Hart Research, 19 percent of respondents said they were "very" or "somewhat" interested in the league, putting the WPBL on par with results related to the WNBA (21 percent) and women's college basketball (21 percent).
^abcElsesser 2025, "Each of the WPBL's teams will have a player salary budget of $95,000 to cover their 25-player rosters. The league will also provide housing during the season and offer players a share of sponsorship revenue. The regular season games will span four weeks, followed by an all-star showcase and two weeks of playoffs."
^abMazzeo 2025, "Teams will feature 15-player rosters. Roster salaries for each WPBL team will be around $95,000 for the seven-week season. The league will also provide room and board, as well as meals on gamedays. A portion of league sponsorship revenue will be earmarked toward player compensation."
^Pelit 2025, "Fremantle will manage everything from producing and distributing game broadcasts to creating original content [...] The company will also develop shoulder programming and documentaries."
2026 WPBL season
