Women's Pro Baseball League Reveals 4 Teams for Inaugural 2026 Season

The Women's Pro Baseball League announced the four teams it will have compete in its inaugural season in 2026.

The league selected Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York and Boston.

"From the storied rivalries of the Northeast to the innovation and energy of the West Coast, the WPBL's first four teams create a natural balance — mirroring the diversity and reach of baseball itself," the league said. "These cities aren't just markets; they're cultural powerhouses ready to set the tone for a league built to last."

Justine Siegal and Keith Stein co-founded the WPBL in October 2024.

In addition to playing the game herself, Siegal briefly worked for the Oakland Athletics in 2015 and made history in 2001 with the Cleveland Guardians when she became the first woman to throw batting practice for an MLB team.

The WPBL also brought aboard Japanese star Ayami Sato and two-time World Series-winning manager Cito Gaston as special advisors.

The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League was immortalized in the 1992 movie A League of Their Own. Aside from the 12 years the AAGPBL operated, women have had few opportunities to play baseball beyond a recreational level.

"The Women's Pro Baseball League is here for all the girls and women who dream of a place to showcase their talents and play the game they love," Siegal said. "We have been waiting over 70 years for a professional baseball league we can call our own. Our time is now."

The WPBL held tryouts this past summer. Among the participants was Mo'ne Davis, who garnered national attention for her performance during the 2014 Little League Baseball World Series.

Kelsie Whitmore, who signed with the Savannah Bananas in August, also took part in the tryouts. Whitmore has played independent ball with the Sonoma Stompers, Staten Island FerryHawks and Oakland Ballers.

Sato, Davis and Whitmore are all in the prospect pool for the inaugural draft in November. Each team is slated to start with 15 players.