Whitmore top pick in historic Women's Pro Baseball League draft

When the first name was called at the inaugural Women’s Pro Baseball League draft on Thursday night, there was little surprise: When it comes to the world of women’s baseball, Kelsie Whitmore stands out as a giant.

“Kelsie worked her whole life for this moment,” said WPBL co-founder Justine Siegal, herself a trailblazer as the first woman to coach in a men’s league. “She is the first draft pick this century for a women’s pro baseball league, and the WPBL is honored to give her this opportunity. Kelsie represents all the girls and women out there who dream of playing professional baseball.”

“We are honored and excited that one of the greatest athletes on the planet will forever be enshrined in baseball history as the first overall pick in the Women’s Pro Baseball League’s inaugural draft,” fellow WPBL co-founder Keith Stein said. “As a role model for young girls around the world, Whitmore has continued to break barriers throughout her career, inspiring the next generation of players.”

The draft represents a historic moment for the game, as the WPBL is the first American pro women’s league since the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League in the 1940s and '50s. The WPBL is set to begin play with four teams representing Boston, New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco at Robin Roberts Stadium in Springfield, Ill., next August following the Women's Baseball World Cup in Rockford from July 22-26.

“It’s my pleasure to congratulate everyone with the Women’s Pro Baseball League for tonight’s inaugural draft,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said at the opening of the broadcast. “We are thrilled that baseball is part of this extraordinarily exciting time for women’s sports. Both on the field and in our front offices, baseball is a game for everyone. I am delighted that girls will soon be able to watch the Women’s Pro Baseball League and aspire to play and participate in the future.”

Whitmore -- just 27 years old -- already has a career filled with accolades and accomplishments. She was 17 when, alongside fellow USA Women’s National Team players Stacy Piagno and Anna Kimbrell, she debuted with the Sonoma Stompers in 2016 as the first woman to play pro baseball since the 1950s. But Whitmore didn’t stop there: Since then, the two-way player has suited up for the Staten Island FerryHawks as the first woman in the Atlantic League, before later joining the Oakland Ballers and Savannah Bananas.

But now, after a lifetime of playing on men’s teams, she’ll be able to lead the way in the new women’s league.

“It's just an overwhelming feeling of being super grateful for the opportunity. Because I truly didn't know if this moment would come, to be able to have a women's professional baseball league while I'm still in the prime of my career,” Whitmore told MLB.com. "It's just a really cool opportunity that’s not just for me, but for a lot of young girls. They now have a platform to look up to and to navigate through.”

The league fulfills a dream for many women, including legends like Maybelle Blair, who have been asking for a league of their own.

“Hopefully the goal is for this league to be so successful that it lasts as long as the big leagues, and maybe my daughter one day will be able to play in the league,” Whitmore said. “It's a cool opportunity for a lot of current females and younger females coming up. And then also individuals that used to play in the league in the ‘40s and ‘50s, they are also so excited for it, too.”

The birth of the WPBL comes as women’s sports continue to grow in popularity around the globe. The recent WNBA finals had its highest ratings in 25 years, the Women’s College World Series set ratings record this past year and the AUSL is expanding to six teams after a successful inaugural season in 2025. There are now sports bars that cater specifically to women’s sports, like Wilka’s Sports Bar in New York and the Watch Me! Sports Bar in Long Beach, Calif., which hosted WPBL draft watch parties on Thursday.

Inside JetBlue Park in Fort Myers, Fla., Spring Training home of the Red Sox, a draft party took place with nearly 20 players who were selected all in attendance.

“We were all hyping each other up, supporting one another and the energy was really just awesome,” former Ole Miss softball standout, USWNT star, HRDX veteran and Banana-baller Lansdell said from the celebration. “There's nothing but smiles all around here. It was really cool to have a bunch of people here, family, friends and draftees themselves. Everyone got their little podium moment, they walked onto the podium, signed their first pro signature, put on the hat, took some pictures. We made it a pretty legit deal down here.”

The importance for women to play alongside each other after a lifetime spent as the lone woman on their Little League, high school, and college teams can't be overstated. No longer will these athletes have to prove themselves on a team of men.

“For the longest time, I truthfully felt I was the only girl that ever wanted to play professionally,” Whitmore admitted. “Now, with this league and seeing the interest of so many women, I’m like ‘Oh wow. I wasn’t the only one that had an interest in it.’”

Whitmore struggled at times during her own career, acknowledging that she was carving out a path that didn't exist. Everywhere she went, she stood out from the rest of the team.

“Before every pro ball season I've gotten into there is an amount of stress that comes into it, like, ‘I need to make sure I'm proving myself, that I earned this contract to be in this league,'" Whitmore said. "There's an amount of, ‘Am I throwing the ball up to par, up to what they expect?' and comparing myself to all the other men I will be competing and playing with. It's stressful because it takes you out of who you are as a player. I feel like there's so much peace now going into this Women's League because I'm finally done trying to impress or prove or compare myself to others that I shouldn't have been doing all along. Now coming into this league, I can just be myself. I feel like myself is finally enough.”

"It's really cool to play in this league, just to play with other women, especially the women whose names got called and whose names will get called," said former Little League superstar Mo'ne Davis, who was taken 10th overall by Los Angeles. "They've done amazing things in the baseball world, so I'm just happy to be alongside of them and to help push this league and the game forward."

Now a veteran with a history of softball and basketball in her career, Davis was listed as a center fielder when selected -- though she’s ready to pitch should her coach ever call upon her.

“I was very shocked to be drafted at No. 10,” Davis said. “I know it's a lot of work that I have to do, and I'm very excited to get out there and meet my new teammates.”

The draft also displayed the global reach of the women’s game. Players from the U.S., Canada, Australia, South Korea, the U.K., Curacao, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Japan were among the 120 players picked on Thursday night.

"I'm proud to be a baseball player," South Korean catcher Hyeonah Kim, taken fourth overall by Boston, said in a video statement, "Now I have a place to play and compete alongside women who shares the same passions."

Ayami Sato -- arguably the greatest women’s baseball pitcher in history -- went No. 2 overall to Los Angeles.

“I’m very happy,” Sato said over Zoom, a wide smile across her face. “It’s a dream.”

The Japan native recently pitched for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the IBF, becoming the first woman in Canadian pro baseball. Now she has her sights set on the WPBL.

“I didn't expect this would happen, so I'm just so happy,” Sato said. “Older women’s players all over the world had a lot of struggles and a lot of obstacles to play baseball until now. This is a moment where everyone can share this joy together.”

Lansdell, who went seventh overall to L.A., will now line up alongside her as a teammate next year after years of being rivals in international competitions.

“Being a teammate with Sato? It’s awesome,” said Lansdell. “We have players from all around the world on each and every team, so the fact that we can all come together now and be on the same team [is incredible.] We've always supported one another no matter what, because this is a small world -- the world of women's baseball, and just honestly, the world of women's sports."

For all the young girls who tuned in for the draft on Thursday night, there's one simple message to take away, reiterated by everyone taking part.

"It just gives little girls hope that they actually can play professional baseball one day and there's actually an outlet that they can do that," Lansdell said. "They don't have to just hope that this might happen one day, like we all did."

“Dream big, this could be you if you keep playing. Follow your passion,” Siegal said. “Baseball is a game for all of us.”