New Women's Pro Baseball League Launches at Red Sox Spring Home

Players from around the world gather in Florida for two-day event ahead of inaugural season

Mar. 19, 2026 at 5:12am

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The Women's Pro Baseball League (WPBL) is set to launch its inaugural season on August 1, with four teams based in Boston, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York. The league is the first women's professional baseball league in the United States in over 70 years. Players gathered at the Boston Red Sox's spring training facility in Fort Myers, Florida for a two-day event featuring drills, scrimmages, and preparation for the upcoming season.

Why it matters

The WPBL represents a major milestone for women's sports, providing a professional pathway for female baseball players that has been absent since the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League dissolved in 1954. This new league aims to inspire the next generation of young girls and create more opportunities for women to play baseball at the highest levels.

The details

The two-day event in Fort Myers featured players from around the world, including standout pitcher and outfielder Kelsie Whitmore, veteran Japanese pitcher Ayami Sato, and former Little League star Mo'ne Davis. The players participated in drills led by major league coaches and held an intrasquad scrimmage ahead of a Red Sox spring training game. The WPBL will play a six-week regular season and two-week postseason at Robin Roberts Stadium in Springfield, Illinois.

  • The WPBL will launch its inaugural season on August 1, 2026.
  • The two-day event in Fort Myers, Florida took place on March 19-20, 2026.

The players

Kelsie Whitmore

A standout pitcher and outfielder who has won multiple medals playing for the U.S. women's national baseball team. She is the No. 1 overall selection to the San Diego team in the WPBL's inaugural draft.

Ayami Sato

A veteran Japanese pitcher participating in the WPBL's two-day event in Fort Myers.

Mo'ne Davis

A former Little League star who in 2014 became the first girl to earn a win and pitch a shutout in the Little League World Series.

Shawn Smith

The Boston Red Sox's general manager of Florida operations, who is hosting the WPBL event at the team's spring training facility.

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What they’re saying

“I never thought this would ever happen for me in my prime career. I never thought it was ever going to happen, truly.”

— Kelsie Whitmore

“This is another moment that I take when I go back home — what do I need to work on? For me specifically is hitting approach. That's the one I'm really focusing on because I want to be a better hitter. I want be a more consistent hitter. … I appreciate all the coaches that helped today. Whatever question you had, they were open to answering it.”

— Mo'ne Davis

“These athletes have done something that hasn't existed in 80 years. And they're at the pinnacle of their craft right now only to get better. For us to be here — I feel like a little kid. I can't describe it any other way.”

— Shawn Smith, Red Sox general manager of Florida operations

What’s next

The WPBL will hold an intrasquad scrimmage on Thursday, March 20, 2026 ahead of the Red Sox spring training game against the Minnesota Twins.

The takeaway

The launch of the Women's Pro Baseball League represents a historic milestone for women's sports, providing a long-awaited professional pathway for female baseball players. This new league has the potential to inspire the next generation of young girls and create more opportunities for women to compete at the highest levels of the sport.