Women’s pro baseball league picks San Francisco for new team

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — Women’s professional sports are thriving in San Francisco. The city just marked its first season with a WNBA team, the Golden State Valkyries. Starting next year, San Francisco Giants fans will have another home team to root for.

The Women’s Pro Baseball League (WPBL) named four cities on Tuesday where teams will be formed for the new league: Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York and Boston.

“Each of the inaugural cities carries deep baseball roots and a passionate fanbase. They’re iconic baseball towns that share our belief that women deserve a place in professional baseball. 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,” WPBL organizers wrote.

The league held tryouts in August and compiled an initial roster of eligible players who will be considered in the inaugural WPBL Draft later this year.

Players on the roster include college standouts, and international stars like pitcher Ayami Sato. With Team Japan, Sato was a leader in strikeouts, ERA, and dominance in the Japan women’s leagues.

Another baseball phenom on the roster is Mo’ne Davis, who’s “forever etched into baseball history after her Little League World Series heroics,” WPBL wrote.

Davis’ rise to stardom came swiftly when she delivered 70 mph fastballs for Philadelphia’s Taney Youth Baseball Association during the 2014 Little League World Series. She was 13-years-old at the time, and she became the first girl ever to pitch a LLWS shutout victory.

Davis, now 24, plays pitcher, second base, shortstop, and center field. “Her name carries weight with fans across the country, but it’s her continued work ethic and competitiveness that make her a compelling prospect for the WPBL’s first season,” WPBL wrote.

When the league launches in 2026, it will be the first U.S. pro league for women since the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, depicted in the classic film “A League of Their Own,” dissolved in 1954. 

At an upcoming WPBL Draft, the first generation of professional players will find their new homes.

One of the most sought-after players in the draft will be Kelsie Whitmore, who played for the Oakland Ballers last year. “Known for her versatility as both a pitcher and outfielder, she brings a combination of power and poise,” WPBL wrote.

League organizers said Tuesday, “With the league’s debut season on the horizon, the WPBL is positioning itself not only as a new professional league, but as a long-overdue expansion of baseball’s story — one where women finally have their place on the field.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.