Manchester and Hartford Possible, Rule Innovations Probable, and More WPBL News
Plus: Rivalry with softball, Prospect Ranking webpage, and Denae Benites joins the SLIDE Podcast
It’s been about a week since I published my first WPBL news rundown here on Substack. I wasn’t planning on this type of post being a weekly feature, but there’s been enough interesting news since then that I felt was worth passing along – so here we are! Read on for the latest on the Women’s Pro Baseball League:
Of the dozen-plus news articles I’ve read covering the recent WPBL tryouts, this piece from David K. Li via NBC News is probably my favorite. I’m not sure how I missed it last week. It features great quotes, stories, and phenomenal photographs of a number of players not named Kelsie Whitmore or Mo’ne Davis (who are both awesome, of course, but we’ve seen a ton about them already).
Within the copy are three tidbits I’d like to highlight in particular. For those like me who are wondering just how far they’ll have to travel to catch some WPBL action, Li reports games could be in “likely Hartford, Connecticut; Manchester, New Hampshire; and possibly a third city.” This is the first mention I’ve read of potentially playing games in three locations, and also the first time I’ve seen specific northeastern cities called out. So long as the numbers work out, the more the merrier, I say – whatever can expose the league to more potential fans.
Li talked to WPBL co-founders Justine Siegal and Keith Stein about softball and the Athletes Unlimited Softball League. When I heard about Major League Baseball’s investment in AUSL earlier this summer, I’ll admit my first thought was disappointment that those dollars weren’t going to the WPBL. Siegal said there were no requests to MLB for support, and Stein downplays the implication of pro softball and pro baseball as rival products.
[With] no MLB involvement, Stein said the WPBL has more freedom to consider rule changes that could never get to first base in a legacy setting.
A host of unorthodox rules are under consideration for the WPBL, including a two-hour time limit, a “golden at-bat,” limitless pinch runners … Stein said: “I’d be shocked if there’s not more than one of those (possible rule changes used in 2026).”
I abbreviated the excerpt above so be sure to check out Li’s article for the full lineup of potential rule changes. As I read the list it looks like a number of ideas come straight out of Banana Ball. On one hand, it makes sense: the Savannah Bananas are wildly popular and Stein is right about the need (and opportunity) to innovate. Don’t forget at least two Banana Ball stars – Whitmore and Ashton Lansdell – will be in the WPBL draft in October. On the other hand, part of the appeal of this league is seeing women play real, genuine baseball. I hope they strike a good balance and put a great product on the field for fans.
A new page titled “Prospect Ranking” popped up on the official WPBL website last week. The page appears to still be under construction, but has space for player names, positions, demographic information, and a ranking system. Clicking on a player name brings you to a “draft picks” profile section with award history and social media handles. As you can see in the screenshot below, currently the only player on this list is pitcher Ayami Sato.
This might seem like trivial “news” but it’s got me pretty excited. I’ve been itching to dive into the pool of draft eligible players! I want to see how many names I recognize from international women’s baseball tournaments might be in the new league. I’m curious to see the breakdown of hometown countries represented. What positions do these women play – how many catchers, how many pitchers are in the pool? I have so many questions. The tease of this new webpage leads me to believe we’ll be getting this information sooner rather than later, and hopefully well before the draft in October.
When my wife and I traveled to watch the 2024 Women’s Baseball World Cup Finals, one of the players who stood out after seeing them up close was catcher Denae Benites. The excitement and enthusiasm with which she plays the game is infectious and so incredibly easy to root for. That made the latest episode of the SLIDE Youth Baseball & Softball podcast a must-listen for me. Young ballplayers Lilah “Brickwall” Br4tcher and Ashlynn Jolicouer talk to Benites about how she was personally recruited to the new league, her experience at the tryouts in D.C., and how it felt catching a bullpen session for the legendary Ayami Sato. They also ask Benites for suggestions on WPBL team names and host cities. Check it out below: