WPBL tryouts & draft: how players got in, and what’s known for 2027
Want to play in the Women’s Pro Baseball League? As of October 4, 2026, no 2027 tryout or draft date has been announced. Here is exactly how the first cycle worked — the 2025 tryout in Washington, D.C. and the November 2025 draft — from the league’s own pages, plus what has changed since. Unofficial fan guide; we can’t register you or pass on applications.
Status for 2027
- Tryout dates: not announced. The official tryout information page still describes 2025.
- Draft: not announced. Commissioner Justine Siegal told The IX Sports that every 2026 player was on a one-year contract and became a free agent after the season (The IX Sports, Sep 24, 2026), so 2027 rosters will be rebuilt in some form.
- Developmental league: Golden Rule Entertainment is set to launch and manage a WPBL developmental league in 2027 in Springfield, Illinois (Sports Business Journal, Nov 17, 2025; Boston Globe, Nov 17, 2025). Details on how players join have not been published.
- Big-picture 2027 news: WPBL 2027: what we know.
How the 2025 tryout worked
| Item | 2025 detail |
|---|---|
| Dates & place | Aug. 22–25, 2025, Washington, D.C.: Nationals Youth Baseball Academy Aug. 22–24, final evaluation at Nationals Park Aug. 25 (official 2025 tryout information) |
| Format | Day 1 evaluations; strong performers invited back each day; top performers played games at Nationals Park on Day 4 (official 2025 tryout information). Players were told at the end of each day whether they advanced or were cut (official tryout FAQ). |
| Turnout | Over 600 players registered (official tryout announcement, Jul 2, 2025); the league later said 600+ players from 10 countries attended (official draft details, Nov 3, 2025). |
| Who ran it | The tryouts were led by Alex Hugo, two-time USA Baseball Sportswoman of the Year (official tryout announcement, Jul 2, 2025). |
| Age | 18 by May 1, 2026; no maximum age (official tryout FAQ) |
| Gear | Bring your own: batting helmet, glove, cleats and/or turf shoes, bat, white baseball pants, black belt, black socks; catchers bring catching gear. Any aluminum bat was allowed for the 2025 tryout (official tryout FAQ). |
| Costs | Players came at their own expense, CEO Keith Stein said (Marketplace, Aug 7, 2026); the league covered accommodation for players selected for the last day (official tryout FAQ). |
| International players | Those unable to attend were asked to submit videos (official 2025 tryout information). |
| Outcome | Top players entered the draft pool; up to 150 were eligible (official 2025 tryout information). |
How the first WPBL draft worked
- When: Nov. 20, 2025, 8 p.m. ET, streamed on the league’s Instagram, TikTok and YouTube (official draft details, Nov 3, 2025; official draft preview, Nov 2025).
- Format: six rounds, five picks per team per round, 120 players total, snake order (official draft details, Nov 3, 2025).
- Order: by random draw — San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Boston (official draft details, Nov 3, 2025). San Francisco took Kelsie Whitmore first overall; Los Angeles took Mo’ne Davis 10th (ESPN explainer).
- Who played: 120 players were drafted, but 69 took the field in 2026 (The IX Sports, Sep 24, 2026). Defector reported that about half the draft class — mostly the first three rounds — signed contracts soon after, and unsigned draftees were told roster spots could open on short-term contracts during the season (Defector, Aug 19, 2026).
If you want to be ready for the next one
- Watch the league’s official news page and social accounts — in 2025 that is where tryout news appeared (Defector, Aug 19, 2026).
- Expect to pay your own way unless the league says otherwise (Marketplace, Aug 7, 2026).
- National-team pathways matter: many 2026 WPBL players also play for their countries at the Women’s Baseball World Cup.
- What the job paid in 2026: WPBL player salary.
FAQ
Are there WPBL tryouts in 2027?
No 2027 tryout has been announced as of October 4, 2026. The league’s tryout pages still describe the August 2025 tryout in Washington, D.C.
How old do you have to be to try out for the WPBL?
For the 2025 tryout, the official FAQ said players had to be 18 by May 1, 2026, with no maximum age. Rules for any future tryout have not been published.
How did the WPBL draft work?
The first draft was Nov. 20, 2025: six rounds, five picks per team per round, 120 players, snake order. San Francisco picked first, then Los Angeles, New York and Boston, by random draw.
Can international players try out for the WPBL?
In 2025, international players who could not attend in person were asked to submit videos, per the official tryout page.
Sources (opened Oct 4, 2026): official 2025 tryout information · official tryout announcement, Jul 2, 2025 · official tryout FAQ · official draft details, Nov 3, 2025 · official draft preview, Nov 2025 · ESPN explainer · The IX Sports, Sep 24, 2026 · Sports Business Journal, Nov 17, 2025 · Boston Globe, Nov 17, 2025 · Marketplace, Aug 7, 2026 · Defector, Aug 19, 2026
Offseason guide: WPBL 2027: what we know · Tryouts & draft · Player pay · World Cup 2027 · Players · Teams · 2026 playoffs · 2026 standings
Unofficial fan guide — not the WPBL. Every fact above links to its source; if something changed, the official site wins. About.