SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) – Women’s professional sports are thriving in San Francisco. The city just celebrated its first season with a WNBA team, the Golden State Valkyries. Starting next year, San Francisco Giants fans will have another team to root for.
The Women’s Professional Baseball League (WPBL) identified 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 fan base. They are iconic baseball cities that share our belief that women deserve a place in professional baseball. From historic rivalries in the Northeast to the innovation and energy of the West Coast, the top four teams in the WPBL create a natural balance,” WPBL organizers wrote.
The league held tryouts in August and compiled a preliminary list of eligible players who will be considered for the inaugural WPBL draft later this year.
Players on the roster include college standouts and international stars such as pitcher Ayami Sato. With Team Japan, Sato pioneered hitting, ERA, and dominance in the Japan Women’s League.
Another baseball phenom on the list is Mo’ne Davis, who is “forever etched in baseball history after her Little League World Series heroics,” WPBL wrote.
Davis’ rise to stardom came quickly when she delivered 70-mph fastballs for the Taney Youth Baseball Association in Philadelphia during the 2014 Little League World Series. She was 13 at the time, and became the first girl ever to hit a shutout in the LLWS.
Davis, now 24, plays pitcher, second base, shortstop and center field. “Her name carries weight with fans across the country, but it is her consistent work ethic and competitiveness that make her a compelling candidate for the WPBL’s first season,” the WPBL wrote.
When the league launches in 2026, it will be the first women’s professional league in the United States since the American Girls Professional Baseball League, depicted in the classic film “A League of Their Own,” disbanded in 1954.
In the upcoming WPBL draft, the first generation of professional players will find their new homes.
One of the most sought-after players in the draft is Kelsey Whitmore, who played for the Oakland Ballers last year. “Known for her versatility as a pitcher and outfielder, she combines power with poise,” WPBL wrote.
“As the league’s inaugural season approaches, the WPBL positions itself not just as a new professional league, but as a long-awaited expansion of the baseball story — one where women finally have their place on the field,” league organizers said Tuesday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.