A new baseball league is hoping to find star players for its inaugural season at open tryouts next month. The Women’s Pro Baseball League announced on “CBS Mornings Plus” Wednesday that it will hold tryouts from August 22 through August 25 at Nationals Park and the Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy in Washington D.C. The final evaluation will be at Nationals Park on August 25.
Over 500 women from around the globe have signed up for the tryouts. Up to 150 will be selected to move on to a draft in the fall, where they could be selected by one of six teams ahead of the league’s debut in spring 2026.
“We want to see the best of the best, and that’s what we’re looking for. The best players around the world,” Women’s Pro Baseball League co-founder Justine Siegal told “CBS Mornings Plus.” “I’m looking for people who can hit the long ball. I’m looking for strikes, blow by the batters. We’re looking for those who have played baseball, have a good baseball acumen and people are gonna come out and watch them play.”
Alex Hugo, a two-time USA Baseball Sportswoman of the Year Award Winner and Team USA Silver Medalist at the 2024 Women’s Baseball Cup, will help oversee the tryouts and act as a special advisor for the league.
“They need to work on their mechanics, their training regimens. But I think just bringing the passion that they have for baseball, that’s what this league is all about,” Hugo said. “Show us what you have in terms of how special baseball is to you.”
Once the league starts, it will follow the same rules as the Women’s Baseball World Cup. That includes using aluminum bats and having seven innings.
“You’re going to see passion. You know our women, they love the game so much. You know it’s an obstacle to get to play, and here we are living out our dreams. So it’s going to be just fantastic,” Siegal said.
Both women are hopeful the league will inspire future generations of girls to play baseball.
“Young kids that are playing the sport, female or male, I think it’s so important for them to see what they want to accomplish, so they can see people that look like them. These young girls that want to play baseball, they shouldn’t be told one way or the other. They should have opportunities to do whatever they want,” Hugo said.
If you’re interested in trying out for the league, you can submit a form on the WPBL’s website. The deadline to apply is Monday, July 21 at 11:59 p.m. ET.
“If you love baseball, come out, try out and show us what you got,” Siegal said.
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