Baseball has been part of Justine Siegal’s life since she was a child. Even after her brother stopped playing and…
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DC prepares to host tryouts for new women’s baseball league
Baseball has been part of Justine Siegal’s life since she was a child. Even after her brother stopped playing and was told by a coach to play softball, Siegal chose to stick to the game she loves.
Siegal carried that love into adulthood, becoming the first woman to coach for an MLB team. Now, she is one of the co-founders of the Women’s Professional Baseball League, which is looking to make professional baseball for women into a reality.
“I love the game, and so many girls and women love baseball,” Siegal told WTOP’s José Umaña. “This pro league gives a chance for them to follow their dreams, too.”
The WPBL plans to start next spring with six teams. To do that, it will host tryouts in D.C., from Aug. 22-25, starting at the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy in Southeast and ending at Nationals Park.
After a chance meeting with John Wulf, assistant player development director for the Washington Nationals, Siegal said the MLB team was quick to assist the upstart league.
“He said, ‘What can we do to help?’ And I said, it would be a dream to be on your field,’” Siegal said. “He said, ‘Let’s try to make that happen,’ and here we are.”
Over 400 players have registered to participate in the historic tryout, Siegal said.
According to the WPBL, it will be the first women’s professional baseball tryouts to be held in over 80 years. Players must be at least 18 years old to try out and it’s open to all. Those interested must register online on the league’s website.
“We are looking for the best players in the world,” Siegal said.
Players will be evaluated in multiple positions. The tryouts will include drill-focused sessions and athletic performance testing, with cuts taking place each day. On the last day, Siegal said, players will be evaluated on live game action in front of former major league coaches and some of the top women’s coaches in the sport.
“I want to see how their curveball drops,” Siegal said on pitchers. “I want to see the movement on the slider, or what’s their change up. All those things you would want to see in a major league camp.”
Those who get called back will be a part of a player draft in October. Once games start in 2026, the season will take place in one or two venues for the inaugural season, playing seven-inning games and using aluminum bats, following rules sanctioned by the World Baseball Softball Confederation.
“We’re just really busy getting it all done and making sure that our players feel respected when they come to the tryouts and they feel they had a real shot to be seen,” Siegal said.
Prior to WPBL’s attempt, there was the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, which was immortalized in the film “A League of Their Own.” After 11 years, the league dissolved in 1954.
This time, the WPBL believes it has a product that will capture the country’s attention, Siegal said. Several known names in the sport, including former Team USA player Kelsie Whitmore and former Little League phenom Mo’ne Davis, have signed up to join the league. Along with those in the tryouts, Siegal sees promise in the league’s future.
“We’re a lot of entertainment,” she said. “You’re going to see passion. You’re going to see home runs. You’re going to see strikeouts, and we want people to fall in love with us. I’m confident that if you come into a game, you’re going to come back for a second one.”
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