Former Cal State Fullerton Softball Star Picked No.1 Overall in WPBL Draft

Former Cal State Fullerton softball standout Kelsie Whitmore made history Thursday night when she became the first overall pick in the inaugural Women’s Pro Baseball League (WPBL) draft.

This evening, Kelsie Whitmore became the first overall pick in the inaugural WPBL Draft. pic.twitter.com/hkddsYQCam
— Women's Pro Baseball League (@wpbl_official) November 21, 2025

The WPBL is the first American pro women’s league since the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, which ran from 1943 to 1954. Selected by San Francisco, the two-way player, Whitmore, will kick off the league in August of 2026, following the Women’s Baseball World Cup from July 22-26.

“Kelsie worked her whole life for this moment,” WPBL co-founder Justine Siegel told MLB.“She is the first draft pick this century for a women’s pro baseball league, and the WPBL is honored to give her this opportunity. Kelsie represents all the girls and women out there who dream of playing professional baseball.”

Before her storied career with Fullerton softball, Whitmore debuted with the Sonoma Stompers, a collegiate summer baseball team, in 2016, as the first woman to play pro baseball since the 1950s. Before that, she was a two-time USA Women’s National Baseball Team gold medalist at the 2015 COPABE Pan American Game qualifier and at the 2015 Pan American Games.

Once in college, Whitmore translated her baseball talents easily onto the softball field. As a senior in 2021, she had one of the best offensive seasons in school history. Named Big West Field Player of the Year and NCFA All-West Region Second Team, her 18-game history streak tied for the second-longest in program history.

She finished the season with a .395 batting average and a slugging percentage of .824, which is the second-best mark in school history for a single season.

“GOODBYE SOFTBALL!” @KelsieWhitmore goes way deep for her 8️⃣th home run of the season!

11-game hitting streak ✅
22-game on-base streak ✅#TusksUp pic.twitter.com/C1cYPnrpY9
— Titans Softball (@Fullerton_SB) April 24, 2021

Since graduating, Whitmore has played for the Staten Island FerryHawks as the first woman in the Atlantic League, before joining the Oakland Ballers and the Savannah Bananas.

After paving her way on men’s teams, Whitmore is ready to embrace the new women’s league and make this dream possible for younger girls in baseball and softball.

“It’s just an overwhelming feeling of being super grateful for the opportunity," Whitmore told MLB. “Because I truly didn’t know if this moment would come, to be able to have a women’s professional baseball league while I’m still in the prime of my career. It’s just a really cool opportunity that’s not just for me, but for a lot of young girls. They now have a platform to look up to and navigate through.”

Along with San Francisco, the league will have three other teams represent cities: Boston, New York, and Los Angeles. The season will kick off at Robin Roberts Stadium in Springfield, Ill, and feature several other former collegiate softball stars aside Whitmore.

Former Collegiate Softball Players Drafted

Mo'ne Davis (Hampton University)
Ashton Lansdell (Ole Miss)
Jamie Mackay (South Carolina)
Maggie Foxx (Brown)
Sarah Edwards (Hofstra)
Brittany Apgar (Greensboro College)
Brittany Womack (San Diego State)
Kylee Lahners (Washington)
London Studer (Miami OH)
Jacqueline Reynolds (Westfield State)
Kate Blunt (UCLA)
Denver Bryant (South Carolina)
Gabrielle Haas (Middle Georgia)
Luciana Moreno (Pitt)
Meaghan Houk (Bryant University)
Olivia Bricker (Bellarmine)
Mary Grace O’Neill (Lafayette College)
Amanda Gianelloni (Nicholls State)
Jill Albayati (Cal State San Marcos)
Samantha Gutierrez (Oregon State)
Alexia Jorge (Saint Elizabeth)
Allie Lacey (CSUN)
Kailyn Bearpaw (North Texas)
Melissa Mayeux (Louisiana)
Micaela Minner (Missouri)

Former Collegiate Softball Players Drafted

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