Professional Softball League Set to Introduce Minor League System Before 2026 Season
The one thing professional softball has been missing is becoming a reality in 2026.
A spokesperson from the Professional Softball League confirmed with Softball On SI on Wednesday night that team owners approved the formation of a minor league system to be known as the American Post Collegiate League, and it will be based in Kansas City, Mo.
The APSL will play a month-long season between June 13 and July 13 as part of the Midwest Collegiate Gem League Regional location. Players competing in the league will be those who have shown interest in playing professional softball but haven't been signed by one of the seven teams.
According to the league, post-collegiate players will be chosen to participate in the APCL from those interested and registered to join the APCL in the registration form on its website. Any of the teams can sign or call up any APCL player to fill any needed roster spots during its professional season.
The 2026 PSL game schedule will be dropping SOON!
— ProSoftballLeague (@prosbleague) January 13, 2026
If a current college senior or post collegiate player & may want to put your name in for team consideration & the 2026 PSL prospect selection show coming later spring, fill out online website form. #PSL #prosoftball #awsn pic.twitter.com/JMKHzynfiC
In December, the PSL announced it was combining seven independent pro teams to form a new women’s professional softball league.
“This is a milestone moment for professional fast pitch softball,” said Ryan Moore, PSL spokesperson and owner of the Florida Vibe, in a December press release. “We’ve seen the momentum build year after year, and bringing teams together under one league structure creates something bigger than any one club can do alone."
The seven teams competing in the league are the Atlanta Smoke (Atlanta), Chattanooga Chill (Chattanooga, Tenn.), Florida Breeze (Tampa Bay, Fla.), Florida Heat (Viera, Fla.), Florida Vibe (Bradenton, Fla.), KC Diamonds (Kansas City), and New York Rise (New York).
"This is a monumental step not only for our organization, but for the growth of women’s softball across the world," Florida Heat owner Ricky Bumgardner Jr. added in the previous press release. "Our mission is to elevate athletes, build opportunities, and inspire the next generation — and the PSL gives us the perfect platform to do that. We can’t wait to compete, represent our community, and bring the Heat to the PSL."
HELLO 2026‼️
— ProSoftballLeague (@prosbleague) January 1, 2026
Welcome to the PROFESSIONAL SOFTBALL LEAGUE‼️
The 2026 inaugural teams: @thekcdiamonds @floridavibesb @floridaheatsb @theatlantasmoke @TheNewYorkRise, Florida Breeze & Chattanooga Chill‼️#psl #prosoftball #awsn pic.twitter.com/daYzfHwkvv
The PSL also offers a television deal to fans who are unable to attend games in person. Broadcast exclusively on All Women’s Sports Network (AWSN), games are set to be on major platforms like Amazon Prime, Pluto TV, and DirecTV, according to the AWSN CEO, George Chung.
The PSL's addition of the APCL is a much-needed addition for the sports limited professional opportunities.
The league's full schedule will be released at a later date.
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-1d7db99dccc9abef7b9378f016b22b68.webp "Maren Angus-Coombs")
Maren Angus-Coombs was born in Los Angeles and raised in Nashville, Tenn. She is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University and has been a sports writer since 2008. She has been covering college softball since 2016 for various outlets including Softball America, ESPNW and Hurrdat Sports. She is currently the managing editor of Softball On SI and also serves as an analyst for Nebraska softball games on Nebraska Public Media and B1G+.