Former Staten Island FerryHawk Kelsie Whitmore was selected as the No. 1 overall pick by San Francisco on Thursday in the newly formed Women’s Professional Baseball League (WPBL).
The outfielder/pitcher made history in 2022 by becoming the first woman to play in an MLB Partner League when she signed with Staten Island of the Atlantic League.
The former Pro-Am Games’ gold medal winner (in 2015) played two seasons for the FerryHawks but had very little impact on the field. However, off the field, she was an inspiration to young girls — near and far — who dream of playing baseball in a pro setting and was a big fan attraction at the FerryHawks’ home park and visiting parks.
The 27-year-old hails from San Diego and most recently played for the Savannah Bananas in 2025.
Whitmore was one of 120 players taken in the six-round WPBL Draft, which was held in Boston where MLB commissioner Rob Manfred began the draft by congratulating the WPBL.
“You ask a 6-year-old version of me about this opportunity happening right now, she would, one, probably not believe you, but, two, just be so, so, so, so excited for it,” Whitmore said at the WPBL Draft.
The WPBL is a league backed by MLB and held its inaugural draft Thursday night. It will debut on Aug. 1, 2026 with four teams from New York, Boston, San Francisco and Los Angeles.
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