Little League Legend Mo’Ne Davis Drafted to the Inaugural Women’s Pro Baseball League

Black girl magic stays undefeated, and Mo’ne Davis just reminded the world why her name still rings out a decade later. The Little League World Series legend, who captured the hearts of millions back in 2014, is officially going pro, MLB.com reports. Davis, now 24, was drafted 10th overall in the inaugural Women’s Pro Baseball League (WPBL) Draft, solidifying her place among a new generation of trailblazers rewriting the story of America’s pastime.

Selected by Los Angeles, Davis is stepping into history once again as the WPBL prepares for its first season in August 2026 at Robin Roberts Stadium in Springfield, Illinois, USA Today reports. It’s a full circle moment for the sport. The WPBL is the first professional women’s baseball league in the United States since the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League folded in 1954. This very league inspired the classic film “A League of Their Own.” Now, decades later, Davis is part of a movement bringing women’s baseball back to the spotlight.

“It’s really cool to play in this league, just to play with other women, especially the women whose names got called and whose names will get called,” Davis said. “They’ve done amazing things in the baseball world, so I’m just happy to be alongside of them and to help push this league and the game forward.”

From the day she stepped onto the mound as a 13-year-old phenom with a 70 mph fastball, Davis has been unstoppable. Her LLWS shutout against Nashville made her the first female pitcher to earn a win in the tournament, and she became an instant cultural icon. She carried that excellence through high school basketball and then onto the softball field at Hampton University, proving time and time again that excellence is her baseline.

Drafted as a center fielder this time around, she is bringing a new dimension of versatility to Los Angeles. And if the team ever needs her back on the mound, everyone knows she’ll be ready.

The league around her is already buzzing with momentum. Springfield was chosen as the home base for the inaugural season not just for its central location, but for its legacy. In 1875, it hosted the first documented game in which women were paid to play baseball, and it was once home to the Springfield Sallies of the historic All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. WPBL organizers are hoping this modern reboot, played exclusively at the 5,200-seat Robin Roberts Stadium, becomes the foundation for a thriving future.

“Robin Roberts Stadium not only offers a central, strategic location, but is a first rate venue where WPBL teams will be the only baseball played during our season,” said league co-founder Keith Stein. “This will provide the kind of exclusivity that we wanted for our players.”

With more than 600 hopefuls showing up for tryouts in Washington, D.C., and a developmental league already planned for 2027, the WPBL is clearly tapping into a global wave of talent. Players from the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia and beyond are ready to redefine the sport together.

And leading the charge, as she has since she was 13, is Davis. Her journey from Little League sensation to professional athlete is one of those rare stories that grows more inspiring with every chapter. Fans who watched her rise back in 2014 can now celebrate her next evolution, knowing she’s still showing young girls everywhere what’s possible when talent meets opportunity.

Mo’ne Davis is not just playing the game. She’s pushing it forward.

Cover photo: Little League Legend Mo’Ne Davis Drafted to the Inaugural Women’s Pro Baseball League/Photo credit: Noah Willman/NBC News