Women's Pro Baseball League (WPBL) star Kelsie Whitmore received the Amazin' Mets Foundation's 2026 Legacy Award on Wednesday night during a pregame ceremony at Citi Field.
MLB's Mets Honor Whitmore as Women's Baseball Pioneer
The Mets present the award annually to individuals who leave a lasting mark on the game, both on and off the field. Whitmore joins past recipients like All-American Girls Professional Baseball League pioneer Maybelle Blair and researcher Sarah Langs. After accepting the honor, she threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
The recognition follows a stretch that has reshaped the future of women's pro baseball. Whitmore was the No. 1 overall pick in the WPBL's inaugural draft last year. She'll lead the San Francisco Firebells when the league kicks off its season in August.
But Whitmore's path to professional ball started well before the WPBL existed.
Whitmore's Major League Baseball Record and WPBL Future
In 2022, she signed with the Staten Island FerryHawks and became the first woman to start an Atlantic League game. She later became its first woman pitcher. That run through Major League Baseball partner leagues laid the groundwork for what the sport now celebrates as a new chapter.
"Baseball has given me the chance to compete, grow, and prove that there is room in this game for girls and women at every level," Whitmore said after receiving the award.
"If my journey helps even one young girl believe she belongs on the field, then that means everything."
