Kelsie Whitmore

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Kelsie Whitmore
FerryHawks vs Revolution 2022-06-19 td 022b - Luis Rodriguez, Kelsie Whitmore.jpg
Whitmore (right) with the Staten Island FerryHawks in 2022
Savannah Bananas – No. 33
Pitcher / Outfielder
Born: (1998-07-05) July 5, 1998 (age 27)
San Diego, California, U.S.
Bats: Both
Throws: Right
Women's baseball
Representing Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Women's Baseball World Cup
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2014 Japan Team competition
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2024 Canada Team competition
Pan American Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2015 Toronto Team competition

Kelsie Ann-Gamboa Whitmore (born July 5, 1998) is an American professional baseball is a pitcher (RHP) for both the Women's Pro Baseball League in San Francisco and the Savannah Bananas. She has also played for the United States women's national baseball team in international competition since 2014. Whitmore played college softball for the Cal State Fullerton Titans and has also played baseball professionally for the Sonoma Stompers of the Pacific Association, Staten Island FerryHawks of Atlantic League, and Oakland Ballers of the Pioneer League. She was the first woman to appear in the starting lineup in an Atlantic League game. She was the first overall pick in the inaugural Women's Pro Baseball League draft in 2025.

Contents

Amateur career

Growing up, Whitmore played Little League Baseball and PONY Baseball. She attended Temecula Valley High School in Temecula, California. She played for the school's baseball team, the only girl on the team. She also played soccer and golf at Temecula Valley. [1] [2] In 2017, Whitmore enrolled at California State University, Fullerton, where she received a scholarship to play college softball for the Cal State Fullerton Titans. She also trained with the Titans' baseball team. [1] Whitmore received a fifth year of eligibility from the National Collegiate Athletic Association due to the cancellation of the 2020 season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, she batted .395 with a .507 on-base percentage and a .824 slugging percentage. She was named the Big West Conference's softball player of the year. [3] [4] [5]

While in high school, Whitmore joined the United States women's national baseball team. [6] She won the silver medal at the 2014 Women's Baseball World Cup and the gold medal in the 2015 Pan American Games. [1] Whitmore also participated in the 2018 Women's Baseball World Cup, as the United States finished in fourth place. [7] Playing for the national team from 2014 through 2019, she had a 1.35 earned run average (ERA) as a pitcher. [8]

In October 2021, Whitmore joined the Portland Pickles of the West Coast League, a collegiate summer baseball league, when they played a two-game series against the Venados de Mazatlán of the Mexican Pacific League. In the second game, Whitmore pitched five scoreless innings. [9]

Professional career

Sonoma Stompers

In 2016, the Sonoma Stompers of the Pacific Association, an independent baseball league, signed Whitmore and Stacy Piagno; they became the first female teammates in professional baseball since the 1950s when women played in the Negro Leagues. [10] [11] Whitmore recorded her first professional hit on July 20. [12] She also played for Sonoma in the 2017 season. Whitmore had two hits in 26 at bats. She also pitched three innings for Sonoma. [13] Whitmore pitched to Anna Kimbrell during a game in 2016, forming the first all-female battery in a professional baseball league game since the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. [14] [15]

Staten Island FerryHawks

On April 8, 2022, Whitmore signed with the Staten Island FerryHawks of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. [16] She debuted in the Atlantic League as a pinch runner on April 22 [17] and became the first woman to start an Atlantic League game on May 1, playing as a left fielder. [13] On May 4, Whitmore became the first woman to pitch in an Atlantic League game. Entering the game with the bases loaded and two outs, she retired Ryan Jackson, a former major leaguer, on a fly out to end the inning. [18] For the 2022 season, Whitmore batted .026, hitting a single in 39 at-bats, while on the mound allowed 14 earned runs in 10 1/3 innings for a 12.19 ERA. She became a free agent after the season.

On April 18, 2023, Whitmore re-signed with Staten Island. [19] As a pitcher, she made 13 relief outings for the club, struggling to a 9.49 ERA with 4 strikeouts across 12+1⁄3 innings pitched. As a batter, she appeared in 25 games, going 0-for-14 with one walk.

Oakland Ballers

Kelsie Whitmore debuting with the Oakland Ballers. Kelsie Whitmore's debut with the Oakland Ballers.jpg
Kelsie Whitmore debuting with the Oakland Ballers.

On April 10, 2024, Whitmore signed with the Oakland Ballers of the Pioneer League, following an open tryout with the team in which she was one of only three players who signed out of 110 participants. [20] [21] She became the first woman to play for that league later that year. On June 6, she became the first female player to start a Pioneer League game. In that game, she struck out one batter. [22] She played in 13 games for the Ballers, pitching 23 innings and giving up a 12.17 ERA. In April 2025, Whitmore had a tryout with El Águila de Veracruz of the Mexican League. [23]

Savannah Bananas

On August 1, 2025, Whitmore signed with the Savannah Bananas, a barnstorming baseball team. She made her debut that weekend in Baltimore at Camden Yards against the Firefighters. [24] In the 2025 Banana Ball season Whitmore played at 8 MLB stadiums, including pitching in front of a home crowd at Petco Park. On January 12, 2026, the Bananas announced that they had resigned Whitmore to pitch for them while also being able to play for the WPBL and/or for Team USA if she chooses to and whenever she's not with those organizations, she'll be with the Bananas.

San Francisco (Women's Pro Baseball League)

On November 20, 2025, Whitmore became the first overall draft pick in the inaugural Women's Pro Baseball League draft. She was selected by the San Francisco team. [25]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "CSF softball recruit Kelsie Whitmore eyes a baseball career". Orange County Register. July 20, 2016. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  2. ↑ Pope, Dennis (February 5, 2016). "GIRLS SOCCER: Thanks to her great hands, Kelsie Whitmore quickly becomes a standout goalkeeper". Press Enterprise. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
  3. ↑ Tracy, Jeff (April 11, 2022). "Kelsie Whitmore has made it higher in pro baseball than any woman in over 20 years". Axios. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  4. ↑ Megdal, Howard (April 8, 2022). "Kelsie Whitmore signs to play in Atlantic League: How it happened". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
  5. ↑ Ashame, Betelhem (May 19, 2022). "Her baseball journey has just begun. Stay tuned". MLB.com. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  6. ↑ "ZINK: Gortarez, Whitmore making an impact for U.S. baseball". Press Enterprise. March 10, 2015. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
  7. ↑ "Women's Baseball World Cup: USA falls to Canada; Japan wins title". Floridatoday.com. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
  8. ↑ "Kelsie Whitmore breaks new ground in FerryHawks' starting lineup". MLB.com. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  9. ↑ "First female player joins Portland Pickles baseball team". koin.com. October 20, 2021. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  10. ↑ "2 Women Play For Sonoma Stompers Baseball Team : The Two-Way". NPR. October 31, 2016. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
  11. ↑ Baer, Bill (June 29, 2016). "Kelsie Whitmore signs with the Sonoma Stompers, an independent league team". NBC Sports . Retrieved December 7, 2025.
  12. ↑ "Kelsie Whitmore makes history as she collects her first hit with the Sonoma Stompers". MLB.com. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  13. 1 2 "Kelsie Whitmore becomes first woman to start game in Atlantic League of Professional Baseball". CBSSports.com. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  14. ↑ "After three weeks, the female players on the Sonoma Stompers are still making history". MLB.com. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  15. ↑ Hughes, Joe L. (April 24, 2022). "Kelsie Whitmore becomes first woman to start Atlantic League game". The Gaston Gazette . Retrieved May 3, 2022– via USA Today.
  16. ↑ "'I'm ready': Kelsie Whitmore to play for FerryHawks". MLB.com. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  17. ↑ Farlow, Rick. "Kelsie Whitmore makes baseball history for Staten Island FerryHawks". Charleston Gazette-Mail. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  18. ↑ Randhawa, Manny (May 4, 2022). "Kelsie Whitmore makes history pitching for FerryHawks". MLB.com. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  19. ↑ @FerryHawks (April 18, 2023). "The FerryHawks are proud to announce the return of Kelsie Whitmore! Last year, Kelsie made history right here on Staten Island as the first woman to play in a professional MLB affiliated league. Welcome back to #HawkCity Kelsie!" (Tweet). Retrieved April 18, 2023– via Twitter.
  20. ↑ "Oakland Ballers sign team's first female player". April 10, 2024.
  21. ↑ Burke, Jason (February 3, 2025). "Oakland Ballers Open Tryouts Announced". Athletics on SI. Sports Illustrated.
  22. ↑ Lockard, Melissa. "Kelsie Whitmore first woman to start Pioneer League game" – via NYTimes.com.
  23. ↑ Rodriguez, Carlos (April 11, 2025). "Kelsie Whitmore is feeling 'awesome' as she tries out in Mexican Baseball League and learns Spanish". Associated Press.
  24. ↑ Garrido, Jacobo (August 1, 2025). "Savannah Bananas Sign Trailblazer Kelsie Whitmore, First Woman to Start in Atlantic League". On SI. Retrieved August 4, 2025.
  25. ↑ "Kelsie Whitmore goes No. 1 in Women's Pro Baseball League draft". ESPN. The Associated Press. November 20, 2025. Retrieved November 21, 2025.
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