News

Barrier breaking professional baseball player and USA Baseball Women’s National Team standout honored for inspiring the next generation of women and girls in baseball

FLUSHING, N.Y., July 9, 2026 –   The Amazin’ Mets Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the New York Mets led by Alex Cohen, today announced Kelsie Whitmore, a professional baseball player, as the recipient of the 2026 Amazin’ Mets Foundation Legacy Award.  Whitmore was recognized during an on-field pregame ceremony on Wednesday, July 8 at Citi Field. In honor of Whitmore, the Amazin’ Mets Foundation made a $5,000 grant to nonprofit New York Girls Baseball, a nonprofit all-girls baseball organization based in the New York metro area.

The Amazin’ Mets Foundation Legacy Award is given to celebrate the people and organizations in the baseball community that are making a difference and driving impactful change, on and off the field. As a pitcher who has competed for USA Baseball’s Women’s National Team and in professional baseball, Whitmore has spent her career challenging expectations, expanding representation, and helping create a more visible pathway for girls and women in the sport.

Whitmore was the first overall pick in the Women’s Pro Baseball League’s (WPBL) inaugural draft in 2025, selected by San Francisco. The WPBL marks the first professional women’s baseball league in the United States since the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League played in the 1940s and 1950s.

“Kelsie Whitmore’s story is an inspiration to so many young athletes,” said Alex Cohen, President of the Amazin’ Mets Foundation and Owner of the New York Mets. “She has shown what is possible through hard work and a deep love of the game. We are proud to honor Kelsie with the Amazin’ Mets Foundation Legacy Award and celebrate the example she is setting for the next generation of girls in baseball.”

Whitmore began representing the United States as a teenager and has become one of the most recognizable players in women’s baseball. Her path has included success with USA Baseball’s Women’s National Team and historic opportunities in professional baseball, including becoming the first woman to play in the Atlantic League, the first woman to start a Pioneer League game, and the first ever female full-time pitcher for the Savannah Bananas. Whitmore has continued to use her platform to show young athletes that the game belongs to anyone with the talent, work ethic, and passion to play it.

“To receive this award from the Amazin’ Mets Foundation is an incredible honor,” said Kelsie Whitmore. “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. If my journey helps even one young girl believe she belongs on the field, then that means everything.”

Whitmore joins a distinguished group of Amazin’ Mets Foundation Legacy Award honorees that includes Maybelle Blair, a former All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player and lifelong advocate for women in baseball, the Louisville Slugger Warriors Amputee Baseball Team, a competitive baseball team of military veterans and amputees, and Sarah Langs, the beloved baseball researcher, reporter, and advocate whose passion for the game has inspired fans across the sport.

For more information about the Amazin’ Mets Foundation Legacy Award, visit amazinmetsfoundation.org/amazin-mets-foundation-legacy-award.

About the Amazin’ Mets Foundation

The Amazin’ Mets Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the New York Mets, led by philanthropist Alex Cohen. The Amazin’ Mets Foundation is committed to providing needed services and opportunities to children, families and underserved groups. Since its inception in 2021, the Amazin’ Mets Foundation has funded over $22 million in grants to nonprofit organizations. Learn more at amazinmetsfoundation.org.