2025 MLP Premier Level Free Agency Draft: The 2025 Major League Pickleball (MLP) Premier Level Free Agency Draft took place on Sunday, March 2, at 12 p.m. ET, marking a crucial moment for 16 Premier Level teams as they completed their six-player rosters for the upcoming season.
Using the dynamic bidding process, first introduced in 2024, teams bid on draft selection slots rather than individual players. The highest-bidding team for a draft slot was free to select any available player. With no spending cap, teams strategically used their draft points to secure top talent, leading to high-profile bidding wars and bold team-building strategies.
A total of 56 selections were made in the draft. Each team had to first fill out their top four roster spots before selecting their final two bench players.
A comprehensive draft recap and 2025 season preview show will air on PickleballTV at 7 p.m. ET, hosted by Dave Fleming and Matt Manasse.
2025 MLP Premier Free Agency Draft
First-Round Picks: High Bids Secure Top Talent
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St. Louis Shock – Kate Fahey (130K points)
St. Louis prioritized keeping its core intact, making a massive bid for Fahey. She will reunite with Anna Bright, Hayden Patriquin, and Gabe Tardio. -
Dallas Flash – Augie Ge (100K points)
Dallas retained its 2024 championship-winning lineup, bringing back JW Johnson, Jorja Johnson, and Tyra Black. -
Columbus Sliders – Lea Jansen (110K points)
The Sliders made a strong statement, acquiring Jansen to revamp their team alongside Andrei Daescu, CJ Klinger, and Parris Todd. -
DC Pickleball Team – Riley Newman (110K points)
Newman returns to DC after spending 2024 elsewhere. He joins Dekel Bar, Rachel Rohrabacher, and Jackie Kawamoto. -
Chicago Slice – James Ignatowich (90K points)
With no returning players from 2024 due to UPA contract rules, Chicago made Ignatowich their franchise player. -
Phoenix Flames – Jack Sock (100K points)
The newly rebranded Phoenix team added Sock alongside Tyson McGuffin, Meghan Dizon, and Jessie Irvine. -
Los Angeles Mad Drops – Quang Duong (80K points)
Duong, a standout from last season’s waiver wire, was picked up by LA to partner with Hunter Johnson, Catherine Parenteau, and Jade Kawamoto. -
New Jersey 5s – Genie Bouchard (90K points)
The former Wimbledon semifinalist was selected not just for her athletic ability but also her marketing power. She will play with Anna Leigh Waters, Zane Navratil, and Will Howells.
Second-Round to Fourth-Round Picks
Chicago Slice continued its aggressive strategy, picking Vivienne David (80K points), Max Freeman (80K points), and Callie Smith (70K points) to complete their four-player core.
Atlanta Bouncers added Victoria DiMuzio (70K points), a rising talent in the sport.
Utah Black Diamonds selected Mehvish Safdar (50K points) in an attempt to rebuild their struggling team from 2024.
Texas Ranchers brought in Noe Khlif (50K points), a fast-rising doubles specialist.
New York Hustlers made bold moves, picking Zane Ford (30K points) and Donald Young (40K points) to rebuild from scratch.
Bench Player Selections: Bidding Minimums Drop to 1K
After every team secured four players, the draft entered its second phase. The minimum bid for draft slots dropped from 10K to 1K points as teams filled their final two roster spots.
St. Louis Shock won a bidding war to pick Felicity Di Laura (10.1K points) and later added Erik Lange (10K points).
Texas Ranchers completed their roster first, selecting Michael Loyd (10K points) and Helena Jansen (10K points).
Chicago Slice added Carlos Di Laura (1K points) as the final pick of the draft.
Final Draft Results
| Team | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis Shock | Hayden Patriquin, Gabe Tardio, Erik Lange | Anna Bright, Kate Fahey, Felicity Di Laura |
| Dallas Flash | JW Johnson, Augie Ge, DJ Young | Jorja Johnson, Tyra Black, Tatiana Ruhl |
| Columbus Sliders | Andrei Daescu, CJ Klinger, Roscoe Bellamy | Parris Todd, Lea Jansen, Marcela Hones |
| DC Pickleball Team | Dekel Bar, Riley Newman, Pat Smith | Rachel Rohrabacher, Jackie Kawamoto, Hannah Blatt |
| Chicago Slice | James Ignatowich, Max Freeman, Carlos Di Laura | Vivienne David, Callie Smith, Pierina Imparato |
| Phoenix Flames | Jack Sock, Tyson McGuffin, Pesa Teoni | Meghan Dizon, Jessie Irvine, Alex Walker |
| Los Angeles Mad Drops | Quang Duong, Hunter Johnson, Thomas Wilson | Catherine Parenteau, Jade Kawamoto, Angie Walker |
| New Jersey 5s | Zane Navratil, Will Howells, Craig Johnson | Anna Leigh Waters, Genie Bouchard, Christa Gecheva |
| Atlanta Bouncers | Jaume Martinez Vich, Todd Fought, Sam Querrey | Vivian Glozman, Victoria DiMuzio, Rachel Rettger |
| Utah Black Diamonds | Connor Garnett, Tyler Loong, Yates Johnson | Alix Truong, Mehvish Safdar, Genie Erokhina |
| New York Hustlers | Zane Ford, Donald Young, Juan Benitez | Helena Spiridis, Dominique Schaefer, Danna Funaro |
| Miami Pickleball Club | Eric Oncins, Jay Devilliers, Yuta Funemizu | Milan Rane, Mya Bui, Ava Ignatowich |
| Orlando Squeeze | Federico Staksrud, Dylan Frazier, Tom Evans | Lacy Schneemann, Samantha Parker, Alli Phillips |
| Texas Ranchers | Christian Alshon, Noe Khlif, Michael Loyd | Etta Tuionetoa, Tina Pisnik, Helena Jansen |
| Carolina Pickleball Club | Ben Johns, Collin Johns, Brandon French | Kaitlyn Christian, Tammy Emmrich, Liz Truluck |
| SoCal Hard Eights | Ivan Jakovljevic, Ryan Fu, Blaine Hovenier | Irina Tereschenko, Judit Castillo, Lauren Hidalgo-Smith |
Looking Ahead: Challenger Free Agency Draft on March 3
With Premier rosters finalized, focus shifts to the MLP Challenger Level Free Agency Draft, taking place on Monday, March 3, at 12 p.m. ET. The six Challenger teams will use the same dynamic bidding process to complete their four-player squads.
News in Brief: 2025 MLP Premier Level Free Agency Draft
The 2025 MLP Premier Level Free Agency Draft concluded with 56 total picks. Kate Fahey (130K points), Augie Ge (100K points), and Jack Sock (100K points) were among the top signings. The MLP Challenger Draft takes place on March 3 at 12 p.m. ET, followed by a season preview show on PickleballTV at 7 p.m. ET.
ALSO READ: Top Men in the MLP Free-Agency Draft: Who’s Getting Picked First?
