MLP Premier Free Agency Draft Grades: The 2025 Major League Pickleball (MLP) Premier Level Free Agency Draft took place on Sunday, March 2, at noon ET, where 16 Premier Level teams completed their six-player rosters for the upcoming season.
Using a dynamic bidding process, teams bid for selection slots rather than specific players, competing for the top available talent. With no spending cap, organizations made aggressive bids to secure key players.
A total of 56 selections were made, with 24 picks used to complete starting lineups and 32 picks used to build out bench players. Teams that retained most of their 2024 rosters aimed for continuity, while those needing a full rebuild looked for the best available talent.
A comprehensive draft recap and season preview will air on PickleballTV at 7 p.m. ET, hosted by Dave Fleming and Matt Manasse.
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Top Picks and Team Grades
St. Louis Shock Secure Kate Fahey to Maintain Core Roster
The St. Louis Shock made their top priority clear by bidding 130K draft points to retain Kate Fahey. She will reunite with Anna Bright, Hayden Patriquin, and Gabe Tardio, keeping the team’s chemistry intact.
Grade: A
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Dallas Flash Bring Back Augie Ge to Defend Championship
The Dallas Flash, last season’s champions, retained their winning formula, securing Augie Ge (100K points). The team will return with JW Johnson, Jorja Johnson, and Tyra Black, a proven lineup.
Grade: A
Columbus Sliders Take Lea Jansen
The Columbus Sliders added Lea Jansen (110K points), rounding out a lineup with Andrei Daescu, CJ Klinger, and Parris Todd. While Jansen brings strong experience, both she and Todd are primarily right-side players, creating potential chemistry concerns.
Grade: B+
DC Pickleball Team Lands Riley Newman, Strengthens Playoff Hopes
The DC Pickleball Team made one of the best moves of the draft by selecting Riley Newman (110K points). He will rejoin Dekel Bar, Rachel Rohrabacher, and Jackie Kawamoto, forming a legitimate title-contending roster.
Grade: A+
Chicago Slice Starts Rebuild with James Ignatowich
With no returning players from the 2024 season, the Chicago Slice had a difficult task but started strong by selecting James Ignatowich (90K points).
Grade: B
Phoenix Flames Select Jack Sock, Prioritizing Marketing Over Performance
The Phoenix Flames picked Jack Sock (100K points), a former professional tennis player who has made the transition to pickleball. While Sock’s brand power is undeniable, he is not a top-20 doubles player, and better players were available.
Grade: F
Mid-Round Picks and Strategic Moves
- Los Angeles Mad Drops took Quang Duong (80K points), a rising talent, pairing him with Hunter Johnson, Catherine Parenteau, and Jade Kawamoto. Grade: A
- New Jersey 5s surprised many by selecting Genie Bouchard (90K points) despite better available options. Grade: F
- Chicago Slice continued its rebuild, selecting Vivienne David (80K points), Max Freeman (80K points), and Callie Smith (70K points). Grade: B
- Atlanta Bouncers took Victoria DiMuzio (70K points), betting on her high ceiling. Grade: B+
- Utah Black Diamonds added Mehvish Safdar (50K points), a solid but lesser-known pick. Grade: B+
- Texas Ranchers landed Noe Khlif (50K points), considered one of the biggest steals of the draft. Grade: A
Bench Players and Final Roster Spots
Once all teams had four players, the minimum bid dropped from 10K to 1K draft points.
- St. Louis Shock won a bidding war for Felicity Di Laura (10.1K points) and later added Erik Lange (10K points). Grade: A-
- Texas Ranchers finalized their team with Michael Loyd (10K points) and Helena Jansen (10K points). Grade: A
- New York Hustlers made questionable picks, drafting Zane Ford and Donald Young, but struggling with female player selections. Grade: D
- Miami Pickleball Club made one of the worst selections in Mya Bui. Grade: F
- Orlando Squeeze selected Samantha Parker instead of stronger alternatives. Grade: D-
- SoCal Hard Eights settled for minimum bids, selecting Ivan Jakovljevic and Ryan Fu. Grade: D
Final Draft Results: Complete 2025 MLP Premier Rosters
| 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 |
Looking Ahead to the Challenger Free Agency Draft
With the Premier Level rosters set, focus now shifts to the MLP Challenger Level Free Agency Draft on Monday, March 3, at 12 p.m. ET, where six Challenger teams will finalize their four-player squads.
News in Brief: MLP Premier Free Agency Draft Grades
The 2025 MLP Premier Level Free Agency Draft saw 16 teams complete their rosters through 56 total selections. Kate Fahey (130K points), Augie Ge (100K points), and Jack Sock (100K points) were among the top picks. The Challenger Level 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: 2025 MLP Premier Level Free Agency Draft Recap: Full Results and Key Takeaways
