Major League Pickleball Roster Shakeup: The second round of Major League Pickleball (MLP) Waivers began on Monday, June 16, 2025, with Premier Level teams making their selections. The Challenger Level waiver process will take place on Wednesday, June 18. These waivers allow teams to adjust their rosters mid-season, based on player performance and team needs. Selections are only open to players under a current United Pickleball Association (UPA) contract.
To take part in the waiver process, Premier teams had to submit bids by Thursday, June 12. Only three teams placed bids and were allowed to make picks during this one-round selection process. Teams cannot trade these picks.
Premier Level Waiver Results
The New York Hustlers had the first pick and selected Felicity Di Laura, who was waived by the St. Louis Shock. In return, the Shock added Lingwei Kong and dropped Cailyn Campbell.
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The SoCal Hard Eights had the second pick but chose not to make any claims.
The Carolina Hogs selected Roscoe Bellamy, who was dropped by the SoCal Hard Eights. In return, SoCal Hard Eights picked up John Lucian Goins and released Brandon French.
Teams in the Premier Level may also request to replace a bench player. These requests are due by Tuesday, June 17, at noon Eastern Time. Updates about these changes will be added once confirmed.
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Upcoming Challenger Waivers
On Wednesday, June 18, 2025, Challenger Level teams will take part in their waiver process. This round will include two rounds of selections, and picks can be traded between teams. The order is based on each team’s average points earned per match so far. If two teams are tied, match win percentage is the first tiebreaker, followed by games won percentage.
The teams in order of selection are:
D.C. Pickleball Team
Nashville Chefs
Each team will have two chances to make a pick in the same order.
Who Can Be Picked?
Only players who have active contracts with the United Pickleball Association are eligible to be claimed in this process. Teams can no longer select players who are not under contract. Also, if a player was not picked during the 2024 draft or 2025 free agency but is selected through waivers, they cannot be kept by that team in future seasons.
Waiver slots in the Challenger Level may also be traded between teams or used to make selections. These rules help keep roster changes fair and strategic.
Roster Moves with Long-Term Impact
The waiver process is a key time for teams to improve their performance or find backup players. These selections can change team chemistry or help fill important roles before the next round of matches. With the Challenger waivers still to come, more changes could shake up the league in the coming days.
News in Brief: Major League Pickleball Roster Shakeup
Major League Pickleball’s second waiver period began on June 16, 2025. Premier Level teams selected new players, including Felicity Di Laura and Roscoe Bellamy. The Challenger Level waiver process will follow on June 18. Only players under UPA contract are eligible. Changes could reshape teams for the rest of the season.
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