Hugo, a two-time USA baseball Sports Woman of the Year, said the open tryout was designed to bridge the league with the international circuit — women's pro baseball has a strong presence in countries like Japan and Australia — and establish the right culture for the WPBL from the start.

The Women’s Professional Baseball League aims to make the most significant impact on women’s baseball since the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, which shut down in 1954.

The Women’s Professional Baseball League will announce the half dozen teams competing next month. The inaugural draft will be held in October.