A Way Too Early Look at the MLP Offseason - Who Has to be Dropped?
The 2024 Major League Pickleball (MLP) marked the first time in history where the league had a full regular season with a playoff championship. Not only was 2024 the inaugural full season, but the players drafted could be kept for up to three years by one team, for the first time.
Players staying on teams for multiple years is a model that helps teams build a loyal fan base for not only a team, but also for the star players of that team. It is a model that works throughout all team sports.
On the flipside, because the league is so young and growing at a rapid pace, in order to ensure a level of parity, the league has implemented forced player drops. Each year, the dropped players are entered into a pool of players eligible to be drafted.
In 2025, the keeper deadline was Sunday, February 16th, at 7pm EST. Two weeks later, the 2025 draft took place, on Sunday, March 2nd.
Erik Tice
Although MLP has not announced these dates for the 2026 season, the rules regarding player keepers and drops are known.
The 2026 keeper rules will make for very interesting decisions being made by team General Managers. Let’s get into the action.
Rules Governing Player Keepers and Drops
There are four overarching rules that govern keepers between the 2025 and 2026 seasons. These rules were reiterated to the teams via email prior to the 2025 trade deadline, and I was able to obtain that email through team sources.
- All players must enter the free agency pool AT LEAST ONCE by the start of the 2027 season
This means that all eligible players must be entered into the pool of a draft either in 2025, 2026, or 2027.
Player Example: Jorja Johnson, the MVP of the 2025 MLP Regular Season, was drafted in 2024. She played for the Dallas Flash during the 2024 season, and was a keeper for the Dallas Flash for 2025. She will very likely be a keeper for the Flash going into the 2026 season. If that is the case, Dallas will be forced to drop Jorja after the 2026 season, and she will be entered into the 2027 player pool, eligible to be drafted.
- Teams may keep two (2) players from the 2024 Draft class at the 2026 keeper designation deadline, and are considered “three-year keepers”
Two players can be kept for the 2024, 2025, and 2026 seasons. They are considered “three year keepers”.
Player/Team Example: The Dallas Flash drafted three players in 2024, whom they kept for 2025: JW Johnson, Jorja Johnson, and Hurricane Tyra Black. Only two of these three players can be kept by the Flash, headed into 2026. Per rule #1 above, all three of these players will be dropped after the 2026 season and eligible to be drafted for the 2027 season.
- Teams may designate a player that was drafted in 2024, traded in 2025 (regardless of when) and was not a Free Agent in 2025 as their one (1) two-year keeper, with 2025 counting as Year 1
This is not a widely known rule, because it was instated near the 2025 trade deadline. Essentially, if a player was traded during the 2025 season and was not also drafted in 2025, he/she can be kept as a “two-year keeper”. There is only one slot for a two-year keeper headed into the 2026 season.
Player/Team Example: The New Jersey Fives traded for two players during the 2025 season, who were also drafted in the 2024 season: Mari Humberg and Meghan Dizon. Yes, they also traded for Noe Khlif, but he was drafted in 2025, which is addressed in rule #4.
The Fives have to choose between Mari and Meghan as to whom to designate as their two-year keeper.
- If a player was selected in the 2025 Free Agency Draft, the team that drafted them - or a team that acquires them via trade - may hold on to them for up to three (3) years, OUTSIDE the keeper designation
None of the keeper rules designated above (rules 1, 2, and 3) apply to players who were drafted in the 2025 draft. Teams may keep those players through the 2027 season, even if they are traded.
Note - if a player was dropped and then picked up via waivers, this rule does not apply. Players who are placed on waivers are not eligible to be kept going into the following season and must enter the player pool to be drafted.
Player/Team Example: The abovementioned Fives traded for Noe Khlif late in the 2025 season. No other factors and/or rules apply to any player who was drafted in 2025. New Jersey can keep him through the 2027 season.
General Considerations
This article is meant to outline the decisions that are going to be forced on teams, due to the keeper/drop rules. This is NOT an article explaining what I believe each team will do in the off season - there are way too many trade options, drop options, and rules to rewrite between now and then.
Just because a player is listed as “safe” from being dropped, does NOT mean that player will not be dropped. Each team has to make decisions based on player form, keeper cost, etc.
Speaking of keeper costs, this is one of the most complicated items in MLP for the fans to understand. As a reminder, the teams themselves do NOT pay the players, the league pays the players. However, in order to keep players, teams must pay the league a “keeper fee” for each player. This keeper fee is NOT tied to a player’s salary, it just how much money needs to be paid to the league from the team.
Quick Summarization
In studying each team’s roster and using the four keeper rules mentioned above, I have come to the following overall conclusions:
- 14 of the 123 players on MLP rosters at the end of the season MUST be dropped because they were added during a waiver period
- If rosters stay the same between now and the drop deadline, teams would be forced to drop 10 players (on top of the 14 listed above) of the 123
- Tom Evans and Helena Spiridis are still listed as being on the “Reserved List” as they had Visa issues getting back into the United States during the 2025 season
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Team By Team Roster Analysis
Key for color of players:
Note: Player records are for all games played in the 2025 regular season, even if a player played for multiple teams. Special shoutout to www.picklekey.com for providing these extra stats.
Premier Level Teams
(Teams listed in alphabetical order)
Atlanta Bouncers
Analysis: The Atlanta Bouncers are not going to be forced to drop any players. Rettger and DiMuzio were drafted by the Bouncers in 2025. Both David and Roddy were also drafted in 2025, and traded to the Bouncers during the year, so they can be kept through 2027. The two original players from the Bouncers’ 2024 draft are Jaume Martinez Vich and Todd Fought. Both can be kept as three-year keepers.
Brooklyn Pickleball Team
Analysis: Brooklyn does not have to drop a single player on their roster in the offseason. Jackie Kawamoto was traded in 2025, so she can be the Brooklyn two-year keeper. Rachel Rohrabacher and Dekel Bar can be the two, three-year keepers. Blatt, Smith, and Newman are eligible to be kept through 2027 because they were drafted in the 2025 season.
*A previous version of this article incorrectly stated Brooklyn had to drop a player. Thanks to MLP Superfan, Jake Gelvar, for pointing out the error.
Carolina Hogs
Analysis: The Hogs must drop French and Jakovljevic, but everyone else is eligible to be kept. I have heard rumors that the Hogs may consolidate next year, but nothing is confirmed.
Chicago Slice
Analysis: The Slice paid over $300,000 in the 2025 draft, and missed the playoffs. While no one on the team must be dropped, I expect this team to get blown up and another roster reset to happen for the 2026 year.
Columbus Sliders
Analysis: The 2025 MLP Champions only have to drop Ross Whittaker before the 2026 season. He was picked up via waivers (and very well could be picked back up by Columbus, as he is an Ohio native). Lea and ‘Cela were drafted in 2025 and can be kept through 2027. The Sliders can name Parris and either Andrei or CJ as their two, three-year keepers. Between CJ and Andrei, whichever is not designated as a three-year keeper, can be designated as the Sliders’ two-year keeper.
Dallas Flash
Analysis: The Flash can keep Bellamy, Parker, and Ge through the 2027 season, because they were drafted in 2025. The Flash have a tough decision to make on their three stars - between Hurricane Tyra Black, JW Johsnon, and Jorja Johnson, which one do they drop or trade? Dallas showed it was willing to put up some money to bring the crew back together after 2024, by paying $100k for Ge. Will they just do the same with Black? Or will they make some other move?
LA Mad Drops
Analysis: The Mad Drops have seven roster spots due to rostering Thomas Wilson in their IR spot. Wes Burrows must be dropped as he was picked up off of waivers once Wilson was placed on IR. Safdar was drafted in 2025, so she can be kept through 2027.
The Mad Drops can keep Ben Johns as their two-year keeper, because they traded for him in the 2025 season - he is their only player eligible to be kept as a two-year keeper, and can be kept through 2026.
The real decision becomes which of the three 2024 originally drafted Mad Drops to drop. One of the following players needs to be dropped: Catherine Parenteau, Jade Kawamoto, and Hunter Johnson.
Miami Pickleball Club
Analysis: Miami made a flurry of trades at the end of the 2025 year, and no one on the roster needs to be dropped. Miami outperformed expectations in 2025, but will need to add some serious talent to get back to the playoffs in 2026.
New Jersey 5s
Analysis: The Fives are a fairly complicated team when it comes to the keepers and drops. As things stand, they will be making two player drop decisions. First, they have to decide who their two three-year keepers are between Waters, Howells, and Navratil. Secondly, they have to choose who their one, two-year keeper is, between Humberg and Dizon. Khlif can be kept through 2027, as he was drafted in 2025.
New York Hustlers
Analysis: The Hustlers dismantled their team in the 2024-2025 off season and were one of the toughest watches in the 2025 season, finishing dead last in the standings. They have to drop Luana Stanciu, who was picked up in waivers. Spiridis has already been mentioned and she is on the Reserved List. The Hustlers can keep Jansen Young, Madonia, and Ford all through 2027.
Orlando Squeeze
Analysis: The Squeeze have the most complicated decision to make in the 2025-2026 off season, as it relates to keepers. Let’s get the easy stuff out of the way: They can keep Alli Phillips. They have to drop Grayson Goldin, who was taken in waivers. Evans is still on the Reserved List.
The complication comes with their keepers. Four players (Schneemann, Rane, Frazier, and Staksrud) are eligible to be kept as a three-year keeper, but the Squeeze only has two of those roster spots. On top of this, Schneemann, Rane, and Frazier could all be considered for the two-year keeper spot. Essentially, Orlando is going to have to drop one of their four starters.
Phoenix Flames
Analysis: The Flames are not going to be forced to drop any players in the off season. Walker, Bouchard, Sock, and Teoni were all drafted in 2025 and can be kept through 2027. McGuffin and Irvine can be designated as the team’s two three-year starters.
With that being said, there is no world where Irvine and Bouchard both play for Phoenix in 2026, unless they get together in the off season and resolve their differences.
SoCal Hard 8s
Analysis: The Hard Eights had a rough 2025 season, and picked up Campbell, Ingram, and Goins in waivers. All three of the teenagers must be dropped. Irina is a three-year keeper from 2024. Fu and Hovenier are eligible to be kept through the 2027 year.
St. Louis Shock
Analysis: The Shock is in a very similar situation to the Dallas Flash. They can keep Fahey and Castillo (although I doubt they keep Castillo after the kerfuffle between the Spaniard and Bright in a PPA event earlier this season). Lange has to be dropped, but only because his MLP contract is up, as evidenced by his post on X recently - I expect him to stick around the team as a coach.
My MLP Season and UPA contract are over just like that on a Friday afternoon in NYC. @stlshockmlp had an amazing season; sad for it to end this way.
— Erik Lange (@eriklange2525) August 23, 2025
The real decision becomes which one of the three superstars do the Shock either trade or drop? They have to drop either Bright, Patriquin, or Tardio.
Texas Ranchers
Analysis: The Ranchers have to drop Wyatt Stone, as he was selected in waivers. Di Laura can be kept through 2027. Kaitlyn Christian can be kept as the only two-year keeper. There are only two roster spots for three-year keepers, and there are three players eligible: Pisnik, Alshon, and Oncins. It seems like the Ranchers have a lot of options here.
Utah Black Diamonds
Analysis: Utah has to drop Igleski, as she was picked up off waivers. Yates Johnson can be kept through 2027 because he was drafted in 2025.
The four starters (Garnett, Loong, Jones, and Tuionetoa) are all eligible for the three-year keeper designation, but Utah only has two of those roster spots. However, Jones and Tuionetoa were both traded during the 2025 year, so they could be considered a two-year keeper. One of the four starters must be dropped and I wouldn’t be surprised if it was Tuionetoa, because she costs much more to keep than any of the other players.
Challenger Level Teams
The teams that have to drop someone in Challenger Level are all because those players were picked up in waivers. I provide analysis for only one team - the Las Vegas Night Owls.
Bay Area Breakers
California Black Bears
D.C. Pickleball Team
Florida Smash
Las Vegas Night Owls
Analysis: The 2025 Challenger Level Champions have to make a decision on which two players to keep, from this list: Buckner, Wang, and Tellez. Delgado was drafted in 2025, and therefore they can keep him through 2027. This decision is even tougher as the Night Owls are the only team moving up into the Premier Level in 2026.
Nashville Chefs
I think this goes without saying, but in the interest of thoroughness, all of this is subject to change. Major League Pickleball is known for drastically changing rules in the off-season, and sometimes even during the season. This article is meant as a snapshot of what the keeper and drop decisions look like for each team at the moment of publication.
