16-Year-Old French Shortstop Becomes 1st Female Player On Major League Baseball Eligibility List
NEW YORK (CBS SF) — A female 16-year-old French shortstop has made history by becoming the first known female baseball player added to Major League Baseball's international registration list, making her eligible to be signed by a Major League club on July 2.
Melissa Mayeux is with Europe's team at the USA Baseball National Team Championship in Jupiter, Florida.
International prospects like Mayeux are routinely added to the international registration list at MLB events. Additions to the list are usually reserved for players who are legitimate pro prospects.
The sport's international signing period runs from July 2 through June 15.
Mayeux plays with boys on the French U-18 junior national baseball team and is also a member of France's U-18 national girls fastpitch softball team.
"I would like very much to continue playing baseball in France until I'm 18 years old and then have the ability to leave for university or another opportunity abroad," Mayeux told MLB.com. "I'd like to stay in baseball as long as possible."
Mayeux is one of four players from the French team selected for MLB's European Elite Camp in August. According to MLB.com, in the 10-year history of the camp, 76 players chosen to participate have later gone on to sign with MLB teams, with two (Italy's Alex Liddi, Germany's Donald Lutz) reaching the big leagues.
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