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The MLP Keeper Purge: Why Teams Are Ditching Stars for System Players

Jorja Johnson and Anna Bright got cut while journeymen stayed. MLP's 2026 keepers reveal a brutal new truth about pro pickleball economics.

FORWRD Team·February 17, 2026·7 min read

The Night the Stars Fell

When Major League Pickleball teams submitted their 2026 keeper lists, something fundamental shifted in professional pickleball. Jorja Johnson—top-10 ranked, multiple PPA titles, household name in the sport—got dropped. So did Anna Bright. Meanwhile, players you've probably never heard of got multi-year security.

Welcome to pickleball's Moneyball moment, where team chemistry trumps Twitter followers and strategic fit matters more than ranking points.

The New Math of Roster Construction

According to MLP's official announcement, only 54 players out of 120 roster spots earned keeper status across 20 teams. But the who tells a story that PPA rankings never could.

Take Brooklyn Pickleball Team's approach: they kept three women (Hannah Blatt, Jackie Kawamoto, Rachel Rohrabacher) and just one man (Riley Newman). That's not random—that's roster architecture. Brooklyn clearly identified their core strength and built around it, prioritizing depth in women's play over star power.

Contrast that with SoCal Hard Eights, who kept zero players. Zero. Either they're tanking for draft picks or they've decided their 2025 roster was fundamentally broken. In a league where keeping players costs premium dollars, that's a $2 million statement.

Why System Players Beat Superstars

Here's what the public sees: rankings and tournament wins. Here's what MLP teams actually value: how you perform in specific team formats, your salary demands, and whether you make teammates better.

The keeper selections reveal teams are prioritizing players who excel in MLP's unique format—where doubles chemistry and mixed doubles versatility matter more than individual PPA success. Jay Devilliers (Atlanta) and Hayden Patriquin (St. Louis) aren't the flashiest names, but they're keeper-worthy because they understand team dynamics.

Meanwhile, star players who demand top-tier salaries but don't elevate team performance? They're hitting free agency, where market forces will humble even the biggest names.

The Expansion Team Advantage

Palm Beach Royals, as the new franchise, couldn't keep existing players—but their three keepers (Tina Pisnik, Sofia Sewing, Dekel Bar) hint at their strategy. They're not chasing household names; they're building a foundation of high-floor, complementary players.

This approach mirrors successful expansion strategies across professional sports: establish culture and system before adding expensive stars. The Royals clearly studied what worked (Las Vegas keeping five players) and what didn't (teams that kept zero).

The Draft's Real Stakes

With 66 open roster spots heading into February's free agency draft, this isn't just about filling lineups—it's about reshaping the economic model of professional pickleball. Teams that dropped established players are betting they can find equivalent production at lower costs.

The initial 28 picks will be fascinating. Teams needing two women or two men in their core roster spots have less leverage—they're shopping in a seller's market. But the final 38 picks? That's where dropped stars like Johnson and Bright will discover their real market value.

What This Means for Player Careers

The keeper purge sends a clear message: PPA success doesn't guarantee MLP security. Players who've built careers around individual tournament performance now need to prove they can succeed in team formats. That's a fundamental skill shift.

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Smart players are already adapting. The ones getting multiple keeper offers? They're the athletes who've invested in becoming better teammates, not just better players.

The Business Reality Check

MLP's aggressive roster turnover reflects a league maturing past its startup phase. When 55% of roster spots hit free agency, that's not chaos—that's a league prioritizing financial sustainability over feel-good storylines.

Teams are finally treating pickleball like a business, not a hobby with prize money. The players who recognize this shift and adapt will thrive. The ones still thinking like individual athletes will keep getting surprised by keeper announcements.

The 2026 season starts May 22 in Dallas, but the real competition begins February 27 at the draft. That's when we'll learn whether MLP's new math actually works—or if ditching star power for system players was the league's biggest gamble yet.

Sources: Major League Pickleball official announcement, The Dink Pickleball

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