{"id":3553,"date":"2026-04-25T20:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-25T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pickle-times.com\/?post_type=news&#038;p=3553"},"modified":"2026-09-28T19:47:40","modified_gmt":"2026-09-28T10:47:40","slug":"afpl-season-3-draft-april-2026-56-players-32-roster-spots","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/pickle-times.com\/en\/news\/afpl-season-3-draft-april-2026-56-players-32-roster-spots\/","title":{"rendered":"\u5168\u30d5\u30ed\u30ea\u30c0\u30fb\u30d7\u30ed\u30ea\u30fc\u30b0\uff08AFPL\uff09\u30b7\u30fc\u30ba\u30f33\u30c9\u30e9\u30d5\u30c8\u3001\u5fdc\u52df130\u540d\u304b\u308956\u540d\u306e\u7cbe\u92ed\u304c32\u67a0\u4e89\u3046\u2500\u25004\u670824\u65e5YouTube\u30e9\u30a4\u30d6\u914d\u4fe1"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>AFPL Season 3 -- Draft Candidates Narrowed to 56 from Over 130 Applicants<\/h2>\n<p>On Friday, April 24, 2026, at 19:00 EST (8:00 Japan time on April 25),<strong>the All Florida Pro League (AFPL) Season 3 draft<\/strong>will be held live on YouTube. From a total of over 130 applicants, after a grueling combine test,<strong>56 remained as nominees<\/strong>. 8 teams x 4 players =<strong>32 roster slots<\/strong>will be decided by a snake-draft format.<\/p>\n<h2>The Draft's Mechanics and Schedule<\/h2>\n<p>The AFPL draft adopts a 4-round snake-draft format. Rounds 1 and 3 proceed in normal order, while rounds 2 and 4 pick in reverse order. Each team nominates a total of 4 players -- 2 men and 2 women. The remaining 24 players not nominated in the draft are registered on the waiver (additional-pickup list) and can be picked up by teams during the season.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, trades between teams (exchanging draft rights and players) are permitted during and after the draft, and the maneuvering is one of the highlights.<\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Item<\/th>\n<th>Details<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Draft Date and Time<\/td>\n<td>April 24, 2026, 19:00 EST (8:00 Japan time on April 25)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Broadcast<\/td>\n<td>Open Play Sports YouTube Channel<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Format<\/td>\n<td>Snake draft (4 rounds)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Total Applicants<\/td>\n<td>Over 130<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Nominees<\/td>\n<td>56 (combine passers)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Nomination Slots<\/td>\n<td>32 (8 teams x 4 players)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Roster Composition<\/td>\n<td>2 men + 2 women<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Waiver Eligible<\/td>\n<td>24 (players not nominated)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2>The 8 Competing Teams and Season Overview<\/h2>\n<p>The AFPL is a pro league based in 8 cities within Florida. In Season 3, the following teams take part in the draft.<\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Team Name<\/th>\n<th>Base<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Sarasota Manatees<\/td>\n<td>Sarasota<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>St Pete Icebergs<\/td>\n<td>St. Petersburg<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Punta Gorda Tide<\/td>\n<td>Punta Gorda<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>O-Town Bangers<\/td>\n<td>Orlando<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Jacksonville Ballers<\/td>\n<td>Jacksonville<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>GNV Chomp<\/td>\n<td>Gainesville<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Miami Blaze<\/td>\n<td>Miami<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Lakeland Palms<\/td>\n<td>Lakeland<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>The season runs from May through September in a format of<strong>5 regular-season matches + a midseason tournament + the Finals<\/strong>. It's a community-rooted league in which all matches are held within Florida.<\/p>\n<h2>Draft Candidates to Watch<\/h2>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Player Name<\/th>\n<th>Gender<\/th>\n<th>DUPR Rating<\/th>\n<th>Points of Note<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Noah Waddell<\/td>\n<td>Men<\/td>\n<td>5.768 (highest)<\/td>\n<td>Top overall candidate in this draft<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Bharat Karunakaran<\/td>\n<td>Men<\/td>\n<td>Top-tier<\/td>\n<td>Steady track record<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Kamden Bradstreet<\/td>\n<td>Men<\/td>\n<td>Top-tier<\/td>\n<td>Highly rated at the combine<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Jake Bower<\/td>\n<td>Men<\/td>\n<td>Top-tier<\/td>\n<td>Power player<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Drew Holder<\/td>\n<td>Men<\/td>\n<td>Top-tier<\/td>\n<td>All-rounder<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Adalynn Lund<\/td>\n<td>Women<\/td>\n<td>5.347 (highest among women)<\/td>\n<td>Top women's nomination candidate<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Ellie Skingley<\/td>\n<td>Women<\/td>\n<td>Top-tier<\/td>\n<td>Strong combine results<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Ava Pisacrita<\/td>\n<td>Women<\/td>\n<td>Top-tier<\/td>\n<td>Promising young talent<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Arielle Nealy<\/td>\n<td>Women<\/td>\n<td>Top-tier<\/td>\n<td>A steady play style<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Alexa Quintinella<\/td>\n<td>Women<\/td>\n<td>Top-tier<\/td>\n<td>Aggressive game-making<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2>\u30c9\u30e9\u30d5\u30c8\u306b\u304a\u3051\u308b\u6226\u7565\u306e\u30dd\u30a4\u30f3\u30c8<\/h2>\n<p>\u7537\u5973\u54042\u540d\u3068\u3044\u3046\u56fa\u5b9a\u69cb\u6210\u304c\u3001\u30c1\u30fc\u30e0\u7de8\u6210\u306e\u6226\u7565\u306b\u5927\u304d\u306a\u5f71\u97ff\u3092\u4e0e\u3048\u308b\u30021\u5de1\u76ee\u3067\u7537\u5b50\u30bf\u30ec\u30f3\u30c8\u3092\u512a\u5148\u3059\u308b\u304b\u5973\u5b50\u30c8\u30c3\u30d7\u5019\u88dc\u3092\u78ba\u4fdd\u3059\u308b\u304b\u3067\u3001\u30c1\u30fc\u30e0\u306e\u65b9\u5411\u6027\u304c\u6c7a\u307e\u308b\u3002\u307e\u305f\u3001\u30b9\u30cd\u30fc\u30af\u30c9\u30e9\u30d5\u30c8\u65b9\u5f0f\u306b\u3088\u308a\u3001\u5f8c\u9806\u306e\u30c1\u30fc\u30e0\u306f\u4e2d\u76e4\u306e\u30e9\u30a6\u30f3\u30c9\u3067\u6709\u5229\u3068\u306a\u308b\u9006\u8ee2\u306e\u4f59\u5730\u304c\u7d44\u307f\u8fbc\u307e\u308c\u3066\u3044\u308b\u3002<\/p>\n<p>\u30c9\u30e9\u30d5\u30c8\u4e2d\u304a\u3088\u3073\u7d42\u4e86\u5f8c\u306e\u30c8\u30ec\u30fc\u30c9\u8a8d\u53ef\u306b\u3088\u308a\u3001\u30c1\u30fc\u30e0\u9593\u306e\u99c6\u3051\u5f15\u304d\u304c\u3055\u3089\u306b\u8907\u96d1\u5316\u3059\u308b\u3002\u6307\u540d\u6a29\u306e\u5148\u5ef6\u3070\u3057\u7372\u5f97\u3084\u3001\u8907\u6570\u9078\u624b\u306e\u7d44\u307f\u66ff\u3048\u306a\u3069\u3082\u53ef\u80fd\u3060\u3002<\/p>\n<h2>Reactions on the Ground<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>A draft candidate: \"130 people applied and it was narrowed to 56. The combine was really tough, but just making it this far feels like a turning point in my career.\"<\/li>\n<li>An AFPL team owner: \"The 2-men, 2-women composition makes the strategy interesting. Whether you take a man or a woman in the first round completely changes the team's direction.\"<\/li>\n<li>A pickleball media reporter: \"The AFPL takes a different approach from the PPA and MLP. The community-rooted, draft-based system is becoming a gateway for the next generation of pros.\"<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Implications for Japanese Players<\/h2>\n<p>The AFPL is currently a Florida-only league, but it's an instructive model for the Japanese pickleball world too.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>The Potential of Regional Leagues<\/strong>: The AFPL format is a useful reference for concepts of pro or semi-pro leagues organized by prefecture or region<\/li>\n<li><strong>A Draft x Combine System<\/strong>: As a mechanism for raising the transparency of player evaluation, it can also be applied to selecting players for tournaments in Japan<\/li>\n<li><strong>YouTube Live Streaming<\/strong>: Viewable from 8 a.m. Japan time on April 25. You can learn the draft's maneuvering and team-building strategy in real time<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pickle-times.com\/en\/news\/usa-pickleball-boys-girls-clubs-america-youth-partnership-2026\/\">USA Pickleball's youth development program<\/a>and<a href=\"https:\/\/pickle-times.com\/en\/news\/upa-150-200m-capital-raise-vertically-integrated-pickleball-platform-2026\/\">the UPA's large funding round<\/a>Viewed together with, a picture emerges of the American pickleball industry pushing \"professionalization\" and \"grassroots spread\" at the same time.<\/p>\n<h2>Ripple Effects on the Industry -- The Layering of Pro Leagues<\/h2>\n<p>America's pro pickleball scene is in a state where multiple leagues -- the PPA Tour, MLP, NPL, and more -- coexist. The AFPL is carving out a position distinct from these top leagues.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>A Home for Semi-Pros to Emerging Pros<\/strong>: Skilled players not affiliated with the PPA\/MLP gain a stage to compete<\/li>\n<li><strong>A Farm-System Function<\/strong>: A route is taking shape for players who make a name for themselves in the AFPL to be promoted to the PPA\/MLP<\/li>\n<li><strong>A Franchise Model<\/strong>: Each team diversifies its revenue structure by tying into local sponsors and fan bases<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Viewing and Participation Guide<\/h2>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Item<\/th>\n<th>Details<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Watching the Draft<\/td>\n<td>Open Play Sports YouTube Channel (April 24, 19:00 EST \/ 8:00 Japan time on April 25)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Season Schedule<\/td>\n<td>May-September (5 regular-season matches + a midseason tournament + the Finals)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Match Streaming<\/td>\n<td>YouTube (details to be announced before each match)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>AFPL Information<\/td>\n<td>Updated regularly on media such as The Dink Pickleball and on social media<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2>Summary -- The Next Action<\/h2>\n<p>The AFPL Season 3 draft is a compelling event in which 56 elites from among 130 applicants compete for 32 slots. The maneuvering of team-building in the snake-draft format and the 2-men, 2-women balance strategy are the highlights.<\/p>\n<p>Actions you can take now:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Watch the YouTube live at 8 a.m. Japan time on April 25<\/strong>and experience the atmosphere of the draft and the players' level firsthand<\/li>\n<li><strong>Check the DUPR profiles of players to watch<\/strong>to prepare for watching matches during the season<\/li>\n<li><strong>As a reference for Japan's regional-league concepts<\/strong>, study the AFPL's franchise system and draft operation<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2>Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)<\/h2>\n<h3>Q. How does the AFPL differ from the PPA and MLP?<\/h3>\n<p>A. The AFPL is a community-rooted pro league limited to Florida. Unlike the PPA (an individual-play tour) or the MLP (a team-based top league), it adopts a draft system and provides a stage for semi-pro to emerging-pro players.<\/p>\n<h3>Q. Can I take part in the AFPL as a player from Japan?<\/h3>\n<p>A. At present it centers on players residing in Florida. For details on official nationality and residency restrictions, please check the AFPL's official announcements. There is a possibility that participation requirements may be relaxed in the future.<\/p>\n<h3>Q. What is a waiver?<\/h3>\n<p>A. The 24 players not nominated in the draft are registered on the waiver list. It's a mechanism whereby, if a team has an opening in its roster during the season due to injury or the like, it can pick up an additional player from the waiver list.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The AFPL Season 3 draft goes live on YouTube on April 24. From over 130 applicants, 56 made the shortlist through the combine, with 32 spots \u2014 8 teams by 4 players \u2014 to be decided in a snake draft.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"ssp_meta_description":"","swell_btn_cv_data":"","pt_pr_sponsor":""},"categories":[93],"tags":[123,2838,2837,57,113,7],"region":[],"class_list":["post-3553","news","type-news","status-publish","hentry","category-news","tag-year-2026","tag-afpl","tag-dupr","tag-us","tag-pro-player","tag-event"],"acf":{"summary":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pickle-times.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/3553","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pickle-times.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pickle-times.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pickle-times.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pickle-times.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3553"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pickle-times.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3553"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pickle-times.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3553"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pickle-times.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3553"},{"taxonomy":"region","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pickle-times.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/region?post=3553"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}