Looking back at the 2024 review, a feeling persisted: that of French baseball and softball timidly starting to breathe again, without triggering the enthusiasm usually associated with a real dynamic of progress. The year 2025 only prolonged this mixed feeling.
From a sporting point of view, the scenario is now well known. The return to the top of the eternal regulars – Saint-Raphaël and Rouen – reassures as much as it bores. At the same time, there have been many disappointments for the French teams: two out of three did not meet expectations, whether in men’s baseball, women’s softball except in baseball5. A severe assessment, mitigated however by the brilliance of a few individuals who shine far from France.
Because it is often abroad that hope is nourished. The remarkable progress of Mathias Lacombe with the White Sox, the signing of Ernesto Martinez with the Yankees – and his commitment to the Cuban national team for the upcoming World Baseball Classic, which could definitely take him away from the blue jersey – or the historic draft of Melissa Mayeux in a professional women’s championship in the United States, are all positive signals. Individual trajectories that question, but also prove that French talent exists.
The central question remains, the one that divides and animates debates and comments: is the level of French baseball and softball really on an upward trend?
Some matches, because of the quality of the double plays, the repetition of solid hits or the intensity offered, invite optimism. Others, however, cool down ardor: bullpens exhausted long before the ninth inning, decimated teams during trips, too visible level differences. The reactions of readers and social networks confirm it: opinions are sharp. But all converge towards a common question: when will French baseball and softball finally come out of the shadows to find their zone of light in their own country?
On the federal side, the year 2025 will have been marked by an important internal transition. The departure of the Technical Director, Stéphen Lesfargues, marks the end of a cycle. The recruitment of his successor is now eagerly awaited. However, there have been few leaks from the presidency and the secretariat. A television interview with the president, originally planned, could not be organized for health reasons, leaving the exchange on the balance sheet and perspectives pending. If the creation of Division 3, for its first season, can be considered a positive point, the recurrent lack of communication on the vision and the federal project appears even more glaring this year. When reviewing the eleven monthly newsletters published in the year, it is difficult to find material to get excited about or to perceive the outlines of a structuring project in the making. Let’s hope that the general meeting planned at the end of the first quarter of 2026 will finally provide the expected insights.
The year 2026 promises to be busy. The Division 1 championship will resume at the beginning of April with the return of PUC Paris, to the detriment of Metz. Hopefully, the broadcasts will continue to improve in quality and regularity. The Youth Olympic Games in Dakar will offer a great showcase, with the ambition of a podium for the French junior baseball5 team. Rouen and Savigny will represent France in European cups. Finally, softball seems to be promising a more substantial lineup, both for men and women.
There are many national and international events to come, which we will have the opportunity to discuss at the beginning of the year.
The entire Baseball TV France team wishes you an excellent year 2026. ⚾
Photo credits: F.Volpato
