Ashton Lansdell’s resume includes her playing college baseball, college softball, USA baseball and Banana Ball, but nothing compares to her experience in the Women’s Professional Baseball League thus far.
For the first time in Lansdell’s long baseball career, she gets to play alongside women and against women players for an extended period. The Los Angeles Queens captain loves being able to get to know her teammates and opponents while living in Springfield, Ill., for nearly two months. All the players quickly learned how similar their backgrounds were leading up to the WPBL season.
“We’ve been through similar but different things,” Lansdell told The IX Sports. “We see these parallel lives that we’ve lived with each other, and now we are all here in the same location and getting to experience this league for the first time all together. Being a part of that and getting to create this league is just something so special. Sometimes it’s hard to really put into words why it’s different than other baseball leagues. I think it’s really the people, the players and the fans who make this league what it is.”
The best comparison Lansdell could make for the WPBL environment to other baseball atmospheres she’s experienced is Banana Ball. Lansdell competed for the Party Animals starting last July up until this July on the team’s World Tour.
“The energy you get at a WPBL game is just so invigorating,” Lansdell said. “I think the closest thing that compares to this is Banana Ball because that is such a positive, fans-first, friendly, loving environment. I’m not saying Banana Ball is ‘fake baseball,’ but [the WPBL] is traditional baseball. We’re not doing all these dances or whatever, it’s not a show, we’re actually playing baseball. But, the fans are loving everything about it, and we still get that same Banana Ball, positive, invigorating energy here in the WPBL, which is really cool.”
One of the best things Lansdell got from her time on the Party Animals was developing a new hitting routine with hitting coach Anthony Coromato. Lansdell admitted she never felt confident being a “consistent player” on the field for any team she’s competed for.
At the beginning of 2026, Lansdell looked ahead at her year with the Party Animals and in the WPBL and decided it was time to establish a new hitting routine to give herself that boost of confidence in the box.
“Although everything I’ve done in my career has been great, I’ve felt like I could be more consistent with my greatness,” Lansdell said.
The biggest difference Lansdell made? Keeping things simple at the plate. She realized she didn’t need to swing for the fences every time she went up to bat, she just needed to put the ball in play and give her team the best chance to win.
“[I’m] really just keeping things simple, not trying to overthink, not trying to make any moment bigger than it really is,” Lansdell told reporters on Aug. 22. “I just want to get in the box and hit the ball hard. Wherever it goes, that’s out of my hands, all I can do is hit the ball hard and put it in play and give my team a chance.”
Lansdell definitely helped the Queens on Friday, Aug. 21 when she crushed her first official WPBL home run, then followed it up with two homers the next day. She has since hit one more home run, putting her season total at four, which is the fourth most in the league so far. Through 13 games, Lansdell has recorded 18 hits, 18 runs, 11 RBIs and six stolen bases.
Needless to say, Lansdell’s new hitting routine seems to be working, but she says that’s because she’s actually sticking to the routine and not trying to change it up. As they say, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
“I’ve actually made myself do the routine and stick to the same routine,” Lansdell said. “I’ve stopped trying to change things if something feels wrong. I just decided that at the beginning of the year ‘I’m going to do this. I’m going to find out what works for me within the first few months of the year and then stick to it throughout the rest of the year.’ I’m proud of myself for actually listening to myself and finding out what works for me.”
One of the reasons Lansdell’s been able to stick to her new routine is because she’s had the opportunity to put it to use. In her previous leagues, she didn’t always get to start or play in each game. Now, in the WPBL, she starts in three games every weekend, giving herself ample time to settle into the routine.
The WPBL has given Lansdell confidence in the batter’s box she’s never had before.
“I think I’m finally just starting to understand myself as an athlete and as a hitter,” Lansdell said. “It’s really nice to have the consistent opportunity to work through that. In other leagues, like with Banana Ball, I would get maybe one at-bat a weekend or something like that. That’s kind of hard to develop off of.
“Now that we have the opportunity to get consistent at-bats and plenty of games and everything, it just allows you just to be the baseball athlete that you are. I’m finally really starting to understand what works for Ashton, which is nice.”
Queens manager Eric Young Sr.’s been pleased with Lansdell’s performances in the box. He recognizes the hard work she’s putting in to be consistent offensively, and he’s noticed how the hard work is paying off in recent contests.
“Ashton’s preparation is putting her at this point where she is right now,” Young told reporters on Aug. 22. “In her routine she does in the batting cages and takes it out on the field, and then she sits trying to hit the ball hard. That’s the reason why she’s having the success she’s having now because she’s staying true to her own [routine].”
Young has placed a lot of trust in Lansdell this season, first by naming her as a team captain, then by believing in her hitting routine, and finally by moving her around on the field. Traditionally, Lansdell calls herself a third base player, but she’s used to playing shortstop and centerfield, too.
Ahead of the 2026 season starting, Lansdell told Young that she had experience playing in other positions outside from third base, so she was open and willing to be moved if needed. The Queens roster is filled with traditional infielders and lacked outfielders, so Lansdell wanted to step up where her team needed her. A common mindset Lansdell has is doing what’s best for her team to put them in a position to win, and moving around on the field helps achieve that goal.
Lansdell’s used to not regularly playing one position in her baseball career, as she learned early on that it was best to be a “versatile player” as a woman in baseball so the men couldn’t hold being a one-trick pony over her.
“I just like to be an athlete and I just like to play, so whatever keeps me on the field and in the lineup, I’ll do it,” Lansdell said. “Especially us women baseball players, we’re so open and used to having to play multiple positions. So, I think that’s just part of being a woman in baseball, especially when you have to fight your way and prove to these boys that you can play baseball when you’re the only girl on the team.
“You have to be versatile and adapt to other positions. The more positions you can play, the better you are.”
So, Lansdell learned to be “comfortable with the uncomfortable” out on the field. Young informs her of what position she’ll play either the night before a game or the morning of, so Lansdell stays mentally open to whatever her coach needs of her. She’s either played third base or right field. Because of this, Lansdell considers herself a utility player alongside being a third base player.
Lansdell wouldn’t trade her experience on the Queens and in the WPBL for the world. She’s grateful to have the opportunity to play in the inaugural WPBL season.
“Everyting has been amazing. I think whatever it was that all of us were expecting, it’s so much better than what we were expecting in all the best ways,” Lansdell said. “It’s just bringing a lot of joy and positivity and love to the world, which is great. It’s what the world needs right now.”
