MLP 2026 Keepers Announced: Jorja Johnson & Anna Bright Surprise Drops

The 2026 Major League Pickleball (MLP) Keeper deadline was Sunday, February 15th, at 4pm ET. Each of the 20 teams competing this year had to submit their keepers to the league by that time.

Today, the keepers are announced.

Biggest Surprises

• Jorja Johnson was dropped by the Dallas Flash - many pundits (including me) thought it was going to be Hurricane Tyra Black who was dropped
• The other big surprise was Anna Bright being dropped from St. Louis - it was a mystery who they were going to drop
• Lea Jansen was dropped by the reigning MLP Champions Columbus Sliders, and they didnt have to drop her
• The Phoenix Flames - no one had any idea what they were going to do and they essentially dropped everyone except Jessie Irvine

Let's get into team by team action.

Atlanta Bouncers

Current Roster Cost: $59,500

Keepers: Jay Devilliers, Kaitlyn Christian, Jaume Martinez Vich

Dropped: Todd Fought (ret), Vivienne David (ret), Rachel Rettger

Biggest Team Needs: A right side woman

Bay Area Breakers

Current Roster Cost: $26,500

Keepers: Pablo Tellez, Mya Bui

Dropped: Samantha Parker & Sam Querrey (ret)

Biggest Team Needs: A left side guy and woman

Brooklyn Pickleball Team

Current Roster Cost: $427,000

Keepers: Rachel Rohrabacher, Jackie Kawamoto, Riley Newman, Hannah Blatt

Dropped: Pat Smith

Biggest Team Needs: A guy who is versatile on either side and can play well with Riley

California Black Bears

Current Roster Cost: $0

Keepers: Layne Sleeth 

Dropped: Lina Padegimaite, Michael Loyd, Martin Emmrich

Biggest Team Needs: Everything

Carolina Hogs

Current Roster Cost: $14,000

Keepers: DJ Young, James Delgado, Angie Walker, and Ava Ignatowich

Dropped: Craig Johnson, Danna Funaro (ret)

Biggest Team Needs: A left side woman

Chicago Slice

Current Roster Cost: $92,500

Keepers: Zane Navratil, Hunter Johnson, Callie Smith

Dropped: Carlos Di Laura, Pierina Imparato, James Ignatowich (terminated), Vivian Glozman (terminated)

Biggest Team Needs: Two women

Columbus Sliders

Current Roster Cost: $358,500

Keepers: Andrei Daescu, Parris Todd, CJ Klinger

Dropped: Lea Jansen, Ross Whittaker, and Marcela Hones

Biggest Team Needs: A versatile woman that can play both left and right

Dallas Flash

Current Roster Cost: $335,000

Keepers: JW Johnson, Hurricane Tyra Black, and Augie Ge

Dropped: Jorja Johnson

Biggest Team Needs: A right side woman

Florida Smash

Current Roster Cost: $3,000

Keepers: Travis Rettenmaier, Cason Campbell, Martina Frantova

Dropped: Paula Rives Palau

Biggest Team Needs: A versatile woman who prefers the left

Las Vegas Night Owls

Current Roster Cost: $26,000

Keepers: Brooke Buckner, Chao Yi Wang, Blaine Hovenier, Roscoe Bellamy, Liz Truluck

Dropped: Brandon French

Biggest Team Needs: A left side guy

Los Angeles Mad Drops

Current Roster Cost: $805,000

Keepers: Ben Johns, Catherine Parenteau, Jade Kawamoto, Max Freeman

Dropped: Mehvish Safdar, Thomas Wilson

Biggest Team Needs: Two singles specialists for Dreambreakers

Miami Pickleball Club

Current Roster Cost: $5,000

Keepers: Alix Truong, Yuta Funemizu

Dropped: Eric Roddy (ret), Juan Benitez, Tammy Emmrich, Tatiana Ruhl (ret)

Biggest Team Needs: A left side guy and a versatile woman who can play both

New Jersey 5s

Current Roster Cost: $417,500

Keepers: Anna Leigh Waters, Will Howells, Noe Khlif

Dropped: Meghan Dizon and Mari Humberg

Biggest Team Needs: A top right side woman to pair with ALW

Orlando Squeeze

Current Roster Cost: $220,500

Keepers: Federico Staksrud, Lacy Schneemann, and Milan Rane

Dropped: Dylan Frazier, Alli Phillips, Tom Evans (ret)

Biggest Team Needs: Good left side guy to pair with Fed

Palm Beach Royals

Current Roster Cost: $225,000

Keepers: Dekel Bar, Tina Pisnik, Sofia Sewing

Dropped: None

Biggest Team Needs: A versatile guy that can play both sides

Phoenix Flames

Current Roster Cost: $11,000

Keepers: Jessie Irvine

Dropped: Tyson McGuffin, Jack Sock, Genie Bouchard, Alex Walker, Pesa Teoni

Biggest Team Needs: Very close to everything

SoCal Hard Eights

Current Roster Cost: $0

Keepers: None

Dropped: Irina Tereschenko, Ryan Fu (terminated), Cailyn Campbell, Jalina Ingram, John Lucian Goins, and Ivan Jakovljevic

Biggest Team Needs: Everything

St. Louis Shock

Current Roster Cost: $305,000

Keepers: Anna Bright, Hayden Patriquin, Kate Fahey

Dropped: Gabe Tardio, Erik Lange (ret), Judit Castillo

Biggest Team Needs: A top level left side woman

Texas Ranchers

Current Roster Cost: $265,000

Keepers: Christian Alshon and Eric Oncins

Dropped: Victoria DiMuzio, Wyatt Stone, and Felicity Di Laura (ret)

Biggest Team Needs: A pair of high level women

Utah Black Diamonds

Current Roster Cost: $236,500

Keepers: Etta Tuionetoa, Connor Garnett, Allyce Jones

Dropped: Tyler Loong, Yates Johnson, Chloe Igleski

Biggest Team Needs: A pair of high level women