The 2025–26 Australian Baseball League season was the fifteenth season of the Australian Baseball League (ABL), and began on 13 November 2025. The four-team competition is the premier English speaking winter baseball league with players affiliated with Major League Baseball, Nippon Professional Baseball, KBO League, Chinese Professional Baseball League, and various independent baseball leagues.
Teams This is the second time the league has retracted following a reduction in the 2023–24 Australian Baseball League season. The Canberra Cavalry had their license agreement terminated due to financial uncertainty from owners Paul Kelly and Adrian Dart. In addition, the Melbourne Aces withdrew their participation citing financial and management issues with the League.
+ Teams in the ABL Team State/Territory Stadium Adelaide Giants South Australia Dicolor Australia Stadium Queensland Viticon Stadium Western Australia Empire Ballpark New South Wales Blue Sox Stadium
Regular season The regular season began on 13 November 2025 and is scheduled to end on 18 January 2026. Each team was scheduled to play 39 games across 10 rounds of four-game series, with the exception of series beginning Boxing Day which will was three games. The final game of the season between Brisbane and Sydney was cancelled due to inclement weather.
Standings
+ Key Secured postseason berth
Pos Team W L Pct. GB 1 Sydney Blue Sox 24 14 — 2 Adelaide Giants 19 20 5.5 3 Perth Heat 18 21 6.5 4 Brisbane Bandits 16 22 8.0
Statistical leaders
+ Batting leaders Stat Player Team Total AVG Nick Ward Adelaide Giants .354 HR Robbie Perkins Brisbane Bandits 10 RBI Devin Saltiban Adelaide Giants 29 R Pablo Nunez Sydney Blue Sox 30 H Nick Ward Adelaide Giants 52 SB Devin Saltiban Adelaide Giants 9
+ Pitching leaders Stat Player Team Total W Landen Bourassa Sydney Blue Sox 6 ERA Gary Grosjean Perth Heat 1.69 K Jack O'Loughlin Sydney Blue Sox 62 IP Landen Bourassa Sydney Blue Sox SV Tyler Jeans Brisbane Bandits 7
Championship Series
The best-of-three Championship Series began 23 January 2026 and finished 25 January 2026, between the top two teams from the regular season. The Sydney Blue Sox finished the regular season 24-14, securing a home Championship Series and their second consecutive minor premiership with six games left in the regular season.
It was the first time a New South Wales team has competed for the Claxton Shield in a final since the 2009 Claxton Shield when the New South Wales Patriots lost to the Perth Heat. New South Wales last won the title in the 2005 Claxton Shield with a lineup that included Major Leaguers Trent Oeltjen, Glenn Williams, Ryan Rowland-Smith, and Chris Oxspring.
The Adelaide Giants secured their spot for a return to the Championship Series after losing in the first round of the playoffs the previous season. They would come away successful with their third championship in four seasons.
In game one, Jack O'Loughlin would pitch seven innings of two hit baseball, one of which being a bloop double down the rightfield line that scored two runners who had reached on walk and hit by pitch. O'Loughlin would retire the next 16 hitters before eventually a walk-off home-run in the 9th inning from catcher Mitch Edwards secured a 3-2 victory for the home team playing in Sydney.
Game two was a dominant Sydney pitching performance from former MLB and now KBO pitcher Alex Wells, who gave up one run over seven innings. Adelaide however, bounced back in game three with a strong start from Perth born lefty Josh Hendrickson and scoreless outings from their bullpen, eventually winning the decider 6-2.
Philadelphia Phillies farmhand and third round pick Devin Saltiban was named the series MVP, with an OPS of .930 across the series including solid defensive play in centerfield.
References
External links The Australian Baseball League – Official ABL Website Official Baseball Australia Website