Fishers graduate Connor Smith lands pro Wiffle Ball shot with Atlanta Ballers

The Fishers High School graduate was selected 10th overall by the Atlanta Ballers, giving him a place in a league that calls itself America’s first professional wiffle ball circuit.

The Ballers made Connor Smith part of a draft class with immediate name recognition. Atlanta used the first overall pick on Cael Foreman and then took Smith at No. 10, pairing the two teammates after an undefeated championship run with On the Rise at BLW Dallas. The Ballers are one of the league’s founding franchises and are backed by Julio Jones and Nelly.

Smith’s path to that stage started with 11 years of baseball before his interest shifted after he found the competitive Wiffle ball scene in 2020. He entered his first organized tournament two years later, then learned quickly that elite Wiffle ball asked for a different kind of hitter and pitcher, not just a bigger swing. A Chicago tournament did not go well, but a later event in Texas put Smith on BLW scouts’ radar.

Big League Wiffle Ball games are only three innings, pitchers work from 45 feet away and the speed limit is 75 mph. The format puts a premium on sliders, risers, drops and knuckleballs, plus the ability to keep hitters off balance over a short game window. BLW’s 2026 season featured 10 city-based franchises and live coverage on ESPN, ESPN+ and ESPN2, with the summer slate beginning June 7 in Atlanta at Assembly Studios.

Big League Wiffle Ball began as a backyard league during the COVID-19 pandemic, played backyard seasons from 2020 to 2025 and launched the pro league in fall 2025. A league standings page listed the Atlanta Ballers at 0-4 at one point in the season.