Brittany Apgar, a 22‑year‑old right‑handed pitcher in the newly formed Women's Pro Baseball League, was born without a right hand and endured 13 surgeries to lengthen her limb and create a functional wrist joint. After years of playing softball and stepping away from the game, a notification in April 2025 reignited her ambition to compete professionally.
During a spring‑training at‑bat with the Boston Red Sox, Apgar felt her prosthetic nub split open, forcing her to pause her tryouts and reconsider how to protect the delicate hardware while swinging. The incident prompted her to turn to Instagram, where she posted a short video asking followers for advice on bracing her residual limb during games.
A community-driven solution emerges
The response was immediate and overwhelming. Within hours, hundreds of comments suggested everything from moldable thumb‑pro guards to Evo Shields and shock‑absorbing materials that could cushion the impact of a swing. The hashtag #protectthenub quickly trended among the league’s 2,000‑plus followers, spawning a nationwide group project aimed at designing a safe, game‑ready solution.
League commissioner Justine Siegal reached out with a direct message and a trove of resources, reinforcing the sense that the league was committed to supporting Apgar’s unique needs. The flood of ideas, many from engineers and medical‑device innovators, has already yielded prototype designs that blend flexibility with durability.
Apgar’s journey is not just about a single injury. She first discovered the Women's Pro Baseball League through an Instagram story, spent three months adhering to a strict training regimen, and was ultimately drafted 55th overall out of 640 candidates to join the Los Angeles franchise. Her Instagram bio now reads, “personality 10/10, hands 1/2,” a tongue‑in‑cheek nod to the obstacles she continues to overcome.
Looking ahead, Apgar remains confident that a suitable protective device will be found, allowing her to focus on the mound rather than her prosthetic. The collaborative effort surrounding her case highlights the power of community‑driven innovation in sports, especially when pioneers like Apgar break new ground for inclusivity in professional baseball.