Sam Sutton
For the first time in years, M&S Softball is returning to an eight-team format – a nod to the league’s early days and another sign of just how much momentum surrounds the 2026 season.
What started back in 2008 as a competitive summer league built around community, rivalry, and neighborhood pride has evolved into one of the most talked-about summer sports experiences in the community. And now, entering its 18th season, M&S finds itself in the middle of a full youth movement.
Answering the Demand
The demand to be part of the league became impossible to ignore. So league officials made a rare decision: expand the field back to eight teams.
Originally slated for seven franchises, the 2026 season officially added an eighth squad captained by returning veteran Saul Tawil, whose newly branded “Take Two” team instantly became one of the biggest storylines of the offseason.
Tawil, who previously captained in earlier years, returns looking for redemption and a second chapter after years away from the captain’s chair. His addition not only deepened the player pool, but completely reshaped the strategy and intensity of this year’s draft.
The Draft
And the draft itself? It absolutely delivered. This year’s M&S Draft became a full-scale production.
Hosted live from the home of longtime M&S stalwart and Gold Glove winner Momo Levy, the atmosphere felt less like a neighborhood softball draft and more like a professional sports war room. Captains sat around laptops and draft sheets while trades, strategy discussions, and last-second debates intensified deep into the night.
The energy surrounding the event was impossible to ignore.
The livestream of the draft amassed over 600 live viewers throughout the night, while the packed war room featured more than 30 rookies alongside longtime league veterans – a visual representation of exactly where M&S stands today as the next generation begins taking center stage.
And for the first time, fans were able to experience the tension in real time as the draft was livestreamed on YouTube, complete with live reactions, interviews, and instant analysis.
Extra Excitement
Adding to the excitement was the debut of the “2026 M&S White Board Draft Breakdown Show,” hosted by brothers Sam and Max Sutton. The two went team-by-team breaking down every roster, debating steals of the draft, questionable reaches, roster construction, X-factors, and ultimately predicting who would emerge as legitimate championship contenders.
The conversations instantly became part of league lore: Who got the steal of the draft? Who reached too early? Which teams quietly built dangerous depth? And which roster has the best chance to survive a grueling summer?
Every captain left the night believing they had built a contender. And while every team has strengths, every roster also enters the season with legitimate questions. That uncertainty is exactly what has the community buzzing.
Youth and Veterans Join Forces
The youth movement across the league is impossible to miss. Young stars are no longer simply role players or developmental prospects – they are becoming franchise cornerstones. Several veteran captains leaned heavily into younger talent throughout the draft, signaling what many around the league believe is a changing of the guard within M&S.
At the same time, experienced veterans remain deeply embedded across the league, creating what may be one of the most balanced seasons in recent memory.
Look Out for Opening Day
The league itself is also expanding physically. Opening Day on June 4th will mark another major milestone for M&S as all eight teams will officially be in action on the same night at a newly-added league location, creating one of the biggest opening nights the organization has staged in years.
With four games running simultaneously, the environment is expected to resemble a full-scale summer tournament atmosphere more than a traditional opening night.
Exponential Growth
The growth surrounding M&S has become difficult to ignore. Between livestream coverage, weekly content, social media engagement, sponsor activations, interviews, highlight packages, and now long-form breakdown shows, the league has evolved into much more than just softball games. For many in the community, M&S has become a summer tradition and a centerpiece of the season. And if the intensity of draft night was any indication, the 2026 M&S season may end up being one of the most memorable yet.