USA Baseball will host its first girls' tournament ©USA Baseball

USA Baseball and Major League Baseball (MLB) are preparing to hold their first-ever girls' tournament.

The event, called the Trailblazer Series, will take place between April 13 and 15 at the MLB Youth Academy in Los Angeles.

Women's baseball is growing in popularity but female players have always contested softball at the Olympic Games.

They will do so again when the sports return to the Olympic programme at Tokyo 2020.

More than 100 players from the US and Canada will compete in under-16 and under-12 teams at the Trailblazer Series.

Several stars from past World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Women's Baseball World Cups will be present to serve as coaches.

Softball Olympic champion Jennie Finch will be present at the event ©Getty Images
Softball Olympic champion Jennie Finch will be present at the event ©Getty Images

Justine Siegal, the chair of the WBSC Women's Baseball Commission, will also be on hand alongside American Olympic softball champion Jennie Finch.

"The establishment of the Trailblazer Series marks an exciting next chapter in the history of women's baseball," said Paul Seiler, executive director and chief executive of USA Baseball and a WBSC Executive Board member.

MLB leader Robert Manfred added: "MLB and USA Baseball have listened to the growing demand for girls and women's baseball by launching this unprecedented event."