Softball America Announces Preseason Outfield Rankings

Softball America continued to roll out preseason position rankings on Friday. Using advanced metrics from 64Analytics, along with the eye test and strength of schedule, outfield rankings have been released.

Check out the best outfielders heading into the 2026 season. For the full list of 30 outfielders, visit Softball America.

Top 10 Outfielders in College Softball

Taylor Shumaker, Florida
Kasidi Pickering, Oklahoma
Audrey Vandagriff, Alabama
Dakota Kennedy, Arkansas
Kayden Henry, Texas
Mihyia Davis, Texas Tech
Ashton Maloney, Texas
Jenissa Conway, Michigan
Kennedy Harp, Florida State
Peyton Plotts, Kentucky

Taylor Shumaker, Florida

The rookie made quite a name for herself in 2025. As the first Florida freshman in program history to gain NFCA First Team All-American honors, Shumaker batted .389 with 72 runs, 22 home runs, 17 doubles, one triple, 41 walks, three hit by pitches, and four sacrifice flies. She led the team in home runs, RBI, runs, doubles, slugging percentage (.808), and total bases (164), all while starting all 65 games in right field.

Kasidi Pickering, Oklahoma

The NFCA First Team All-American hit .392 with 58 runs, 67 hits, 14 doubles, one triple, 18 home runs, 57 RBIs, 51 walks, and a .801 slugging percentage, while pacing the team in on-base percentage and slugging percentage. Pickering played at both corner outfield positions and eventually spent the second half of the season in the leadoff position.

Audrey Vandagriff, Alabama

Vandagriff was another rookie to make noise immediately at the start of the 2025 season. She led the Crimson Tide with a .583 batting average during the Candrea Classic in early February, hitting 7-for-12 with six runs scored, six RBIs, and nine stolen bases. Again in February, she set an Alabama single-game record with five stolen bases against Western Michigan. By the end of the season, she landed fourth in program history for 50 stolen bases in a single season.

Leading the Way🫡@avandagriff12 #Team30 #RollTide https://t.co/387SjcETtC pic.twitter.com/BId2BRqroF
— Alabama Softball (@AlabamaSB) January 16, 2026

Dakota Kennedy, Arkansas

Before transferring to Arkansas, Kennedy started 44 of Arizona’s games in left field in 2025, but missed 17 due to an injury. She still led the team with a .444 batting average and four triples, while recording a career-high in batting average, on-base percentage (.539), slugging percentage (.689), and OPS (1.228). She recorded 60 hits, 10 doubles, four triples, five home runs, 25 RBIs, 28 walks, 48 runs scored, and seven stolen bases.

Kayden Henry, Texas

The national champion had a breakout season in 2025. She recorded a career-best .409 batting average, a .553 slugging percentage, and a career-best .454 on-base percentage, all while logging 225 total bases and a 1.007 OPS. Additionally, she recorded a career-best 85 hits and a team-leading 72 runs with four homers and 30 RBIs.