Softball America Announces Updated Recruiting Rankings for Class of 2026

Caroline Stanton ranks No.1. | Florida Athletics

With the announcement of the No.1 2027 commit, Aspen Boulware, reclassifying to join South Carolina in the summer of 2026, Softball America has reevaluated its 2026 softball recruiting rankings. 

Take a look at who holds the top spots, what’s changed, and where Boulware fits into the mix. 

Caroline Stanton, P

The Florida commit remains in the No.1 spot after an excellent summer with her travel team, the Texas Bombers, and a strong appearance in the circle with Team USA. At the 2025 WBSC U-18 World Cup Finals, she led the U.S. to a gold medal, going 3-0 in the circle and tossing 17 innings with 10 strikeouts. She allowed just two earned runs, held an ERA of 0.82, and earned the Best Defensive Player award. 

She’ll look to take her high school team, Buford in Georgia, to another state title this weekend. 

𝙀𝘼𝙂𝙇𝙀𝙎 𝙀𝘼𝙍𝙉 𝙂𝙊𝙇𝘿 🦅🥇@CarolineS_2026 & the U.S. defense hold strong for the 𝐖!

𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐒𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐄 ⤵️
🇺🇸 7
🇯🇵 2 pic.twitter.com/lWBCZhz7g8

— USA Softball Junior Women’s National Team (@USASoftballJWNT) October 1, 2025

Payton Westra, OF 

The Oklahoma commit holds the No.2 spot after leading her travel ball team, AZ Rising, to a PGF Championship. Also a gold medalist at the WBSC U-18 World Cup Finals, she hit .267 with a home run, seven RBIs, and two runs scored. During the 2025 high school season with Red Mountain in Arizona, she landed No. 4 in the state with a batting average of .755. 

OU Athletics

Goose Goodwin, P

Goodwin, also a part of the AZ Rising PGF championship team, was the 2024-2025 Gatorade Player of the Year for Arizona. The Northwestern commit led Desert Mountain High School with a 0.36 ERA, 319 strikeouts, 134.2 innings pitched, and a 0.48 WHIP. 

1️⃣-2️⃣-3️⃣

Goose Goodwin sits ‘em down in order to send the Eagles to the plate 🔥

𝑫𝒖𝒆 𝒖𝒑: Hudson, Boulware, Hutchens pic.twitter.com/QM4fsJ3JhM

— USA Softball Junior Women’s National Team (@USASoftballJWNT) September 28, 2025

McLaine Hudson, INF 

The 2025 Gatorade Player of the Year shocked the nation when she announced she was uncommitting from Kentucky and switching to Florida State.  Sitting in the No.5 spot, she is the top-ranked infielder out of the entire class after also putting up an incredible outing with Team USA. She hit. 563 with a homer, three RBIs, and 10 runs scored. Her gold-medal performance earned her a spot on the All-World Team. 

 As a junior at South Warren High School in Bowling Green, she hit .619 with 20 home runs, 60 RBIs, and 73 hits in 38 games. She had 10 triples, 11 doubles, and 18 walks while only striking out four times.

USA Softball

Aspen Boulware, MINF

As the top recruit in the entire class of 2027, Boulware was also the No. 1 middle infielder in the class and the No. 1 prospect in the state of South Carolina. Now that she reclassified, she is still within the top 10 in the class of 2026. Sitting at No.7 overall, she holds strong as the No.1 middle infielder and the No.1 player in the state. 

Torynn Slaughter, C

Sitting in the No.8 spot, the Alabama commit received an honorable mention by MaxPreps for its 2025 All-America team. For Pinnacle High School in Arizona, she held a .459 batting average, with 29 runs, 27 RBIs, 10 home runs, and five doubles. Slaughter was also a part of the AZ Rising PGF championship team. 

To see the updated top 150 2026 rankings, visit Softball America.