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MaxPreps Names Best High School Softball Players to Watch in 2026

Five states competed in the fall.
Nicole Reitz|
Lincoln Southwest (Nebraska) pitch Maisey McCarty led the Silver Hawks to a state championship win last season.
Lincoln Southwest (Nebraska) pitch Maisey McCarty led the Silver Hawks to a state championship win last season. | Lincoln Southwest High School

The 2026 spring high school softball season is on its way, and MaxPreps has announced who the best players are in each state. 

MaxPreps All-Americans from the 2025 season, such as Caroline Stanton from Georgia, Lily Goodwin from Arizona, Annie Abdullah from Florida, and Kynzee Anderson from Louisiana, all top the list. 

Here’s a glimpse at a few players that fans should be taking note of this season, some of whom are on track to be the future stars of college softball. 

South Carolina, Aspen Boulware, Gray Collegiate Academy 

The infielder has made waves this offseason after announcing that she is reclassifying and joining the South Carolina Gamecocks a season earlier than expected. As the 2024 and 2025 Gatorade Player of the Year, Boulware had a phenomenal sophomore year, leading Gray Collegiate Academy to a state championship.

She batted .573 with 22 home runs, 67 runs scored, and 44 RBI. She added nine doubles and eight triples, with 34 walks and 26 stolen bases, compiling a .696 on-base percentage and an incredible OPS of 2.379.

Tennessee, Kaylor West, Liberty Creek High School 

The Western Kentucky University commit is a four-year letterwinner in both softball and basketball, earning All-District accolades from 2023 to 2025. In the circle, she led her softball team to two District Two AA Tennessee state championships in 2023 and 2024. 

While at Liberty Creek, West was named an All-County Pitcher, an All-Region pitcher, and was named to the District Two AA All-State Team twice during her career. 

California, Ayla Tuua, Destiny Christian Academy 

The senior pitcher has been nothing but a force for the Lions. The 2025 Gatorade Player of the Year compiled a 12-0 record in the circle with a 0.46 ERA through 24 games, striking out 162 batters while allowing just 21 hits across 75.2 innings pitched. During the postseason, she rocked offensively as well, hitting .500 with six home runs, 30 runs, and 26 RBIs. 

The LSU commit enters her final high school season with 35 wins in the circle and 29 total home runs. 

Nebraska, Maisey McCarty, Lincoln Southwest High School 

The 2028 ace finished her sophomore season with a 22-2 record and a 1.13 ERA. She led the Silver Hawks to a state championship win when she threw a complete game, striking out 10 batters. She also hit .420 with a clutch RBI double. 

North Carolina, Mcartney Harrington, South Caldwell High School 

The Clemson University commit was a major piece in the Spartans' winning a state championship last season. At the start of the season in March, she went on a five-game streak, going 12-for-16 with 12 RBIs and three home runs. She ended the winning season with a batting average of .510 and 45 RBIs. 

Virginia, Kaylee Hodges, Matoaca High School

As a sophomore, the right-handed pitcher and first basemen led the Warriors to an 18-3 record and a run in the state tournament semifinals. On the mound, she compiled a 13-3 record with a 0.07 ERA and 244 strikeouts. The Tennessee commit allowed just 22 hits, seven walks, and achieved an astonishing six no-hitters and one perfect game. 

Hodges is a force at the plate as well. In the state semifinals, she put up a batting average of .476. 

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Nicole Reitz
NICOLE REITZ

Nicole Reitz graduated from Indiana University Indianapolis with a degree in sports journalism in 2022 and has been writing about softball and baseball since 2018 .Her work has been published in various publications like Softball America, the Indianapolis Star, and SoxOn35th.

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