2017 Hot 100May 18, 2017 by Brentt Eads
2021 Hot 100: Players 20-11
2021 Hot 100: Players 20-11
FloSoftball ranks the top 100 softball players in the class of 2021.
Unlock this article, live events, and more with a subscription!
Already a subscriber? Log In
FloSoftball begins winding down our unveiling of the Class of 2021 as we near the top of the Hot 100, which we've revealed over the course of the past two weeks.
Today, the players cracking the Top 20 and tomorrow we reveal the Top 10! Upcoming on FloSoftball.com will be a profile the No. 1 player and next week be sure to check out the "Next In" classes comprising prospects Nos. 101-200, 201-300, 301-400, and 401-500!
FloSoftball has ranked the Hot 100 beginning with the 2014 Class and has done every year since: 2015, '16, '17, '18, '19 and '20. We've also updated most of those years several times (the 2019 Hot 100 being the most recent, updated in February).
And as for the 2021s -- who are just in the eighth grade, even though many are playing up at the varsity high school level already -- we'll update the Hot 100 list several times too over the next five years, so know this is just the starting point!
These honorees were chosen based on input and feedback from college and club coaches as well as our own FloSoftball event and in-person observations. Criteria for choosing and ranking the players includes performances at the club and high school levels and projecting how they will play at the collegiate level.
Today, we feature players No. 20 to 11, who come from California (four), Florida, Georgia (four), Indiana, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas.
***
T-20--Sarah Stone C/UT... Beverly Bandits Futures - Helbling (uncommitted)
Stone is a five-tool player with a nice blend of power, size, and speed. She has smashed 36 career home runs over the past three years playing elite national travel ball, with eight of those coming last season. Stone has fast hands and has been swinging a 34 inch, 26-ounce bat since her first year of 12U play. She hits for a high average, but what makes her unique is her prodigious power to all fields -- she has hit multiple 250-foot shots. She can also drop a bunt and beat out an infield hit due to her 2.8 home-to-first speed. When not behind the plate, her defensive skills are stellar to the point where she can play both corners and even the outfield at a high level. But her main position right now is as a backstop due to her 1.8 pop time and overhand speed of 60-plus mph, which makes her capable of throwing out any baserunner. The Indiana multi-sport athlete is currently being recruited by SEC and Big Ten programs.
T-20--Tatum Sparks C/OF... Gametime Stars (Oklahoma State)
Sparks was one of the first 2021 players to commit after being offered early by Oklahoma State and three other programs, but she knew from the beginning that she wanted to stay near to home. Her athleticism and energy on the field reminds many of another great product from the Gametime Stars, 2017 grad Sydney Sherrill, a Florida State signee and member of the USA Junior National team. Sparks can play any position other than pitcher because she has a great glove, arm, and bat and can even run well. She dominates in softball as well as basketball and track. Her athleticism runs in her family, as her brother, Tanner, is headed to OSU to play baseball. Sparks has kicked off this year with a bang: Playing against 18U teams in ASA Hall of Fame action and around Oklahoma (high school ball is in the fall), she's put up a stellar .636 on-base percentage. Behind the plate, her quick reflexes, release, and cannon for an arm make opponents afraid to run on her.
19--Reagan Walsh SS... OC Batbusters - Campbell 03 (uncommitted)
Walsh is one of the fastest-rising prospects in Southern California and is poised for a huge summer on Mark Campbell's elite 14U team after coming over from another prestigious So Cal program, the Firecrackers-Oakes. She has a nice swing with quick hands and has power potential. She batted .530 last year with 10 doubles and was invited to the OnDeck West Coast Elite Camp, where Derek Allister of OnDeck Softball commented: "Reagan is a good athlete and nice defender at shortstop who understands her position and plays it well." One coach said of the So Cal infielder, "She is one of the best fastball hitters in the age division." Walsh has taken unofficial campus visits to BYU, Oregon, and Florida and will have a ton of top 25-level programs chasing her once she's seen this summer playing for the high-profile Batbusters.
18--Cydney Sanders 3B/OF... Corona Angels (Arizona State)
Sanders is another in a long line of big-time athletes from Marty Tyson's Angels program who can do it all offensively and defensively. She can crush the ball deep and will be a big run producer while being a strong asset on the left side of the infield thanks to her major-league arm. Sanders also has the athletic skills to roam the outfield and the range to play the middle infield. One top scout said, "There's a lot to like in this one as Cydney is a top-tier talent nationally." The versatile athlete is dangerous with the bat and hits gap shots like an 18U player due to her upper-division power. In the fall, she hit over .400 also and is a strong RBI producer. Sanders committed to Arizona State the first week of April of this year.
17--Keri Munn P... Beverly Bandits Futures -- Helbling (Auburn)
Munn is a pitcher/infielder who throws in the low 60s and is known for the movement on her pitches and her all-around game. She is a strong hitter who plays a strong first base and outfield as well. Munn is so dedicated to improving her craft she makes a five-hour drive from her home in Manchester, Tennessee, to practice with Matt Helbling's Bandits team in Indiana. Munn has a good frame at 5-foot-10 and plays multiple sports at a competitive level. A dual-threat pitcher who has a high ceiling and a lot of tools to work with in the circle, she also has what one scout called "nice swing mechanics" and the potential to be an everyday player at the next level. Munn had always dreamed of playing in the SEC, and after multiple visits, camps, and games at Auburn, she committed to the Tigers in the first week of April.
16--Charlotte Forniss 1B/P... Firecrackers - Brashear/Oakes (uncommitted)
One of the top dual-threat players in the country, Forniss is 5-foot-8 and considered by many coaches as one of the best hitters in the division. She has great power and hits to both sides of the field well and can go yard to all fields. Pitching-wise, she throws up to 59 mph and has a change-up that makes her fastball seem that much better. Forniss shined at the Colorado Jamboree as a 12U player where she was one of only three players to hit home runs over the fence. Last summer she was picked as a Sparkler Junior All-Star because of her leadership on the field and way she elevated her teammates' play. She is being recruited by ACC and Pac-12 programs - -some liking her as a pitcher while others are impressed with her infield play, where her defense rates her as one of the best in the 2021 class. One West Coast coach said, "The sky is the limit for Charlotte because of all the things she does so well."
15--Morgan Kendrick P/UT... Tampa Mustangs -- Hennigar (Florida State)
Kendrick is a right-handed power pitcher from the Jacksonville, Florida, area who throws a fastball, curve, and riseball in the low 60s (confirmed at camps) and a change-up that comes in at 45 mph. She also has excellent accuracy and uses a natural rise spin to pitch effectively. An offensive threat as well, she can hit with home run power to all fields. At the plate, Kendrick has an excellent eye and also is clutch in driving in runs. Last season on Jody Hennigar's team, Kendrick pitched 83 innings, striking out 134 and compiling a 0.54 ERA. Kendrick also hit .465 and drove in 27 runs in the fall. "Morgan is a fireballer with a great bat," Hennigar said. "She gives 110 percent every game and is a leader." In early May, she finalized her college plans when she committed to Florida State over interest from major programs in the ACC, SEC, Pac-12, and Atlantic Sun conferences.
14--Tori Headgecock C/3B... East Cobb Bullets -- Heath (uncommitted)
It's a strong class in Georgia, and right at the top is Headgecock, a power hitter who hits for a high average and can beat you with the bat in a multitude of ways. Since joining the Bullets in the fall, she has slugged 10 home runs and batted .453 and one softball legend said of Tori, "She has one of the purest swings I've ever seen." Tori can go deep in any situation -- in one recent game she cleared a 220-foot fence at 9 AM in 45-degree weather. The backstop has such a strong arm, few dare challenge her anymore on the basepaths and her great glove also translates to her being able to play the corners as well. She works out regularly with Thomas Macera, the head coach at Valdosta State, who is considered one of the best hitting instructors in the country. Headgecock has several SEC schools after her and will have much more interest after this summer.
T-13--Megan Bloodworth IF… Atlanta Vipers -- Holbrook (uncommitted)
Bloodworth is one of the top overall hitters in the country and hit .612 last season with 17 home runs and an on-base percentage of .650. She also struck out only five times in her last 190 at-bats. One SEC coach said of her swing, "She gets on the plane and stays on it better than any hitter I have seen at this age." A very consistent hitter, she is the one you want at the plate when the count is full and the winning run is at third. Defensively, Bloodworth plays second and third base and loves to get in the hitter's back pocket when fielding a bunt, as she has no fear. Almost every SEC school has shown interest, and she's been on multiple visits to Alabama, Florida, and South Carolina with more trips planned this summer.
T-13--Caylynn Esparza C/3B... Diamond Sports Hotshots (uncommitted)
A first-team Select 30 All-American last summer, Caylynn -- or "KK" as she's better known as -- paired with pitcher Sam Landy to help the Impact Gold finish second at PGF Nationals 12U last year. At 5-foot-9, she is a multi-sport athlete playing basketball and running track and cross country and on the softball field has all the tools to be a franchise catcher, including a pop time that is in the 1.7-1.8 range. What separates Esparza from other catchers, however, is her insatiable desire to improve. Her daily regimen of hitting and catching is practically unmatched, as she has worked with several elite catching coaches and hits every day with former Houston head coach Kyla Holas, who also is on the staff of the NPF Chicago Bandits. Esparza also catches for almost many of the top pitchers in the Houston area during their pitching lessons to further hone her catching skills. The Texan has had a lot of SEC interest and taken some unofficial visits but will focus more on the recruiting process this summer.
12--Sydney Carter 1B/P Georgia Impact -- Newland (uncommitted)
Carter is a 6-foot power-hitting first baseman who can also pitch and has what one coach called, "Unreal athleticism at her size and maturity behind her years." Sydney hit double-digit home runs from the right side last year -- many being tape measure shots -- and had a .431 on-base percentage, but her bat is just half of the appeal to the SEC and Big Ten schools pursuing her (note: she has tripped to numerous schools in these conferences and each has offered). The Georgia athlete, who was a Select 30 honoree last year, is excellent defensively and has made several highlight reel plays at first base, but she's equally impressive in the circle as she throws a good drop ball that induces a lot of ground balls and screwball that often ties hitters up. Carter is an imposing, intimidating presence on the mound and impresses coaches in that, no matter what the game situation, she never loses her cool.
T-11--Micaela Macario 2B... OC Batbusters - Campbell 03 (Oregon)
Macario -- who most in the softball world know as "Lala" -- is a lefty slapper with excellent mechanics who can exploit what the defense is doing and swing away if the infielders encroach too close or lay down the perfect bunt or slap through the gaps if that's what's available. She has good quickness and is skilled defensively with range, good body control, and an exceptional glove. One coach said of her, "Lala has very good game sense and she pays attention to detail so she's always a step ahead. Fluid and smart, she has a ton of upside and a high ceiling." Invited to the Select 30 last summer, Macario hit .397 with a .506 on-base percentage and was 12 for 13 in steals. Said another top coach, "Lala is one of the purest hitters in the 2021 class. She runs 2.7 to first base, so the speed is deadly when she slaps."
T-11--Kaylen Madrey MIF/OF... Firecrackers -- Sewell (uncommitted)
Madrey is the type of player who can take over a game offensively and defensively. She's one of the most electric players in the '21 class and can destroy a defense with a bunt using her 2.66 home-to-first speed to get on base. She can also power slap a home run, which she did earlier this month over a 210-foot fence. Playing shortstop, Madrey can get to balls deep in the hole few, if any, at her position can, and she has the arm strength to throw out even the speediest of runners. Madrey has cat-like reflexes and quickness, and her athleticism transcends over sports, as she averaged over 20 points per game in hoops and dominated in track in just about every event: 100 and 200 meters, long jump, high jump (won the Georgia middle school state meet), and the 400 meters, which she ran for the first time at state and finished sixth. One of the stars at December's prestigious Faster2First camp, Madrey has the speed that wins championships, so it's no wonder she has offers from programs like Georgia, Mississippi State, Duke, and North Carolina State with trips upcoming to LSU, Florida, Missouri, Ole Miss, Michigan, and Oklahoma.
Today, the players cracking the Top 20 and tomorrow we reveal the Top 10! Upcoming on FloSoftball.com will be a profile the No. 1 player and next week be sure to check out the "Next In" classes comprising prospects Nos. 101-200, 201-300, 301-400, and 401-500!
FloSoftball has ranked the Hot 100 beginning with the 2014 Class and has done every year since: 2015, '16, '17, '18, '19 and '20. We've also updated most of those years several times (the 2019 Hot 100 being the most recent, updated in February).
And as for the 2021s -- who are just in the eighth grade, even though many are playing up at the varsity high school level already -- we'll update the Hot 100 list several times too over the next five years, so know this is just the starting point!
These honorees were chosen based on input and feedback from college and club coaches as well as our own FloSoftball event and in-person observations. Criteria for choosing and ranking the players includes performances at the club and high school levels and projecting how they will play at the collegiate level.
Today, we feature players No. 20 to 11, who come from California (four), Florida, Georgia (four), Indiana, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas.
***
T-20--Sarah Stone C/UT... Beverly Bandits Futures - Helbling (uncommitted) Stone is a five-tool player with a nice blend of power, size, and speed. She has smashed 36 career home runs over the past three years playing elite national travel ball, with eight of those coming last season. Stone has fast hands and has been swinging a 34 inch, 26-ounce bat since her first year of 12U play. She hits for a high average, but what makes her unique is her prodigious power to all fields -- she has hit multiple 250-foot shots. She can also drop a bunt and beat out an infield hit due to her 2.8 home-to-first speed. When not behind the plate, her defensive skills are stellar to the point where she can play both corners and even the outfield at a high level. But her main position right now is as a backstop due to her 1.8 pop time and overhand speed of 60-plus mph, which makes her capable of throwing out any baserunner. The Indiana multi-sport athlete is currently being recruited by SEC and Big Ten programs.
T-20--Tatum Sparks C/OF... Gametime Stars (Oklahoma State) Sparks was one of the first 2021 players to commit after being offered early by Oklahoma State and three other programs, but she knew from the beginning that she wanted to stay near to home. Her athleticism and energy on the field reminds many of another great product from the Gametime Stars, 2017 grad Sydney Sherrill, a Florida State signee and member of the USA Junior National team. Sparks can play any position other than pitcher because she has a great glove, arm, and bat and can even run well. She dominates in softball as well as basketball and track. Her athleticism runs in her family, as her brother, Tanner, is headed to OSU to play baseball. Sparks has kicked off this year with a bang: Playing against 18U teams in ASA Hall of Fame action and around Oklahoma (high school ball is in the fall), she's put up a stellar .636 on-base percentage. Behind the plate, her quick reflexes, release, and cannon for an arm make opponents afraid to run on her.
19--Reagan Walsh SS... OC Batbusters - Campbell 03 (uncommitted) Walsh is one of the fastest-rising prospects in Southern California and is poised for a huge summer on Mark Campbell's elite 14U team after coming over from another prestigious So Cal program, the Firecrackers-Oakes. She has a nice swing with quick hands and has power potential. She batted .530 last year with 10 doubles and was invited to the OnDeck West Coast Elite Camp, where Derek Allister of OnDeck Softball commented: "Reagan is a good athlete and nice defender at shortstop who understands her position and plays it well." One coach said of the So Cal infielder, "She is one of the best fastball hitters in the age division." Walsh has taken unofficial campus visits to BYU, Oregon, and Florida and will have a ton of top 25-level programs chasing her once she's seen this summer playing for the high-profile Batbusters.
18--Cydney Sanders 3B/OF... Corona Angels (Arizona State)Sanders is another in a long line of big-time athletes from Marty Tyson's Angels program who can do it all offensively and defensively. She can crush the ball deep and will be a big run producer while being a strong asset on the left side of the infield thanks to her major-league arm. Sanders also has the athletic skills to roam the outfield and the range to play the middle infield. One top scout said, "There's a lot to like in this one as Cydney is a top-tier talent nationally." The versatile athlete is dangerous with the bat and hits gap shots like an 18U player due to her upper-division power. In the fall, she hit over .400 also and is a strong RBI producer. Sanders committed to Arizona State the first week of April of this year.
17--Keri Munn P... Beverly Bandits Futures -- Helbling (Auburn) Munn is a pitcher/infielder who throws in the low 60s and is known for the movement on her pitches and her all-around game. She is a strong hitter who plays a strong first base and outfield as well. Munn is so dedicated to improving her craft she makes a five-hour drive from her home in Manchester, Tennessee, to practice with Matt Helbling's Bandits team in Indiana. Munn has a good frame at 5-foot-10 and plays multiple sports at a competitive level. A dual-threat pitcher who has a high ceiling and a lot of tools to work with in the circle, she also has what one scout called "nice swing mechanics" and the potential to be an everyday player at the next level. Munn had always dreamed of playing in the SEC, and after multiple visits, camps, and games at Auburn, she committed to the Tigers in the first week of April.
16--Charlotte Forniss 1B/P... Firecrackers - Brashear/Oakes (uncommitted) One of the top dual-threat players in the country, Forniss is 5-foot-8 and considered by many coaches as one of the best hitters in the division. She has great power and hits to both sides of the field well and can go yard to all fields. Pitching-wise, she throws up to 59 mph and has a change-up that makes her fastball seem that much better. Forniss shined at the Colorado Jamboree as a 12U player where she was one of only three players to hit home runs over the fence. Last summer she was picked as a Sparkler Junior All-Star because of her leadership on the field and way she elevated her teammates' play. She is being recruited by ACC and Pac-12 programs - -some liking her as a pitcher while others are impressed with her infield play, where her defense rates her as one of the best in the 2021 class. One West Coast coach said, "The sky is the limit for Charlotte because of all the things she does so well."
15--Morgan Kendrick P/UT... Tampa Mustangs -- Hennigar (Florida State)Kendrick is a right-handed power pitcher from the Jacksonville, Florida, area who throws a fastball, curve, and riseball in the low 60s (confirmed at camps) and a change-up that comes in at 45 mph. She also has excellent accuracy and uses a natural rise spin to pitch effectively. An offensive threat as well, she can hit with home run power to all fields. At the plate, Kendrick has an excellent eye and also is clutch in driving in runs. Last season on Jody Hennigar's team, Kendrick pitched 83 innings, striking out 134 and compiling a 0.54 ERA. Kendrick also hit .465 and drove in 27 runs in the fall. "Morgan is a fireballer with a great bat," Hennigar said. "She gives 110 percent every game and is a leader." In early May, she finalized her college plans when she committed to Florida State over interest from major programs in the ACC, SEC, Pac-12, and Atlantic Sun conferences.
14--Tori Headgecock C/3B... East Cobb Bullets -- Heath (uncommitted) It's a strong class in Georgia, and right at the top is Headgecock, a power hitter who hits for a high average and can beat you with the bat in a multitude of ways. Since joining the Bullets in the fall, she has slugged 10 home runs and batted .453 and one softball legend said of Tori, "She has one of the purest swings I've ever seen." Tori can go deep in any situation -- in one recent game she cleared a 220-foot fence at 9 AM in 45-degree weather. The backstop has such a strong arm, few dare challenge her anymore on the basepaths and her great glove also translates to her being able to play the corners as well. She works out regularly with Thomas Macera, the head coach at Valdosta State, who is considered one of the best hitting instructors in the country. Headgecock has several SEC schools after her and will have much more interest after this summer.
T-13--Megan Bloodworth IF… Atlanta Vipers -- Holbrook (uncommitted) Bloodworth is one of the top overall hitters in the country and hit .612 last season with 17 home runs and an on-base percentage of .650. She also struck out only five times in her last 190 at-bats. One SEC coach said of her swing, "She gets on the plane and stays on it better than any hitter I have seen at this age." A very consistent hitter, she is the one you want at the plate when the count is full and the winning run is at third. Defensively, Bloodworth plays second and third base and loves to get in the hitter's back pocket when fielding a bunt, as she has no fear. Almost every SEC school has shown interest, and she's been on multiple visits to Alabama, Florida, and South Carolina with more trips planned this summer.
T-13--Caylynn Esparza C/3B... Diamond Sports Hotshots (uncommitted) A first-team Select 30 All-American last summer, Caylynn -- or "KK" as she's better known as -- paired with pitcher Sam Landy to help the Impact Gold finish second at PGF Nationals 12U last year. At 5-foot-9, she is a multi-sport athlete playing basketball and running track and cross country and on the softball field has all the tools to be a franchise catcher, including a pop time that is in the 1.7-1.8 range. What separates Esparza from other catchers, however, is her insatiable desire to improve. Her daily regimen of hitting and catching is practically unmatched, as she has worked with several elite catching coaches and hits every day with former Houston head coach Kyla Holas, who also is on the staff of the NPF Chicago Bandits. Esparza also catches for almost many of the top pitchers in the Houston area during their pitching lessons to further hone her catching skills. The Texan has had a lot of SEC interest and taken some unofficial visits but will focus more on the recruiting process this summer.
12--Sydney Carter 1B/P Georgia Impact -- Newland (uncommitted) Carter is a 6-foot power-hitting first baseman who can also pitch and has what one coach called, "Unreal athleticism at her size and maturity behind her years." Sydney hit double-digit home runs from the right side last year -- many being tape measure shots -- and had a .431 on-base percentage, but her bat is just half of the appeal to the SEC and Big Ten schools pursuing her (note: she has tripped to numerous schools in these conferences and each has offered). The Georgia athlete, who was a Select 30 honoree last year, is excellent defensively and has made several highlight reel plays at first base, but she's equally impressive in the circle as she throws a good drop ball that induces a lot of ground balls and screwball that often ties hitters up. Carter is an imposing, intimidating presence on the mound and impresses coaches in that, no matter what the game situation, she never loses her cool.
T-11--Micaela Macario 2B... OC Batbusters - Campbell 03 (Oregon) Macario -- who most in the softball world know as "Lala" -- is a lefty slapper with excellent mechanics who can exploit what the defense is doing and swing away if the infielders encroach too close or lay down the perfect bunt or slap through the gaps if that's what's available. She has good quickness and is skilled defensively with range, good body control, and an exceptional glove. One coach said of her, "Lala has very good game sense and she pays attention to detail so she's always a step ahead. Fluid and smart, she has a ton of upside and a high ceiling." Invited to the Select 30 last summer, Macario hit .397 with a .506 on-base percentage and was 12 for 13 in steals. Said another top coach, "Lala is one of the purest hitters in the 2021 class. She runs 2.7 to first base, so the speed is deadly when she slaps."
T-11--Kaylen Madrey MIF/OF... Firecrackers -- Sewell (uncommitted) Madrey is the type of player who can take over a game offensively and defensively. She's one of the most electric players in the '21 class and can destroy a defense with a bunt using her 2.66 home-to-first speed to get on base. She can also power slap a home run, which she did earlier this month over a 210-foot fence. Playing shortstop, Madrey can get to balls deep in the hole few, if any, at her position can, and she has the arm strength to throw out even the speediest of runners. Madrey has cat-like reflexes and quickness, and her athleticism transcends over sports, as she averaged over 20 points per game in hoops and dominated in track in just about every event: 100 and 200 meters, long jump, high jump (won the Georgia middle school state meet), and the 400 meters, which she ran for the first time at state and finished sixth. One of the stars at December's prestigious Faster2First camp, Madrey has the speed that wins championships, so it's no wonder she has offers from programs like Georgia, Mississippi State, Duke, and North Carolina State with trips upcoming to LSU, Florida, Missouri, Ole Miss, Michigan, and Oklahoma.