FloSoftball continues our look at the class of 2018 as we update the Hot 100 over the next two weeks, spotlighting 10 or more outstanding players each day on the way to the unveiling of the No. 1 player and the top 2018 recruiting classes on Tuesday, November 7.

This list is an updated version of our initial 2018 Hot 100 rankings, and 20 of the honorees will be new to the list after our last version published in December 2016.

After the top 100 is finalized, FloSoftball will shortly thereafter profile the No. 1 player and then list the "next in" classes comprising recruits 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 grad year since including 2015, '16, '17, '18, '19, '20, and '21. We've also updated most of those years several times.

These 2018 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.

30 | Nikki Cuchran - Conroy, 3B | Beverly Bandits (DePaul)

If you want a player who knows how to win a championship, Cuchran is one to have on your team. After leading her Montini Catholic (Lombard, IL) High team to a state 3A title as a junior, she capped off this summer with her second-straight PGF Nationals title with the Bandits. In the 2016 title game, the infielder drove in the winning run and this year was the leading hitter for her club team during nationals and led the Bandits in offensive efficiency for the summer. As a junior, her high school team made it to the Super Sectionals as Cuchran had a stellar season batting .626 with 63 RBIs, 11 home runs, and an on-base percentage of .714. The all-state honoree hits for a high average and can go yard at any point. Defensively she has a great glove and can play first as well as third base.

T-29 | Mary Collins, P/OF | Tulsa Elite (Oklahoma State)
Collins is one of the top two-standouts in the nation as an extremely fast lefty with home run who is also a solid left-handed pitcher. She helped lead Tulsa Elite to the championship at the Boulder IDT Louisville 18U title this summer even though the team could have played 16U. Collins was selected as an All-State pick and the District 4 Player of the Year after leading her Broken Arrow (Oklahoma) High team to a 33-5 record as went 18-3 in the circle while batting .541 with 73 hits, 10 home runs, 10 triples, 14 doubles, a 1.015 slugging percentage and an eye-opening 92 RBI.

T-29 | Payton Tidd, P/1B. | Athletics – Mercado (Notre Dame)

Tidd is not only one of the top pitchers in her class, but she’s also an excellent hitter and can play first at a high level as well. She’s played with the Athletics TO-Mercado organization since age 9 and moved to the So Cal A’s last year, but reunites with her former team to make the Athletics a force to watch this year. 

She’s a fierce competitor and her determination to excel and wanting the ball in clutch situations explains why she’s won multiple championships including a PGF National title in 2013. This fall, the pitcher has gone 8-0 with a 1.50 ERA and has only allowed four earned runs. Tidd has led her team to three-straight CIF conference titles and an Open Division CIF championship. She’s been the conference pitcher of the year all three years as well. As a junior, she went 20-3 with 123 strikeouts in 111 innings. The San Marcos (CA) High standout is a power pitcher with a great rise and change and is skilled at hitting her spots.

28 | Lexie Blair, OF | Jersey Intensity (Michigan) 

Blair helped her West Orange (Winter Garden, FL) High team repeat as Class 9A champions as she hit .515 on the season with 53 hits, 39 RBIs, and 15 doubles. She went on a tear in the playoffs and in the final three games batted 7 for 11 with six RBIs and five extra base hits including an inside-the-park home run. On the club side, the five-tool player hit eight home runs at the Boulder IDT facing many of the top pitchers in the nation. What makes her so dangerous is she has the power to go deep in every at-bat but if the defense is lax, she can lay down a bunt and has the speed to get an infield hit and then swipe several bases.

27 | Hallie Hall, C/3B/DH | Beverly Bandits - Conroy (James Madison)

Hall is another one of the Bandits power bats who comes up big when the pressure is the greatest and the game is on the line. The right-hander has one of the best sticks in the country and can go deep at any time. 

She has won both PGF and high school titles as she led her Bolingbrook (IL) squad to the Class 4A regional championship in 2016. A year ago, she cracked two home runs in the PGF Shootout to spark the Bandits to the title. Hall is adept at doing whatever it takes to win and her defensive is excellent as her quickness allows her to take away the small game whether she’s playing third or behind the plate.

26 | Cheyenne Lindsey, IF/OF | Frost Falcons 00 (Florida)

Lindsey is reminiscent of Michelle Moultrie. A thoroughbred athlete, Lindsey’s got sneaky pop and speed that increases every time she rounds a bag. She literally turns singles into doubles, doubles into triples, and triples into inside-the-park home runs. In 2016 she led her Baylor High School team at the leadoff spot batting .564 with 24 RBIs and a .821 slugging percentage. Her power slap, bounce slap, and soft-slap game are on-point and she can also hit away. Lindsey takes great pleasure in disrupting the defense with her speed and we expect nothing to change when she arrives in Gainesville. 

25 | Skyler Shellmyer, SS | Beverly Bandits - Conroy (Northwestern)

If you think Lindsey is fast, wait until you Skyler Shellmyer. Clocked at 2.57 from home to first, the Bandits shortstop has recorded 103 stolen bases Urbandale High. Shellmyer holds a career batting average of .519 with 200 runs scored. 

From the left side, she can hit for power or drop a bunt for a single. On defense, she helped Bandits Conroy to their first 18U PGF Premier National Championship. Shellmyer has been named first-team all-state for the last three seasons. Northwestern will be getting a gem with Shellmyer in 2018.

24 | Colleen Sullivan, C/IF | OC Batbusters – Stith (UCLA)

Sullivan generates serious power and bat speed at the plate. The UCLA-bound catcher dropped a monster shot in Kansas City to propel Batbusters - Stith to a 18U USAES World Fastpitch Championship. She was the very first UCLA commit in the 2018 class and remained in top 30 in the Hot 100. She’s a game changer on offense and is steady behind the plate or at first base. 

23 | Arielle Oda, MIF | East Cobb Bullets – Caymol (Clemson) 

Oda is truly a five-tool player who can do it all. Considered one of the top shortstops in the country, she can easily transitions into the outfield making her an even bigger asset at the D1 level. Oda is a very intense and focused athlete overall but it’s her offense that really separates her from the rest. From the left side, she has short game skill with 2.7 speed down the line combined with gap power that really causes havoc on any defense. At Buford (Georgia) High School, Oda hit .540 this year with an OPS of 1.452 and 29 stolen bases and led her team to a state championship while earning 5A State and Region Player of the Year. Along with the Clemson's initial signee Logan Caymol, Arielle committed during Signing Week to the Tigers under new coach John Rittman.

22 | Sydney Nester, P | Lady Lightning Gold (North Carolina State) 

Nester is a tall and lengthy right-handed pitcher who can pinpoint her spots with a mid-60s curve, screw, and rise but can then pull the string on a knee-buckling changeup. During her junior year at Carrol County High School, the 2016 Virginia Gatorade State Player of the Year led her team to a 4A state championship going 19-0 in the circle with 222 strikeouts. She currently holds the school record for wins (55) and strikeouts (724). Nester thrives in big-game situations and is looking to make an immediate impact at North Carolina State next fall. 

21 | Hannah Carson, C/SS | Indiana Magic Gold (Michigan) 

Carson is a versatile catcher and shortstop who is able to do both extremely well thanks to her outstanding arm strength and a quick release. Her 1.7 pop time has allowed to her stop over 90 percent of runners attempting to steal against her. Carson has a beautiful left-handed swing and the ability to hit for both power and average. During her first three years at Mt. Pleasant High School, Carson has hit 23 career home runs without a single strikeout. Carson has been named Morning Sun Player of the Year as well as all-state for three consecutive years. Carson is a leader on the field and has heavily contributed to two PGF National Championships at the 16U and 18U levels. Carson will stay in-state to play for the Wolverines.