Candidates for 2025-26 High School Softball Player of the Year
The high school softball season is starting to come to a close in many of the major states around the country. With state championships on the horizon in Florida and many others, what better time to look at some of the nation’s best all throughout the season than now? Whether its pitchers, infielders or outfielders, Rivals takes a look at five candidates for the nation’s high school softball Player of the Year for the 2025-26 season: [ $19.
99 gets you a FULL year of On3 | Rivals national coverage ] P Kynzee Anderson , Shreveport (LA) Calvary Baptist Academy The Georgia Bulldogs’ commitment is fresh off of leading Calvary Baptist Academy to the LHSAA ’s Division III Select championship after defeating Parkview Baptist, 5-3. With the way Anderson played throughout the course of the season, it’s difficult to not have her among one of the nation’s candidates for Player of the Year. Anderson owned the circle and finished the 2026 season with a 30-1 mark with a 0.
61 ERA and 318 strikeouts. At the plate, Anderson batted . 290 with three home runs and 25 runs batted in.
P Eloisa Maes , Melissa (TX) Considered one of the more highly rated pitchers in the country, according to Softball America’s player rankings, Maes has shown throughout the spring why she’s one of the nation’s best. The Arizona commitment last season winning 31 games, fanning 238 batters in nearly 146 innings. This current 2025 season for the Cardinals, Maes has displayed her dominance in the circle on a weekly basis, winning 27 games and striking out 181 batters in 134 innings of work.
With the UIL playoffs still ongoing , Maes has a chance to continue to add on top of her current stats. P MK McMullan , Orange Beach (AL) This list isn’t just subjective to only seniors as McMullan becomes the first Class of 2028 prospect on the list. With the way the sophomore pitcher has been playing in the circle and at the plate, there’s no debate that McMullan should be considered as one of the nation’s top players.