Hot 100 2015's (#10-1)

We conclude our look at the top 100 players in the 2015 class after spotlighting 10 each day on our countdown from 100 to No. 1. The juniors were chosen based on input and feedback from college and club coaches. Criteria for choosing and ranking the playe

Jan 17, 2014 by Brentt Eads

We conclude our look at the top 100 players in the 2015 class after spotlighting 10 each day on our countdown from 100 to No. 1. The juniors were chosen based on input and feedback from college and club coaches. Criteria for choosing and ranking the players including performances at the club and high school levels and projecting how they will play at the collegiate level.

Already a subscriber? Log In

Today we feature players No. 10 to 1 with standout players from California, Florida, Georgia and Ohio.

Check out more of Round 1 of 2015's HOT 100: 100-91, 90-81, 80-71, 70-61, 60-51, 50-41, 40-31, 30-21, 20-11

#10... Rachel Garcia (P, Corona Angels)--UCLA In a state overflowing you must be good if you're the Gatorade State Player of the Year, especially as a sophomore, and that was the case for Rachel who dominated in the circle and at the plate. She recorded a 22-2 record with a 0.50 ERA and struck out 302 batters in 139 innings. A hard thrower who hits 65-66 mph constantly, Rachel gave up only 42 hits on her way to throwing 14 shutouts and four no-hitters. She put up ridiculous numbers with her bat, hitting .709 with 13 home runs, 42 RBI and a 1.380 slugging percentage. She even had more extra base hits (26) than outs (23). Her other honors included MaxPreps Sophomore All-American and CalHiSports.com 1st Team All-State (Multi-Purpose).
#9... Kenzi Maguire (SS, Team North Florida)--South Carolina Kenzi may not be as high profile as some of the others in the Top 10, but those who have seen her play rave about her abilities and some feel she could be the top defensive shortstop in the nation. She's smallish in size, but is tenacious and a great instinctive player. Kenzi is a defensive machine with excellent footwork and a quick release aided by her throwing sidearm to get the ball off quickly. On offense, she isn't afraid to stand on the plate and attack the pitch. Kenzi has power for her size and rarely strikes out. Last spring, the Florida standout hit .489 with 38 RBI, 48 runs scored, eight doubles, five home runs and six triples. Her freshman year she hit an even .500. She has earned 1st Team All-Conference honors and All-State honorable mention. Photo: Brendan Fitterer/Tampa Bay Times.
#8... Alyssa Palomino (OF, OC Batbusters-Haning)--Arizona Alyssa has physical gifts few can match. She comes from an athletic background as her grandfather, Carlos Palomina, was a Los Angeles area boxing legend. Alyssa is blessed with size, speed and power which she used to hit 18 home runs, which tied for the most in California high school softball last year and broke the Orange County record previously held by current Oklahoma standout Lauren Chamberlain. Her most memorable shot of the 2013 high school season was one that traveled an estimated 305 feet. Alyssa also hit .522 with 50 runs scored and 33 RBI and earned a boatload of honors including CalHiSports.com Sophomore of the Year, 1st Team All-State and Orange County Player of the Year. What makes Alyssa special isn't just between the lines--she's also a bright, energetic personality off the field and is one of the most well-liked players in her class.
#7... Brooke Vines (OF, So Cal Athletics)--Stanford If you need just one run, the best player in the country to manufacture offense could be Brooke, who has all the tools as a lefty slapper to get on base and move around to score. One of the best athletes in her class, Brooke can flat out run and has great bat control with emerging power. She the sparkplug of any team she's on and doesn't hit away too often, but can be effective when needed. As a sophomore, she batted .478 with 33 runs scored and 23 steals at the high school level. Brooke had a .535 on-base percentage and in 101 at bats only struck out twice helping her earn 1st Team All-Area honors. This will be her third year starting with the A's and she has become a vocal leader on the four-time champion at PGF Nationals.
#6... Taran Alvelo (P, Beverly Bandits)--Washington Taran is a dominating power pitcher from Ohio who throws in the high 60's and is on the same club team, the Beverly Bandits out of Chicago, as our No. 1 player in the 2014 class, Jenna Lilley. Taran was named the Buckeye State Sophomore of the Year and made the Ohio All-State "Sweet 16" team after leading her team to a Div. III state title. Her pitching numbers were stellar: 27-3 record with a 0.97 ERA and 0.97 ERA with 363 K's in 181 innings. Taran helped the Bandits finish tied for fifth in the 2013 PGF Nationals as she went 1-1 with a 1.40 ERA and 30 K's in 25 innings against elite competition. She also has good numbers on offense at the high school level where she hit .440 with 13 homers and a .929 slugging percentage.
#5... Taylor McQuillin (P, OC Batbusters-Haning)--Arizona Taylor has overcome a lot in her life, including physical obstacles and family difficulties, to become a go-to pitcher who can carry a team on her back. Very mature and professional in her approach, Taylor's best quality may be her drive and work ethic. She is passionate and competitive and wants the ball in big moments. A true lefty who keeps the ball down, she has great movement on her throws and has all the pitches including a good drop curve. Taylor throws in the mid 60's and dominated excellent competition in the Orange County area last spring, going 25-2 with a 1.01 ERA, 13 shutouts and 266 K's in 173 innings. She was All-Orange County and earned League Co-MVP honors along with teammate Alyssa Palomino (see No. 8 above).
#4... Marshaylee Knighten (SS, Corona Angels)--Oklahoma Marshaylee "Shay" Knighten is one of the top leaders in the Hot 100 this year. She is following in the footsteps of her older sister Marjani "M.J." Knighten, who played with Shay last year on the club and high school levels and is now at Nebraska. Shay is a vocal leader who rallies the team and sets a great example to her teammates. Shay simply gets it done and plays her best when the game is on the line. One of the highlights of the summer was her mammoth three-run homer in the prestigious Champions Cup that the Angels won. A fiery, competitive player with great hand-eye coordination and tremendous bat speed, Shay hit .527 at the high school level with 39 RBI, 10 doubles, seven home runs and a .600 on-base percentage to lead her team to the CIF Southern Section Div. III title game. Defensively, she's a standout as well due to her great range and a strong arm.
#3... Sydney Romero (SS, OC Batbusters-Haning)--Oklahoma Sydney is following in the path of her sister, Sierra, the Big Ten Player of the Year at Michigan last season. Sydney too is built for the college game in that she is powerful and fast, but plays under control and within the confines of the team structure. She's one of the elite hitters not just in the 2015 class, but at all levels because she understands pitchers and what they're trying to do as well as knowing what her responsibilities are at the plate. Sydney is a contact hitter who can hit any pitch no matter where it's thrown. In 2013, she hit .494 with 24 RBI and 20 runs scored to earn All-State Underclass honors.
#2... Kelly Barnhill (P, East Cobb Bullets)--uncommitted Kelly gets the nod as the top pitcher in the 2015 class--and there are a lot of great ones--because her tremendous physical abilities are matched by great results. Throwing consistently in the 69-70 mph range (and having been clocked as high as 73 mph), Kelly also mixes in a rise and drop ball complemented by a change-up that can make batters look foolish. As a junior, she went 16-3 with a 0.52 ERA and limited opposing hitters to a .070 average to earn All-State honors for the second year in a row. Kelly missed the early part of her junior season this fall after tearing her lateral meniscus in the left knee during an off-season workout, but came back to average more than two strikeouts per inning and was named as the Cobb County Pitcher of the Year. She will decide between Florida and Stanford before the end of the school year.
#1... Amanda Lorenz (OF, OC Batbusters-Haning)--Florida Coaches knew as early as 12U that Amanda was special and today she stands as the No. 1 player in the Class of 2015. The reason is simple: she's a lead-off batter not because she's a triple threat with speed, but because no one is better at getting on base and wrecking havoc with the bat. Put it this way--teams have walked her intentionally to start the game accepting the fact that a walk is less damaging than the alternative of an extra base hit. Her high school stats and honors from last season speak to her prolific hitting ability: she hit .625 with 40 RBI, 44 runs scored, nine doubles and 17 home runs in only 80 at bats last year with a 1.375 slugging percentage. That means she hit a home run in every fourth at bat and was on base 70 percent of the time (including 18 walks with only one strikeout). Amanda's not blazing fast, but she's smart and aggressive on the bases and swiped 14 steals as a sophomore. The SoCal standout was the CalHi Sports Freshman of the Year and earned 1st Team All-State honors and was also Ventura County Star Player of the Year. And this is against top-notch competition too: she also hit .692 last summer at the club level. So what accounts for the success? Coaches marvel at how Amanda does everything with her foot on the gas and goes 100 percent all the time on and off the field. She has a passion to excel and is never satisfied with her success, always looking to improve. The outfielder is Pete Rose-like in her hustle, intensity and laser focus to win. That passion combined with crazy talent makes her a pure hitter who can hit home runs and drive balls to the gaps. Simply, you can't throw the ball past her, she will hit any pitch you throw and is a great lead-off because she hits for a high average and will get on base, so much so that a walk is better than the alternative... and that offensive dominance makes her the No. 1 junior in the country.