It’s showtime! After weeks of research, we kick off the Hot 100 tonight in two ways: one we explain how the process of picking the players and ranking them works.

And, two, we present a new idea: we run the list of players who were on the bubble and just missed the cut but got enough support to be listed as the “Next 25 In,” meaning when this list is updated they are at the head of the pack for possible inclusion.

The first question to be answered is, “How were the players chosen and ranked for the Hot 100?”

Great question—here’s the answer: we regularly update a master database of players in each class… this is what feeds the Master Verbal List.

For the 2016 list of players, the list was used as a foundation and then we went to club coaches all over the country and also college scouts to get their feedback.

The first step is talking to club coaches to get their opinion and input on their top players and others nationwide that they’ve faced. The list began to get narrowed down and then college experts were brought in to provide their feedback.

The process is simply taking a big list and filtering down to a consensus of top players which is admittedly very hard because few people get to see everyone for a true comparison.

Still, players tend to get known and recognized and the more people you talk to, the more the list starts to sort itself out. It’s tough to compare a catcher in California with a shortstop in New Jersey, for example, but that’s what makes this process fun—it’s an inexact science but it certainly garners attention and discussion!

And I’ll finish with this: I sent the final Hot 100 to scouts in every major conference – from the ACC to the SEC, the Big Ten to the Pac-12, and the universal opinion was: “This is pretty spot on.”

But, there will always be discussion and debate, so bring it on! E-mail me at Brentt@FullCountSoftball.com

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And kicking off the junior top player countdown, here’s the:

2016 Hot 100 “NEXT 25 IN”

(listed alphabetically)

These are the 25 juniors who were highly considered for the Hot 100 and are leading contenders to be included in the next 2016 Hot 100 revision.

First	Last	Pos	Year	Club Team	University
Stephanie	Best	P	2016	OC Batbusters - Haning	Cal Poly
Cat	Blount	C	2016	Batbusters - Powell	uncommitted
Jenna	Chapman	P	2016	Beverly Bandits 16U Premier	La Tech
Katie	Chronister	P	2016	Santa Fe Inferno - Hill	Florida
Montana	Davidson	SS/OF	2016	Carolina Elite Team Mizuno	Mississippi State
Haleigh	Davis	C	2016	Sudden Impact Gold	Texas State
Nicky	Dawson	IF	2016	Maniax	LSU
Maddie	Dorsett	IF	2016	Birmingham Thunderbolts	Mississippi State
Bradie	Fillmore	P/SS	2016	Washington Ladyhawks	Cal
Macy	Fisher	2B	2016	Oklahoma Gametime Stars - Fisher	Florida State
Kindra	Hackbarth	OF	2016	California Grapettes	Fresno State
Carly	Harding	SS/UT	2016	Georgia Impact - Bass	uncommitted
Madison	Heide	C/3B	2016	DeMarini Aces	Notre Dame
Kalia	Johnson	P/1B	2016	Atlanta Vipers - Kates	Kentucky
Laney	Joyner	SS	2016	Georgia Impact - Pauly	Georgia
Zoe	Marrott	3B/2B	2016	KG Hitters - Garcia	Cal-Berkeley
Kelly	Martinez	C/3B	2016	Firecrackers - Brashear	Utah
Meredith	McClendon	SS	2016	Georgia Impact - Bass	Georgia Southern
Kirsten	McMonigle	SS	2016	East Cobb Bullets - Legere	Georgia State
Mel	Olmos	P	2016	Firecrackers - Rico	Oklahoma
Madey	Smith	P	2016	Jersey Intensity	Penn State
Mikenzie	Vaughn	SS	2016	Georgia Impact - Gibson	uncommitted
Devin	Wallace	P	2016	NC Lady Lightning	Coastal Carolina
Abby	Walsh	OF	2016	American Freedom Gold	Mercer
Karter	Williams	MIF/OF	2016	So Cal Athletics - McNee/Myers	UC Riverside