Final 2018 Hot 100 Rankings: Players 60-51

Final 2018 Hot 100 Rankings: Players 60-51

FloSoftball's final 2018 Hot 100 Rankings: Players 60-51

Oct 31, 2017 by FloSoftball Staff
Final 2018 Hot 100 Rankings: Players 60-51
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.

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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.

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null60 | Gianna Carosone, SS/UT | Lil Rebels - RC (Michigan)
Carosone hit .356 with four home runs, 24 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases after coming off a stellar sophomore season. She was named to first-team All-Sunrise for Rancho High. Carosone drew tons of national attention at OnDeck where she recorded a 96.38 percent on the Allister Index. Michigan adds a very skilled and athletic middle infielder who definitely work her way into the lineup.

null59 | Ashley Prange, SS/C | Louisville Lady Sluggers (Ohio State)
The definitive moment of Prange's summer was the walk-off two-run bomb she dropped against Athletics-Mercado in the championship game at PGF. Ohio State is getting an absolute gem with Prange, who is clutch on offense and rock solid on defense. To say her stock is rising is an understatement when you look at her numbers. Prange jumped 181 points in batting average from her sophomore and junior year. At New Palestine High School, she finished .552 with 67 RBIs, 14 doubles, and 21 home runs. Her body control defensively and quick release make her transition to the next level virtually seamless. Prange will be one of the top shortstops to watch in 2018.

null58 | Tate Whitley, OF | Texas Bombers (Ole Miss)
With a .628 on-base percentage and career batting average of .529, Whitley is the quintessential two-hole hitter. A true triple threat, Whitley can bunt, slap, or hit at will. Her speed on the bases will fit quite nicely with Mike Smith's Ole Miss offense. She has been a staple in the Bombers offense and defense for the last two years. In 171 putouts, Whitley has only recorded one error. Whitley was a two-time USSSA first-team All-American and has led Angleton to several playoff runs. She will sign with Ole Miss this November.

null57 | Marissa Schuld, P/OF | AZ Suncats (Arizona)
Schuld was a FloSoftball first-team All-American as a utility (multi-position) player as she led Pinnacle (Phoenix, AZ) High to the 6A state finals with a record of 22-1, a 0.80 ERA, and 248 Ks in 131 innings. But it's not just her power pitching that makes her a Pac-12-caliber player -- she is also a dangerous hitter as the Arizona senior batted .505 with 15 home runs and 57 RBIs to earn her recognition as the Gatorade State Player of the Year as a junior. Schuld committed early in her high school career to the Wildcats and should have a chance to break the lineup early with all she can do at several positions.

null56 | Savannah Stewart, OF | Georgia Impact - Lewis (LSU)
Stewart is a lefty slapper with pop and had a fantastic summer, batting over .650, and went four tournaments in a row in which she didn't make an out. In the high school ranks, the Georgia senior earned first-team 2016-2017 all-state honors for Class 8A after being named all-state the year before as well. Stewart has earned the nickname "Rocket" because of her speed coming out of the box with her 2.7 home-to-first speed, but she also can power slap and drive the ball to the fence and turn singles into doubles and doubles into triples.

55 | Ali Kilponen, P | Firecrackers - Rico (uncommitted)
Kilponen is a competitive, hard-and-down pitcher who has excelled on the biggest stages. She's tall at 5-foot-11 and throws in the mid-to-high 60s and, with her size, stride, and power, her riseball and screwball gets in on the hitters quickly. Her stock continues to elevate and she recently put herself back on the recruiting market with Power Five schools like LSU, ASU, and Washington pursuing her and bringing her in for official visits. She won three state titles in Colorado for her Valor High team and had a lifetime record of 87-4. This season alone she had seven no-hitters and led her team to the Elite 8 while finishing her prestigious prep career with over 1,000 strikeouts.

null54 | Kristina Foreman, C/SS | East Cobb Bullets - Schnute (Duke)
Foreman is a five-tool athlete with tremendous power who also hits for a high average. This past season for the Bullets, she hit over .400 with 12 home runs yet stole more than 40 bases. She's also skilled enough to be able to play anywhere on the field, and her versatility helped her earn Florida first-team all-state honors for her Berkeley Prep (Tampa, FL) High squad as she hit .568 with eight home runs and compiled an impressive on-base percentage of .642. She was also a Florida Athletic Coaches Assoc. All-State honoree as a freshman and will likely make an immediate big splash when she arrives at Duke and it integrates into Marissa Young's new program.  

null53 | Haley Nillen, C/IF | Scrap Yard Dawgs (Auburn)
Nillen is one of the most skilled catchers in this 2018 class who can manage the best of pitchers from behind the plate and can maintain control of the game with her excellent decision-making skills and strong arm. At the plate, the 5-10 athlete hits for high average with tremendous power. That and her foot speed makes her one of the toughest outs in the lineup. Coming off of her second first-team all-district season with Oak Ridge High School, Nillen enters her senior year stronger than ever and ready to make that final push before heading off to play for Mickey Dean and the Auburn Tigers.

null52 | Haley Denning, OF/MIF | Firecrackers AZ (Utah)
Denning is an outstanding overall athlete who uses her speed to wreak havoc against the opposition. One of the best outfielders in her class, Denning can run a ball down gap-to-gap in the outfield and has a strong, accurate arm as well. At the plate she is a triple threat who can bunt for a base hit, slap through the infield, or dig in and swing away with power. During her junior season at Arcadia High School, Haley batted a remarkable .589 with 56 hits and 54 runs scored earning first-team all-region and all-conference honors. Denning's aggressive approach on the base paths will be a huge asset for Amy Hogue and the Utes during the 2019 season.

null51 | Elizabeth Hightower, P | Sante Fe Inferno (Florida)
Elizabeth Hightower, or "E," is a hard-throwing righty with excellent movement, tight spins, and a riseball she will bring at multiple heights. Coming off of a torn ACL, Hightower is continuing to get stronger as she helped her Santa Fe Inferno team to a third-place finish at ASA Gold Nationals this past summer before joining Explosion-Denio out of Southern California, for a 13th overall finish at PGF Nationals. During her run with Exposion, Hightower threw a complete game win against DeMarini Aces and picked up the save versus NW Bullets. Hightower will look to further increase her stock in this upcoming season before joining coach Walton and the Gators next fall.