CLASS 6A SOFTBALL PLAYERS TO WATCH IN 2025
  

 
KAT BALL, MANHATTAN

A key player on Manhattan’s state champion golf team in the fall, Ball is a three-year starter at shortstop for the softball team, taking over the position as a freshman. Last year, she hit .284 with 3 home runs, 12 RBI and scored 17 runs. She also had a solid .946 fielding percentage with 76 putouts. Ball was a first-team All-Centennial League selection and earned honorable mention All-Class 6A honors.
 

KAEDENCE BECKER, GARDNER EDGERTON

Becker earned All-State second-team and All-Sunflower League first-team honors at outfielder as a sophomore last season. She produced a .363 batting average as a reliable bat for a Gardner Edgerton team which finished the year 16-12. But Becker’s success at the plate did cool late in the year as she did not register a hit in the team’s final three games, including a 10-0 win over Lawrence in the regional opener. The Trailblazers lost 1-0 against Blue Valley West in regional finals.
 

 
JO’MHARA BENNING, TOPEKA HIGH

Benning had one of the biggest sticks in Class 6A last year, swatting 10 home runs and driving in 45 while sporting a .580 average. The added 12 doubles and scored 30 runs and posted aon OPS of 1.566. She also carried the workload in the circle for the Trojans and went 7-5 with 94 strikeouts. Benning earned first-team All-Centennial League honors while also landing on the All-Class 6A second team. In 2023, she was selected for her league's second team and as All-State honorable mention.
 

 
REAGAN CHAPMAN, WASHBURN RURAL
 
After earning first-team All-Centennial League and All-Class 6A honors as a shortstop her freshman season when she blasted 8 home runs, Chapman expanded her role last year for the Junior Blues, helping fill the void left by the graduation of their two starting pitchers from 2023. Though her offensive power numbers dipped a bit from her freshman season, Chapman still hit .365 with 2 home runs, 16 doubles and 23 RBI, setting the school record for doubles in a season. She was second-team all-league and All-Class 6A after helping Rural back to the Class 6A state tournament.
 

LILLIAN CLEMENTS, CAMPUS
 
Clements was part of a trio of freshmen who made a significant impact on Campus’ surprising run to a Class 6A runner-up finish last season. The Colts’ third baseman batted .421 with 32 hits, 30 RBI and 22 runs scored as Campus finished 18-7. Clements earned second-team All-Ark Valley-Chisholm Trail Division I recognition and is helping the Colts transition after the graduation of seven players from the 2024 team.
 

LILA COLLINS, MAIZE
 
Collins, a junior, has lettered since her freshman year for Maize, which finished 19-9 last season after falling to Washburn Rural in the regional finals. Colllins was one of three Eagles who landed on the All-Ark Valley-Chisholm Trail Division I first team, earning the utility spot after batting .322 with 19 hits – 10 for extra bases – and 21 RBI. Collins, who drove in seven in Maize’s season opener this spring, play, alternates between catcher and center field for the Eagles.
 

KARLIE DEMEL, DERBY
 
After playing outfielder the first two seasons of her high school career, Demel has shifted to shortstop this spring for the Panthers. The junior leadoff hitter did her part to secure a third consecutive state appearance for Derby, batting .411 with four homers, 25 RBI, 18 steals and 44 runs scored. Demel, a career .400 hitter entering this season, earned All-Class 6A second team and All-AVCTL I first team as the Panthers posted a 24-5 record.
 

GABBY FRANTZ, OLATHE SOUTH

Frantz earned All-State and All-Sunflower League honorable mention selections at infielder as a freshman last season. Her coach described her as a game changer at the plate for Olathe South. She stepped up to the plate in her first season of high school baseball and proceeded to deliver 52 hits, including 14 extra-base hits, 36 RBIs and 30 runs with a .481 batting average. Of her 36 RBIs, 20 were when the Falcons already had two outs in the inning. But with just six strikeouts, Frantz consistently put pressure on the defense by putting the ball in play. Frantz’s personality, which her Olathe South coach Katie Burkhardt described as “goofy and lighthearted,” helped the Falcons calmly knock off the No. 1 seed of both the East and West bracket in back-to-back games during last year’s 6A playoffs. Olathe South knocked off Olathe North 5-0 in the regional semifinals, followed by a 8-6 win over Derby in the state quarterfinals. The Falcons had entered the postseason sitting two games under .500.
 

KENNEDY GLASSFORD, OLATHE NORTHWEST

Glassford earned All-State second team honors at outfielder as a junior last season. She helped lead Olathe Northwest to the 6A state title, the program’s fourth overall and first since 2017. Glassford produced 32 RBIs and 6 home runs with a .371 batting average last season. She mostly played outfield, in right field and center field, but will spend more time in a different role this season: at pitcher. Glassford only got 3.1 innings over two games on the mound last year. She had 4 strikeouts while allowing 1 run for a 2.10 ERA. But this year, Glassford will become a bigger part of the bullpen rotation as the Ravens will look to her, Anna Stesia Ballew, Hannah Butterbaugh and Rylee Rushton, an incoming freshman, to collectively replace the sizable workload left open by the graduation of Bre Severino.
 

PIPER HARRIS, GARDEN CITY

Harris has enjoyed a decorated athletic career for the Buffaloes and she’ll look to go out on a high note this spring. The four-year starter played shortstop last year but returned to first base this season. Harris, also a standout volleyball player, made the first-team Western Athletic Conference softball squad in each of her first three seasons. Harris batted. 382 with five doubles, three triples, 19 RBI and 19 walks in 2024. She has the potential to be ranked on multiple Garden City career record lists for hitting and defense.
 

EMMA HEINEMANN, OLATHE WEST

Heinemann earned All-State and All-Sunflower League first team honors at outfielder as a sophomore last season. She hit .482 at the plate last year, delivering 41 hits with 11 of those going for extra bases. She drove in 34 runs while also scoring 21 runs herself. As lefty, both as a batter and thrower, Heinemann gives the Owls an added versatility. This year she is playing both center field and first base. Heinemann is currently uncommitted for college, but is planning to continue playing softball. She’s also planning to study elementary education, following in the footsteps of her mother, who teaches first grade. Her father is a physical education teacher.
 

SOPHIE HERMAN, OLATHE NORTH

Herman earned All-State and All-Sunflower League first team honors at outfielder as a junior last season. She helped lead Olathe North to a 21-3 record last year, which was a strong campaign that still left the team wanting more following a regional finals loss. Herman batted .390 for the Eagles a season ago. 
 

BREVYN KELLEPOURIS, OLATHE WEST

Kellepouris returns for her senior season following All-State and All-Sunflower League first team honors at pitcher last season, as well as winning her league’s pitcher of the year award. She finished with a 15-4 record last year, striking out 183 batters and a 1.60 ERA across 111 innings pitched. At the plate, she hit .520 with 53 hits, including 28 extra-base hits. She had 9 homers, 34 RBIs, 37 runs and 6 stolen bases. She’ll have the chance to break a few of the program’s career records, many of which are held by 2023 Gatorade Player of the Year Madison Walker. Kellepouris worked with Walker to lead the Owls to the program’s first state title during the 2023 campaign. Kellepouris had previously committed to the University of Central Arkansas, but has since reopened her recruitment and plans to visit multiple Big 10 schools in the near future.
 

MAILEIGH KING, GARDNER EDGERTON

King earned All-State second-team and All-Sunflower League first-team honors at infielder as a junior last season. She posted a .479 batting average last year for Gardner Edgerton, which finished with a 16-12 record.
 

 
OLIVIA KOCH, WASHBURN RURAL

Koch had an immediate impact as a freshman for Rural last year, which lost its top-two pitchers from the 2023 Class 6A state runner-up team to graduation. Koch stepped into a starting spot in the circle and went 6-3, earning Centennial League newcomer of the year honors as well as being a second-team All-Class 6A selection. She also made an impact at the plate, hitting .395 with 8 doubles, 2 triples and 2 home runs while scoring 36 runs.
 

LANE LAWSON, BLUE VALLEY NORTH

Lawson earned All-State and All-EKL second team honors at infielder as a sophomore last season. She posted a .499 batting average with 40 hits, 27 runs and 21 RBIs. Of those 40 hits, she had 15 extra-base hits including 4 homers and 4 triples. Those marks gave her the program’s single-season records for hits, home runs and runs scored. On the mound, Lawson delivered 107 strikeouts. When she’s not in the circle for the Mustangs, Lawson also plays shortstop.
 

ASHLEY RINDOM, BLUE VALLEY
 
Rindom earned All-EKL first team team honors at outfielder as a junior last season. She racked up 47 hits, including 20 extra-base hits, on the way to 24 RBIs and 35 runs. In the field, Rindom delivered 30 putouts in 37 total chances with just four errors, earning her a .892 fielding percentage. She helped lead Blue Valley to a 17-11 record and a regional championship last year. The Tigers lost their state opener 7-4 against eventual state champion Olathe Northwest.
 

NATALIE RUPERT, BLUE VALLEY WEST
 
Rupert earned All-EKL second team honors at utility as a junior last season. She is a three-year starter who is currently one of the top hitters for the Jaguars. Her patience at the plate helped her deliver a .435 batting average and 1.01 OPS a season ago. Rupert had 25 RBIs and 7 doubles, which were both ranked second on the team. She helped lead Blue Valley West to a 22-7 record and regional championship. The Jaguars lost their state opener 2-1 against Washburn Rural.
 

 
AVERY RUPP, WASHBURN RURAL
 
Rupp took over as Rural’s starting first baseman last year after the graduation of Emmerson Cope and Piper Titsworth, who manned the position while the other pitched. Rupp more than capably filled the void, hitting .378 while providing some big-time power for the Junior Blues with a team-high 6 home runs. She also had 9 doubles and 2 triples and drove in a team-high 37 runs on her way to first-team All-Centennial League and first-team All-Class 6A honors. Rupp was more than just a big stick as she only had two errors in 163 chances defensively for a .88 fielding percentage.
 

LAILAH SIMMONS, OLATHE NORTH

Simmons earned All-State and All-Sunflower League first team honors at catcher as junior last season. She finished last year with a .419 batting average. After the team’s 21-3 season ended early with a regional finals loss against an upset-minded Olathe South, Simmons will be one of many returning Eagles determined to return to the team to state. Olathe North had reached state in the previous six postseasons. Simmons was also part of an Olathe North girls basketball program which went to state four straight years from 2019-22 before experiencing a two-year drought. Simmons helped end that stretch with a trip to state, and a fourth-place finish, back in March.
 

TATUM STEINER, DODGE CITY 

The senior catcher is a four-year starter for the Red Demons. She landed on the All-Western Athletic Conference first team as a junior and was a second-team pick as a sophomore. Steiner earned honorable mention All-6A honors last season after batting .470 with 31 hits, 14 doubles and 5 home runs. She entered this season with 80 career hits, 22 doubles and 12 home runs. Steiner will look to help the Red Demons take a step forward after they finished 6-21 last season.
 

JOSLYNN STIGLITZ, MAIZE
 
Stiglitz, a junior, has been a big contributor on the mound and at the plate for the Eagles. Last year’s All-AVCTL I first-team first baseman and second-team pitcher batted with .419 with 36 hits, including 21 doubles, and hit 8 homers with 37 RBI. Stiglitz also pitched 86 innings, posting a 3.72 ERA with 64 strikeouts. She has played outfield this season for Maize in addition to her duties in the circle, where she recorded her 100^th career strikeout in late March.
 

ABBIE WALDEN, OLATHE NORTH

Walden earned All-State and All-Sunflower League first-team honors at infielder as a junior last season. She hit .562 as one of the team’s top batters during a 21-3 campaign. Walden, who will play softball at Colorado Christian University next year.
 

MALIYAH WARREN, OLATHE WEST

Warren earned All-State and All-Sunflower League first team honors at infielder as a junior last season. She racked up 35 hits last season, including 22 extra-base hits, with a .434 batting average and only six strikeouts at the plate. Warren sent the ball over the outfield wall more times than that, finishing with 7 homers on her way to 33 runs and 27 RBIs. She was also walked 22 times. Olathe West coach Cynthia Adams describes Warren as a quiet leader for the Owls. Her high softball IQ playing shortstop puts her into a quarterback-like role directing the infield. Warren, who will play softball at the University of Central Florida next year, plans to study marine biology in college.
 

KYLEIGH WHITEHURST, GARDEN CITY

A Johnson County Community College signee, Whitehurst is a workhorse in the circle for the Buffaloes. She started all 25 games last season and threw 136 innings, racking up 130 strikeouts. Whitehurst was a first-team All-Western Athletic Conference pick last season as a junior. At the plate, she hit .315 with 23 hits, 7 doubles, 1 triple, 3 home runs and 21 RBI in 2024. She’ll have a shot to pitch her way onto a couple career record lists for Garden City. Whitehurst just completed a standout bowling career for the Buffaloes.
 

LILY WINRIGHT, OLATHE NORTHWEST
 
Winright, who will play softball at Emporia State next year, earned All-State first-team and All-Sunflower League second-team honors at catcher as a junior last season. Winright produced 27 RBIs and 4 home runs with a .333 batting average last season. But her role at catcher played an even bigger role in the team going 23-4 on the way to a state title in 2024. Her perfect fielding percentage over 207 total chances, including 202 putouts, set the tone for a Ravens team that finished with seven total players who did not make a single error with double-digit chances over the season. It might be hard to replicate that this year with ace pitcher Bre Severino graduating alongside a slew of All-State and All-Sunflower League talent.