Top Uncommitted 2026 Prospects From Northern California

Southern California may boast a larger softball talent pool than anywhere else in the country, but Northern California produces plenty of top recruits every year as well. With a favorable climate, a large population to draw from and several excellent club and college teams nearby, there is no shortage of outstanding prospects from the San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento Valley and beyond.   Below, we highlight five of the top uncommitted class of 2026 recruits from Northern California.    Nesper was the West Bay Athletic League's Pitcher of the Year as a sophomore in 2024 for the Knights, with a 16-1 record, 0.29 ERA and 205 strikeouts in 98 innings pitched. She struck out at least 10 batters on 14 different occasions, highlighted by a 19-strikeout performance in a 1-0 win over Notre Dame-Belmont on April 30. Earlier that month, Nesper threw a no-hitter with 11 strikeouts against Mercy-Burlingame. She was no slouch with the bat, either, hitting .373 with a 1.182 OPS and 22 RBI in 22 games. Over the summer at the Colorado Sparkler tournament, Nesper was 6-1 with 63 strikeouts in 41 2/3 innings. She tops out at 64 miles per hour and is also a standout in the classroom, with a 4.1 GPA.     Mace, pitching in the ultra-competitive West Catholic Athletic League, went 20-5 with a 1.27 ERA and 154 strikeouts in 148 1/3 innings for the powerhouse Monarchs. She struck out nearly four batters for every walk she allowed and gave up just four home runs all season. League rival St. Francis was the only team that could handle her. Those sophomore year numbers built on a very strong freshman season in which Mace pitched to a 1.59 ERA in 97 innings with 86 strikeouts. Mace is a stellar student, with a 4.73 GPA, and was named to the All-Metro second team by the San Francisco Chronicle.     Berry was a first-team All-WCAL selection last spring for the Wildcats, batting .613 with 14 stolen bases and playing error-free defense in center field. She also struck out just four times in 19 games. Berry was held hitless just once all season and had seven three-hit games, finishing the year with 32 runs scored. A slapper, Berry can spray the ball all over the infield and has an excellent combination of speed and bat control, along with occasional power.     Bignardi's standout sophomore season was highlighted by a five-inning perfect game on April 9 with 13 strikeouts—one of her four no-hitters during the spring. In 100 innings of work in the circle, Bignardi was 10-2 with a 1.40 ERA, striking out 183 batters and walking just 29 without surrendering a home run. Her season high in strikeouts was 17, which she accomplished twice in a pair of one-run wins. A first baseman when she's not pitching, Bignardi also batted .389 with a .468 on-base percentage, driving in 14 runs in 17 games.     DeMartini was named to the Peninsula Athletic League Bay Division first team as a sophomore, making her one of just four underclassmen to earn that honor. In 28 games, she batted .450 with a .581 on-base percentage, 13 stolen bases and 34 runs scored for a team that finished 23-5 overall and 11-3 in league play. Using an exaggerated crouch, DeMartini's bat explodes through the strike zone, and she delivered several times in the clutch for her club team over the summer as well. In the field, she has good range at second base and a quick first step.

Southern California may boast a larger softball talent pool than anywhere else in the country, but Northern California produces plenty of top recruits every year as well. With a favorable climate, a large population to draw from and several excellent club and college teams nearby, there is no shortage of outstanding prospects from the San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento Valley and beyond.