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<p>Even though Minnesota is known for its winter sports, it has also produced a ton of elite softball players in recent history.</p>
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<p>Below, Prep Softball highlights the top uncommitted softball players from Minnesota in the high school graduating class of 2026.</p>
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<p>And we believe college coaches would be lucky to add any of these six student-athletes to their rosters.</p>
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<p>Emily Braaten is a junior catcher who packs a mean punch on the softball field. Defensively, she prides herself on taking command of the strike zone and stealing pitches for her pitchers. She uses her quickness to keep balls in front of her and her speedy transfer to throw runners out who attempt to steal bases on her. Offensively, she is clutch. She reads situations and decides whether or not to bunt the runner over or crush one to the gap. Emily has great barrel control and can hit to both sides of the field. In her most recent travel ball season, Emily posted fantastic offensive stats, including a .478 batting average, a .507 on-base percentage, 33 hits, and 8 home runs.</p>
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<p class="text-gray-700">Kendal Pillar is a right-handed pitcher/utility player with elite skills and a high softball IQ. She has a fastball, rise ball, curveball, and changeup in her arsenal that she utilizes to create strikeouts and mishits. She boasted incredible summer ball stats, including a 9-1 record, 92 strikeouts in 61.2 innings pitched, and a low ERA of 1.70. Kendal also makes a powerful impact at the plate for both her high school and travel teams. She swings with force and isn't afraid to take extra bases. Kendal recently recorded a .439 batting average, a .768 slugging percentage, 10 doubles, 4 triples, 3 home runs, and 9 stolen bases. She's a leader on both her teams and has been voted a high school team captain two years in a row.</p>
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<p>[player_tooltip player_id='100243' first='Remi' last='Rudquist'] is a junior catcher/middle infielder who knows how to lead a team. She was voted her high school's team captain for the 2025 season. She prides herself on being a great teammate and celebrating her team's successes. She cherishes the bonds she's created with her pitchers and loves putting in work with them in practice and bullpens. Remi is a versatile player who can be seen both behind the plate and at shortstop. She has trained relentlessly in the gym and on the field to excel at both positions. Offensively, Remi led her fall travel team in several stats, including having a .433 batting average, a .587 on-base percentage, a .701 slugging percentage, 9 doubles, 3 home runs, and 13 stolen bases. Not only is Remi a beast on the field, but she also crushes it in the classroom, boasting a 4.14 GPA.</p>
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<p class="text-gray-700">Tallie Behrens is a junior left-handed pitcher with the speed and movement to beat any hitter. She throws consistently in the low 60s, with a fastball, changeup, curveball, and rise ball. She performed well for her high school team last season, posting a 2.20 ERA and 124 strikeouts. When Tallie isn't pitching, you can find her making great plays at first base. Offensively, she is extremely disciplined and has a great eye at the plate. She mainly hits for contact and average, and uses her incredible speed to beat the ball to first. For high school ball, her batting average was .500 with a .620 on-base percentage. She is very quick on the bases, with a 2.9 seconds home-to-first time. Tallie lives in the weight room and batting cages, and constantly works hard to better her skills. Her goal is to play at the collegiate level.</p>
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<p class="text-gray-700">Ruby Danielson is a third base/catcher/utility player who aspires to play collegiate softball. Ruby is a fantastic teammate and loves to cheer on her team while she is on the field. She is a vocal leader at the hot corner, and also leads from behind the plate with a strong presence, standing at six feet tall. Ruby uses her height and length to snag high pitches and prevent balls from making their way to the grass. At the plate, she brings power and is capable of skyrocketing pitches over the fence. She played a key role in leading her high school team to a conference championship last season. Her high school squad also won the 6AAA section championship in 2023. Ruby is a multi-sport athlete and also plays varsity hockey for Delano.</p>
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<p>[player_tooltip player_id='100218' first='Lacey' last='Byboth'] is a phenomenal outfielder because of her speed and tracking abilities. Lacey can play any outfield position, but her main spot is in center field. She consistently works hard on and off the field, and loves to take advantage of every training and practice opportunity she has. She is a competitor and thrives when a challenge arises in a game. Lacey is a versatile hitter who loves to surprise defenses with a sneaky bunt, but she can also deliver a power shot to the gap. Her elite speed allows her to steal bases and showcase her athletic sliding abilities. Lacey was the only sophomore on her high school varsity team and helped the squad win the consolation state title. Her club team also won first place at the USSSA Elite Select World Fastpitch Championships in Kansas City. Lacey was named the tournament MVP and was nominated for the USSSA All-State Showcase.</p>
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Even though Minnesota is known for its winter sports, it has also produced a ton of elite softball players in recent history.
HEIGHT
5'2"
POS
C
CLASS
2026
School:
Eastview
Club:
Minnesota Force Impact 18U George
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School:
Rush City
Club:
Minnesota Catalyst 15U National
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HEIGHT
5'8"
POS
C
CLASS
2026
School:
Jefferson
Club:
Minnesota A's 16U National
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School:
Byron
Club:
Minnesota Elite 16U Pranther
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HEIGHT
6'0"
POS
3B
CLASS
2026
School:
Delano
Club:
Minnesota A's 16U National
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HEIGHT
5'4"
POS
OF
CLASS
2026
School:
St. Michael-Albertville
Club:
Minnesota A's 18U National Florek
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