Home Run Hitters Putting Up Big Numbers This Season

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>They say that everything is bigger in Texas, but are the home runs possibly bigger too? Any pitcher who has had to face sophomore Parker Malone this season might agree. Or travel right across the border to Louisiana, and you'll run into two big boppers who are taking the Bayou by storm. There are several other power hitters across the nation who are enjoying pulverizing softballs, but these five players below are exceptional in that measure.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Below, Prep Softball highlights five home run hitters who are swinging for the fences this season with great success.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":105581,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Baylor Bockhaus","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2028","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'5u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"31","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Calvary Baptist Academy","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Bombers Gold 16U ArkLaTex-Chaffin","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67febf6772010"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">There may not be a better high school softball player in the country at the moment than Baylor Bockhaus. Currently the nation's RBI leader with 78 runs driven in, the freshman from Haughton, LA, has absolutely obliterated softballs for the Calvary Baptist Academy Cavaliers. As of this writing, the power hitter has a batting average of .567 with 22 home runs, 12 doubles, 59 hits, 54 runs, an on-base percentage of .621. She fits right in with a team and culture that is used to winning. The Cavaliers are the four-time defending champions of Division III softball in Louisiana. And if their current 32-1 record is a sign of things to come, a fifth straight title may just be on its way soon.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":105589,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Ainsley Morvan","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2028","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'3u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"23","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Logansport","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Texas Bombers Gold 16U","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67febf67720ab"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Also from The Pelican State, Ainsley Morvan stands right with Bockhaus as not only one of the best high school freshmen in the country, but one of the best softball players in the country, period. The Logansport native has a .611 batting average, 18 home runs, 18 doubles, 9 triples, 58 hits, 60 RBIs, and 60 runs scored. If that wasn't enough, she also has only struck out twice so far all season for the Logansport Tigers, while drawing 14 walks. For her travel ball team, Texas Bombers Gold 16U, she hit for a .542 batting average this past fall, with five bombs and 23 RBIs. Simply put, anything off of her bat is loud and destined for a gap or a parking lot. Additionally, she is adept defensively, and has not committed an error yet so far this season for the Tigers at the time of this writing.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":105591,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Parker Malone","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'8u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"22","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Texas Blaze United 16U","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67febf6772135"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">By all accounts, Parker Malone had a seriously impressive freshman season. She put up a .406 batting average with 13 doubles, 37 RBIs, four triples and four home runs for the Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial Eagles. This year, however, her sophomore campaign has been off the charts. Not only has she already hit 15 more bombs than last year, but she also has 72 RBIs, 15 doubles, 52 runs scored and a .651 batting average. And she has done all of this in only 26 games—10 less than she played in all of last season. The Eagles are flying high so far this spring with a 24-2 record, and Malone is playing a big role in helping them soar.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":105634,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Layna Ayala","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'10u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"20","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Melbourne","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Fury Platinum X","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6800069740967"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Heading east, Layna Ayala is one of the top sluggers the Sunshine State has to offer. She ranks first statewide in home runs with 15, and has an impressive .493 batting average with 38 RBIs and seven triples to boot. Also, like Malone, she has improved in every offensive category so far during her sophomore campaign, especially in the power department. Her slugging percentage is currently 1.307, up from .815 during her freshman season. She also has struck out only five times in 85 plate appearances and has an on-base percentage of .533. The Melbourne Bulldogs are looking for another state title after winning it all in 2022, and the offensive and defensive prowess that Ayala brings will help them toward that goal.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":105637,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Jaeda Diaz","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'3u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"29","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Indio","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"OC Batbusters Stith Maroon","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6800069740a0a"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">California is always a hotbed for softball talent, and Jaeda Diaz definitely fits that mold. The junior already has over 40 home runs in her high school career and is not slowing down. She is tied for third in the state in home runs this season with 13 bombs so far, and ranks fourth in RBIs with 41. She currently has a career batting average of .587 with 159 RBIs and 121 runs scored. The multi-sport athlete was named the 2024 Desert Sun Flag Football Player of the Year and also plays on one of the most celebrated travel softball teams, the OC Batbusters. While Diaz has not yet committed to college, expect her to shine wherever she goes to continue her career.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->