2029s Who Could Be No. 1 In Their Class Someday Soon

The class of 2029 still has plenty of room to grow — its members just started their freshman years in high school and are nearly two full years away from the start of their formal recruiting process. But several 2029 prospects have already made names for themselves in travel ball tournaments and showcase events, and others have made significant contributions to their high school teams as seventh and eighth graders.   Below, Prep Softball highlights five 2029 recruits who have the tools and the potential to rise to the top of the class rankings in the near future.    Shylo Williford dominated for her middle school team last spring as few hitters could touch her pitching. She struck out 13 batters with no walks in a win in mid-April, had 10 strikeouts in a shutout a few days later, then punched out 12 batters in a victory in the sectional semifinals and was named tournament MVP despite her team's loss in the championship game. Her head coach said Williford "will be someone to watch for some time." Williford continued her strong run over the summer, striking out 14 batters and hitting .400 at the Scenic City tournament in June. She has excellent command to both her arm side and glove side with an especially sharp curveball. Williford can also reach pitches well out of the strike zone and hit sharp singles all over the field with occasional home run power.     Savanna Sowell plays on a team primarily comprised of recruits a year older than she is, but she was an integral part of their championship at a prestigious Colorado tournament over the summer. With Georgia playing high school softball in the fall, Sowell is off to a great start at that level as well, hitting her first varsity home run in late August after going 3-for-4 with two doubles in her first game. She is especially good against rise balls, even ones above the strike zone, and can time them up for extra-base hits to the pull side and the opposite field. Sowell's speed and baserunning instincts are also assets — she will not hesitate to take an extra base on an errant throw back to the infield. She has already attended camps at Tennessee, Georgia and Auburn.     It's usually just pitchers and catchers who wear face masks in the field, but when Faith Giglio is at the plate, the entire infield would be wise to wear some form of protection. That's how hard the ball often comes off Giglio's bat. The budding superstar from New England hits line drives that can rip infielders' gloves off their hands. At the Fastpitch Nation Cup in Connecticut back in June, Giglio hit .692, then batted .467 at another tournament the following week. She played varsity softball as an eighth grader last spring and earned the team's leadership award. Giglio is a versatile defensive player who can play the outfield, second base and shortstop, and she even has the instincts and arm strength to throw runners out at first base from right field.     Natalie Singletary is coming off a breakout summer, batting .545 with three doubles and a triple at the Elite Rock Qualifier at the USSSA Space Coast Complex. She is also emerging as one of the top defensive catchers in her class, especially with her pitch-framing skills and the way she blocks the plate without completely obstructing it. Singletary hits the ball hard all over the field with bonafide power and has a cannon from behind the plate, often throwing out would-be base stealers at second by several steps. She has participated in USA Softball's High Performance Program and is already giving back to the next generation, assisting at a catchers' clinic in early August.     A three-time USA Softball High Performance Program invitee, Kennedy Lopez batted .417 this past summer with 50 hits, including 10 doubles and three triples, while scoring 43 runs and driving in 35. She uses an exaggerated leg kick, lifting her foot as soon as the pitcher releases the ball, to hit hard ground balls through the infield and hot line drives into the gaps. Lopez has the speed to leg out infield hits, even to the right side, and can also drop down a well-placed sacrifice bunt. She was particularly strong in Colorado, going 15-for-28 with six doubles, 12 runs scored, 10 RBI and a perfect fielding percentage. Lopez is a multi-sport athlete who runs the 100, 200 and 400 meters for her track team, and she has been busy on the camp circuit, visiting UCLA, Auburn, Maryland and more.

The class of 2029 still has plenty of room to grow — its members just started their freshman years in high school and are nearly two full years away from the start of their formal recruiting process. But several 2029 prospects have already made names for themselves in travel ball tournaments and showcase events, and others have made significant contributions to their high school teams as seventh and eighth graders.