2031 Speedsters Who Change The Game On The Bases

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Speed is the ultimate game-changer in softball. It can drive pitchers wild and wreak havoc on defenses. For fans, it's arguably the most exciting aspect of the game. From Kentucky to Florida, young speedsters around the nation are running wild on the bases and bringing energy to their teams.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Below, Prep Softball highlights speedsters from the high school graduating class of 2031 who can change a game on the bases.</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":158927,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Cyra McDaniels","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2031","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'2u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"19","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Paris","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"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-69ceed76bfda3"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Around 18 miles north of Lexington, Kentucky, you will find the city of Paris, home to the Paris Greyhounds. And so far this season, Cyra McDaniels is living up to that speedy moniker and then some. Playing for the varsity team, the fleet-footed 7th grader has a whopping 23 stolen bases in only six games played. And that's not all, she's also batting .524 at the plate with 15 runs scored, 11 hits, one double, one triple, and a .583 on-base percentage. More than just a pesky baserunner, she also knows when to slide, when to take off, and how to avoid tags. She has a high softball IQ in all facets of the game, and certainly has a bright future ahead of her.</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":158925,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Juliette Lopez","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2031","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'1u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"19","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"Impact Caymol Midwest 13U","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"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-69ceed76bfeb1"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">On a clear night under the lights last year, Juliette Lopez stayed back on a changeup and ripped a frozen rope into the left-center field gap. And before the fielders could even get the ball in, she was rounding third and heading for home. Not only was it an inside-the-park home run, but it was also one of a handful of long balls that Lopez racked up in 2025. The Illinois native has an inside-out swing and a powerful torque that gives her the ability to blister the ball. She also has plenty of potential in the circle with solid mechanics, strong velocity, and good composure. Along with her speed on the bases, she will almost certainly pile up extra-base hits at the plate, and strikeouts in the circle this coming spring season as well.</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":158858,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Kylie Everett","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2031","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'6u0022","_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":"Holy Trinity","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"Iowa United 14/16U","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"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-69ceed76bffa3"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">At a tournament in the beginning of the year, Kylie Everett hit .667 at the plate with three home runs, two doubles, and one triple. The following month at the February Frenzy, she had a .625 batting average with three doubles. Finally, in March, she blasted four home runs in one weekend alone, including a walk-off grand slam, drove in 14 runs, and had a .714 batting average. She brings the deadly combination of power and speed to the field. If the ball is in the gap, you can count on Everett to leg it out for a double or triple. She also puts just as much work into her defensive game, including blocking drills, avoiding obstruction calls, and increasing the velocity of her throws. Last month, she clocked a pop time of 1.82 seconds. She is on track to continue to develop both behind the plate and on the base paths.</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":158924,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Sydney Payne","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2031","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'4u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"19","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"Arkansas Havoc","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"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-69ceed76c008b"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Sydney Payne debuted as a leadoff hitter for the Arkansas Havoc last month and her speed instantly came into play for her squad. She smacked a rise ball to the opposite field for a triple, and then laid down a perfect bunt down the third-base line for an infield hit. She was named the tournament's MVP, and posted a batting average of .600 for the weekend. She is an athlete who can turn a routine single into a double if the defense is not alert. Case in point, earlier this year, she took a ball the other way for what looked to be a single, but she put on the afterburners and sprinted to second base with no hesitation. She brings a lot of energy to the game, and it shows in her performance on the field.</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":158864,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Ellie Delp","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2031","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'2u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"28","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Trinity Christian Academy","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"EC Bullets - Bernard","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"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-69ceed76c0172"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The month of March was the month of speed for Ellie Delp. The Florida native recorded her first slap hit of the season on an infield hit to the shortstop. Despite being a routine play, Delp made it difficult with her brisk pace down the line. However, that was only a warmup. A few weeks later, she hit another ground ball, this one down the first-base line, and with her speed, turned it into an inside-the-park grand slam. By having the versatility of being both a slapper and a power hitter, Delp is a headache for pitchers and a secret weapon for coaches. Behind the scenes, you'll find her in the weight room or in the batting cages refining her skills. She has all the potential to really break out in the next few years.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->