10 Players to Watch in Utah High School Softball

Early in the 2015 season, many familiar contenders are experiencing success in Utah softball. One reason is that many of these teams return dynamic and talented stars from a year ago. With these players leading the way, the competition at the top of Class 5A, Class 4A and Class 3A has never been stiffer.

Watch for these 10 Utah high school softball players to make a major impact throughout the spring.


1. Sydney White, Lehi
White returns as the Pioneers' ace and has the defending Class 5A champions looking strong again. The junior shined in both pitching and hitting last season. White posted a 14-4 record and struck out 84 batters. At the plate, she finished with a .381 batting average, drove in 21 RBIs and scored 37 runs.

2. Ryley Ball, Fremont (Plain City)
There's no question that the junior shortstop can do damage from the plate. During her sophomore season, Ball tallied nine doubles and six home runs for Fremont. She posted a .514 batting average and also turned in an .829 slugging percentage.

3. Torre Glasker, Bingham (South Jordan)
Glasker, a junior shortstop, is the sort of consistent hitter that makes Bingham's offense dangerous for any opponent. During her sophomore season, Glasker tallied 46 hits at the plate and she posted a .489 batting average overall.

4. Kaycie Jensen, Springville
Jensen enjoyed a textbook breakout season for Springville as a sophomore. She totaled 268 strikeouts and boasted a 2.05 ERA while going 13-10 in the pitcher's circle. With this season and next ahead of her, Jensen is just starting to reach her potential.

5. Kuea Angilau, East (Salt Lake City)
Making herself a consistent long ball threat from the plate is what Angilau does best. She led all batters in the state with 15 home runs during her sophomore season for the Leopards. Angilau makes plenty of big plays, but she is also reliable — posting a .398 batting average last spring.

6. Ashlyn Visser, Herriman (West Herriman)
Visser made a name for herself as a strong hitter across the board as a sophomore last season. She tallied six home runs, six triples and seven doubles for the Mustangs and also posted a .409 batting average. Visser was equally reliable as a catcher, turning in a .980 fielding percentage behind the plate.

7. Kaylee Bott, Spanish Fork
The Dons just about produce more talented baseball and softball players than any other Utah County school. Bott is the latest evidence of this trend. She is a threat to make a play nearly every time she's up to bat. As a junior, she drove in 44 RBIs and tallied 18 doubles while posting a .546 batting average.

8. Alex Oveson, Salem Hills (Salem)
Oveson is an accomplished batter and provided some offensive punch for the Skyhawks last spring. She excelled at making plays for teammates on base, tallying 22 RBIs while posting a .305 batting average.

9. Jaici Bishop, Juan Diego Catholic (Draper)
One reason the Soaring Eagle can take flight so easily is because of what Bishop does at the plate. She is a master at scoring on the long ball. As a junior, Bishop tallied 16 doubles and nine triples, while boasting a .602 batting average.

10. Bailey Critchlow, Grantsville
Critchlow has spent four years making an impact as both a pitcher and a hitter. She had nine doubles, five home runs and a pair of triples last season, while boasting a .488 batting average and a .589 on-base percentage. In the circle, she has lost just one game since her freshman year.

John Coon covers Utah high school sports for MaxPreps. You can contact him at john_coon@hotmail.com and follow him on Twitter at @johncoonsports