2026 AUSL Draft Watch: 20 Players Who Could Shape the League’s Future

NEW YORK — With the 2026 AUSL College Draft set for May 4 on ESPN2, the deepest prospect class in the league’s young history is taking shape. Twenty players across the NCAA have emerged as names to know — from record-breaking pitchers to two-sport phenoms to mid-major dominators who could reshape professional softball.

Three players originally on this watch list — Karlyn Pickens, Dakota Kennedy, and Kenzie Brown — have since been awarded golden tickets, joining NiJaree Canady, Reese Atwood, Leighann Goode, Sydney Stewart, and Stanford infielder Taryn Kern (added April 10 as Golden Ticket #8) as guaranteed selections. That still leaves 17 prospects competing for roster spots across six AUSL teams, with the expansion OKC Spark and Portland Cascade adding urgency to the draft board.

Here is Aspen Eighty’s scouting guide to the 20 players who could define the 2026 AUSL Draft class.

The Aces

Karlyn Pickens — RHP, Tennessee (Golden Ticket #5)

Now a guaranteed selection. Pickens holds the NCAA record for fastest pitch at 79.4 mph and is a two-time SEC Pitcher of the Year. On April 11, 2026, she threw her fourth career no-hitter against Kentucky, striking out 12 and joining only Monica Abbott and Ivy Renfroe in Tennessee program history with four career no-hitters. She was awarded Golden Ticket #5 on April 2.

Jordy Frahm — RHP/UTL, Nebraska

The rarest prospect in this draft class. Frahm is the reigning NFCA National Player of the Year and the first player in Big Ten history to win both Player of the Year and Pitcher of the Year in the same season. In 2025, she hit .465 with 23 home runs while posting a 26-8 record and 1.56 ERA on the mound. Through late March 2026, she’s 8-3 with eight saves (a Nebraska single-season record) and five home runs in conference play. The Ohtani comparison writes itself — teams drafting Frahm get two players in one roster spot.

Sydney Berzon — RHP, Oklahoma

A proven SEC arm now pitching behind Oklahoma’s loaded offense under Patty Gasso. Berzon compiled a 52-25 career record with a 2.02 ERA and 416 strikeouts across 486.1 innings at LSU before transferring. Named to the Softball America Top 50 Watch List for 2026 Player of the Year, she brings durability and conference-tested consistency. The question for AUSL scouts: does pitching for OU inflate her numbers, or validate them?

Maya Johnson — LHP, Belmont

The mid-major monster and the most compelling storyline in this draft class. The 6-foot-0 lefty from Belmont leads the entire NCAA with a 0.57 ERA and 203 strikeouts through Week 7 of the 2026 season. She opened the year with a perfect game — 15 strikeouts in 83 pitches. Johnson turned down significant NIL money to stay at Belmont, and left-handed arms command a premium at the professional level. If her dominance holds against stiffer competition, she could be a franchise-altering pick.

Eden Bigham — RHP, Virginia

Bigham is 5-0 with a 1.97 ERA in 2026, anchoring a Virginia team that started 28-3. She threw the program’s first perfect game since 1994, holds the career saves record (11), and offers start-or-close versatility. Ranked No. 66 by Softball America and No. 86 by D1 Softball, she’s making a case to climb boards through April.

Robyn Herron — LHP, Arkansas

Another premium left-handed arm. Herron opened 2026 at 5-0 with a 1.05 ERA and a 65-percent strikeout rate through 13.1 innings, earning two SEC Pitcher of the Week honors. She has three career no-hitters, tying the Arkansas program record. Lefties with her strikeout rate are always in demand at the professional level.

Kenzie Brown — RHP, Arizona State (Golden Ticket #7)

Now a guaranteed selection. Brown posted 289 strikeouts in 174.1 innings in 2025 and carried a 43-consecutive-appearance streak with at least one strikeout. A D1Softball Preseason First-Team All-American, she was awarded Golden Ticket #7 on April 7.

Kaitlyn Terry — RHP/UTL, Texas Tech

A two-way talent who opened 2026 at 6-0 with a 1.34 ERA and a .486 batting average at the plate. Terry threw a five-inning no-hitter against UC Riverside and boasts a 5.9 K-to-BB ratio. Playing behind NiJaree Canady at the No. 1 program in the country makes it difficult to evaluate her as a standalone ace, but her dual-threat production is undeniable.

The Power Bats

Megan Grant — OF/UTL, UCLA

The most fascinating athlete in this draft. Grant plays both basketball and softball at UCLA, and her early 2026 numbers were staggering: a .522 batting average, nine home runs, a 2.450 OPS, and a .735 on-base percentage through mid-February. She made the USA Softball Top 50 Watch List. The two-sport background raises durability questions for pro softball, but the raw power production is historic.

Jocelyn Erickson — C/1B, Florida

The most complete catcher in this draft class. Erickson hit .488 with 13 home runs and a 1.042 slugging percentage through mid-March 2026, leading the Gators in home runs and RBI. She’s a unanimous First-Team All-American (2024), SEC Player of the Year (2024), and a back-to-back Rawlings Gold Glove winner. If she doesn’t receive a golden ticket, she’s the steal of the draft.

Dakota Kennedy — OF, Arkansas (Golden Ticket #6)

Now a guaranteed selection. Kennedy was playing the best softball of her career when she was awarded Golden Ticket #6 on April 6 — hitting .358 with 12 home runs and a .789 slugging percentage, including a three-homer game against Kansas and a walk-off hit to beat No. 5 Florida. She was named D1Softball National Player of the Week on March 31.

Taylor Pannell — 3B/OF, Texas Tech

A proven SEC bat who transferred from Tennessee to the No. 1 program in the country. Pannell hit .399 with 18 home runs and 65 RBI in her final year with the Volunteers, earning First-Team All-SEC honors. She provides corner versatility and lineup protection. The question is whether she’s the fourth-best player on her own college team or a pro-ready bat in her own right.

Arianna Rodi — 1B, South Carolina

Rodi has 50-plus career home runs (seventh among active NCAA players) and won the Rawlings Gold Glove at first base — the first in South Carolina program history. In 2025, she hit .333 with 17 home runs, 55 RBI, and a program-record 49 walks. A Preseason All-SEC selection and USA Softball Player of the Year Watch List member, Rodi combines elite power with exceptional plate discipline.

The Speedsters and Table-Setters

Mihyia Davis — OF, Texas Tech

Davis is a pure athlete whose speed translates across the diamond. She ranks in the top five nationally in stolen bases (0.93 per game) with 10 outfield assists proving the arm matches the legs. She racked up five RBI and two home runs against Iowa State on March 29 alone. Power is developing, but her elite speed and defensive range make her a projected leadoff hitter and center fielder at the professional level.

Reagan Johnson — OF, Arkansas

The career hits leader at Arkansas, Johnson set the program record with 262-plus hits in March 2026. She carries a .370 career batting average with 50 stolen bases and holds the record for most consecutive starts in the leadoff spot. Softball America ranks her No. 70 overall and 14th among outfielders. Her value is tied to teams that want a table-setter who gets on base, runs, and scores.

The Versatile Middle Infielders

Jade Hylton — MIF, Virginia

Hylton holds Virginia program records in home runs (43 career, 19 in 2025), runs (64), and slugging (.802). A Second-Team All-American and All-ACC First Team selection, she’s a power-hitting middle infielder — a premium combination in professional softball. With Virginia losing key bats from 2025, her 2026 production without lineup protection will answer the biggest question scouts have.

Ava Kuszak — MIF, Nebraska

The other Nebraska star. While Jordy Frahm gets the headlines, Kuszak hit .412 with 21 home runs, a .507 OBP, and 64 RBI in 2025 — numbers that place her in the top 10 in program history across seven categories. She’s a D1 Softball Preseason All-American and USA Softball Player of the Year Top 50 Watch List member playing a premium position at shortstop. Her numbers are independently first-round caliber.

Elon Butler — UTL/OF, Oregon

Butler is the Swiss Army knife of this draft. After earning NFCA All-West Third Team honors as an outfielder at Cal (where she hit .361 with a 1.088 OPS and 10 home runs), she transferred to Oregon and maintained a .361/.486/.602 slash line while playing center field. She’s also started at second base. Roster construction flexibility makes her a dream pick for a six-team league still finding its identity.

The Backstops

Maci Bergeron — C, LSU

The defensive gold standard. Bergeron is the program all-time leader in fielding percentage at .995 across 800-plus chances. She hit .364 with 45 walks (.498 OBP) and a .994 fielding percentage in 2025. An NFCA All-American, Preseason All-SEC, and Softball America Preseason All-American, she’s an SEC-tested catcher whose floor is remarkably high. The power (nine home runs) is modest, but the plate discipline and defense project as starter-caliber at the professional level.

The Wild Card

Amari Harper — OF/UTL, Oregon

Harper is hitting .367 with eight home runs and a 1.201 OPS in 2026 after posting a .421 batting average with 51 RBI as an All-SEC selection at Texas A&M in 2025. She’s played left field, outfield, and first base, giving her positional versatility. Oregon’s loaded transfer class features both Harper and Butler — teams may target the duo to add proven SEC and Big Ten production in a single draft.