California high school softball: Preseason All Sac-Joaquin Section players to watch

Softball fans are thrilled that the 2021 season is happening, and although there are no playoffs in the Sac-Joaquin Section and throughout California, it's a celebration the players will be on the diamond this spring.

MaxPreps will name a postseason All-Section softball team as normal. We encourage all coaches to get your stats into MaxPreps. It will help in our selection process.

Below are players to watch heading into the 2021 Sac-Joaquin Section softball season. If we are missing a player we should watch throughout the season at any point, please email steve.montoya@cbsi.com.
Class of 2021

IF — Laila Alves, Lincoln
Status: Signed with Syracuse
A four year starter batting a career .370 for the Fighting Zebras.

IF — Acacia Anders, Vacaville
Status: Signed with Boise State
A career .536 batting average and seven home runs with the Bulldogs.

IF — Kristin Blake, Ponderosa (Shingle Springs)
Status: Committed to Sierra College
Had a base hit in all eight games played last season. Class of 2021 teammate Tegan Oas is another player to watch.

2B — Lauren Bryson, Pioneer (Woodland)
Status: Committed to Santa Clara
Hit seven home runs and batted .444 as a sophomore.

C — Jayla Castro, Rocklin
Status: Signed with UCLA

IF — Karli DalBianco, Liberty Ranch (Galt)
Status: Signed with Stanislaus State
A career .568 batting average with 52 RBI.

MIF — Angelina Deleon, Calaveras (San Andreas)
Status: Signed with University of Mississippi
A .507 batting average as a sophomore with 27 RBI.

P — Gabby De Leon, Pitman (Turlock)
Status: Signed with Menlo-Atherton
Was off to a perfect 6-0 start before season was called off last year.

P — Ashleigh Dendas, McClatchy (Sacramento)
Status: Signed with Cal State Fullerton
Struck out 437 batters in 211 innings for the Lions.

P — Ashley Goard, Pleasant Grove (Elk Grove)
Status: Signed with San Jose State
Does it all as a pitcher/first baseman and dominant hitter for the Eagles

P — Lexi Holihan, Vista del Lago (Folsom)
Status: Committed to San Francisco State
A force in both the circle and at the plate as a three year starter for the Eagles.

P — Kaylee Hunter, Ponderosa (Shingle Springs)
Status: Committed to Marymount
Struck out 62 batters in 35 innings in the shortened season.

C — Grace Kilday, Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills)
Status: Committed to UC Davis
A solid catcher who has 42 hits so far as a Trojan.

P — Kennedie Magorian, Oakmont (Roseville)
Status: Signed with Grand Canyon University
Was off to a 3-0 start in 2020 in the circle and continues to get better each season.

IF — Claudia Medina, River City (West Sacramento)
Status: Signed with Utah State
In addition to softball, Medina also averaged over 12 points per game on the hardwood.

IF — Maddie Moore, Del Oro (Loomis)
Status: Signed with Clemson
The Golden Eagle senior hit .429 with six home runs and had a .429 OBP as a sophomore.

P — Hannah Ortega, Linden
Status: Signed with Bethune-Cookman
The lefty has struck out 453 batters at the same small school that produced Yankee slugger Aaron Judge.

MIF — Sydney Peterson, Franklin (Stockton)
Status: Signed with LSU
Batted over .600 with four home runs as a freshman for the Yellowjackets.

C — Brooklynn Pettis , Elk Grove
Status: Signed with Boise State
A career .414 hitter and 11 home runs for the Thundering Herd.

P — Kaleihavi Railback, Alpha Charter (Elverta)
Status: Uncommitted
She has struck out 266 batters in 148 innings.

UTIL — Hailey Seva, Granite Bay
Status: Signed with Chico State
A strong start to 2020 included two home runs and .600 average.
 IF — Johnna Schroeder, Lodi
Status: Signed with Stanford
Was batting .524 with a .600 OBP before the season was canceled in 2020.
Status: Committed to Mississippi Valley State
Was off to a hot start in 2020 with a .600 average and two home runs. She joins a talented group of seniors including Lauren Van Der Kamp.

P — Brook Thompson, Rocklin
Status: Signed with Boise State
Pitching in one of the toughest leagues in the section, Thompson has struck out 105 batters in 91 innings.

OF — Tai Wilson, Vanden (Fairfield)
Status: Signed with Seattle University
A career .564 batting average to go with 48 stolen bases and 16 doubles.

IF — Chloe Wong, Enochs (Modesto)
Status: Signed with Dayton
She was off to an incredible start in 2020 batting .720 with three home runs.

Class of 2022

C/IF — Lauren Asia, Bear Creek (Stockton)
Status: Uncommitted
Batted .323 as a freshman. She drove in 26 runs as well

IF — Tayler Biehl, Vista del Lago (Folsom)
Status: Committed to Arizona
A career .612 batting average in 116 at bats.

IF/P — Jenna Birch, Del Oro (Loomis)
Status: Committed to Oregon State

P — Ava Domenici, Lincoln
Status: Uncommitted
Will be the ace for a talented Zebra squad.

P — Emma Falen, Folsom
Status: Uncommitted

P — Hazyl Gray, Vanden (Fairfield)
College: Uncommitted

OF — Dakota Kennedy, Sheldon (Sacramento)
Status: Committed to Arizona
One of the top players in the country in the Class of 2022.

P — Hope Jenkins, St. Francis (Sacramento)
Status: Committed to UConn
Powerful right-handed pitcher who has been the Troubadours ace for the past two seasons.

C — Gracie Jenkins, St. Francis (Sacramento)
Status: Committed to UConn
A career .337 hitter with 17 total walks.

IF — D'auna Johnson, Sheldon (Sacramento)
Status: Committed to Cal
Originally committed to Oregon, Johnson is a player who can do it all with her glove and bat.

P — Malaya Johnson, Roseville
Status: Committed to Santa Barbara
She has a 0.87 ERA in 129 innings pitched.

IF — Grace Metej, Vista del Lago (Folsom)
Status: Committed to Utah State
Another one of the Eagles young talented players.

P/1B — Trisha McCleskey, Merced
Status: Committed to Cal State Fullerton
Status: Committed to Oregon State

C/1B — Lily Peterson, Oakmont (Roseville)
Status: Committed to Chico State
Hit .385 with three home runs as a freshman.

UTIL — Kya Pratt, Lincoln
Status: Committed to Utah State
A career .347 hitter so far with the Zebras.

IF — Madison Redinger Oakmont (Roseville)
Status: Uncommitted
Hit .431 with eight home runs as a freshman. Also a stud on the basketball court.

UTIL — Rebecca Wetteland, Rocklin
Status: Committed to Boise State
The left-handed hitter can play all over the field for the Thunder.

P/1B — Brielle Wright, Rocklin
Status: Committed to Princeton University
Was off to a great start in 2020 with a .417 average at the plate and a 1.62 ERA in the circle.

C/UTIL —Reina Zermeno, Sheldon (Sacramento)
Status: Committed to San Jose State
Another big bat and great glove playing for the Huskies

Class of 2023
UTIL — Tori Ceasri, Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills)
The Trojans only got in two games last season, but Ceasri, Gracie Hopkins and Maddie Rivas are several 2023 players to keep an eye on.

P — Jenissa Conway, Marysville
The lefty can swing a good bat and be dominant in the circle.

P — Danni Farris, Lindhurst (Olivehurst)

IF — Jenna Joyce, Ponderosa (Shingle Springs)
Joyce joins Tatum Silva, Ana Niles and Whitney Montoya as a solid group of 2023 players looking to make an impact.

IF — Nailyn Marshall, Franklin (Elk Grove)
Marshall has all the tools. Her travel team teammate Kealani Nitta is another Wildcat to keep an eye on.

C/3B — Addie Mettler, Pitman (Turlock)
Had 14 hits in 22 at-bats to start to begin her varsity career.

P — Ariel Nava, St. Mary's (Stockton)
Started 6-0 with a 0.84 ERA to begin 2020.

P — Jaylee Ojo, Sheldon (Sacramento)
A tall and powerful pitcher for the top ranked Huskies.

IF — Alessandra Ramirez, Lincoln
The sophomore could be one of many talented Lincoln players.

IF — JJ Pena, River City (West Sacramento)
Off to hot start in 2020 hitting .692 with two home runs. Kayla Macias is another sophomore to watch for the Raiders.

UTIL — Abi Pikas, Pacheco (Los Banos)
Batted .613 in 21 at-bats for the Panthers.

P — Randi Roelling, Central Catholic (Modesto)
Hit three home runs in six games played in 2020 and also struck out 34 batters.

P — Aissa Silva , Elk Grove
The hard throwing left-handed pitcher could be one of the top pitchers in the section. Zoe Edwards is another talented sophomore on the Thundering Herd.

P — MaKayla Smith, El Camino (Sacramento)

IF — Maddie Stephens, Casa Roble
Was pulled up to varsity last year and didn't disappoint, batting .600 with a home run.

P — Samantha Stoll, Inderkum (Sacramento)
Only allowed one hit in eight innings of work to begin her career.

IF — Morgan Sweet, Vista del Lago (Folsom)
Sweet, Olivia Manchester and Ally Morrissey are a few of the Eagles talented sophomores.

P — Rylei Trujillo, Center (Antelope)
In 27 innings pitched as a freshman, she struck out over half the batters she faced and had a 0.00 ERA. She is also joined by power-hitting sophomores Madyson Welch and Cheyenne Coldren.

UTIL — Maddie Ullensvang, Rio Americano (Sacramento)
IF — Isabelle Vela, St. Francis (Sacramento)