Extra Inning Softball is proud to announce an important evolution in our national player rankings, beginning with the Class of 2027. As the game continues to grow and develop, so must the systems used to evaluate the athletes who compete at the highest levels of youth and high school softball.
In response to ongoing dialogue with coaches and leaders across the sport, we are expanding our evaluation framework to deliver greater clarity, precision, and positional relevance—starting with how infielders are ranked.
This update reflects our commitment to listening to the softball community and applying those insights in a way that enhances visibility for athletes while providing college coaches with information that is both practical and meaningful in the recruiting process.
Moving forward, middle infielders and corner infielders will be evaluated and ranked separately, allowing for a more position-specific view of defensive skill sets.
This enhancement reflects our continued commitment to delivering rankings that serve athletes, families, and college coaches with accuracy, transparency, and purpose.
Why We’re Splitting Infielders
The announcement builds on internal conversations within Extra Inning Softball that were later reinforced through discussions with coaches at the NFCA Convention in Las Vegas in December 2025. Together, those conversations helped validate the direction of this enhancement and reflect another intentional step forward in Extra Inning Softball’s ongoing mission to lead the sport through thoughtful, coach-informed innovation.
Built on the SERV Methodology
This evolution aligns directly with the SERV approach used throughout the ranking process:
- Software – proprietary data systems and performance tracking
- Evaluate – position-specific skill assessment
- Research – cross-checking competition level and exposure
- Verify – confirming accuracy through multiple data points
Separating infield positions allows SERV to function as intended—producing rankings that reflect reality.
A Clear Win for College Coaches
This change immediately improves efficiency throughout the recruiting and evaluation process. Coaches can now filter prospects by true positional fit, allowing them to identify athletes whose defensive responsibilities and skill sets directly align with their program’s needs.
By comparing like-for-like defensive profiles, recruiters gain clearer insight into footwork, range, arm strength, reaction time, and overall infield instincts—without the noise created by cross-position comparisons.
In our view, this is one of the most coach-friendly ranking enhancements softball has seen in years. It sharpens the evaluation lens, narrows the recruiting funnel in a meaningful way, and saves valuable time—while still ensuring deserving athletes receive recognition within the proper context of their position.
Benefiting Athletes
This evolution in rankings better serves athletes by ensuring they are evaluated within the context of their true positional responsibilities.
By separating middle infielders from corner infielders, players are compared against peers with similar defensive demands, skill sets, and game responsibilities—resulting in fairer visibility and more accurate recognition.
In Case You Missed It
In case you missed it, Extra Inning Softball has announced the launch of a new five-star rating system, debuting with the Class of 2029 starting next week. This is just one of several enhancements to our player rankings, complementing the team rankings that will also open for nominations in August 2026, as we continue expanding the tools available to serve athletes, families, and college coaches.
What This Means Moving Forward
These changes mark the beginning—not the end—of a more intentional, transparent ranking model. Position-specific evaluations and star ratings elevate credibility, protect athletes from unfair comparisons, and give coaches tools they actually trust.
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