Second Base and Shortstop Power Rankings: Week 3

Top Stories D1Softball Staff - March 1, 2023

Who are the best of the best at each position in college softball? D1Softball seeks this out based on offensive production, defensive reliability, individual impact on their teams and much more.

Note: Each player’s position is determined by where they started a majority or plurality of games this season. The position is subject to change as the season goes on.

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The top two second baseman hail from the state of Oklahoma. Rachel Becker has gotten off to a phenomenal start to her Cowgirl career. After going hitless in the season opener, Becker has had a hit in every game since. Tiare Jennings hasn’t had the fastest start to the season (which happens when most see you as the best player in the country) but certainly seemed to find her stride with the rest of the Oklahoma lineup at the Mary Nutter. Two freshmen in Alabama’s Kenleigh Cahalan and Stanford’s River Mahler also made the list for second basemen.

Check out the full list below:

Rank	Name	School	Previous Rank	Stats as of 2/28
1	Rachel Becker	Oklahoma State	4	.579 BA, 1.462 OPS, 6 2B, 1 3B, 5 RBI, 10 BB, 1 E, .980 FLD%
2	Tiare Jennings	Oklahoma	1	.400 BA, 1.119 OPS, 2 2B, 3 HR, 14 RBI, 4 BB, 1.000 FLD%
3	Sydney Kuma	Georgia	7	.432 BA, 1.282 OPS, 4 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 20 RBI, 4 BB, 1.000 FLD%
4	Kenleigh Cahalan	Alabama	NR	.436 BA, 1.441 OPS, 5 2B, 4 HR, 11 RBI, 11 BB, 2 E, .957 FLD%
5	River Mahler	Stanford	NR	.469 BA, 1.051 OPS, 3 2B, 1 3B, 7 RBI, 1 BB, 1 E, .979 F:D%

Sydney McKinney has arguably been the best player in the nation through three weeks. She currently has a 33-game hitting streak dating back to last season and as our Graham Hays pointed out, she could go 0-for-20 and still be hitting over .500.

I can't even come up with context. She could go hitless in her next 9 AB and still be ahead of pace for the D1 record set 29 years ago? She could go 0-for-20 and still be hitting .500? It's just a ridiculous number.

— Graham Hays (@grahamhays) February 26, 2023

Both Oklahoma State’s Kiley Naomi and LSU’s Taylor Pleasants have had bounce-back years at the plate thus far as well. We still consider Grace Lyons to have the best glove of anyone in the country, but she too hasn’t had the power numbers we typically see.

Note: Florida’s Skylar Wallace, who didn’t play at Mary Nutter, wasn’t considered as she’s not a qualified batter at the moment.

Check out the full list below:

Rank	Name	School	Previous Rank	Stats as of 2/28
1	Sydney McKinney	Wichita State	3	.708 BA, 1.741 OPS, 4 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 6 BB, 3 E, .945 FLD%
2	Kiley Naomi	Oklahoma State	7	.410 BA, 1.366 OPS, 2 2B, 5 HR, 19 RBI, 7 BB, 1 E, .977 FLD%
3	Taylor Pleasants	LSU	5	.404 BA, 1.329 OPS, 2 2B, 7 HR, 27 RBI, 6 BB, 2 E, .953 FLD%
4	Grace Lyons	Oklahoma	1	.378 BA, 1.018 OPS, 4 2B, 1 3B, 10 RBI, 6 BB, 2 E, .941 FLD%
5	Jenna Laird	Missouri	8	.418 BA, 1.039 OPS, 4 2B, 2 2B, 15 RBI, 5 BB, 11 SB, 1 E, .973 FLD%