2028 LSU Softball Crystal Ball on the Eve of September 1st

LSU Softball has put together back-to-back recruiting classes ranked among the very best in the country.

The Tigers finished with the No. 2 recruiting class in 2026, then followed it with the nation’s No. 1 class in 2027.

Now comes the obvious question.

Can LSU do it again?

September 1 marks the beginning of direct contact with prospects in the 2028 class, officially opening another important recruiting cycle for Beth Torina and the Tigers.

There is plenty to like about this group. The class features elite national talent, several intriguing Louisiana prospects, middle-of-the-order power, athletic defenders and a number of pitchers who could eventually develop into SEC-level arms.

Based on everything I have seen and heard around the 2028 class, this is the group I currently believe LSU could ultimately sign.

Kylie Holden — SS/ UT

Ocoee High School | Ocoee, Florida

Unity Johnson 18U

No. 2 nationally

Holden is the national headliner of this projection.

The Ocoee High standout has established herself as one of the premier offensive players in the 2028 class, putting together a monster stretch with Unity Johnson 18U.

Holden hit .540 with a .578 on-base percentage, 1.018 slugging percentage and 1.596 OPS. She finished with 61 hits, 19 doubles, four triples, nine home runs and 52 RBI while also stealing 13 bases in 40 games.

That production shows just how complete her offensive profile can be. Holden can hit for average, produce extra-base damage and create pressure with her athleticism.

Any projection involving the No. 2 player in the country this early comes with some uncertainty, but I believe LSU has a legitimate opportunity to be a major factor in her recruitment.

For now, I am putting Holden in my projected LSU class.

Joley Bennett — CIF

D’Arbonne Woods | Farmerville, Louisiana

Texas Bombers 18U

No. 10 nationally

Bennett gives this projection one of the premier players in Louisiana and one of the best corner infielders nationally.

The D’Arbonne Woods standout brings a powerful offensive profile along with the defensive tools to become an impact player at the next level.

Softball America describes Bennett as having a plus arm, high game IQ and the ability to play fearlessly, while her power gives her the potential to eventually hit in the middle of a college lineup.

That combination makes Bennett particularly valuable. This is not simply about keeping one of Louisiana’s best players home. She is a legitimate national prospect who would strengthen LSU’s class regardless of where she played high school softball.

Payton Wilson — MIF

East Coweta High School | Sharpsburg, Georgia

Birmingham Thunderbolts Premier

No. 20 nationally

Wilson brings a polished defensive profile to the middle of the diamond. The Birmingham Thunderbolts Premier infielder has smooth hands, clean arm action, a quick release and the range to make plays in either direction. Softball America also points to her strong first step, an important trait for a player expected to remain in the middle infield at the next level.

Her offensive game makes the profile even more appealing.Wilson can drive the ball gap to gap, stays through the middle of the field and possesses enough power to do damage when she gets something to hit.

She gives this projected class another player capable of impacting games on both sides of the ball.

Makenzie Thomas — MIF

League City, Texas

Impact Gold Jackson 18U

No. 13 nationally

Thomas gives LSU another premium middle-infield prospect, but her offensive potential may be what separates her. At 5-foot-10, Thomas brings size and power to the position while maintaining the bat-to-ball ability needed to consistently produce.

Softball America describes her as a power-hitting shortstop with high-level bat-to-ball skills and raw offensive power. Defensively, she has the ability to remain in the middle infield while also possessing the flexibility to move to a corner if needed. Her ceiling is that of a hitter capable of eventually becoming a major run producer in an SEC lineup.

Putting Thomas alongside Wilson would give LSU two talented middle infielders with the ability to contribute offensively in very different ways.

Mori Henderson — OF

Calhoun High School | Calhoun, Georgia

Athletics Gold Tamborra

No. 34 nationally

Henderson may be the most interesting evaluation in this entire projection.

Her current national ranking sits in the 30s, but I have spoken with multiple people who believe her talent level is considerably higher than that.

Some view Henderson as a top-five caliber talent in the 2028 class.

Her production provides plenty of evidence for that evaluation. Henderson hit .438 with seven home runs and 31 RBI during her high school season, then batted .500 with five home runs, 10 doubles and 22 RBI during the fall with Athletics Gold Tamborra.

She also brings real defensive value in the outfield. Henderson has the range to cover ground, a strong arm and the athletic ability to project at a premium outfield position.

Rankings will move considerably between now and signing day, but Henderson is one player whose current number may ultimately prove far too low.

Ella Tinsman — P

Hastings High School | Hastings, Nebraska

Nebraska Gold National ’09 Swift

No. 60 nationally

For this projection, Tinsman is the pitching piece.

Her numbers in the circle immediately stand out. Tinsman threw 123.1 innings with 216 strikeouts while posting a 1.986 ERA, 0.957 WHIP and holding opponents to a .177 batting average.

The underlying pitching profile is equally interesting. Tinsman uses her rise ball as a strikeout pitch and has shown the ability to command the arm side of the plate when she needs a strike. Tight spin and late movement give her pitches the swing-and-miss characteristics college programs look for.

Pitcher evaluations can change dramatically during the recruiting process as velocity, command and secondary pitches continue developing, but Tinsman already has a strong foundation to build from.

Why This Group Works

What stands out most about this projected class is its balance. LSU would be adding an elite player in Holden, another high-ceiling outfielder in Henderson, two premium middle infielders in Wilson and Thomas, one of the nation’s top corner infielders in Bennett and a proven swing-and-miss pitcher in Tinsman. There is power throughout the group, athleticism at premium defensive positions and enough versatility to give LSU multiple options when constructing future lineups.

More importantly, there is legitimate top-end talent. Holden, Bennett and Thomas are all ranked inside the national top 15, Wilson sits inside the top 20 and Henderson is a player whose current ranking may not fully reflect how highly some evaluators view her ability. If LSU were to finish with this six-player group, there would be every reason to believe the Tigers could once again challenge for one of the best recruiting classes in the country.

Could LSU Add a Second Pitcher?

For this projection, I only have one pitcher — Ella Tinsman — in the class.

That does not necessarily mean LSU will ultimately stop at one.

If the Tigers decide to take a second pitcher in the 2028 cycle, Audrey Seiler, Ava Lastovka and Evie West are the three names I would have at the top of my watch list.

Audrey Seiler — P

Elberfeld, Indiana

Lady Dukes Lamar 18U

No. 94 nationally

Seiler brings an intriguing combination of velocity, spin and vertical movement.

Her ability to locate pitches in and around the strike zone stands out, while her arm-side rise gives her a pitch capable of generating swings and misses. Tight spin and late vertical break are qualities that could allow her to continue climbing as a prospect.

Ava Lastovka — P/UTIL

McEwen, Tennessee

Fury Robinson

No. 24 nationally

Lastovka has one of the more intriguing physical profiles among the pitching options.

At 5-foot-10, she already works consistently in the upper 60s and possesses the ability to attack hitters in multiple ways. She can move the ball east and west, generate swings and misses with her rise and throw her changeup for a strike.

The fact that she is also listed as a utility player adds another element to her value.

Evie West — P/UTIL

West Monroe High School

Monroe, Louisiana

Fury Platinum X Pickett

No. 118 nationally

West brings something different because of her legitimate two-way potential. The West Monroe standout can generate power in the circle and likes to work lower in the zone, but her offensive ability gives her another avenue to contribute. West can also play first base, allowing her bat to remain in the lineup when she is not pitching. That type of roster flexibility has become increasingly valuable in college softball.

My current prediction has LSU taking one pitcher, but if the Tigers ultimately decide to take two, Seiler, Lastovka and West are the three I would be watching most closely.

Two More Louisiana Names To Watch

The 2028 class also gives LSU several talented players close to home, and two more names I would keep an eye on as recruiting begins are Baylor Bockhaus and Ashlyn Davis.

Bockhaus plays at Calvary Baptist and has already established herself as one of the more notable 2028 prospects in Louisiana. If you have followed my coverage you will know there is not another player I personally am higher on than Baylor. This season she earned Max Preps All American honors after hitting 20+ homers. She is not part of my projected LSU class at this point, but she is talented enough that I would not leave her out of the conversation entirely as September 1 begins to clarify recruiting boards around the country.

Davis is another Louisiana prospect, coming from Baton Rouge and playing travel ball with Lady Dukes Mayfield. Ranked at No. 51 Nationally. The corner infielder brings considerable power from the right side and has the ability to drive the ball to all fields. Her offensive profile gives her middle-of-the-lineup potential at the college level.

Neither Bockhaus nor Davis is in my current LSU prediction, but both are Louisiana players worth monitoring as direct communication begins and the 2028 recruiting picture becomes much clearer.

The Prediction

September 1 is the beginning of this process, not the end. Recruitments will change, players will rise, visits will matter and there will almost certainly be names that become much more prominent over the next several weeks.

But if I had to make the call today, my projected LSU 2028 class is:

Kylie Holden — MIF

Joley Bennett — CIF

Payton Wilson — MIF

Makenzie Thomas — MIF

Mori Henderson — OF

Ella Tinsman — P

LSU finished with the No. 2 recruiting class nationally in 2026 and followed it with the No. 1 class in 2027.

Can the Tigers make it three consecutive years with a top-two class?

If LSU ultimately finishes anywhere close to this group, the chances are very good in my opinion.