AUSL Protected Player Lists Set a Clear Tone Ahead of the AUSL Expansion and Allocation Drafts
AUSL Protected Player Takes
The Protected Player phase has wrapped up, and now everything turns toward December 1st when the AUSL Draft gets underway with both the expansion and allocation drafts. With twenty total players protected across four teams, there weren’t any shockers for me.
One of the first things that stood out was the Talons and the way they doubled down on their pitching group, with Corrick, Faraimo, and Fouts. Keeping that core together makes sense, and pairing it with Sharlize Palacios locks down the battery. The name that had some talking was Maya Brady.
She came in hot for the Talons late last season and made an immediate impact, so naturally there were questions on whether she would be protected. She will be one of the names everyone watches as soon as December 1st arrives.
The Bandits offered no surprises in my eyes with their list. Jenny Dalton-Hill kept it balanced with both arms and bats, and I like how even the group feels. It will be interesting to see who they bring in to build around these five.
Sydney McKinney was someone I wondered about early on, but the five who were protected make a lot of sense and really should be no questions about it.
The Volts were the most questioned of the four teams that I saw from the fans on social media today. Rachel Garcia was an automatic lock. She carried a heavy workload last season and contributes at the plate as well.
Amanda Lorenz was one of the few steady bats in an offense that struggled, and bringing back Dejah Mulipola to complete the battery with Garcia might be the most underrated move of the entire process.
Two players I personally had listed as possibles were Jessi Warren and Sam Landry. Warren surged in the second half last season, and defensively I still believe she is unmatched at third.
As for Landry, her popularity with younger softball fans is through the roof, as many have mentioned. That obviously does not influence on field results, but she battled in pressure of facing elite hitters as a rookie. That said, there is still plenty of time for her to land back with the Volts. The process is far from over.
Over with the Blaze, they used their final protection spot on the one player I kept circling… Keilani Ricketts. The veteran lefty battled through some nagging injuries last season and finished strong with a dominant run down the stretch.
I know OKC fans were probably holding out hopes, but she is officially back with the Blaze.
This is already a strong offensive team, and protecting AUSL Rookie of the Year Ana Gold, who also brings elite defense, along with Baylee Klingler, Kayla Kowalik, and Aubrey Leach, gives them a core that feels ready for a big 2026.
It is worth remembering that only five players could be protected per team, and some decisions were probably tougher than they look on paper. Also, not being protected does not mean these players won’t land back with the same club. There is still a lot that can happen ahead. This is just the beginning.
The complete protected players list is below.
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