It’s time: the first-ever 2031 Line Drive HOT 100 kicks off on Monday (Jan. 12, 2025) and one thing is clear already… this class is strong at the top!

Each weekday for a two-week period, we will honor deserving prospects via our countdown of 10 spots each day following this schedule:

• #’s 100-91 (Mon., Jan. 12, 2026)
• #’s 90-81 (Tue., Jan. 13, 2026)
• #’s 80-71 (Wed., Jan. 14, 2026)
• #’s 70-61 (Thu., Jan. 15, 2026)
• #’s 60-51 (Fri. Jan. 16, 2026
• #’s 50-41 (Mon., Jan. 19, 2026)
• #’s 40-31 (Tue., Jan. 20, 2026)
• #’s 30-21 (Wed., Jan. 21, 2026)
• #’s 20-11 (Thu., Jan. 22, 2026)
• #’s 10-1 (Fri. Jan. 23, 2026)

Earlier this week, we published an article titled:

Line Drive HOT 100 Player Rankings: Everything You Need to Know Including the 3 Main Reasons They’re Compiled… & Why Our Youngest Class is In Junior High

… check it out by clicking on the headline link above as it covers key topics on player rankings & our approach to them.

Following the Class of 2031’s rankings, the Classes of 2030, ’29, ‘28 and ’27 will follow.

Here’s the complete schedule for 2026 involving the five classes being honored:

• 2031 Line Drive HOT 100: Jan. 12 to Jan. 23, 2026
  • nominations are officially open now
• 2030 Line Drive HOT 100: Mar. 16 to Mar. 27, 2026
  • nominations officially open on Feb. 1.
• 2029 Line Drive HOT 100: May 11 to May 22, 2026
  • nominations officially open on Apr. 1.
• 2028 Line Drive HOT 100: Aug. 17 to Aug. 28, 2026
  • nominations officially open on July 1.
• 2027 Line Drive HOT 100: Oct. 5 to Oct. 16, 2026
  • nominations officially open on Sept. 15

The Line Drive Hot 100 is spearheaded by Line Drive Softball Executive Editor Brentt Eads, who began the softball player and team rankings format 20 years ago and in that time has done close to 50 grad class rankings.

Each class is updated several times leading up to the players’ high school graduation and transition into college.

For more information, contact Brentt Eads at Brentt.Eads@LineDriveMedia.com.