The Athletes Unlimited Softball League Expansion Draft is on the horizon, as two new teams will enter the league and begin building their roster from the pool of athletes who competed last summer.
The Volts are a squad with some work to do on their roster and development in the offseason; they finished the inaugural season a disappointing 8-16 despite being predicted as one of the favorites. There will be an opportunity for the Volts to add new players to their roster at the Allocation and College Draft, but first, they must protect the athletes from the inaugural roster they can build around.
These are five players predicted for the Volts to protect in the AUSL Expansion Draft:
1. Rachel Garcia
The brightest spot from the Volts’ 2025 season was the dominance of pitcher Rachel Garcia. She started on a hot streak, earning Pitcher of the Week honors the first two weeks of the season. Garcia authored a 4-3 record on the year, pacing the league with 51 strikeouts and three complete games.
She continues to be one of the most elite pitchers in the pro game and is constantly evolving. She adds and develops pitches to make her more challenging to face. Garcia is in it for the long haul with the pedigree and experience to continue building the team around.
2. Tiare Jennings
Tiare Jennings took on a utility role for the Volts, spending time at both middle and corner infield positions. Despite shifting around the infield and sometimes playing positions for the first time, Jennings maintained a solid fielding percentage of .966 with nine double plays, 26 assists, and 87 putouts. Above all, she’s a high-value shortstop to anchor the defense.
Jennings can hit for contact and power; she tied with Amanda Lorenz for the team lead in home runs with five on the season, and she brought in the most runs with 16 RBIs. As for intangibles, Jennings brings a calming presence and quiet leadership that any team can lean on. As she continues to develop within the AUSL and Team USA, Jennings is expected to be locked in by the Volts.
3. Amanda (Lorenz) Mazur
Amanda Mazur’s .977 OPS from the 2025 season is a mid-range number in the category for her career, indicating that the outfielder is one the team should continue to invest in. The Volts were the least productive offense in the league, but Mazur found ways on base as the leadoff hitter for a lineup that struggled. She led the team in hits with 24 and drew 14 walks on the year.
There could be a major overhaul of the Volts roster next season, so keeping a veteran in Lorenz will be important if the front office chooses to rebuild.
4. Jessi Warren
The shortlist of the best third basemen in the game should have Jessi Warren at the top. Her 2025 season on defense was a highlight reel; few can play the hot corner like Warren, turning what would be base hits into outs.
Warren’s offense also improved this year compared to some of her more recent pro seasons. She recorded a .311 average, which is better than any AU Pro Softball Championship Season (now called All-Star Cup) she’s competed in since 2020. Even with more at-bats compared to those previous pro seasons, Warren kept her strikeout rate low with only eight Ks in 66 plate appearances.
5. Mia Scott
This was a veteran-heavy team in 2025, and the Volts could continue that theme in their protected picks. If that’s the case, they could look to secure a young athlete with a connected college audience and potential to develop like Mia Scott.
The crowd was raucous every time she came up to bat, especially in Round Rock, Texas. Since the Longhorns went all the way to the championship game of the Women’s College World Series – ultimately claiming the title – she joined the team late. Scott was also playing through a torn ACL, but her college numbers and versatility are promising. She hit a career-high batting average of .446 with 60 RBIs, and tied her career high in runs at 69 in her senior season. In May, during Texas’s match-up against Kentucky, Scott played all nine defensive positions. So if Warren is the Volts’ staple at third base, there are many places they can work the Longhorn into the defensive lineup.
While at Texas, Scott didn’t do an interview in her four years with the Longhorns, which might make it difficult to build the franchise with her at its core. Regardless, Scott has built up a dedicated fanbase on social media and through her play.
Savanna Collins is the Senior Reporter for the AUSL. You can follow her on X @savannaecollins.
