What to know about Kenzie Brown, one of college softball's best pitchers

In 2025, Brown was an NFCA first team All-American and a D1Softball second team All-American after striking out 289 batters, the fourth-most at the Division I level. She ranked in the top five of the Big 12 in innings pitched, saves, shutouts, strikeout-to-walk ratio, strikeouts and wins. No moment exemplified her dominance more than a March 6 game against BYU, when she matched a program single-game record with 18 strikeouts.

This season, she’s been just about as good, making the All-Big 12 first team after a regular season in which she finished fifth in Division I in strikeouts, with 238.

Her breakthrough season in 2025 came after she redshirted during the 2024 campaign to preserve a year of eligibility.

For all she has accomplished at Arizona State, Brown began her career elsewhere, joining the Sun Devils after playing at Tulsa as a freshman.

Kenzie Brown AUSL

Whenever Brown’s time at Arizona State comes to an end, it won’t mark the conclusion of her softball career.

Back in early April, Brown was one of 17 players presented with a “golden ticket” from the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL). The golden ticket serves as an official notification to a player that they’ve been drafted into the league.

“That was crazy,” Brown said at the time of being presented with the ticket. “I was not expecting it. I'm still obviously in shock.”

Kenzie Brown stats

Here’s a look at Brown’s career stats:

• 2026 (Arizona State): 15-6, 2.29 ERA, 143.2 innings pitched, 14 complete games, five shutouts, 238 strikeouts, 70 walks
• 2025 (Arizona State): 19-8, 1.28 ERA, 174.1 innings pitched, 13 complete games, four shutouts, 289 strikeouts, 70 walks
• 2023 (Arizona State): 10-2, 4.35 ERA, 74 innings pitched, one complete game, one shutout, 76 strikeouts, 47 walks
• 2022 (Tulsa): 3-7, 8.72 ERA, 52.2 innings pitched, 45 strikeouts, 51 walks

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What to know about Arizona State softball star pitcher Kenzie Brown