Ava Moore brings steady infield defense and sneaky value at the plate for Illinois
In the 2026 season, Ava Moore started all 54 games at shortstop for Illinois, showing durability, range, and trust from the coaching staff while also ranking among the team’s most useful small-ball pieces with nine sacrifice hits and two triples. Her bat was more contact-oriented than explosive (.188/.218/.234), but her 2025 freshman breakout (.362 average, two homers, 10-game on-base streak) and multiple watch-list nods point to real upside. If you want a gritty, high-IQ infielder who can impact games in subtle ways, she’s a fit.
