One of the best players in recent Washington Huskies softball history doubled as a debut player in the infant Athletes Unlimited Softball League.

Baylee Klingler, who played infield for the Huskies from 2020-23, played with the Blaze during the AUSL's debut season in 2025.

Klingler, the Blaze and the AUSL returned in 2026, with the middle being associated with Carolina in their second season.

Recently, Klingler has begun to hit her stride with Carolina.

Over her last five games from June 29-July 7, Klingler has gone 6-for-19 with a home run and four RBIs. Her one home run was a go-ahead grand slam against the Oklahoma Sparks on June 29.

Klingler has played in six games this season and has slashed .300/.300/.450 with a .750 OPS and has four RBIs from her aforementioned grand slam.

Klingler was picked in the eighth round by the Blaze in the inaugural AUSL draft last year and was an efficient hitter with the team in its first season. She slashed .357/.392/.571 with a .963 OPS in 20 games last year and hit six doubles and three homers with 19 RBIs.

Before embarking on her professional career, Klingler had a highly decorated Huskies and international career.

Klingler began her career with the Texas A&M Aggies in 2019. She was named to the Southeastern Conference (SEC) All-Freshman team, but opted to transfer to Washington ahead of the 2020 season.

During her time with the Huskies, Klinger was the Pac-12 Player of the Year (2022), a two-time first-team All-American (2022-23), a second-team All-American (2021) and was named first-team All-Pac-12 thrice ('21-23).

Following her collegiate career, Klingler competed for Team USA in several international competitions. She and the U.S. won a gold medal in the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile; won a gold medal in the 2017 U-19 Women's Softball World Cup in Clearwater, Fla.; and won a silver medal with the U.S. in the 2017 World Cup of Softball in Oklahoma City.

Aside from her international play, Klingler had several professional softball stops in between her collegiate career and her being drafted by Carolina.

Klingler played for Women's Professional Fastpitch (WPF) team the Texas Smoke in from 2023-24 and also competes for Mexican professional softball team, Sultanes de Monterrey, in addition to her responsibilities with the Blaze. She's one of six Americans on the team and the only American infielder.

Klingler has been one of the featured players in the first two seasons of the AUSL, and it seems like both are continuing to serge in performance as the weeks go on.

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