The 2025 Sooners---what do we know about Team 50???

[TropicalSooner]

Well, now is the time to start gathering information about what the next and new version of the Sooner Softball Team--Team #50--is going to look like.

Edited:

Players lost to the Transfer Portal:
R-Jr - Quincee Lilio
Jr - Avery Hodge
R-So - S. J. Geurin

Current remaining players:

Sr - Cydney Sanders
R-Jr - Hannah Coor

Jr - Kierston Deal
Jr - Paytn Monticelli

So - Ella Parker
So - Kasidi Pickering
So - Maya Bland

R-Fr - Nellie McEnroe-Marinas
___________
8 returning players

I grouped the Redshirt Junior Coor with our one Senior since she has actually been in the program longer than Sanders. While athletically she is a (redshirt) Junior, academically she will be a Senior and have been involved with the program longer than any other player on the team. She will be the DeFacto Senior that knows all the drills and ins and outs of the program and will be leading all the classes below her like Coleman/Jennings/Hansen, et.al. did this past season.


New Incoming Freshmen:

Audrey Lowry
Sydney Barker
Cheney Helton
Tia Milloy
Gabriella Garcia
Kadie McKay
Cori Hicks
Rylie Zache
__________
8 Freshmen

Now, how does the 2025 version of the Sooners play out on the field?
I know, when Patty tells all the newbies to run to their position they want, they all run to SS. Right? Except maybe Lowry and Hicks.
But lets see where some possibilities might lie. 

Outfield:

Pickering
Coor
Helton

MIF:
Barker
Milloy
Garcia

CIF:
Sanders
Marinas
McKay

DP:
Parker

Util:
Bland

Catcher:
Hicks
Zache

Pitcher:
Deal
Lowry
Monticelli
Parker?

While all positions will be competitively up for grabs, I can see Sanders starting out at 1B until somebody takes it away from her.
While I have Parker as the DP, obviously there would be other options as well: Marinas, McKay, Sanders come to mind.
Parker is a must to keep in the lineup so If Parker doesn't DP-where does she go? In her last years of travel ball and HS she played outfield, so experience there. Also, I believe she was recruited as a top notch pitcher and then changed to the field and hitting after committing to OU. If Coor finds a bat and if Helton is as advertised, I think she stays at DP when not returning to pitching.

Since we will have an abundance if infielders, some of those can also spill out into the outfield. I would expect that to happen. Perhaps Milloy or Garcia can do that.

I think catcher is Hicks' job to lose, but I haven't heard much about Zache. I get she was a package deal to get her younger sister Berkley, but Riley may surprise some folks. Anyway, it's comforting to have a second catcher after last year's exodus.



I still think we pick up a pitcher in the portal. If Parker can get her old stuff back, then one may be all we need. If there no hope for Parker to pitch, then maybe we see two pitchers from the portal. You just can't have too many pitchers.

Boomer!

[BudaSooner]

Good info, Tropical Sooner... I guess in the fullness of time, we will find out how things shake out, eh? There just is no way that with the exodus of talent and experience that we will not take a hit, IMO.

.... About your appellation of the 2025 team as Team 50: Sounds like you are tearing a page from Brent Venables' book, inasmuch as he likes to refer to his teams in that manner.

I actually would prefer to refer to the current (or previous or future teams by referring to their year of competition, (the 2024 team or the 2025 team, etc.), but that's just my preference. OK, opinion stated...

[TropicalSooner]

LOL....you're right about Coach Venables referring to teams in that manner, however that wasn't my inspiration. I've seen a few Softball teams in the SEC start referring to themselves that way, and I thought ok...we can do this.
But whatever, I'm not necessarily married to the idea, although I did think it was kinda cool that it was Team 50 when I looked it up.

Anyway, with the new subtractions we've seen today, I will edit the OP and clean it up. But that will have to wait for tomorrow.

Thanks for the comments Buda--they're always welcome. I'm just glad somebody reads this stuff! Ha!

[cclift38]

A player I like coming in is Sydney Barker. Seen her play in PGF all star game. I think she has a good chance to start as a Freshman at 2B or Shortstop. I've read some really good stuff about Chaney Helton, track speed fast and next level ready. I could see her being our next CF/leadoff type hitter. Corri HIcks is a highly rated catcher. I've seen video of her throwing out runners rather easily and has some pop in her bat. I don't know much about Milloy except we know the family is athletic and they said she can and is willing to play anywhere. I think we pick up portal pitchers but I do think Lowry will have a role next season. I can even see her challenging Deal. Has good spin and it has been quoted that she might have the best change up in travel ball. Kadey Mccay talented middle infielder from Oklahoma. Said to be able to play anywhere in the infield with pop in her bat. Don't sleep on Okahoma girls and she knows how to win already. Riley Zache was a MIssouri committ. She's a catcher but from some things I see can play mulitple other positions so might could turn into utility type for us. Those kinds of players are always needed. Riley's sister is a top pitcher coming in 2025. I watched her pitch in the PGF futures all start. Has a nasty rise ball, I was very impressed with what I seen from her. This recruiting class along with the 25's is a reload even without portal players. The 25 class is probably the best I've ever seen.

[OUBeliever56A]

A player I like coming in is Sydney Barker. Seen her play in PGF all star game. I think she has a good chance to start as a Freshman at 2B or Shortstop. I've read some really good stuff about Chaney Helton, track speed fast and next level ready. I could see her being our next CF/leadoff type hitter. Corri HIcks is a highly rated catcher. I've seen video of her throwing out runners rather easily and has some pop in her bat. I don't know much about Milloy except we know the family is athletic and they said she can and is willing to play anywhere. I think we pick up portal pitchers but I do think Lowry will have a role next season. I can even see her challenging Deal. Has good spin and it has been quoted that she might have the best change up in travel ball. Kadey Mccay talented middle infielder from Oklahoma. Said to be able to play anywhere in the infield with pop in her bat. Don't sleep on Okahoma girls and she knows how to win already. Riley Zache was a MIssouri committ. She's a catcher but from some things I see can play mulitple other positions so might could turn into utility type for us. Those kinds of players are always needed. Riley's sister is a top pitcher coming in 2025. I watched her pitch in the PGF futures all start. Has a nasty rise ball, I was very impressed with what I seen from her. This recruiting class along with the 25's is a reload even without portal players. The 25 class is probably the best I've ever seen.

I agree with everything that 'cclift38' said. It is nice to see a post from him again. He was a big mentor to me several years ago and shared knowledge of recruits with me so I could catch up. Kudos to him.

I can attest that Gabriella Garcia can play also as an incoming freshman. She made a significant jump last summer and from what I understand has stepped to a new level this year. She will challenge if not win a job at 2B or SS next year. Milloy is very talented to add some more about her. She will be tried at SS, 2B and OF I think. Great speed and strength. OU has three very talented choices at SS/2B in Barker, Milloy and Garcia. That could allow Milloy to move to CF/RF.

[cclift38]

Glad you added Garcia. I kind of oversighted that one. The starting shortstop for the Batbusters will definitely challenge for playing time.

[TropicalSooner]

Thank you cclift38 and OUBeliever for your comments about our incoming freshman class. It is the information that you two and folks like you provide on this board that I take to heart about our new class and future recruits since I cannot see or watch these youngsters play myself and it does give me a great deal of optimism about the Sooner Softball future.
It appears obvious that these girls can all field very well and will challenge for many positions just to get on the field. I will be eager for fall ball to come so we can see how effective they are at the plate against our seasoned D1 college pitchers. That seems to be where otherwise highly rated incoming players might fall a little short--when they get to real time college pitching.

Speaking of pitching, thanks for the info about Lowry and her nasty changeup. I have heard (read) that good pitchers that have that learn it early on and bring it to college with them. And for some reason, after a pitcher gets into college ball, if they don't have an off speed, that it's harder to learn after you get to college. Is that true? or just somebody talking out of school?
Also, thanks for the info about Berkley's riseball. That sounds like a pretty deadly pitch and she's got a bunch of strike outs to prove it. I was wondering what her out pitch was.

Any othr info about our incoming players that you want to share is certainly welcome. Appreciate all your insights.