SA and On3 releases their Top 100 Pre-Season Players for D1 Softball

[OUBeliever56A]

Softball America and On3 released the Top 100 D1 players this week. The list is fairly good but there are some flaws in my opinion. Here is my take about the rankings.

There are 2 teams with 6 players listed in the Top 100 players: Texas and UCLA

Texas is legit in their rankings. Using the inverse-points from their ranking (#1 = 100 points and #100 = 1 point), the 6 Longhorns earn 438 points for a 71.3 points per player. But I will say that Atwood will probably not be a Top 5 player at the end of the year as she will not recreate her power numbers. But Atwood is still a Top 20-ish player. Kavan is also over-rated, I think, as a Top 15 player. With their offense, Texas has enough pitching.

UCLA is not legit. Clements, an OF, as a transfer from Cal Poly is good (not enough EBH or walks) but probably not more than a Top 100 player. They earn 248 points from their 6 players listed but average only 41.3 points per player. Tinsley, Terry, Grant and Woolery are good players. Addisen Fisher (RHP) is one of two freshman listed in the Top 100. Maybe that is hopeful thinking but she will be good. UCLA will be pitching dependant and lack offense.

There are three teams with 5 players listed: Florida, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma

Florida is legit. They earn 898 points from their 5 players for an 89.8 average points for their 5 players. BUT, no way is Falby a Top 20 player. She just does not create enough offense. She earned only 151 bases in 241 plate apperances. That equals 0.58 bases per PA. (Torrez last year for OU earned 0.66 bses per AB in 2024 and could not start regularly.) Ranking Falby as a Top 100 player is faulty let alone a Top 20 player despite her defense in CF. But to be fair, Shumaker, who is not listed as a freshman, will be a Top 100 (maybe Top 40) player at the end of the year and probably higher than Falby would ever be.

Oklahoma State is legit and maybe underrated. Delgadillo is a good pickup to play CF for the Cowgirls. I do not think that Timm is a legit Top 100 player in the OF, but they did not pick Hassler, a strong hitting catcher for OSU or Rosie Davis (2B) or Lexi McDonald (OF) who make up for Timm in my mind. The Cowgirls earned 282 points from 5 player with a 56.4 points average.

Oklahoma is a legit listing with a couple of omissions. Parker, Pickering, Dayton, Landry and Agbayani are legit in every way. (BTW the five Sooners average 0.77 bases per at bat last year.) Oklahoma earned 349 points for an average of 69.8 per player. But I believe strongly that NellyMac will make an impact worthy of a Top 100 selection more so than several players like Clements for UCLA, or Timm of OSU or Falby of Florida. I think Oklahoma should have 6 players on the list at or above the Top 60 players. Just my honest opinion. I think Isabella Smith could also be a top pitcher in 2025. Certianly as good as Madjentko of Tennessee or Crandall of OSU or several other non-P4 pitchers listed. So maybe OU should have 7 players listed.

Other thoughts about the rankings.

Sydney Berzon as a Top 10 player, too high by a quite a bit. Probably a Top 25 player.

I like Jordy Bahl as a Top 10 player. I think she is going to make a great deal of noise in 2025.

Shaylon Govan as a Top 15 player is way too high. Probably a Top 40 player at best.

Aliyah Binford as a Top 35 player is way too high if she is even on the list.

Jayden Heavener is in the Top 100 players a freshman LHP. I would bet that Audrey Lowry (FR LHP) for OU has a better season than does Heavener does for LSU.

[navier]

Jayden Heavener is in the Top 100 players a freshman LHP. I would bet that Audrey Lowry (FR LHP) for OU has a better season than does Heavener does for LSU.

What is this based on? Not saying it is wrong, just curious about your reasoning.

[OUBeliever56A]

Jayden Heavener is in the Top 100 players a freshman LHP. I would bet that Audrey Lowry (FR LHP) for OU has a better season than does Heavener does for LSU.

What is this based on? Not saying it is wrong, just curious about your reasoning.

Heavener never played 18-under summer ball. She remained at 16-under ball her last summer due to her age. So she has not recently played against hitters 'older" than her which is an important difference. Lowry has played 18-under ball for 2 seasons at least. I think Heavener may be as much of a hitter as a pitcher also. Again, against pitchers her age or younger.

[navier]

Jayden Heavener is in the Top 100 players a freshman LHP. I would bet that Audrey Lowry (FR LHP) for OU has a better season than does Heavener does for LSU.

What is this based on? Not saying it is wrong, just curious about your reasoning.

Heavener never played 18-under summer ball. She remained at 16-under ball her last summer due to her age. So she has not recently played against hitters 'older" than her which is an important difference. Lowry has played 18-under ball for 2 seasons at least. I think Heavener may be as much of a hitter as a pitcher also. Again, against pitchers her age or younger.

You sure? I thought she was with the 18U Impact Caymol team.

[OUBeliever56A]

I know she played 16U the summer 2023. I think she played on Unity - Johnson in 22 and 23 summers. I guess I missed/firgot that she playing for GA Impact - Caymol. My notes do not include 18 or 16 so I might have missed that. I try hard but it is a very big siftball world to keep everything straight.

Thanks for your help.

But I still think Lowry will be better.

[navier]

I know she played 16U the summer 2023. I think she played on Unity - Johnson in 22 and 23 summers. I guess I missed/firgot that she playing for GA Impact - Caymol. My notes do not include 18 or 16 so I might have missed that. I try hard but it is a very big siftball world to keep everything straight.

Thanks for your help.

But I still think Lowry will be better.

Unity-Johnson broke up after the summer of 23.

[navier]

Also a lot of kids play 16's after their Jr year (and with the changes in the age cutoffs for everything but PGF there will probably be more). As of right now Baker is doing it. Depends on who you signed with I think..some coaches push kids to play 2 years of 18's before they come to campus. I think one year is enough tbh.

Unless you skip a grade, I don't believe you can be eligible for 16U after your Sr. season.

[oufanforever]

I think Heavener was injured last summer (2024) and did not play travel ball at all.

[navier]

I think Heavener was injured last summer (2024) and did not play travel ball at all.

Could be right..she was on the PGF All-American team and suited up but didn't pitch. Also nothing on her X about pitching last summer.
The Caymol team changes their GameChanger handle every tournament they play in and don't list player names so it is impossible
to follow them on there..

[NormalNotNorman]

I too like NellyMac to be a sleeper as far as the top 100 are concerned. Trying to think who'd be another OU player to slip in there.

[SoonerFan71]

Like the new SS Garcia.

[OUBeliever56A]

Also a lot of kids play 16's after their Jr year (and with the changes in the age cutoffs for everything but PGF there will probably be more). As of right now Baker is doing it. Depends on who you signed with I think..some coaches push kids to play 2 years of 18's before they come to campus. I think one year is enough tbh.

Unless you skip a grade, I don't believe you can be eligible for 16U after your Sr. season.

Baker --> as in Keegan Bker from Edmond and Sooner 2026 Commit? Where is she going to play next summer, not the OK Athletics?

Skippng a grade or enrolling in K or 1st Grade a year early if you birthday is late in the year allows a player to still play 16's before her Senior year and somtimes after her SR year. Everything has to be just right.

[navier]

[

Baker --> as in Keegan Bker from Edmond and Sooner 2026 Commit? Where is she going to play next summer, not the OK Athletics?

Yes Keegan. The last I heard she is playing for the same team as last year, OK Athletics National Madden/Brown. They are still going to play 16U in the bigger tournaments (AFCS, Sparkler, Top Gun ,etc) as
they are all eligible and they have a number of 2027's (and a 2028) and 16U is better for recruiting purposes. The early season local tournaments (before other states stop playing HS ball) they will play 18U tournaments. That team will move up to 18's next Fall, eg Fall of her Sr year and will play 18U ball the following summer if the team stays together.

She still goes to the same pitching coach as well, Gajewski's wife, which I thought was interesting lol

[OUBeliever56A]

Yes Keegan. The last I heard she is playing for the same team as last year, OK Athletics National Madden/Brown. They are still going to play 16U in the bigger tournaments (AFCS, Sparkler, Top Gun ,etc) as
they are all eligible and they have a number of 2027's (and a 2028) and 16U is better for recruiting purposes. The early season local tournaments (before other states stop playing HS ball) they will play 18U tournaments. That team will move up to 18's next Fall, eg Fall of her Sr year and will play 18U ball the following summer if the team stays together.

She still goes to the same pitching coach as well, Gajewski's wife, which I thought was interesting lol

Yes, that is very interesting. I had no idea Coach Kenny's wife was a softball pitching coach.

[navier]

Yes Keegan. The last I heard she is playing for the same team as last year, OK Athletics National Madden/Brown. They are still going to play 16U in the bigger tournaments (AFCS, Sparkler, Top Gun ,etc) as
they are all eligible and they have a number of 2027's (and a 2028) and 16U is better for recruiting purposes. The early season local tournaments (before other states stop playing HS ball) they will play 18U tournaments. That team will move up to 18's next Fall, eg Fall of her Sr year and will play 18U ball the following summer if the team stays together.

She still goes to the same pitching coach as well, Gajewski's wife, which I thought was interesting lol

Yes, that is very interesting. I had no idea Coach Kenny's wife was a softball pitching coach.

She pitched for A&M