Softball Recruiting

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ClassOf98Gopher said:
In my casual tracking of sports information on the web incoming committed players, it looks to me like high school juniors Jessica Oakland and Addison Leschber are really knocking the cover off the ball on Northern California and Texas respectively.
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And Emily Leavitt just struck out 31 batters, I repeat 31 batters, in a big 14 inning game in Southern California. She threw some 200 pitches, of which over 150 were strikes.
 

No doubt there is good talent coming in over the next few years. Hopefully, they can help keep the program at a high level.
 

MRJ said:
Agreed. Saw that the ladies just picked up a 2021 commitment from Angelina Deleon, a 2B from California who hit over .500 for her high school team last year. Expanding the recruiting base is big, although the program has had great results with their instate recruiting as well. Nevertheless, becoming a national brand will only help attract more talent and help keep the program high competitive.
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If anyone was wondering what became of DeLeon, she was a Katie Rietkovich recruit who decommitted after the coaching change and will join Ole Miss next year. I think they saw her as likely replacement for Brandt at SS, as she played mostly SS whereas Kayla Chavez has played more 3B but could play SS or possibly even 2B here. It’s too bad for DeLeon, and a great opportunity for Chavez. We can offer immediate playing time and a chance to start for four years at 3B, SS, or 2B to anyone who is good enough to play right away at this level.
 


I am getting a little worried that if Jessica Oakland keeps hitting the cover off the ball as much as she is, she will get poached by one of the fancy Pac12/SEC teams before she can sign those Minnesota Gopher papers in November.

But I guess that is what sports fans do concerning their teams… worry.
 


The letter really means nothing anymore. With the transfer portal get use to it. You have to hope the kids are sold on the program and it is the right fit for them. Watching the WCWS, seems to be transfers in every program.
 

ClassOf98Gopher said:
I am getting a little worried that if Jessica Oakland keeps hitting the cover off the ball as much as she is, she will get poached by one of the fancy Pac12/SEC teams before she can sign those Minnesota Gopher papers in November.

But I guess that is what sports fans do concerning their teams… worry.
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It's always a possibility that she will change her commitment. However, she did commit to the current coaching staff. So, that will lower the likelihood of that happening.
 

If anyone has some comparisons between Brynn Hostettler, Allison Benning, and Sydney Schwartz; based upon what they have witnessed with their own eyes; I would be interested to read about it.
 

I see Benning was the StarTribune metro player of the year and is being compared to Montana Fouts from Alabama. Did we offer her?
 




rowdaboat said:
Oregon commit as of November 2019
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When did Leavitt commit? There is only so much room on a roster for full-scholarshiped caliber women. I assume Benning has much more power than Leavitt, but Leavitt appears to have extraordinary command. Time will only tell how those two compare and if Minnesota or Oregon got the better college level talent.

I just don’t have as good of a read on how good (from a college-level perspective) Hostettler and Schwartz are as pitchers.
 

ClassOf98Gopher said:
When did Leavitt commit? There is only so much room on a roster for full-scholarshiped caliber women. I assume Benning has much more power than Leavitt, but Leavitt appears to have extraordinary command. Time will only tell how those two compare and if Minnesota or Oregon got the better college level talent.

I just don’t have as good of a read on how good (from a college-level perspective) Hostettler and Schwartz are as pitchers.
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October 2019
 




Ski U Mah Gopher said:
Schwartz had a good QF for Chan:

9IP 2H 1BB 18Ks

Chan over Elk River 1-0
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Uh, I’d say that is a “good” game. I have had a suspicion about Schwartz that she could be really good. Too bad we are still a year and a half away from her addition.

I also see that Forest Lake put up 8 on Stillwater.

I wish Northfield made it to this week of competition so fans could have gotten one last peek at her pitching skills before she joins the Gophers.
 

ClassOf98Gopher said:
Uh, I’d say that is a “good” game. I have had a suspicion about Schwartz that she could be really good. Too bad we are still a year and a half away from her addition.

I also see that Forest Lake put up 8 on Stillwater.

I wish Northfield made it to this week of competition so fans could have gotten one last peek at her pitching skills before she joins the Gophers.
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Benning 4 IP 5 H 6 R 4ER 5BB 6 SO. She also hit two homeruns. Not a stellar pitching performance.
 

I like having a pitcher that can hit in the lineup.

That means you can play a good defensive player without her hurting you at the plate.
 

Two Minnesotan softball players I will be paying some attention to in the years ahead are Jessa Snippes and Madeline Nutter. I assume some college coaches are paying attention to their performance as well.
 

ClassOf98Gopher said:
Two Minnesotan softball players I will be paying some attention to in the years ahead are Jessa Snippes and Madeline Nutter. I assume some college coaches are paying attention to their performance as well.
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What's special about them, if I may ask?
 

Their names pop up regularly on the Minnesota Softball Hub website, and they are only 10th and 9th graders respectively. So from my distant perch here in Tennessee, it is my best way of speculating on who could be potentially successful at the college level and also potential future Gophers.

Others may have better thoughts though; more close to the real action.
 

ClassOf98Gopher said:
Two Minnesotan softball players I will be paying some attention to in the years ahead are Jessa Snippes and Madeline Nutter. I assume some college coaches are paying attention to their performance as well.
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With a last name of Nutter, what sport did you expect her to play:)
 

ClassOf98Gopher said:
Their names pop up regularly on the Minnesota Softball Hub website, and they are only 10th and 9th graders respectively. So from my distant perch here in Tennessee, it is my best way of speculating on who could be potentially successful at the college level and also potential future Gophers.

Others may have better thoughts though; more close to the real action.
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Snipess was the winning pitcher in the Championship game for Rosemount today. She only lost one game all year. Also, has impressive stats.
 

Hope Trautwein grad transfer from UNT to Oklahoma, one who threw 21 K perfect game this season
 


Gopher68 said:
Recognition for Gopher commit Jess Oakland: https://scorebooklive.com/californi...es-central-coast-section-athlete-of-the-year/
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She was clearly the best player on probably the best high school team in the state of California this past Spring.

I was a little shocked that she was not on the list for top 100 2022 recruits that Softball America just put out a couple days ago.

She is the recruit I have been most excited about over the past couple months. Sorta wish she was a 2021 graduate, but oh well. We can wait for her.
 



MRJ said:
Oakland looks like she's a total stud. The fact that she led the state of California in homers and was considered the best player on a state champion team is pretty darn impressive.
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Jess Oakland selected as a first team All American by MaxPreps t.maxpreps.com/3xkhU53
 

Gopher68 said:
Jess Oakland selected as a first team All American by MaxPreps t.maxpreps.com/3xkhU53
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I tried to track her statistics as best I could this year via the interwebs and she was a real star out there in Northern California. Hopefully she can keep it up for many years to come. It did look like fellow Gopher-recruit Kayla Chavez’s power numbers came way down in her senior season this year. I hope Oakland can keep knocking the cover off the ball.

This first team national Maxprep’s award for a Junior is quite awesome for a Gopher recruit.
 



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