Recruiting 2025 – Smooth Defense and Dynamite Bat Propel Watson as Catcher on the Radar

Recruiting 2025 - Smooth Defense and Dynamite Bat Propel Watson as Catcher on the Radar

By Jeff Strange

Game awareness. Softball IQ. Physical talent. Calm and collected. All are key attributes that coaches love to see from their athletes. For a catcher, it’s more than just that; being a field general that knows how to lead, gains the trust and respect of her teammates and understands the nuances of each situation is invaluable.

For Marquette (Chesterfield, MO) High School Junior Aubrey Watson, those descriptions embody her player profile.

Described by her high school coach John Meyer as similar to having another coach on the field, the 5’8” Watson has grown substantially as a standout behind the plate, in the box and on the field over the past few years. Having twice been elected Team Captain, along with helping lead the Marquette Mustangs to the 2022 5A Missouri Final Four, Watson has put together an impressive resume in her high school career. In her first three Varsity seasons, she has been awarded:

  • 1st Team All District(x2)
  • 1st Team All Conference
  • 2nd Team All Conference
  • 1st Team All Region
  • Academic All State(x3)
  • Suburban Conference Sportsmanship Award recipient
  • Marquette Team MVP.

Several years ago, Watson ventured into select softball, trying out for Coach Matt Pruett’s St. Louis Chaos team.

“I was originally a pitcher and third baseman,” said Watson. “Coach Pruett encouraged me to give catching a try and I fell in love with it. I also picked up playing first base as well.”

Through hard work and a sound mental approach, Watson’s game began to flourish as she often played against girls older than her. Her cucumber-cool mental approach to the game in the field and at the plate has helped the powerfully framed C/1B grow into a valuable presence for her teammates and coaching staffs alike.

At the plate, Watson has admitted to sometimes “singing a song in her head” to help herself stay calm and in the moment. Along with a power-packed swing that produces line drives peppered to all parts of the field, the 2025 right-handed hitter has grown into a feared run producer with a knack for delivering in the clutch.

Case in point – fall 2022. In a dogfight district semifinal game against a strong Lafayette High School team, Watson walked off the game with a bottom of the ninth sacrifice fly to send the Mustangs to the district championship (they ended up winning districts and pulled in a fourth-place finish at state).

“That’s my favorite softball memory of all time,” admitted Watson.

Behind the plate, Watson has been described as a brick wall with a deadly accurate arm that has erased countless baserunners. Her 2023 select numbers include:

  • .133 stolen bases per inning
  • .033 passed balls for inning

Now donning a new uniform playing with the Top Gun STL GOLD 18U team, Watson is eager to display her skills against top competition. With a recent final four finish at the HFL Fall Championship in November, Watson and her teammates earned a berth to the AFL Nationals Championship next summer in Indiana.

“I love to compete,” said Watson. “I’ve played for some great coaches in club softball and high school softball. I’ve had a lot of great teammates that I’ve been fortunate enough to share the field with. Softball has been a great outlet for me and I’m looking forward to what the future may hold.”

As she approaches the spring, Watson has put an emphasis on the future, with college softball being a driving force to go along with her academic aspirations. A strong student carrying a 3.9 GPA, Watson has made it clear that she ultimately loves to be on the field and plans to continue playing softball while planning to study marketing and communications. As a stout defensive catcher that brings a big bat to the lineup, along with a team-first mentality and a willingness to do whatever she can to help her squad, Watson’s options appear to be marketable.

“My goal for wherever I end up is to do whatever I can to help our team be successful,” said Watson. “My academics are very important to me. Also, being on the field playing this game, contributing any way that I can is something that I take seriously. I’m very thankful for the opportunities that I’ve had and I’m excited about what’s to come.”

Aubrey Horst Selected for USA Softball High Performance Program

Aubrey Horst Selected for USA Softball High Performance Program

By: Rob Else

Last spring, Aubrey Horst (2027 – Gretna East/NE National-Taylor) received an email from her club coach about a Team USA High Performance Program tryout in Kansas City.  She didn’t know much about the program or really what to expect, but after talking it over with her mom she decided to give it a try.

In June Aubrey attended the Regional Identifier tryout at the MLB Urban Youth Academy.  Aubrey competed against girls from a five-state region that includes Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Colorado, and Missouri.  Players were evaluated on two defensive positions, hitting, and speed.  The top athletes from the Regional Identifier would be selected for the National Selection Event.

On June 23rd Aubrey received the news she was waiting for.  She had been selected for the National Selection Event.

According to the USA Softball website, the High Performance Program is “the pipeline to the Women’s National Team.”  The top athletes from each Regional Identifier are selected to attend the National Selection Event.  After the National Selection Event it’s possible to get invited to the National Team trial.

That National Selection Event was held at the Jackie Robinson Training Complex in Vero Beach, Florida. “There were so many talented players there. It was really cool to be around them and compete with them,” said Horst.  Several of the USA National Team players were also there, including Cat Osterman, Ally Carda, Gwen Svekis, and Haylie McCleney. 

At the event, the players were run through a series of athletic tests where evaluations were done every step of the way.  “Friday, I had to get all my athletic testing completed. This was the speed tests, the throwing velos, hitting velos, defensive position evaluations. There is an evaluation team at every test recording times and velos and writing evaluation notes,” said Horst.  In addition to the tests, players were provided with classroom sessions on mental health, physical preparation, social media, and Name Image Likeness (NIL).  Players also had the opportunity to show off their skills in live games in front of more evaluators. During the games, teams of evaluators were watching and taking notes on every player.

The event lasted four days and Aubrey had tons of support from her teammates and coaches back home. Several of her Gretna East and NE National teammates reached out with messages cheering her on while she was in Florida.

Overall, the experience was one Aubrey will never forget and one that will help her become a better player.  “It made me get out of my comfort zone and push myself even harder. Playing with and against all those girls was amazing. I realized what parts of my game I do well, and what parts I need to put more work into,” said Horst. It also wouldn’t have been possible without the support of her parents, family, coaches and teammates.

Aubrey plans to play college softball and has just started looking at schools.  She will be attending several college camps this year, including Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, and probably a few more.

Top Players Showcase Their Skills at Power 50 Prospects Event

Top Players Showcase Their Skills at Power 50 Prospects Event

By Rob Else

Several top players from the 2025 and 2026 classes showed off their skills for college coaches at the Top Gun Events Power 50 Prospect camp.  The inaugural event, held November 18th at the Griffon Indoor facility in St. Joseph, MO, wasn’t a traditional camp that players are familiar with.  “It wasn’t a traditional camp like people are used to.  It was not an instructional camp at all it was purely a showcase camp,” said Paige Crawford, Director of Athletic Experience for Top Gun Events.

The all-day event started early with opening ceremonies and players being split up into teams, depending on their graduating class.  Following the opening ceremonies, the showcase kicked off with metric testing.  Athletes were run through several tests that college coaches use to evaluate recruits.  The tests included a 40-yard dash, the pro agility shuttle, throwing velocity, exit velocity, and pitching measurables.  All the results were posted in real-time to the Top Gun Events website allowing college coaches to pull up player performances while at the event.  

There were lots of great players, but here are a few that stood out during the metric testing:

  • Keegan Baker (2026) – Oklahoma Athletics – Fastest pitching velocity at 66 mph
  • Addison Ray (2026) – Select Fastpitch – Top exit velocity of 78 mph.
  • Payton Steuart (2026) – Epic Fastpitch – Best catcher pop time, between 1.66 – 1.90
  • Lydia Turner (2026) – Select Fastpitch – Fastest 40-yard dash time at 5.33.

You can view the full leaderboard on the Top Gun event website here: Top Gun Metrics

In addition to metric evaluations, athletes attended classroom training.  Sessions included the BMS Project talking about mental health, Tony Wylie from The Collective Engine provided information about Name Image Likeness (NIL), and Alana Vawter, a current player for South Carolina.  “I loved getting to listen in on the sessions to make me become the best player I can be, all while staying healthy,” said Cali Bentz (2026) from Nebraska Gold.

After a break for lunch, the day continued with live skills workouts and scrimmages in front of the college coaches.  “The day was long but fun! I learned a ton of new things about the NIL deals and the recruiting process,” said Avery Nelson (2026) from the SE IA Allstars. 

The event was limited to the Top 50 players in the Midwest region.  Each player was selected through an extensive process that included being nominated by their club organization.  The nominated players were then reviewed by a selection committee to determine if they met the participation criteria.  If a player was selected by the committee, then an offer to attend was sent.  “My initial reaction was very excited. I didn’t know if I would get in and getting to be one of the 50 athletes selected to go was a very exciting opportunity,” said Bentz.

Overall, the event was a success for everyone that attended.  The hope is to continue this event and make it an annual tradition.  Top Gun Events is already planning a similar event; the Top 100 Junior Prospect event will be held in January.  The event will include over 20 NAIA, JUCO, and Division 2 college coaches on hand to evaluate 2025 athletes.  It will use the same selection process for inviting players.

Savvy Softball’s Annual Easton Rawlings Elite Fall Championship Proves to be Big Draw for Athletes and Coaches

Savvy Softball’s Annual Easton Rawlings Elite Fall Championship Proves to be Big Draw for Athletes and Coaches

By Jeff Strange

The weather was terrific and the competition was top-notch on the weekend of 10/20-10/22 for the annual Easton Rawlings Elite Fall Showcase hosted by Savvy Softball. A big draw for elite level softball athletes and college coaches looking to evaluate prospective players for their programs, the Easton/Rawlings Elite Fall Showcase has become a staple event for overall exposure. We caught up with Savvy Director Dan Paulson to get his take on the busy weekend of softball, what drives him in this game and the future prospects of his events.

How long has this event been taking place?

Savvy Softball has been running this event since 2020. At the time, it was known as The Demarini. In 2021, we collaborated with Easton Rawlings and began running the event in O’Fallon and Edwardsville, IL. This was the 13th year overall that it has been ran.

How many teams were initially in the event when it became known as the Easton/Rawlings Elite Fall Showcase vs. the turnout for this fall?

We had roughly 80 teams total when we began running it in 2021. This year, we had 140 teams spread out over six complexes in the St. Louis metropolitan area – three parks in Illinois and three parks in Missouri with age groups ranging from 12u-18u.

What format do you use for your showcase games:

At 16u and 18u, its 1 hour and 40 minutes, finish the inning and 2-hour time slots. We feel that is unique – the average number of innings played this fall for those age groups was 6.3 innings. The longer game times allows college coaches to see a student-athlete hit two, three or four times in a game…pitchers get to throw five or six innings as opposed to just two or three innings in a shorter game format. We schedule the games two hours apart; this allows us to stay on schedule and makes it easier for college coaches to plan accordingly. Ultimately, it is all about getting the athletes the best opportunity to showcase what they can do and helping the college coaches know where and when they need to be to look at an athlete that they may be interested in.

Do you know approximately, how many college coaches checked in this fall?

The number of coaches in attendance was over 200; we are still figuring exact numbers, but my estimation is somewhere around 250 this year. I noticed one game last Saturday that had 39 college coaches standing behind the backstop watching. It was a very good turnout – we try to make it as appealing for them as we can by providing them with a printed booklet to go along with the digital booklet for all of the information. We provide food and beverages as well so they generally remain at the parks all day to take it all in.

Was there any difference in how the 16u/18u divisions were ran vs the 12u/14u divisions?

16u and 18u play five showcase games between Saturday and Sunday with their schedules lined out. We had teams from 20 different states and with scheduling their flights and travel; it makes it easier for them to know when they’ll be done on Sunday. For the 12u and 14u, we made it competitive with a cash prize on the line. Each team started in a box-bracket with four teams per bracket. This way they knew exactly when they were going to play their three games on Saturday. Sunday was brackets with cash prizes awarded to the top two teams in each 12u and 14u divisions.

What are your plans for the future?

For our fall event, we’ll most likely continue with a very similar format. We run a summer event that in 2024 will be our third year conducting – the Savvy Softball Elite Summer Shootout. We continue to look for other areas that might have a need for a strong tournament, but really just need to find the right venues and the right dates. We want to make sure that we use top class fields and to make sure that we have the strongest teams that we can attract to any of our events. At the end of the day, in order to maintain the number of teams that want to play in the event and to give everyone – the teams and college coaches – a good schedule that they are happy with, it ultimately takes fields that are of good quality, but are not too spread out for any coaches that may want to travel from park-to-park to see athletes and teams that they want to see.

Dynamic Addie Frank Makes Her Mark on the Baseball and Softball Diamond

Dynamic Addie Frank Makes Her Mark on the Baseball and Softball Diamond

By Jeff Strange

For Oakville (MO) High School sophomore and Missouri Bombers ’08 Gold/Arizona Peaches athlete Addie Frank, taking an annual trip to train with the USA Women’s National Baseball team in Vero Beach, FL has become a tradition over the past few years. She will be making her way back to the Jackie Robinson facility again in early November as an official prospect in the invite-only Breakthrough Series event that is conducted on behalf of USA Baseball and Major League Baseball.

Quite a prestigious honor for the left-handed hitting/left-handed throwing Frank, who has developed a reputation as one of the top youth female baseball players in the country.

However, shortly after her trip to Florida in early November for the MLB and USA Baseball backed event, Frank will find her way back to the MLB Jackie Robinson Training Center in Vero Beach to participate in the invite-only USA Softball High Performance Program National Selection Event. Often referred to as “The Pipeline to the Women’s National Team,” the USA Softball High Performance Program aims to identify a group of athletes to train, compete and represent USA Softball through national and international competition.

As an athlete that has been highly recognized for her skills in both sports, Frank has come a long ways since she was an 8-year old baseball player hitting bombs over the fence at nearby Affton Athletic Association.

“I started playing baseball because my two older brothers both played and I always played catch with them and went to their games and loved it,” said Frank. “I didn’t even think about playing softball. I just wanted to play baseball. It started being fun in tee ball when I would hit the ball farther and harder than everyone else at Affton – into the woods – and then especially when I was 8 and started pitching baseball games and everyone would cheer for me.”

As her love for baseball grew, Frank found success through various routines such as hitting in the cages, getting defensive reps in and working on her throwing mechanics almost daily. Often, it was her family members that helped build the foundation for her skillset.

“My dad was always my main hitting coach,” said Frank. “I’ve worked with other hitting instructors throughout the years, mainly to tweak little things I’m working on. My brother would hit the ball as hard as he could at me and I would make the plays. He would always laugh and get excited and try to hit it harder and harder. It was a lot of fun and it made it so that I am not afraid of the ball.”

Frank continued to play club baseball through this past summer, usually hitting in the top or middle of the order and started at 1B. She also has spent significant time on the mound, often finding herself pitching on Sunday. Currently slated to play with the Arizona Peaches all girls baseball team, Frank has hopes to one-day play on the USA Women’s National Baseball team.

Those aspirations prompted an eagerness to get onto the softball diamond a little over a year ago. As a freshman at Oakville (MO) High School, Frank tried out for the team and immediately found success, ending her first season with the following awards:

  • 1st Team All-District
  • 1st Team All-Conference
  • 1st Team All-Region
  • 2nd Team All-State
  • 1st Team All-Metro for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Despite the success with softball in her first season, there were some adjustments in the box and in the field that Frank had to initially implement to find her groove.

“At first I struggled with my timing at the plate, and it was a little weird to get used to the pitching,” said Frank. “The pitchers were so close and I was facing some of the best arms around the country and it was hard to know when to load. But then I got used to it, and the ball started looking like a beach ball to me. Defensively, I learned that everything had to be as fast as possible, and you don’t have as much time. I had to be quick.”

Frank’s approach, work ethic and willingness to adjust has also reaped benefits for her achievements.

“Offensively, I think my mechanics and intent make the difference,” said Frank. “With less than 2 strikes, I treat everything like a 3-1 count, looking for something I can hit as hard as I can. When I get two strikes, I battle. Defensively, I have worked hard on having good fielding mechanics and to have quick hands and feet. I’m always looking to get that next out. I just feel like I really understand the game and love to play it. But, I feel like I really started to become athletic when I started working out four times a week. It’s really made a difference for me. Especially in my confidence on the field.”  

In the midst of a productive sophomore campaign, Frank was slashing with a line of .565/.654/.839/1.493 with 35 hits in 62 ABs, including 3 home runs, 6 doubles, 15 walks and 28 runs scored. Perhaps her most proud stat is that she had only struck out once in 78 plate appearances upon submission of this interview.

“When I get two strikes, I battle,” said Addie. “I hate striking out.”

As the conclusion of her 10th grade softball season approaches, the class of 2026 baseball/softball standout has her eyes on her two upcoming Florida events, in addition to joining her Missouri Bombers ’08 Gold softball team and Arizona Peaches baseball team.

Her goals on the softball diamond mimic those on the baseball diamond. The combination of her work ethic and her reputation as a standout in both sports might just lead to uncharted territories.

“You have to work hard and not expect it to be easy,” said Frank. “It takes time and patience. You may not see improvements from day to day. It takes months and years, but when you finally see it, you know it was all worth it. I want to play D1 softball in college and try to play for Team USA Softball. I want to play on the USA Women’s National Baseball team as well. I think it would be a lot of fun to play both baseball and softball for the women’s national teams.”

Gretna’s Alexis Jensen Commits to Nebraska

Gretna’s Alexis Jensen Commits to Nebraska

September 1st is a big day in recruiting if you’re a junior.  It’s the first day that college coaches can reach out to juniors and offer them scholarships.  For Alexis Jensen (2025), it was a game day, and her team was playing in the NFCA Kaiti Williams tournament.  “It was a game day, so I was trying to stay as locked in as possible and try not to think about anything but our team,” said Jensen. Once the tournament was over, Jensen made it know she was verbally committing to Nebraska.  She sent the following Tweet announcing her decision to join the Big Red. Jensen said she knew Lincoln was the place for her after attending a camp and seeing the Nebraska coaches up close.  “[Coach Revelle] was so bubbly and like a little kid running around and I thought it would be a great fit,” said Jensen.  She added that the coaches were like family and made it an easy decision. The Huskers are getting a left-handed pitcher with a nasty riseball and great changeup.  She also plays first base and can hit.  Jensen currently has a 0.41 ERA and 75 strikeouts in 34 innings pitched.  At the plate, she is hitting .500 with 11 RBI.  Last year, she pitched over 185 innings and finished the season with a 31-2 record while recording 376 strikeouts.  In a game against North Plate, she tied the state record by striking out 20 batters in a game. Gretna is currently 13-1 and ranked #1 by the Omaha World-Herald.  The Dragons are aiming to win a state championship that eluded them last year after losing twice in the state finals.  Their only two losses of the year. Alexis will be joined at Nebraska by her fellow high school teammate Carlie Muhlbach (2025) who also committed to the Huskers.  

Recruiting 2025 – Carr Carves out Road of Success

Recruiting 2025 - Carr Carves out Road of Success

By Jeff Strange

For standout 2025 Abby Carr, the avenue to achievement began at a young age.

“I remember back when Abby was in 7th and 8th grade telling Abby’s parents that she was going to be a Power 5 kid,” said Matt Alvarado, head coach of Select Fastpitch – Alvarado 18u. “They looked at me like I was crazy back then, and look at her now.”

The junior RHP/1B has developed into one of the top prospects to watch in the 2025 class, but her path has been paved through many years of arduous training and a genuine enjoyment for the game that she has grown to savor.                                                          

Carr’s passion for sports started at a young age. With a strong athletic pedigree – mom Katie was a D1 softball player at the University of Pittsburgh and dad Mike played baseball at Missouri State & Scottsdale CC before spending 10 years in the MLB in various roles – Abby took to athletic competition early on.

“I would come home from school and all the kids on the street would play wiffle ball until I had to leave for a practice or lesson,” said Carr. “This is how I learned to play softball. I would swim 3 or 4 days a week competitively and we did softball work 3 times a week. I don’t remember it being work; it was just fun! I was able to be with my friends. Whether it be practice or lessons, we always had something going on and when we didn’t, we were playing wiffle ball outside.” 

It was at around the age of 11 that Abby started to gravitate mostly towards softball.

“I played everything from soccer, volleyball, basketball, competitive swimming, tennis, and even golf,” said Carr. “In fact, my parents did everything to push me not to play softball. They didn’t want me to feel like I had to do what they did. Clearly it did not work!”    

As Abby got older, the combination of her work ethic and advanced approach began to help elevate her game.

“Something that has set her apart has been her maturity,” said coach Matt Alvarado. “I remember back in 2020 when she was a seventh grader, she didn’t carry herself like a 12 year old.”

Fast forward to the present and the 6’0” RHP/1B armed with 66mph heat, a vicious curve and devastating change up in the circle – along with standout power at the plate and a strong glove in the field – has cemented herself as an exciting prep prospect in the 2025 class.

As September 1st approached, Carr was not without emotions.

 

“I felt confident about the work that I had put in and the camps that I have attended,” said Carr. “I was getting good feedback from coaches, along with things that I needed to work on as well. I struggled staying focused leading up until midnight, but I was excited, nervous, and even had butterflies in my stomach. I had a 9:30pm hitting lesson that didn’t get me home until about 10:45pm. Keeping busy was a good thing leading into midnight.”

Once the clock hit midnight on 9/1/23, that’s when the phone began to buzz.

“I received about 15 phone calls, texts, and videos in the first 20 minutes once it hit midnight,” said Carr. “I finally went to bed at 2am. I had scheduled calls on Sept. 1 up until 12:30pm and then had to find a way to get focused to go play a High School game against a really good team from Oklahoma. That evening I had another 15-20 texts and emails to respond to and scheduled 12 more zoom/phone calls over the weekend. It was incredibly overwhelming and flattering. It still is to be honest! I am extremely thankful to every coach that believes in me and has reached out.”

While she has not made an official commitment yet, Carr did indicate that she has narrowed her list of schools down to eight, with four official upcoming visits set up between Big 10, Big 12, SEC, and ACC schools. 

In the meantime, Abby plans to continue putting in the hard work that has led her to this point, while also reflecting on the positive support that she has received from her family and friends.

“My mom always tells me to enjoy the moment and don’t look to the future too soon; you won’t appreciate what’s in front of you,” said Carr. “I would love to win a state championship for my high school, but first we have to get out of one of the hardest districts in the state. I would also like to finalize my commitment as well. I’m thankful that at 9:30pm on any given night that my sister will catch my spins, or early in the morning my parents can throw front toss. Most of my friends all play sports at a high level – whether it be volleyball or soccer – so they are very understanding of my schedule. I have a great group of friends that are supportive and always checking in!”

Abby Carr’s story of focus and a positive outlook offers inspiration for her peers and encouragement for a younger generation of athletes.

“Don’t ever give up,” said Carr. “There is no recipe to success. Passion and hard work will take you the farthest. I was just an average player when I began my journey. My parents gave me every opportunity to help navigate my path and even told me that I don’t have to do this. I choose to work hard and am thankful for every opportunity, good and bad – it has made me who I am today. I would also tell kids and parents to celebrate the small victories. The small victories will turn into big victories. This process is a marathon, and it took me 12 years to get to this point from the time I picked up a ball at age 5.”

Class of 2025 prepares for September 1

The start of the 2025 recruiting process is nearly here. Important thing to remember, September 1st is just the start! Many opportunities will occur over the next 12-months, and it may be a rollercoaster. What happens tonight or tomorrow does not define you as a student athlete, only a small percent will be contacted over the next 10-days.

 

That being said, here is how you can prepare and enjoy the journey!

  • Phone Voicemail: Make sure you establish a professional voicemail recording that includes name and greeting.
  • Email: Check your email daily at a minimum
  • Social Media: Think before you post, I would not recommend mentioning any school or coach regarding contact.
  • Journal: I would recommend a notebook to record all contact, document the following;
    • Date
    • College
    • Coach
    • Type of contact: Email, Text, Voicemail, Call
    • Topics of discussion
    • Next step
  • Calendar: Have a calendar with your schedule for September, October, November
  • Academics: Have an idea of your intended major, your GPA through Sophomore year, and ACT or when you plan to take the ACT

This is going to make the process much easier as you will have all the information you need when reviewing discussions.

 

Keep in mind, many coaches no longer contact on 9/1, but rather wait to avoid the clutter!

 

Here is a real-life example of the process; Suzi Q was contacted by X and Y schools in September of 2022, they and others have been a rollercoaster. However, in the last 5-weeks she has been contacted by multiple schools, went on 4 visits, and has great offers from School 1, School 2, School 3, etc.

 

Enjoy the Journey!