2019 Recruiting: Top Transfer Classes (15-11)

Gone are the days of only have freshman recruiting classes. Now that the transfer portal is such a huge part of softball, the recruiting process has changed. With that being said, Softball America is taking an in-depth look into the Top 15 Transfer Classes for the 2019-20 season. Here are No.'s 15-11.

15. Arizona State
Junior: Madison Preston, Halle Harger
Sophomore: Brenna Scudellari

Pitching was a concern for the Sun Devils in 2019. Transfers Cielo Meza and Samantha Mejia struggled throughout the season but freshman Abby Andersen emerged late as a bright spot in the rotation.

Adding depth this season is Madison Preston who spent her first two seasons at Alabama. She she named the 2017 Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year but struggled to find her place in Tuscaloosa. As a freshman, she was 7-5 with a 3.17 ERA in 12 starts and 21 appearances. Last season, she made seven relief appearances and finished with a 5.53 ERA in 12.2 innings.

Halle Harger joins the Sun Devils and her father, Jeff Harger, who is an assistant coach in Tempe. Harger made 25 starts and appeared in 38 games in 2018 and batted .193. Last season, she appeared in seven games and started two at designated player before missing the remainder. She had previously overcome cancer and radiation treatment before her sophomore season.

Brenna Scudellari is a utility transfer from Colorado State. She was raised in Gilbert, Ariz., so she is going home in a sense. Scudellari had three at-bats as a freshman last year and drew one walk. She scored a run in two appearances.

Analysis: Trisha Ford has brought in several pitchers this season and the position is up for grabs. Preston will have to fight for innings with a staff that is seven-deep. Harger and Scudellari most likely will see their appearances on the base paths or in pinch hit opportunities.

14. James Madison
Junior: Alexis Bermudez
Sophomore: Kayla Boseman

Alexis Bermudez transfers into JMU from Bethune-Cookman where she was named the 2018 MEAC Rookie of the Year, the Most Outstanding Player of the 2018 MEAC Tournament and the 2019 MEAC Pitcher of the Year.

She appeared in 48 games last season and pitched 212 innings. She finished the season with 15 wins including a complete-game victory over Oregon, 168 strikeouts and a 3.50 earned run average. She won 13 games her freshman season and had a 3.32 ERA.

Kayla Boseman is a two-way player that didn’t get much playing time as a freshman last season at Mississippi State. The sophomore from Chattanooga, Tenn., appeared in 10 games and pitched 32.2 innings.

Analysis: Both pitchers will most likely be the No. 2 and No. 3 with last year’s CAA Player of the Year Odicci Alexander returning for the Dukes. Alexander finished last season with a career-best 1.70 ERA and 24-1 record while batting .316 with 14 homers and 56 RBIs.

13. Texas Tech
Redshirt Senior: GiGi Wall
Junior: Maddie Westmoreland

Two-time First Team All-Big Ten selection Maddie Westmoreland led Indiana’s offense her first two seasons in Bloomington. Last season, she led the Hoosiers with a .315 average and started 50 games primarily as the designated player. In 2018, she led the team with 10 home runs and 52 RBIs. Her RBI-mark is second-most in a single season at IU.

Georgia “GiGi” Wall comes to Lubbock from Oklahoma City University. She’s a three-time NAIA All-American and two-time NAIA national champion. As a freshman and sophomore, Wall had a sub-1.0 ERA and in 2018, she was 18-4 with a 1.41 ERA. She sat out 2019 with a redshirt.

Analysis: It wouldn’t be a surprise if both Westmoreland and Leach switch out at catcher and designated player throughout the season. With Trenity Edwards stepping away from the field this year and Jessica Hartwell graduating, the Red Raiders needed to find RBI production. Erin Edmoundson is fully expected to be the ace again in 2020 but Wall’s experience could give her some innings early ahead of Morgan Hornback and Kamryn Caldwell. She will still have to battle Missy Zoch to decide who will emerge as the No. 2.

12. Washington
Sophomore: Baylee Klingler

Klingler emerged as a big bat for the 2017 United States Junior Women’s National Team but the results didn’t follow her to Texas A&M. Yes, she was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team and started every game for the Aggies but her power bat was silenced.

She posted a .289 batting average with five home runs, seven doubles and 29 RBIs. All five home runs and 16 of her 29 RBIs came in SEC play.

Her father and uncle were standout quarterbacks at the University of Houston, her sister played softball for the Cougars and her brother plays football at Rice. Maybe a change of scenery will get her back on track.

Analysis: Klingler can play either corner but will most likely see more time at first base and designated player. The combo of her and Morganne Flores in the middle of the lineup could be the most powerful duo in 2020.

11. Oklahoma
Junior: Taylon Snow

Taylon Snow started just about every game at shortstop for the Auburn Tigers in 2018 and 2019. She went down with an injury late last season that forced her to miss the postseason. If she is 100 percent healthy for the spring, Snow will most likely make a position change and be the new second baseman for the Sooners since Caleigh Clifton graduated.

This will also be the first time Snow steps on the field in college without her sister, Tannon, as her teammate.

Analysis: Snow has been a top-of-the-lineup batter for two years but will have to prove her worth in the star-studded OU lineup. Her addition to the infield and veteran presence will help and her left-handed bat is something that OU is missing from the current lineup.

2023 NCAA Division I Preseason All-Americans

SA's 2023 NCAA Preseason All-Americans include the most elite Division I softball players at the start of the season.