2030 Corners To Watch In The New Year

Some of the most exciting plays happen at the corners; a close tag play at third, a bang-bang play at first, a long throw across the diamond to get the final out. All of these exciting moments require superb fielding, confidence and athleticism. The athletes on this list have all of those qualities and then some, making them required viewing in the year to come.   Below, Prep Softball highlights five of the top corner infielders from the high school graduating class of 2030 to watch in the new year.    There's a lot to like when you watch Blanca Gonzalez at the plate. Her controlled, yet very productive inside out swing covers the entire field, including over the wall. She excels, though, at taking pitches the opposite way, and attacks pitches other hitters would simply foul off. She finished her first season of travel ball earlier this summer with a batting average of .411, and has maintained that energy into the fall. At the Alliance Super Cup in October, she racked up base hits to the tune of a .556 batting average at the plate. Gonzalez plays an active first base, and is not afraid to dive for the ball or sprint down the line. She consistently puts in the work for both her hitting and fielding, and it showed with a .920 fielding percentage in her first season with the Bombers. She should be an exciting player to watch this coming year.     There was a lot of magic present for the Rogers/Fritsche Indiana Magic Gold squad this year. The team finished their fall campaign with a 34-4 record, and Indiana native Thea Kinder played a big role in their success. She is as dependable a fielder as they come at third base with her strong arm, quick thinking, and the capability to handle short hops with impressive ease. With the bat, she is a gap hitter with a quick toe tap and then a powerful swing. Don't plan on trying to fool her with a changeup, as she has impressive patience and plate discipline. She is also a speed threat on the base paths. She is a supportive teammate and an all-around good athlete. There is plenty of potential for a great career.     The ideal attributes for a hitter include the ability to get on base, the tendency to not strike out, and a knack for getting base hits. Eva Murnahan checks all of those boxes. At two separate tournaments this year, she had an on-base percentage above .500, including a remarkable weekend at the USA All-American Games in which she had a .667 batting average and zero strikeouts. She can also drive in some runs, which she proved at The Lasers Showcase in October with nine RBIs, along with a .556 batting average. In the field, she is a versatile infielder who can play multiple positions, with her primary position being first base. And when she fields the ball, batters tend to be out. At the Fire in the Sky Tournament in July, she had 21 putouts, including a double play.     Sophie Keller can really swing the bat. Don't take my word for it, the stats tell most of the story. Over 111 games, ending this past summer, Keller had a .459 batting average, 100 hits, 111 RBIs, 14 home runs, and a .581 on-base percentage. And she has maintained her hot bat into the fall, including 12 RBIs at the IMG Alliance Qualifier in October, earning her 14U All-Tournament honors. At third base, she has exceptional range, is quick on her feet, and has a strong arm that is perfect for the hot corner. Her range and ability to dive make perfect sense considering the fact that she is also a volleyball player. Keller is an athlete to watch not only this coming year, but also for many years to come.     Beginning in the fall of last year to the end of summer this year, Emmy Weber has produced big time for her TN Mojo team. Over 169 at-bats, the Ohio product had a .414 batting average with 70 hits, including 15 doubles, 55 RBIs, 61 runs scored, 31 walks, and a .510 on-base percentage. She has continued that solid hitting this fall, hitting above .330 at two separate tournaments against tough competition. With the glove, she is dependable at third base and has solid mechanics, good accuracy, and hustles on every play. In a game as tough as softball, it pays to be consistent, and Weber is just that with both her bat and glove.

Some of the most exciting plays happen at the corners; a close tag play at third, a bang-bang play at first, a long throw across the diamond to get the final out. All of these exciting moments require superb fielding, confidence and athleticism. The athletes on this list have all of those qualities and then some, making them required viewing in the year to come.