Top 2029 Prospects To Watch In Vermont

Vermont is the second-least populous state in the country, and its climate and topography make playing softball outdoors difficult for much of the year. But the Green Mountain State still puts a strong product on the field each year with several players striving to play at the college level.   Below, Prep Softball highlights three of the top Vermont high school prospects in the class of 2029.    [player_tooltip player_id='155676' first='Irie' last='Shedd'] has emerged as the clear early headliner among Vermont prospects in her class. The lefthander's velocity in the circle reached 63 miles per hour this fall heading into her freshman high school season, and she closed out her fall campaign with 15 strikeouts in eight innings at the Scenic City Fall Showcase in Chattanooga, Tenn. in November. Shedd makes use of her screwball, curveball, rise ball and changeup to mess with batters' timing and eye level. Her arsenal is effective against righties and lefties alike, and she is also a slick-fielding pitcher, taking charge on bunt defense and always thinking a step ahead, which can result in heads-up double plays if she catches runners in between bases. Shedd also handles the bat well from the right side, tracking the ball all the way in and driving it out to the opposite field with extra-base power. A two-time USA Softball All-American, her first over-the-fence home run was a 200-plus foot grand slam last June.     McKinley Bertram was one of just two eighth graders on the Leland & Gray varsity softball team last spring, and she was not just there to warm the bench, but instead to play a key part in the Rebels' 13-5 season and run to the state championship game. Bertram's alertness on the bases was on full display in a one-run semifinal win, as she scored a key run on a passed ball. She pitched in relief in her team's title-game loss, indicating the trust she had earned from her coaches even at such a young age, and she also hit an RBI single in that game. Bertram is sure to play an even bigger role for her team over the next four seasons as she sharpens her skills on both sides of the ball.     Coached by her father on both her club team and her Little League team that nearly reached the Little League Softball World Series in 2022, Elle Robinson plays multiple positions on the all-important spine of the defense, splitting her time among second base, shortstop, and out in center field. To reach that New England regional championship game, Robinson had two hits in a come-from-behind victory over a team from Maine. With Colchester down by a run in the sixth inning, Robinson drew a four-pitch walk, stole second base, and then scored the tying run on a single before her team walked the game off later in the inning. She also plays great defense up the middle, handling tricky hops with ease as an infielder and making clean, accurate throws to first base. She is certainly a player to watch in the coming months and years ahead.

Vermont is the second-least populous state in the country, and its climate and topography make playing softball outdoors difficult for much of the year. But the Green Mountain State still puts a strong product on the field each year with several players striving to play at the college level.