Five 2028 Catchers Shining This High School Season

The list of responsibilities for catchers is long: make sure everyone on the infield is in the right position, relay the signs to the pitcher, keep the pitcher confident and comfortable, be aware of baserunners potentially stealing, and make sure you catch the pitch hurling at your face.   Catchers are also leaders—they are the glue that holds teams together. And the catchers on this list go above and beyond their duties.   Below, Prep Softball highlights five catchers from the high school graduating class of 2028 who are shining this season.    Johanna Acuña is having a season to remember for the Cypress Park Tigers, both with the glove and with the bat. The Texas native has an astounding .692 batting average as of this writing, along with 27 hits, 27 RBIs, 17 runs scored, eight doubles, five triples, and five home runs. She has driven in nearly a third of the Tigers' runs, over 60% of her base hits have gone for extra bases, and in 48 plate appearances she has yet to strike out. Behind the plate, she has a .955 fielding percentage, with 55 putouts, nine assists, and three double plays turned. She has even turned heads off the field. Earlier this year, she completed a 250-pound squat in the weight room with the support of her teammates. She is a force at the plate, a brick wall behind it, and a dedicated athlete to keep an eye on.     After an impressive freshman season in which she hit .403 at the plate, Maya Cormell has shifted into second gear for her sophomore campaign. As of this writing, the hard-hitting catcher from Tucson is walloping the softball to the tune of a .611 batting average. She has 22 hits, 14 RBIs, seven doubles, and is on pace to at least double nearly her entire offensive stat line. That's not all she's doing, however. The pitching rotation for the Marana Tigers has been dominant, to put it simply. In 17 games, the Tigers have only allowed 31 runs, and currently have a team ERA of 2.56, with Cormell as the starter behind the dish. To put this into perspective, the average team ERA nationally is 7.60. In this current age of offense, any ERA under 3.00 is exceptional. The roaring Tigers are 16-1, and Cormell is a big reason why.     It is no surprise to find Emily Darby once again having a standout offensive campaign. She began playing for the St. James varsity team in 7th grade, and since then has stacked up nearly 150 career hits. After setting a career high in RBIs (50) and hits (68) last year, she has already reached a new milestone as a sophomore with eight home runs as of this writing, surpassing her previous record of four as a freshman. She is also on pace to have her highest single-season batting average (she is currently batting .611), and her highest on-base percentage (currently .673). Remarkably, she is also well on her way to her lowest strikeout total in her career (she has only struck out twice so far this season), and her highest walk total as well (she has already drawn 11 free passes). After putting up numbers as a 7th and 8th grader that any upperclassman would strive for, it appears that Darby was simply just warming up.     Honesty Romero's schedule is probably busier than most. The Riverside, Calif. native plays four sports—softball, soccer, flag football, and volleyball. The softball season is only eight games in, but Romero is already in midseason form. In only 25 at-bats, she has 14 hits, nine RBIs, five home runs, a .560 batting average, and a .633 on-base percentage for the Poly Bears. When she is able to get full extension in her swing, the ball absolutely soars. Defensively, she is also off to an outstanding start with a .979 fielding percentage, 46 putouts, one assist, one double play turned, and only one error committed. Nearly half of her hits this season have left the ballpark. She is locked in and ready to attack.     Ava Sparkman brings a mix of speed, power, and tenacity to the softball field, and it's showing in her performance. Hailing from Fort Pierce, Fla., seven of her 15 hits so far this season have gone for extra bases, including three triples and three doubles. She can drive the ball to all fields, has a fluid swing, and doesn't try to do too much. As of this writing, she has yet to strike out this season, currently has a .613 on-base percentage, and has racked up six stolen bases. Defensively, she has been solid, with eight assists on the season and 25 putouts. She puts the ball in play, is strong in the fundamentals of the game, and is the hitter you want up at the plate with the game on the line.

The list of responsibilities for catchers is long: make sure everyone on the infield is in the right position, relay the signs to the pitcher, keep the pitcher confident and comfortable, be aware of baserunners potentially stealing, and make sure you catch the pitch hurling at your face.