Five 2031 Catchers Who Command The Field

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The catcher may be the most important individual in a team's defense, outside of whoever has the ball in the circle.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There is a reason why the catcher and pitcher are referred to as a team's battery. Catchers signal to their pitcher what pitch they want thrown. They are also called the "backstop" in preventing wild pitches. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Catchers can also prevent baserunners from stealing bases, and are typically on the receiving end of plays at the plate. There are a number of young catchers who already understand the art of the position, and that will only continue to improve with time and experience.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Below, Prep Softball highlights five catchers from the high school graduating class of 2031 who command the field.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["159015"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":179501,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a05c7c1460a0"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Aubrey Weleski is a skilled talent from the Philadelphia area who also competes as a utility player and shortstop, in addition to catching. It was a couple months ago when Weleski added USA Softball All-American honors to her growing list of achievements. A baserunner better not make a miscue because it can turn into Weleski getting said baserunner out on the bases. This happened when Weleski threw out a runner who had too big a lead off third base. Pegasus 12U earned the 13-0 run-rule victory in that game, which was a contest in which Weleski also helped her team offensively with two singles, two RBIs, and two runs scored.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Lilly Cave","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2031","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'5u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"20","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Clear Falls (TX)","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"Impact Gold National 2030","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a05c7c14610c"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Lilly Cave plays up in class with Impact Gold National 2030. Alongside her work as a catcher, Cave also plays in the infield. One aspect of catching that she places an emphasis on is putting her mitt in the right areas around the strike zone to turn borderline pitches into strikes. Understanding where to be to receive throws from the outfield is another strength of Cave's overall game. Last month, she helped in an 18-0 rout of Texas Glory 14U KTX with a double and a pair of runs driven in.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":158858,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Kylie Everett","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2031","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'6u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"20","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Holy Trinity Catholic (IA)","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"Iowa United 16U","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a05c7c14614e"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Kylie Everett recently finished up her 14U season wearing the Iowa United uniform, and her spring campaign included a fielding percentage of .975 and only four errors. When Everett is behind the plate, running on her can be risky. Her throwing accuracy can lead to many stolen-base attempts gone awry. Everett also knows how to get in the proper spots to thwart bunt attempts to get on base. While her primary focus is on softball, Everett has also tried her hand at other sports such as volleyball.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Brie Stephenson","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2031","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"4'9u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"20","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Centralia (MO)","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"Select Fastpitch 13U Adams National","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a05c7c146189"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Brie Stephenson is poised to be a name to watch in the future for Centralia. In addition to what she gets accomplished behind the plate, Stephenson is also a utility player. She once represented Missouri in the Little League World Series and displayed that she is a threat to throw out runners who are looking to steal bases. In December, Stephenson received an invite to USA Softball's High Performance Program in Florida. She can get the job done with both the catcher's mitt and the bat. At the Top Gun Futures 14A Tournament in late April, she had a batting average of over .500.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Brooke Stephenson","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2031","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"4'9u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"20","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Centralia (MO)","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"Select Fastpitch 13U Adams National","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a05c7c1461c2"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Both Stephenson sisters from Missouri will be names to watch as their playing careers blossom. Brooke Stephenson is a player who can operate defensively in the infield (typically at third base) alongside what she does behind the plate. Stephenson recently participated in the Top Gun Events Heartland Showcase. Her Select Fastpitch 13U Adams National team went 4-1 at that event, and she threw out a pair of would-be base-stealers. Both of those outs occurred in a contest against Nebraska Reign Regional 14U, in which her Select Fastpitch Adams team was victorious with a 17-0 rout. Stephenson helped her team's cause offensively as well with an RBI single, a run scored, and a stolen base of her own. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->