2030 Hitters Ready To Own The Month Of June

As the temperature rises, the bats get hotter as well. And no matter where you go, the ball flies in the summer weather. Travel ball season is in full swing, and all over the country, sluggers are hitting bombs.   Below, Prep Softball highlights five hitters from the high school graduating class of 2030 who are ready to own the month of June.    Accomplished hitters know when to slug and when to drop down a bunt. Gingie Brooks knows how to do both. Last month, she was able to place a beautiful bunt down the third base line for an infield hit. With her speed, she is a major threat on the bases and a headache for pitchers. When she decides to slug, she has a good-looking, level, and under-control swing that holds some power. She can hit line drives and sharp grounders up the middle, and is exceptional when she is able to fully extend her arms. In the batter's box, she is relaxed, confident, and ready to hit.     If Valentina Marquez had any nerves during her first at-bat of the summer, she didn't show it. The Florida native ambushed a rise ball and smoked it to left field for a stand-up double. She has a violent swing with little stride that packs a major punch, and has power to all fields. She also has excellent bat-to-ball skills, and is truly an extra-base threat the second she steps up to the plate. The numerous conditioning skills and hitting drills she does behind the scenes have paid off in a big way, as the summer travel ball season begins.     On Milani Slaughter's X profile, she includes two words: Bombs only. And with the way she swings the bat, no two words could be more fitting. In her recent JV season, she finished with a .447 batting average, a .527 on-base percentage, an OPS of 1.463, and a slugging percentage of .936. She has elite pull power, and any pitch left up in the zone has the potential to be clobbered. She puts the ball in play, has plenty of composure in the batter's box, and brings a large amount of enthusiasm to the field. As a coach, it helps to have players who love the game of softball, and Slaughter fits that bill.     Often the best way to hit and get on base is to simply take what the pitcher gives you. She may not even be in high school yet, but Emily Leyva does that better than most upperclassmen do. She can go the other way with authority and can cover the whole strike zone as well. If a pitch is away, she hits it away, and if a pitch is inside, she keeps her hands in and rips it down the line. She has excellent speed on the bases, power to all fields, and is the hitter you would want at the plate in crunch time.     Natalie Green brings speed to the table and lots of it. In one weekend alone, she hit three triples and one double. She has a measured, compact swing and drives the ball to the gaps as if she were using a 9-iron. She utilizes her athleticism in the field as well and can hold her own at first base or in the outfield. She has the makings of a pesky hitter who will foul off pitch after pitch until she finds one to her liking. She is a supportive teammate and a determined young player to boot.

As the temperature rises, the bats get hotter as well. And no matter where you go, the ball flies in the summer weather. Travel ball season is in full swing, and all over the country, sluggers are hitting bombs.