Position Battles and Expectations for 2024 Sooner Softball

[OUBeliever56A]

While I am still working on this and my 'predictions' for the Sooners, I will offer this for now.

As everyone knows, the mystery of the fall season will be who emerges as the player that will play SS. The candidates are:

Avery Hodge (Soph) - Nellian McEnroe-Marinas (FR) - Alynah Torres (5th YR SR) - Tiare Jennings (SR) - Alyssa Brito (SR)

My eyes will be on Hodge and McEnroe-Marinas. If one of them can play well enough in the field and with their bat to 'own' the SS job, they will have every chance to open the season as the new starting SS. Then the job becomes theirs if they continue to play well offensively and defensively. Their play defensively is probably the key to them keeping the job. If there was any time for a young SS to win the starting SS job for OU it is 2024. Much like in 2019, the Sooners have veteran players on either side of the SS. In 2019, Clifton and Romero flanked Grace Lyons. In 2024, Jennings and Brito would flank either Hodge or McEnroe-Marinas in 2024. There is some symmetry to this for me.

I think for Hodge the key is her bat. Can she hit enough to stay in the lineup? If she does not hit, she has to separate herself from all the other potential SS's with her glove.
For McEnroe-Marinas the first question is can she hit as expected? If she does (something like .350+ BA with 25+ EBH potential) then she has to prove she can make all the plays defensively. I think as a fan base we know the least about McEnroe-Marinas. I know I feel that way. She is the freshman, I am most curious about seeing on the field.

If there are reasons that neither Hodge or McEnroe-Marinas do not WIN the SS job, Coach Gasso has the luxury of having an "Ace-in-her-pocket". That "Ace" is Alynah Torres. For three seasons she played SS for Arizona State. she played well there also. Torres had a career fielding % of .941 in the desert. (In case you were wondering, #3 Grace Lyons career fielding % was .957. Kelsey Arnold, the #3 before Lyons, had a fielding % was .970 at SS.) No, Torres will not be either one of the #3's defensively, but she will be plenty good enough if needed. Offensively, Torres at least has four seasons of productive offensive seasons to look back on. In 2023, Torres had her poorest offensive season of her career, especially with her EBHs. But she still is likely better than Hodge offensively, and perhaps as good as the potential that McEnroe-Marinas has if Torres regains her offensive form. I do think that Torres is somewhere in the infield and plays a role as the primary backup catcher if needed during the season. I will be surprised if she plays the outfield in 2024 unless Hodge or McEnroe-Marinas easily wins the SS job in the fall. BTW, if either of Hodge or McEnroe-Marinas do not start, they will be strong backups as MIF, if needed.

If for some reason, like needing Torres to be a consistent backup catcher, becomes the greater need, there are still two other options for the Sooners. Tiare Jennings and Alyssa Brito could be moved to SS. Both solutions can work pretty well, but the Sooners probably do not want to change positions of either of their standout defensive players in their final year of play. I think Jennings will definitely be at 2B in 2024. I think the Sooners would like to keep Brito at 3B but I can see Brito moving to SS, especially if she wants the job and verbalizes it to the coaching staff. (If that is the case, I see Torres and McEnroe-Marinas in competition for the 3B job.)

Kinzie Hansen will be behind the plate every game but the 3rd Wednesday of the each week during the season. (Yes, that is a bunch of games!) If she can walk and at least bunt, she will be in the game in 2024. (By the way, I think she has never attempted a bunt as a Sooners.) Keeping K9 healthy is the #1 job of the training staff in 2024. Finding times to rest Hansen late in comfortable games is a high priority.

In CF is Jayda Coleman. Period, end of story. The only question I have is if she moves down in the lineup to hit in the #2 spot in 2024. She was the best offensive player for the Sooners in 2023.

At First Base, Cydney Sanders is the incumbent at 1B and will probably be given every chance to continue in that spot. If she reagins her offensive form she showed as a freshman, she will be at 1B for sure. If she continues to hit under .300, even with some power, the Sooners might have to look elsewhere. I will be surprised if Sanders is not somewhere north of .350 BA with 25+ EBH by the end of the 2024 season though, so she probably owns the 1B job.

In LF, Boone should be the starter on opening game and the final game of the season. Her steady .400+ BA and timely production in the #9 spot in the lineup is just money in the bank while being a standout defensive outfielder. Can I see some Sooner player outplaying Boone and starting over her in 2024, maybe. But they would have to play very, very well both offensively and defensively.

Okay, that leaves the DP spot and RF that is open.

At DP, Ella Parker and McEnroe-Marinas (both freshman) probably have the best shots of winning the job. They have the two best potential bats I think of the players not listed above. I will be surprised if either of them does not hit very well (.350+ BA with 25+ EBHs potential in full-time play). I could see, Torres and perhaps Kasidi Pickering (FR) or Maya Bland (FR) getting some time at DP also if they are not in the field. One note here. I think Parker could be the backup 1B as well. Other than her, it may fall to Torres or McEnroe- Marinas.

In RF, Torres could be there, but I think the play of Kasidi Pickering and/or Maya Bland is too strong for that to be the case. Both Pickering and Bland could put up numbers similar to Parker and McEnroe-Marinas in effectiveness. Both Pickering and Bland have the most speed of the four freshman also. My belief is that Pickering will win the job in RF. Her arm is very strong and she could be the CF in 2024. (But Chaney Helton, a 2024 commit, is playing very well this summer as a CF.) Could I see Bland challenging Boone in LF, yes.

That leaves Hannah Coor, Quincee Lilio and Riley Ludlam to consider.

* Ludlum, from Furman, is a catcher by trade and was plucked out of the portal for that purposes. But her ability to stop the running game is questionable in my mind as she allows 11 of every 12 base stealers to be safe in her career. Her bat was good in 2023, but playing against OU's competition will be different. I do not see Ludlam with a significant role in 2024, but she could have her moments at the plate. The Sooner coaches picked her out of the portal for a reason. I trust we will see why in the season.

* Quincee Lilio seems to have settled into a role player as a pinch-hitter and sometimes a substitute as an outfielder or 2B. I think that will be her role in 2024 as well.

*Hannah Coor is coming back from her back surgery. I imagine that she will be taking it easy early in the fall and that she may be full speed by the end of spring. Sooner fans have been waiting for Coor to show her potential but it may not be in 2024 unless she heals very quickly and unless she finds a swing that is improved. There are four very good outfielders in Norman besides Coor.

Boomer Sooner!

[The Far Journey]

Thanks for the assessment, 56. As usual, top notch. Just a quick question since I know you attended most games last year. Toward the end of the season, it seemed to me Hannah Coor had grown substantially. Bigger, maybe big enough to put some pop in her bat. Did you happen to notice this or was just my imagination? She's always appeared to be a decent hitter, but on these OU teams, decent isn't good enough. Maybe a little more power might help.

[OUBeliever56A]

Thanks for the assessment, 56. As usual, top notch. Just a quick question since I know you attended most games last year. Toward the end of the season, it seemed to me Hannah Coor had grown substantially. Bigger, maybe big enough to put some pop in her bat. Did you happen to notice this or was just my imagination? She's always appeared to be a decent hitter, but on these OU teams, decent isn't good enough. Maybe a little more power might help.

Coor is tall with very wide shoulders. It may be inappropriate for me to say this, but she could be a model with her stature. Maybe she did get a bit taller, I can not say I noticed that. I was busy watching to see if she walked or ran at all and had any catches in her get-along.

As for Coor's hitting, I think her swing is a bit long. She has some pop when she connects but she just has trouble getting the bat in front of the plate when she swings. If her back permits normal movement, maybe her swing gets quicker, but it probably needs to get shorter also. That will likely decrease her power. But she is a very good defensive player with good speed if the back does not slow her down.

[AustinTXSooner]

When I played in MSBL, all the best home run hitters had a short compact swing. It's all about the speed of the bat through the zone. Coor shortening her swing is more likely to increase her power.

[OUBeliever56A]

When I played in MSBL, all the best home run hitters had a short compact swing. It's all about the speed of the bat through the zone. Coor shortening her swing is more likely to increase her power.

It is true that a "shorter" swing can have as much power, sometimes more, as a long swing. But a hitter has to use her hips and lower body much more. The right arm has to be in a different position at contact as well.

I guess what I was trying to say is that from the trigger point of her swing until the bat gets 'into the hitting' zone takes awhile for Coor. The long arc of her swing generates her power as it is now. For her to transition to a swing more like Elam, who had to do the same thing, takes a lot of work and a while to make happen.

[TropicalSooner]

Just curious.....Coor is pretty tall. Do taller girls "generally" have a longer swing? Or is it all how you're taught to begin with?

[OUBeliever56A]

No clue......how to answer this.

[Brisket]

Just curious.....Coor is pretty tall. Do taller girls "generally" have a longer swing? Or is it all how you're taught to begin with?

The roster on soonersports has her listed at 5'9", the same height as Cyd Sanders, Joce Erickson, & Jayda Coleman, and 2" shorter than Kinzie Hanson. I think all 4 of those players have compact swings. It's how well can you use your hips & lower half to generate power rather than relying just on your arms.

[OUBeliever56A]

Just curious.....Coor is pretty tall. Do taller girls "generally" have a longer swing? Or is it all how you're taught to begin with?

The roster on soonersports has her listed at 5'9", the same height as Cyd Sanders, Joce Erickson, & Jayda Coleman, and 2" shorter than Kinzie Hanson. I think all 4 of those players have compact swings. It's how well can you use your hips & lower half to generate power rather than relying just on your arms.

Coor is taller than 5'9". Probably 5'11" these days.

[AustinTXSooner]

Just curious.....Coor is pretty tall. Do taller girls "generally" have a longer swing? Or is it all how you're taught to begin with?

Long swings are all about dropping your hands at the start of the swing. Compact swings keep the hands closer to your body. One drill for compact swings is to stand a bat's distance from a fence. Swing the bat and don't hit the fence. That teaches you to keep your hands in close.

To answer your question, it's how you're taught.

[TropicalSooner]

Got it.
Thanks for all the information everyone.

[TALSOONER]

Nice read. Thanks. Would like your opinion on changing lineups vs consistent starters. We see frequent pitcher changes. We see a fall program with inner squad games. We strive for backups that are as good at the starters, so that injuries don't kill us. So why not play as a team, where you rotate backups frequently. Particularly early in the season. IE Don't name starters. Name multiple players....? Change a pitcher, change a catcher and a 3rd base player. Rotate Rotate, and rotate. May keep more players happy ALSO...

[inconnu]

Who's to say we don't do a lot of rotating and subbing in the numerous practices that we, the public, aren't witness to? Part of a coach's job is to do the things necessary to win a NC,I think in Patty's eyes, and certainly in the eyes of most Sooner fans. The team's ranking throughout the season is an important piece in keeping the team confident, and in gaining a favorable seeding in the tournament.(although it DOES appear that the folks who do the seeding try to have OU face more tough teams than we should, as early in the bracket as they can arrange it)