Pictured: Trinity Cannon, a 2020 Texan who committed this week to an SEC school.

Next Monday we’ll launch our Hot 100 list for the 2019 class and let’s just say from the start: it’s looooooaded with talent!  In today’s news and notes below we’ll have some updates of players to watch from the freshman class, but first we’re going to start off with a pair of Texas 2020’s who committed this week who will be very high on the 2020 Hot 100 when that comes out later this year!

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At the PGF Early Thanksgiving Showcase, we saw perhaps the No. 1 player in the 2020 class, at least right now at this very early stage.

That would be Jayda Coleman, a middle infielder/outfielder for the Texas Glory-Naudin team who had a dozen or more college coaches watching her in the three games we watched.

On November 22, we wrote about Jayda in our Highlights from the Early Thanksgiving Showcase:

“… this eighth grader could arguably be the top prospect in the eighth grade right now. She’s a lefty triple threat at the plate and calls Frisco, Texas home and will go The Colony High School next year.  Jayda has been called by Big 12 coaches as the “best all-around player in her class” and is noted for her outstanding defensive play, especially her range. One coach said she’s making college level plays right now.”

This week, Jayda pulled the trigger and committed to the Univ. of Oklahoma.

Not too surprising, as the Sooner coaching staff where at the games we saw in November and there was strong interest from Jayda then.

So what makes her so special?  We asked Texas Glory head man Kevin Shelton for his thoughts on this outstanding freshman… here’s what he wrote:

“Jayda is just a special athlete, one of the most physically gifted players i’ve seen.  Though it is rare, we have had left-handed middles before, so this isn’t new for us.  It can be done and done well.  (e.g. Glory ’07 alum Natalie Villarreal, 2008-'12 at Texas A&M and a two-time Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year).”

“Jayda has tremendous hands, well-developed and elegant footwork and a head and heart for the game.  Seldom have I seen a player with such a complete set of tools.  Both her parents are solid fastpitch coaches and I think that has really helped accelerate her softball IQ.  Jayda just gets it.  The good news is she is young and physically still has plenty of upside.”

“At the plate she can play the short game or hit the ball to all fields.  She can read a defense.  On the bases she is an absolute terror.  Jayda has great speed and her instincts accentuate her aggressive style.  It’s fun to watch.  She’s a very coachable kid and has a thirst for knowledge and desire to keep getting better.”

“As an 8th grader her play helps she fit right in on a field of mature high schoolers.
Jayda also knows how to take her teammates with her on the journey.  She leads through actions and has a strong yet encouraging voice on the field and in the dugout.”

“She is simply just fun to watch and every time I see her play, it puts a smile on my face.”  

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Another outstanding Texas 2020 committed this week in Trinity Cannon, a third baseman for the Firecrackers DFW program, chose to stay in-state and play in the SEC at Texas A&M.

That’s not a surprise to her Firecrackers head coach, Jason Greenwell.

Coach Greenwell told us this week, “Dreams of Texas A&M University softball games have filled Trinity Cannon’s head since she was a little girl.  Her grandfather planted these dreams and watched them grow as he was a ’78 A&M graduate and was always telling her stories about the school.”

“All athletes have stories to share, but the one that I feel defines Trinity as a true athlete and competitor is from when she was only a 10U ball player.  She was playing third base in a tie breaking game for first place and the score was close. A line drive rocketed toward Trinity, hit her square in the eye and dropped her to the ground.”

“This was extraordinary circumstances for Trinity who never let anything put her down. The coaches took her off the field for a couple of plays.  At Trinity’s persistence that she was fine, however, they put her back into the game.  You cannot help but feel awe for someone so young determined to remain in the moment and rise to such challenges.”

“She not only persevered the game, she finished it off with a walk off.   As she and her parents were sitting in the car to leave the fields that night, her mother looked over at Trinity and saw her eye bruised and swollen shut already.  She said her eye hurt and her mother asked her if this was the worst night ever.”

“Once again the signs of a true athlete shined through and Trinity replied, ‘No Mom, it’s like the best night ever!  We won the game.’  That’s when her parents knew she was an athlete, a competitor and this game meant everything to her!”
 
“Having two D1 athletes as parents cultivated a strong work ethic in Trinity.  Her and her parents made the commitment at a young age to travel the country to play the best competition in the country.  Her one goal; to play college softball. With concentrated focus, Trinity has always been developing to be her personal best.”

“She started playing with the Firecrackers at 12 years old and quickly impressed coaches from the Big Ten, Big 12 and the SEC.  Here was a 6th grader hitting home runs in the summer of 2014!  Still just 12 years old, she had the talent and the ability to join the 16U Firecrackers.”

“Later that fall, she hit a 230 foot blast at the Champions Elite Showcase in Atlanta with D1 coaches from all Power 5 conferences in attendance.   But it is not just her bat that makes her a talent.  Defensively, Trinity has terrific footwork, a cannon (no pun intended!) arm and soft hands.”

“She is also an aggressive base-runner who is capable of straight steals, she even did a delayed steal in a 16U game against one of the best teams in the nation. Trinity has deceptive speed for a power hitter. She reminds of me of one of my former players, Taylor Hoagland (Texas and Team USA), who could beat you with her speed, defense and across the ability to hit the ball out of the park!”

“The poise Trinity exudes on the field is an example for even the older girls and is something that is rare to see in one so young playing multiple years up.  Even with being one of the top prospects in the 2020 class, she remains a very humble and great teammate.”

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It was a good week for Oklahoma fans as they not only got a top 2020, but also one of the best 2019’s.

Alycia Flores, an outfielder on the Firecrackers – Brashear 16U team, committed to Oklahoma over offers from schools like Arizona State and Maryland.

She’s the younger sister of Eliyah Flores, a 2017 third baseman/outfielder on the Firecrackers – Rico team and also a Sooner commit.

We spoke to Tony Rico today and he said that Alycia “has unique raw power like Eliyah and is a gritty and tenacious competitor. She’s so strong, she can miss-hit the ball and it still goes over the fence.”

*** Speaking of Sean Brashear’s Firecrackers 16U team, Alycia isn’t the only standout ’19 on the roster.

Here’s a look at some of the standouts who are committed or are being pursued:

•    OF Alycia Flores (Oklahoma)
•    SS/3B Julia Jimenez (Michigan commit)
•    OF/P Jaelyn Operana (Tennessee commit)
•    P Alexa Campbell (offers from Ole Miss, Utah, Maryland among others)
•    MIF/OF Madison Jacobus (offers from Louisville, Utah, Arizona State)

In addition, on the 14U team Coach Brashear coaches with Mark Thornburg, there are also some strong talent including:

•    C Alyssa Garcia (UCLA commit)
•    3B/C Hailey Gallegos (Texas A&M)

*** A quick snapshot of a 2019 who has a chance to make the Hot 100 and is definitely getting college interest:

Name: Kieara Edwards
Class: 2019
Position: Outfield
Team: NJ Intensity 16u Mizuno National Team

Home to First: 2.8 average
Bat Exit Speed: 70
Offer: Liberty University
Unofficial Visits: LSU, Georgia, James Madison
Elite Camps: OnDeck Softball, Mizzou Invitation Only Elite Camp, Purdue, Liberty and Scout Softball
OnDeck Information: All-time Allister Index was a 84.59 which ranked Kieara in the top 91% of all players tested
Interested Colleges: Purdue, JMU, Liberty, UGA, LSU, Towson, Boston College, Memphis State, UCONN, UVA, Pacific, Syracuse, and Mississippi State
Honors: three-sport athlete (basketball, track and softball) and was voted middle school most athletic female
Height: 5-7
GPA: 3.5 in the Biotech Program
Scouting: Kieara has the size, physical skills, mental toughness, passion and intensity for the game. She has good arm strength and throws in the mid-60’s. Her speed translated into 40+ steals last season.  At the DeMarini Invitational last June, she hit .500 with five steals.

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Finally, an update on Bailey Morris, a 2019 catcher/infielder for the Virginia Glory Premier team, continues to see her stock rise.

This fall she played in several showcases including the DeMarini Elite Fall Showcase and Paradise Coast Fastpitch Invitational and hit .438 with 13 RBI and had several schools following her closely.

Syracuse, North Carolina, Maryland and Emory have shown significant interest with Louisville, Purdue, Kentucky and Virginia also attending games to watch her play this fall.

Duke, led by Head Coach Marissa Young, watched her at PGF.

The East Coast standout has been on unofficial visits to North Carolina, Duke, Alabama and Florida where she also attended elite camps.