My Top 10 Pitchers to Watch Right Now

We are now well into the 2017 NCAA Division 1 Softball season, my favorite time of year! I make it a point to always have Watch ESPN handy, whether that’s on TV or on my phone so I can watch as many games as I can. From what I have seen so far, this is going to be a big year for great pitchers, and I can’t wait to watch them all as the season progresses and the competition gets even more fierce! But in the meantime, I have compiled a list of the girls who are, in my opinion, the top ten best pitchers to watch right now! Check them out below, in alphabetical order:

Alexis Osorio – University of Alabama: With a 0.72 ERA, a 13-1 record and a MIND BLOWING 161 strikeouts in only 65 innings pitched, Alexis Osorio is a force to be reckoned with. She’s got great, smooth mechanics (as you can tell from her pretty much textbook power K position in this photo), speed in the mid 60’s and spin like you wouldn’t believe. If any of you know me or have had lessons with me, you’ve probably heard me rant about my love of a good riseball, it was my go-to strikeout pitch throughout my career. Coach Phil and I frequently argue whether or not the drop or the rise is a better strikeout pitch and you know me, I’ll always go for the rise. If you’re looking for a deadly riseball pitcher, you need look no further than Alexis Osorio. It is her primary pitch and it is practically un-hittable. Must be why she’s recorded 18-19 strikeouts in several games earlier this season..

Delanie Gourley – University of Florida: Florida always has a strong program and it always has an incredible pitching staff. If you look at the 2017 stats for their program so far, you’ll notice that every one of their pitchers has a high strikeout count and an ERA below 1.00. They are sure to be a force this season, as they usually are! My favorite pitcher to watch on their staff is Delanie Gourley. She has a 9-1 record and 92 strikeouts, which is fabulous. But what I really love is her mechanics. As you can see in this photo, she’s got wonderful relaxed forearm fire and a full drive-through. It is very difficult to find a pitcher these days who completely utilizes her legs. Mostly you will see pitchers do that sort of “bowling” drive-through where they drive-through part of the way and then kick their leg behind them and up into the air. Not Gourley. She is staying relaxed in her upper body while completely maximizing the power from her legs. Definitely part of the reason she is so successful. She’s also got great movement and off-speed pitches. 

Jessica Burroughs – Florida State University: Jessica Burroughs is a wonder to watch. She has a demeanor on the mound that shows she is not to be messed with. She’s got beautiful mechanics and great forearm fire (as seen in this photo) and it seems the Seminoles can always count on her to get the job done. With a 11-1 record, an ERA of 0.80 and 103 total strikeouts so far, she has definitely been a leader on this team and has helped FSU reach #1 in the NCAA rankings for the first time in program history! Super excited for the program.

Makayla Martin – Auburn University: I know what you’re thinking. You’re looking at this picture and are saying “wait a minute, her glove is too low…she’s leaning forward a little, and her hand is not facing up at the back side of the arm circle.” Good eyes! However what you may not know is that Makayla Martin throws primarily drop balls, so she is frequently in this position, which is great for that pitch. Now, as you know, I will argue that a rise is always more effective than a drop (Coach Phil will say the opposite). However, Makayla Martin may be the one exception to that rule for me. There isn’t really a good enough word to describe her drop ball, it is DEVASTATING. Not only does her ball drop dramatically, but she can change the height and speed of her drop ball, making her completely unpredictable and nearly un-hittable. With a 1.02 ERA and 59 strikeouts, Makayla Martin, along with her also incredible teammate Kaylee Carlson, is making Auburn a force this season.

Maggie Balint – University of Oregon: There is nothing I love more than seeing a freshman come in and dominate. In her first few games of her collegiate career, Maggie recorded record breaking strikeout numbers and has won every game she has pitched so far. At the beginning of the season she held the NCAA record for most strikeouts, and there are a lot of games where you will see her with at least 10 of them! She’s got great, relaxed forearm fire and throws in the upper 60’s. She also has great movement on her pitches, sporting a nasty rise and screwball. With a 1.11 ERA, a 11-0 record and 86 strikeouts (the highest of any pitcher on her team) she is sure to have an amazing career as a Duck!

Matty Moss – University of Tennessee: I could sit here and tell you about Matty Moss’s mechanics and how nice and smooth they are. But that’s not even the thing I love most about her. The reason I love watching Matty Moss is because of her attitude. She is quite possibly the happiest and most positive pitcher I have ever watched, and it is so much fun to see her having such a great time on the mound. She could be in the second inning, with a count of 2-1, with no runners on base in a game of no particular consequence, and you will see her jumping up and down with excitement, giving credit to her fielders and catcher after every pitched strike. She could be losing 10-0 and she will STILL be excited. One of the things I always try to impress upon my young pitchers is the importance of loving what you do and having fun. If you aren’t in love with pitching and you’re not having fun doing it, you’re not going to be successful. With a positive attitude like that, it’s no wonder she’s sporting a 10-0 record with 65 strikeouts!

Megan Good – James Madison University: A few years ago, no one had ever really heard of JMU softball, it really wasn’t on the radar. Well, enter Megan Good. I have rarely seen a prettier power K than the one she is doing in this picture, and the rest of her mechanics are golden as well. With an astounding ERA of 0.23, a record of 14-0 and 126 strikeouts, it’s no wonder the team is doing so well. But wait, there’s more…Megan Good is a double threat, as she is also one of the best hitters on the team, taking charge in the #3 spot. Currently she has a .347 batting average and an amazing .500 slugging percentage. That’s right, she hits bombs! I remember watching her for the first time last year and not only was I amazing by her pitching, but I felt like every time I saw her get up to bat she hit a home run! I will ALWAYS have a soft spot for pitchers who can hit too.

Miranda Elish – University of Oregon: Yet another freshman force who has been dominating on the mound. Miranda was the #1 recruit in the nation for the class of 2016. Oregon, you lucky Ducks! Like her teammate Maggie Balint, Miranda can easily bring the speed, with pitches in the upper 60’s and great movement on the ball as well. She’s got beautiful, simple mechanics that makes her pitches look effortless. Great news! She’s a hitter too. Currently sporting a .333 batting average and training to become an outfielder as well, it’s no wonder she was the #1 recruit in the nation. Between Miranda, Maggie, and sophomore pitcher Megan Kleist, it’s also no wonder that the Ducks are currently boasting an undefeated streak of 24-0, the longest streak in program history! I can’t wait to watch these Oregon pitchers over the next few years.

Sara Groenewegen – University of Minnesota: I have to be honest… Minnesota isn’t a team I used to watch very often. I just never saw them playing any of the top opponents. The other day however, I happened to see that they were playing LSU, so I turned the game on. Man I wish I had watched them a long time ago. Sara Groenewegen may be one of the best and most mechanically sound pitchers I have ever seen. Like Oregon, The Golden Gophers are currently sporting an undefeated record of 18-0, the longest streak in program history and it’s no wonder they have this record with a pitcher like Groenewegen. She’s got an absolutely unbelievable ERA of 0.79, a 9-1 record and 76 strikeouts. We all know that LSU is one of the strongest programs in the NCAA. To watch Groenewegen shut them down and allow so few HITS let alone runs was absolutly astounding. Did I mention she also plays for Team Canada? I will DEFINITELY be watching all of her games this season.

Samantha Show – Texas A&M: Last but certainly not least! We’ve got another double threat here with the Aggies. Samantha Show is an absolutely devastating pitcher, sporting an incredible 0.92 ERA, an 8-1 record and 56 strikeouts. She’s got great speed and movement on all of her pitches and similar to Megan Good of JMU, she can hit some serious bombs. While she’s only got a .283 batting average, you may want to consider her .509 slugging percentage! Incredible. I am frequently scrolling through twitter to keep up with the latest stats and standings, and I feel like there isn’t a day that goes by where I don’t see something along the lines of “Samantha Show hits the game winning, walk off Home Run against (insert literally any team name here)!” So not only can you count on Show to keep you in the game with her pitching, but you should probably assume she’s also going to give you a clutch win with her hitting as well.

So there you have it – My top ten pitchers of the season so far. I’m sure there will be even more amazing performance as the season progresses and I can’t wait to see all of the teams and watch all of the pitching duels. I always tell my students to check out the games if they can so they can watch the accomplished pitchers and learn from them. So be sure to check out these girls if you can! Enjoy!