Softball Top 20 watchlist: Here are key returners to monitor during the 2024 season

Softball is here for schools across the Stanislaus District and the state and there are a lot of players back for more after having productive seasons last year.

Central Catholic won a Valley Oak League title, was a Sac-Joaquin Section Division III finalist and won a D-III Northern California regional championship last season and has a young core that all returns, hungry for more postseason success. Gregori and Enochs made deep playoff runs in 2023 behind outstanding production from two of the best returning pitchers in the section.

Throughout the area are a number of players who worked hard over the offseason to improve and hope to see their production increase in 2024. There are a number of 2023 All-League, All-SJS and All-District players back for another season and some who will grow into new roles this spring.

Here is a list of 20 softball returners to watch for this spring:

Alaina Calvo, Senior, Enochs

Calvo hit an impressive .483 for the Eagles which finished a perfect 15-0 in CCAL play and made a deep playoff push. She was one of the team’s most productive offensive players as a junior, tallying 29 hits, four triples, 19 RBI and scoring 28 runs, finishing in the top three on the team in each category.

Ava Hernandez, Senior, Big Valley Christian

After playing in just 11 games during her junior season due to an injury, Hernandez is primed for a big senior year for the back-to-back Division VII section finalists. An Azusa Pacific University signee, Hernandez finished with six wins and 84 strikeouts in 50.1 innings pitched in 2023.

Ava Montesdeoca, Junior, Ceres

Montesdeoca put up eye-popping numbers in her sophomore campaign for the Bulldogs, batting .605 with 49 hits, 41 runs scored and 24 RBI. She finished the season with 10 doubles, two triples and three home runs. In 2023, she finished 14th in the section in batting average and 11th in runs scored. She helped lead Ceres to the Division II playoffs as a 14-seed where they nearly knocked off St. Mary’s. Montesdeoca is in her third varsity season as a junior.

Emry Couch, Sophomore, Central Catholic

Couch is another member of the Raiders’ young core back for another season. She was a mainstay in the 30-win team’s outfield in her freshman season. Her .379 batting average, 36 hits, 30 runs scored, 23 RBI and four home runs were all top four on the Raiders’ roster in 2023. She had 10 multi-hit games last season.

Jazmarie Roberts, Junior, Central Catholic

Roberts was always getting on base as a sophomore in 2023. She led the Raiders in batting average (.436) and hits (44) and finished tied for the team lead in runs scored (32). She also was second in doubles (13), triples (3), stolen bases (17) and walks (13).

Jordyn Lish, Junior, Beyer

Lish was Beyer’s best offensive player as just a sophomore last season, finishing with a .426 batting average with 26 hits, six doubles, 14 RBI and 18 runs scored. Last season, she was a dominant two-way player, finishing with a 9-3 record and 2.33 ERA in 18 pitching appearances with 140 strikeouts in 105.1 innings pitched.

Kailey Estes, Senior, Gregori

Estes, a Concordia University Irvine commit, was one of the most dangerous pitchers in the state last season. She finished No. 7 in California in total strikeouts (267) and 24th in the state in wins (18). She finished her junior season with a 0.99 ERA, fifth in the section, and led the Jaguars to a 20-win season and a home playoff win over one of the section’s historic programs, Sheldon of Sacramento.

Kharime “Mims” Caratachea, Senior, Ripon

Caratachea last season led Ripon to a TVL title, a top 2 seed in the Division IV section playoffs and a semifinals appearance. The San Francisco State signee collected 10 wins with just one loss in 16 appearances and had a 1.48 ERA. At the plate, she finished with a .395 batting average, second on the team, and had three doubles and a home run.

Kylee Huff, Senior, Gregori

Huff finished her junior season with a .398 batting average, 35 hits, 27 runs scored, eight doubles and five home runs, team highs in each statistical category. She posted career highs across the board last year in her second varsity season and had a seven-game stretch in which she recorded multiple hits.

Macie Vickers, Senior, Escalon

Vickers finished her junior season as one of the section’s best hitters, finishing 15th in batting average (.604), 15th in slugging percentage (1.075) and 10th in on base percentage (.667). The Nebraska signee led the Cougars to the Division IV section playoffs with 32 hits, seven doubles, four home runs and 25 runs scored, all team highs.

Madelynn Flores, Senior, Downey

Flores was the Knights’ offensive leader, batting .524 with 33 hits, seven doubles, three home runs, 21 RBI and scored 16 runs last season in a breakout junior campaign. So far this season, she has led the Knights to their first 3-0 start since 2000.

Madison Babasa, Sophomore, Escalon

A productive freshman for the Cougars last season, Babasa finished second on the team in batting average (.418) and doubles (6) and was tied for first in runs scored with 25. She has already expanded her game as a sophomore, seeing time at pitcher and earning a win.

Madison Harrison, Sophomore, Central Catholic

Harrison showed some power as a freshman for the Raiders, driving in a team-high 35 runs and finishing second on the team with five home runs. She also added nine doubles. She blasted a three-run homer in the Northern California Division III regional semifinals on the road to help the Raiders secure a NorCal title last season. She’s also as solid as they come as a catcher and one of the leaders of a very skilled defense.

Maya Guzman, Sophomore, Riverbank

Guzman hit the ground running as a freshman on the varsity squad last season, helping Riverbank reach its first section title game since 1983. She finished 11th in the section in stolen bases (25) and led the Bruins in nearly every offensive category, hitting .500 with 36 hits, 21 RBI, 34 runs scored, four triples and three home runs. Her nine doubles were good for second on the team.

Morgan Merzon, Junior, Big Valley Christian

Merzon was one of the area’s best sophomores last season as a starting outfielder at Oakdale. She finished with 25 RBI, 22 hits with five doubles, four home runs and 19 runs scored. In her best stretch during the 2023 season, she recorded seven hits with 11 RBI in three games. When she becomes eligible in early April after her transfer to Big Valley Christian, Merzon will be ready to help the Lions attempt to reach their third straight section title game.

Natalie Camarena, Senior, Enochs

A Cal Poly signee, Camarena went a perfect 15-0 last season with a 1.30 ERA in 20 appearances for the Eagles, who went perfect in the CCAL, 20-3 overall and made it to the second round of the Division I section playoffs. At the plate, she led the team in batting average (.516), RBI (25) and doubles (9) while finishing second in hits and home runs.

Presley Barnes, Senior, Oakdale

Barnes caught for a Division I pitcher last season at Oakdale and this year, she will catch for another. She was one of the best at the position in the area defensively and on offense she hit .551 for the Division III section semifinalists. The Pacific signee finished ninth in the section in RBI (42) and led the Mustangs in hits (49) and doubles (9) and finished tied for the team lead in home runs (5).

Raegen Everett, Senior, Oakdale

With the graduation of her older sister, current Mississippi State pitcher Delainey Everett, who was a senior last year Raegen, a UC Riverside commit, is ready to take over as the Mustangs’ ace. As a junior, Raegen pitched and played in the infield. She went 3-1 with a 1.08 ERA in 16 appearances in the circle, good for 10th in the section. At the plate, she tallied 20 hits, 14 RBI and tied for the team lead in home runs (5).

Rylee Reeves, Senior, Pitman

Reeves is primed for a big season with the Pride as the team’s best returning offensive player. The UC Davis signee helped lead the team to the postseason with 32 hits, 29 RBI and two triples, all team highs. She finished second on the team with a .485 batting average, 11 walks and four home runs.

Taryn Calderon, Junior, Central Catholic

Calderon was one of the Raiders’ most productive offensive players in her sophomore season. She was second on the team in batting average (.393) and hits (42). Her 32 runs scored, 14 doubles and 22 stolen bases were all team-highs. She came up big for the team many times, including hitting one of her two home runs last year in a win over Oakdale to secure a VOL title. She also had two doubles and three RBI in the Division III NorCal title game to help the Raiders secure a championship.

▪ Did we miss someone? Let us know about softball players ready for big seasons at qhamilton@modbee.com.