Gophers scored slugging catcher Taylor Krapf from transfer portal to power NCAA hopes

Taylor Krapf was a freshman at Hagerty High School in her hometown of Oviedo, Fla., when she made a verbal commitment to play softball for Duke.

This was during the 2017-18 school year, before the NCAA made a change in April 2018, seriously limiting the outreach by softball coaches prior to the summer before a recruit's junior year in high school.

"I think that was a good rule change," Krapf said. "When you're a freshman, you're excited to be recruited by a school with a great reputation. It's too early and you're too immature to understand if it's going to be the best situation for you."

Thus, while fans of college sports have a tendency to lament the NCAA's transfer portal when it allows talented athletes suddenly to leave their favorite teams, the true bottom line is what it can mean for athletes such as Taylor Krapf.

"Entering the transfer portal was best for my mental state," Krapf said. "I was looking for a better environment — not for everyone but for me. I was looking for an opportunity that I didn't feel like I got at Duke."

Krapf is an outstanding student. Was it tough to leave a school with Duke's academic reputation?

"It's an outstanding university," Krapf said. "I also know the academics here at Minnesota will take me where I want to go in life."

Two sophomore catchers, Francesca Frelick and Kelly Torres, played ahead of Krapf in her freshman season at Duke. And coach Marissa Young's recruits for 2023 included Kairi Rodriguez, another top catching prospect.

"I entered the transfer portal last October," Krapf said. "There was an email address included. So, I put the email alert on my phone and waited. There were quite a few responses."

She was looking for proper academics, a strong softball program and "a team that didn't have five catchers," she added with a slight laugh.

"I took four visits, but once I came to Minnesota, I basically knew this was where I would go," Krapf said. "Just meeting the coaches and players, I could feel a family vibe."

Krapf came with strong recommendation from T.J. Goelz, the manager of the Tampa Mustangs, a national traveling team for which she was a catcher.

"I told the coaches at Minnesota that Taylor would hit 10 to 15 home runs, bat .350 and have 40 RBIs," Goelz said this week. "I wasn't too far off, was I?"

No, he wasn't. Krapf has started all 54 games, batting .354 with 14 home runs and 47 RBI. She leads the Gophers in those main categories. She has only 18 strikeouts in 147 at-bats. And, if you're into OPS: 1.163.

"Taylor became dedicated to weightlifting,'' Goelz said. "She kept getting stronger. Those 220-foot drives we saw when she was a sophomore … they became 260-footers.''

Krapf committed to the Gophers in early December and enrolled in January. All the promise she showed as an honored high school player and national recruit that was lost seeing limited action at Duke has exploded as a Minnesota sophomore.

Krapf went to Winter Springs High School for her last two school years. By then, she was hard into weight training as well as softball.

"I started as a high school freshman, but I wasn't good at it," Krapf said. "There were no big lifts then. I became more motivated. Weightlifting is very competitive in Florida, and I wound up finishing sixth in the state as a senior.

"It was a real advantage for me when I got to college. All the major college programs have an intense weight training program, and a lot of freshmen don't have experience with that.

"Me … I love it. I came prepared for the weight training side of things."

Krapf also enjoys the catching side of things — particularly in concert with a pitcher such as Autumn Pease, the Gophers' fifth-year senior who emerged as the Big Ten Pitcher of the Year.

"When she's dominating, Autumn makes hitters look silly … which is fun when you're the catcher," Krapf said. "I don't know if catchers in softball get the same appreciation as in baseball. I think it's just as difficult. It takes a lot of commitment and different skills.

"For instance, my throwing was good, but my transfer wasn't quick enough. Coach O [assistant Bailey Oetting] helped smooth out that and other things behind the plate.''

Krapf became the catcher on the 18-player All-Big Ten team. The Gophers (37-17) are headed to Seattle, where the powerful Washington Huskies will be hosting a four-team NCAA regional that starts Friday.

Duke (45-10) isn't complaining either. It's seeded No. 8 in the tournament and will be hosting a regional this week.

See, everybody's happy, so chalk up another win for the transfer portal.