2029 INF Grace Shafer Turning Heads With Powerful Swing, Big Summer

Sometimes, a player catches your attention before you ever see a stat sheet. That was the case with 2029 infielder Grace Shafer. Scrolling through X one day, a video of Shafer came across my timeline. It lasted only about 20 seconds, but that was plenty of time to make an impression.

The home runs certainly caught my attention, but it was Shafer’s swing that made me stop scrolling. There was strength behind it, but also a smoothness and intent that made me want to learn more about the young infielder. Then I saw what she had been doing this summer.

Playing for Fury Platinum X Helton/Higdon, Grace put together a huge offensive season, batting .471 with a .521 on-base percentage, .835 slugging percentage and 1.356 OPS. She collected 40 hits in 85 at-bats, including 11 doubles, a triple and six home runs, while driving in 24 runs and scoring 22 more.

For Shafer, that power has been something she’s deliberately working to develop. “Working with my hitting coach Coach Matt Helton has really helped me a lot to find my power and hunt pitches earlier in the count,” Shafer said. “I have also gotten a lot stronger and it feels really good to use my strength to my ability.”

Her offensive production is only part of her game.

At 5-foot-8, Shafer plays both middle infield and third base, and some of what she enjoys most about playing defense has little to do with making the highlight-reel play.

“The part of the defensive game that I enjoy the most is being able to back up my pitcher and talking a lot,” Shafer said. “I like the feeling of being in the field with my teammates knowing they have my back and that they are always willing to be there for me.”

Highlights From The Field

Of course, making the play isn’t bad either. “I love how satisfying it is when the hop is perfect on the dirt and I can move smoothly through the ball,” she added. “I like running around and diving for balls as well.”

A competitive spirit from the beginning

Shafer was born in Southern California and lived there until she was around four years old before her family moved south and eventually settled in Georgia. Sports didn’t take long to become part of her life. Shafer began playing softball at seven, but says the competitive streak was already there.

“I’ve always loved sports even before I started softball, so I already had a competitive spirit,” Shafer said. She credits her father and her early rec-ball coaches with helping turn that competitiveness into a love for softball. “All of my rec ball coaches and my Dad really hyped me up and made me feel good about myself,” Shafer said. “So that’s what pushed me to keep going.”

Shafer making the play in the infield

That journey has since introduced Shafer to a long list of coaches she credits with helping shape her game, including coaches from Fury Platinum and her former Georgia Impact program. One, however, holds a particularly important place in her story.

“Someone that really has helped me a lot is Coach Cleghorn who really gave me the opportunity to be the best and grow my skillset,” Shafer said. “He welcomed me to Georgia Impact and really helped me to grow as a player.”

That time with Georgia Impact also produced one of her favorite softball memories.

Shafer traveled back to her birth state of California with the team, and what she remembers most isn’t an individual performance.“The energy everybody had was crazy and we played amazing out there,” Shafer said. “We also bonded as a team out there as well and had fun.”

More than the numbers

That same theme continued this summer after joining Fury Platinum. For all the impressive numbers Shafer accumulated at the plate, when asked about the highlight of her summer, she didn’t mention one of her six home runs. She talked about her teammates.

“Everything this summer has just been amazing to me,” Shafer said. “I love my new team and we love spending time together outside of softball, so we have good chemistry on the field.” Her favorite moment came during the team’s trip to Colorado, where the competition was only part of the experience.

Shafer Mid Swing

“My favorite highlight so far was being in Colorado with everyone and competing hard, but also relaxing some and eating dinner together and swimming at the Gaylord hotel,” she said. It’s a reminder that behind the numbers and the swing that initially caught my attention is still a young player enjoying the experiences that come with the game.

Away from the field, Shafer enjoys spending time with family and friends, shopping and binge-watching movies and television shows. And that competitive streak doesn’t disappear when the softball equipment gets put away — she’ll take on games like pickleball and bowling, too.

On the softball field, though, Shafer admits people might occasionally get the wrong first impression. “I might look mean or cocky on the softball field, but I want people to know that I’m a nice person, that I have a really positive attitude, and I like to joke around with my teammates,” Shafer said.

Her choice of favorite player also happens to be a familiar one to LSU softball fans: former Tigers shortstop Taylor Pleasants.

Shafer with LSU Legend Taylor Pleasants at LSU Experience Camp

And when Shafer steps to the plate herself, Maneater by Nelly Furtado provides the soundtrack. At this stage of her career, there is plenty of softball still ahead for Shafer.

But after a summer in which she hit .471 and continued developing the power in her swing, one thing is already becoming clear. That 20-second video might have been what made me stop scrolling. The player behind the swing gave me plenty of reasons to keep watching.