College softball player gets noticed by MLB

Melissa Mayeux, a freshman from France, has yet to play an official softball game at any level yet she will be the starting shortstop and hit in the middle of the Miami Dade College batting order this season.

Melissa Mayeux, a Miami Dade College freshman from France, recently became the first female player added to MLB’s international registration list.

For example, baseball pitchers throw overhand, use a smaller ball and the distance between the mound and home plate is 60 feet, 6 inches.

Softball pitchers throw underhand, use a bigger ball, and the distance between the mound and home is 43 feet.

“She has to get used to throwing the softball it weighs differently,” said DeAguero, who has never coached a player with Mayeux’s baseball background.

Besides throwing, the other defensive adjustment Mayeux will have to make is to learn to charge the ball more because the distance from home to first base is shorter than in baseball.

Melissa Mayeux, a Miami Dade College freshman from France, recently became the first female player added to MLB’s international registration list.

MDC third baseman Eliza Artiles said Mayeux has made major strides since arriving in Miami this past fall.

“People think that baseball and softball are so similar and playing one or the other should be easy,” Artiles said.