Freshman Star Kai Minor is Thriving as Oklahoma's Leadoff Hitter

NORMAN — A pair of OU freshmen are leading the way.

Kendall Wells is hurtling toward virtually every home run record in her first year as a Sooner, but lately she’s enjoyed batting in classmate Kai Minor.

Minor entered the weekend leading the team in batting average (.490), which ranks 14th nationally, and she was moved up to Oklahoma’s leadoff spot in the series finale against LSU.

After a 3-for-3 showing in a 10-2 win over Kentucky on Thursday, which included three RBIs and a walk, Minor is hitting 5-for-10 with two walks in the last three games at the top of the lineup.

"She just makes things really simple. She just has a really good eye at the plate,” OU coach Patty Gasso said.

Perhaps the biggest asset to Minor’s offensive game is that she can hurt teams in every way imaginable.

She started Thursday’s contest off with a walk, which led to another Wells home run.

Her next two at-bats saw her drive in three total runs for the No. 3 Sooners, then she reached in the fifth inning by legging out an infield single. Two batters later, she scored the game-ending run.

“She has a very short path to the ball and it's very quick, so she hits hard ground balls. As soon as that shortstop takes one step back, she's on,” Gasso said.

“She knows how to get on in a lot of different ways. And when she gets on, we can run right away. So it's like an automatic double when she gets on, whether she's on first or not, we can run with her so she's just free and just really having a great time in the leadoff."

Minor has also blasted six home runs in 2026, though she didn’t take Kentucky deep on Thursday.

Even with the lineup tweak, the freshman has been able to keep things simple.

"Honestly, I'm just keeping the same mindset wherever I'm hitting, wherever I am in the lineup. Whether I'm hitting first or hitting second,” Minor said.

Oklahoma Sooners, Kai Minor — Oklahoma outfielder Kai Minor sprints home against Sam Houston. | Carson Field, Sooners On SI

Minor and Wells were both rated at the top of their respective positions coming out of high school, so success was expected.

But the Sooners returned key pieces from the most explosive offense in the country a year ago, and the new faces are setting the tone.

Minor’s Thursday efforts will see her continue to shoot up the national rankings in batting average, and she’s an excellent defender in center field.

Wells already owns the SEC single-season home run record, and she’s now two long balls away from tying the NCAA freshman home run record after 39 games.

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"They're just poised in the box. They don't look like freshmen,” OU junior Kasidi Pickering said.

“Even Kai’s leadoff walk was huge, just seeing pitches, passing the bat to Kendall knowing she can hit the home runs if needed and that’s just an extra RBI if Kai gets on. I think they have a very senior approach, kind of like a veteran approach.”

As always, Gasso has plenty of options when putting together her lineup. But the way things are going right now, there’s no reason to see the freshman duo move out of the top two spots.

“Kai Minor has really done a great job in the leadoff,” Gasso said.