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High School  | Rankings | 12/4/2023

Class of 2028 Ranking Movers

Jheremy Brown
Photo: Striker Pence (Perfect Game)
Full Class of 2028 Rankings

“Any time we release an initial ranking for the class coming off of their 13u summers, 2028s in this case, it can’t be overstated enough just how much these are going to change not only by the time they are seniors in high school, but most likely in the next update a mere month or two from now.”

I had the sentence above written as I originally planned on doing this article post-initial release of the ’28 rankings but now post-first update, let’s take a look at some of the risers instead as most of the top-10 remained the same, though there were two new entrants. Along with checking in on the small shakeup within the top-10, we’ll also break down some of the bigger risers within the top-50 of which there was plenty. 



And for those who say “why are you ranking kids so young?”, why not? These players are talented far beyond belief compared to your average 13u player and put in just as much work as the players at the 17u level in terms of training and traveling a summer national circuit, so why not just familiarize yourself with some of these names and track their progress over the next handful of years?

Jump back to the 2020 13u National Showcase, the first time we held the event, and amongst the top graded players you’ll see plenty of familiar names including one of the top prospects in all of baseball in San Diego Padres catching prospect Ethan Salas, one of 5 players who earned a 9 and Carter Smith, a two-time Select Festival alum who recently committed to Michigan for football as a 4-star recruit. 

Undoubtedly things are going to change. Bodies continue to transform, skills are refined, players pop up who are still playing locally, others will inevitably join the class from the 2029 group while others will move up to the 2027 class, should 2024 crop serve as any indication of things to come, as the long-term picture becomes a little clearer. 

The initial rankings drop had a national list of 75 players and has since jumped to 120 names, led by a now three-time Select Festivaler in Dexter McCleon Jr., a top of the class athlete with 6.8 speed, outstanding bat speed and an upper-80s fastball. Luke Esquivel, co-MVP of this year’s 13u Festival and 13u National Pitcher of the Year, and Reggie Marshall are the lone two commitments in the class (Esquivel to LSU, Marshall with Louisville) as they gave their verbal prior to rule change, though come August 1st of 2027 these player’s phones will be ringing off the hook from schools all around the country.

TL;DR: these rankings will change and yes they’re young, but enjoy the talent that’s already been identified following a busy 13u circuit for the Class of 2028.

Joel Vargas, OF, San Diego, Calif.
New Rank: No. 3 | Prior Rank: 16

Vargas quite literally hit his way into the 13u Select Festival this past summer after strong performances on the circuit and 13u National Showcase and nothing has changed since he arrived home from Knoxville. The San Diego native continued to show off a balanced and fluid right-handed stroke, consistently putting the barrel to the baseball and doing so with way more authority than you might think. He’s plenty athletic in the outfield as he moves around with looseness, but there’s no doubting what he’s capable of doing in the batter’s box as we’ve seen over the past year and it’s a big reason for his rise all the way up to No. 3 in the nation. 

Striker Pence, RHP, Corona, Calif.
New Rank: No. 10 | Prior Rank: 15

It’s a smaller jump of just five spots for Pence and though he’s listed as a primary third baseman, the upside on the mound is far too loud to ignore or put on the backburner. Cracking into the top 10, the 6-foot-3 Pence possesses one of the biggest fastballs in the class as he pumped 89 mph this fall, a mark that continues to climb in nearly every outing. Even more scary for opposing hitters is the continued refinement he shows on the mound, pounding the strike zone at a steady clip while mixing in a hard, late biting slider in the upper-70s for whiffs. 

Anthony Huaranga, SS, Nutley, N.J.
New Rank: No. 26 | Prior Rank: 41

Wherever he ends up playing on the diamond -he’s also been up to 83 mph on the mound- it’ll be Huaranga’s left-handed swing that’ll be leading the way at the forefront of his prospect profile. A known name heading into the 14u National All-State Games, the New Jersey native clearly took his game to the next level while in Texas as he couldn’t get out if he tried, sending hard barrels all over the field while collecting a multitude of extra-base hits. The physicality on his 6-foot frame plays as the ball jumps off of the barrel with authority to both gaps while whipping the barrel through the zone with an effortless stroke. 

Drew Jackson, LHP, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
New Rank: No. 31 | Prior Rank: 46

Jackson was a consistent performer on the circuit last summer for the TG DBacks, showing some of the better pitchability and overall feel for spinning the baseball. Jump to this fall however and the velocity is starting to climb from that 81 mph mark to 83 mph pretty steadily, bumping upwards of 85 mph at the National All-State Games. Facing off against a loaded SoCal lineup that was chalk-full of high-end talent, Jackson worked 5 innings, a span in which he struck out 10. There’s no doubting the velocity will continue to climb as he should be sitting in the mid-80s come summertime which’ll pair well with a curveball that has long been a difference maker as he spins it with authority, generating solid shape through the zone. 

Isaias Torres, 3B, Oviedo, Fla.
New Rank: 33 | Prior Rank: HF

Torres launched himself up the rankings with a strong showing this fall, jumping from a High Follow to No. 33 in the country and as he continues to add strength to his long 6-foot-2 frame, it’s a mark that might only continue to jump. Not only does he have the size, but his left-handed swing is already proving to play at a high level as we saw in West Palm during the WWBA Freshman event where he played up an age group and still managed to hit .500 with 6 knocks, one of which was a no-doubt blast to his pull side, helping him gather some of his 10 RBI on the week. He’s also an accomplished arm on the mound, already up to 84 mph with consistent performances across the circuit, making him a true two-way threat this upcoming summer. 

Anthony Frausto III, LHP, New Braunfuls, Texas
New Rank: 44 | Prior Rank: 71

Players develop at different times and that jump, especially in velo on the mound, can come at any moment, something we saw with Frausto during the National All-State Games where he comfortably sat in the 82-85 mph range with his heater from the left side. Of course, a lefty working into the mid-80s at 13 is enough to draw up interest but when you factor in the life, angle and overall ease of the operation, Frausto should continue to put up impressive performance after impressive performance. The jump in velo was a considerable one when you look at his numbers from the 13u National Showcase, but also a testament to the work he’s put in since while also providing some foresight on things to come. 

Sam Smith, OF, Portland, Ore.
New Rank: 47 | Prior Rank: 74

Smith isn’t the most physical of players yet, but given his age, it’s something that’ll certainly come and doesn’t inhibit what he brings to the table already. Jumping up the board roughly 30 spots, the left-handed hitting Smith brings all the components to the table that you look for in a young leadoff hitter, from the foot speed (7.17 60-yard at the 13u National) to the solid bat-to-ball skills, already showing a sound approach while also generating some leverage in his stroke. It's a repeatable swing and he looks to put the ball in play, something he’s done regularly while showing his athleticism to the outfield with sound actions nad a strong arm. 

Liam Skeen, RHP, Big Stone Gap, Va.
New Rank: 48 | Prior Rank: T1000

Skeen doesn’t have nearly the track record like most of the other players within the top-50 and if not for his September outing in Sanford, the top velocity on his profile would’ve read as 67 mph from 2021. That said, it’s safe to say Skeen has developed some since ’21 as the fastball worked comfortably in the 84-86 mph range en route to striking out 8 over a pair of appearances. There’s a lot to like, from the simplicity of his operation to the arm speed and quality shape to the breaker,  and if what he showed in September is a sign of things to come, then he’ll be a name to watch for sure this summer. 
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High School | General | 12/19/2025

Huntington Beach HS World Series Recap
Steve Fiorindo
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MVPitcher: Duncan McLeod The uncommitted junior toed the slab in three of the four games for Team Mick, tossing 3 2/3 innings.  Zero walks, zero hits and 6 punchouts for the lefty who was used both as a starter in the series clinching game 4 and he closed out game 3 on Friday in quick fashion.  McLeod was very efficient as well, needing just 42 pitches over all his outings.  In the game 4 start, over two innings he punched out 3, with one strikeout with all of his offerings.  The mid 80’s fastball regularly played up, set up with efficient use of the secondaries, with the breaking ball 73/74 and fading change-up 72-74.   Owen Bone (2026) at it again... Solo shot in the 5th to tie things up. Back to back days with a home run for Bone. #PGHS pic.twitter.com/2JC9qETI5h — Perfect Game California (@California_PG) December 13, 2025 MV Hitter: ...
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Draft | Story | 12/22/2025

2025 Year in Review: Draft

Isaiah Burrows
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2025 Year in Review: Draft We’ve reached the end of the 2025 calendar year, and while we’ve already jumped in on the 2026 cycle with some of the fall events and post-draft content we’ve had here at Perfect Game, there’s still one more piece on the docket, and that’s the 2025 Year-In-Review piece here from the PG Draft staff.  The 2025 MLB Draft took place in July, when many highly talented players heard their names called and continued their journey through the game to the next level. There’s already been some of those names making noise in the minors and guys who are moving up prospect lists and becoming names to know for MLB fans digging deep into the future of their organizations. While we are going to “close the book” on 2025 with this article, these players still have many years ahead of them, and many blank pages to continue...
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College | Recruiting | 12/22/2025

Recruiting Notebook: December 22

Jheremy Brown
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Lucien Saint Cyr, INF, Class of 2026 Commitment: Bucknell Saint Cyr announced his pledge to Bucknell, giving the Bison an interesting blend of present tools and projection. Saint Cyr stands 6-foot-1 and offers room to fill in his medium frame, profiling in the middle infield defensively. The New York product starts wide at the base in the right-handed box, keeping his hands high behind the ear. He works into a subtle outward step load, firing through a compact barrel that showcases bat speed and gap-to-gap impact. For head coach Scott Heather and Bucknell, they land a high-quality Northeast infielder in the ’26 cycle, adding to a class that takes the quality over quantity approach. Patrick Diaz ('26, NY) 102 EV off the bat. Impact to the pull side. #PGNational @PGMidAtlantic @PG_Uncommitted pic.twitter.com/NN0L3FRdO9 — PG Showcases (@PGShowcases) July 9, 2025 Patrick Diaz,...
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Tournaments | Story | 12/19/2025

13u Tourney All-American Team

Jheremy Brown
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What a year it was in 2025 on the national landscape at the 13u level as Perfect Game continues to expand its reach around the country, providing an even bigger schedule of events coast-to-coast which has allowed players all over show out and gain their deserved recognition. Whether in Texas for the Houston 1000 or the 13u WWBA in West Palm Beach, we saw huge, eye opening performances from the players placed below, knowing that we could EASILY build a third team and likely a fourth without much effort.  As we do every year with this exercise, it's worth pointing out the trickiness of this age group and putting the teams together with the 13u group. While the players are all members of the Class of 2030, some are younger for the grade, which allowed them to play at the 12u level where's it's a smaller field, shorter mound distance and different bats, so we'll separate them out and...
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Tournaments | Story | 12/18/2025

14u Tourney All-American Team

Tyler Russo
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Player of the Year: Asher Williams It was an incredible year for Williams that was rewarded with a trip to the 14U Select Fest, before some more impressive play in the fall. He came to the plate almost 250 times in PG tournaments throughout 2025 and reached base in well over half of them, hitting to a .500 AVG while slugging a 14U circuit best 12 bombs and driving in 113 runs. The numbers on the surface are ridiculous, but when you look at the high-level events he put them up in, it makes it even more impressive. Pitcher of the Year: Tristan Blalock Blalock earns this honor after a dominant 2025 where he struck out 85 batters in just 48.2 innings of work with a minuscule 1.58 ERA. This included several strong performances at many national level tournaments and showcases where he was able to bully some of the best hitters in the country. It’s hard not to fall in love with...
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Draft | Story | 12/18/2025

PG Draft: Gut Feel Guys

Tyler Henninger
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While we are nearing the turn of the calendar to the 2026 year, that means we are just inching closer to the beginning of the season for many high school players and college baseball is on the horizon. We are prepping for a reshuffle of the 2026 MLB Draft Board as well here amongst the PG Draft staff. But before we get to that, we sat down and have each picked a couple of players who are in the mix to get selected in a couple of different buckets.  We have prospects who could go into the Top 30 picks or so, prospects who could be selected in the Top 5 rounds, and prospects who could go inside of the Top 10 rounds. With the draft quite far down the road and a lot of re-shuffling to be done as these players play themselves into certain spots on the draft board, our scouts picked some players who fit into these “buckets” who are gut-feel guys. These are the guys that our PG...
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Tournaments | Story | 12/17/2025

15u Tourney All-American Team

Jason Phillips
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Hitter of the Year: Landon Bonner The 2028 class saw many players from across the country take the next step in their development as they entered the High School ranks. There were huge performances from highly ranked players on the PG circuit as well as some under-the-radar guys who burst onto the scene. Landon Bonner came into Sophomore National as a Top 500 ranked player and after an impressive showing, left with all eyes on him as a rankings riser in the class. The left-handed hitting shortstop from The Colony, Texas, had a summer to remember with All-Tournament Team selections in three of his next four events culminating with a historic performance at the 2025 PG 15U WWBA National Championship. The Hebron High School prep went 20-for-24 in nine games for 5 Star Mafia 15U Black with four homeruns and 12 runs batted in. He also scored 17 runs and finished with a mind-boggling 2.500...
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Tournaments | Story | 12/16/2025

16u Tourney All-American Team

AJ Denny
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Hitter of the Year: Koa Romero is the Hitter of the Year for the 16u group, as he would come to every premier event of the summer and earn All-Tournament honors (Beast of the East, 16/17u WWBA, Jupiter) in every single one. Over 82 plate appearances, Romero would pump ten homeruns with forty two RBI and sixteen walks, good for a .378 average and 1.339 OPS. The performance on volume at the best events of the year pushed Romero over the edge here, as he’d hit a pair of homeruns in Jupiter (one of them at 112 EV) as an underclassmen and collect double digit hits in BOTH WWBA events with a combined six jacks over the two tournaments. It was a summer that combined performance and winning on the biggest stages for Romero. It’s a quiet left-handed swing that packs a punch. He would reap the benefits of his performances, earning a commitment to LSU and jumping to the #74 prospect in...
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College | Recruiting | 12/15/2025

Recruiting Notebook: December 15

John McAdams
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Tucker Rice (27 MS) bumping up to 91; living hi-80s from real fast arm. Good SL @ 77-79 w/ depth & sold w/ intent. Loads of traits & strikes. #WWBA @PG_Uncommitted @PG_DeepSouth pic.twitter.com/DEjFqRcsIY — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) July 6, 2025 Tucker Rice, RHP, Class of 2027 Commitment: Alabama Alabama has continued to stay red hot in the recruiting trail ever since August 1st rolled around on the calendar and have continued to stack major pieces in their ’27 class. They dip into Mississippi to land one of the premier arms and one that’s stood out on the circuit for quite some time. It’s a fast arm and the athleticism certainly shines working down the slope. The velocity has continued to tick up over the last calendar year and reached into the low-90s towards the end of the summer. He’s confident in his changeup and the breaking ball is...
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Tournaments | Story | 12/15/2025

17u Tourney All-American Team

Vincent Cervino
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There’s a lot of talent throughout this 2026 class, filled with the big-name stars, to talent that spreads across the nation. It’s been a lot of fun seeing these prospects grow and develop over the years, from the days of watching some of these guys at the 13/14u days at events on the circuit, to now where they are all graduating seniors in 2026. There’s been new faces who have popped along the way over the years, even in 2026, where some players who were relatively undiscovered, have come out and made a name for themselves with a statement performance. Between the familiar and the new, there’s a lot of names on this list that are going to be quite regularly talked about on the circuit, and for good reason.  Whether it’s PG All-Americans or not, there’s a lot of names with superstar potential at the next level. We’ve got 14 PG All-Americans...
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