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Tournaments  | Story | 11/21/2025

Regional Superlatives: West Coast

Photo: Logan Schimdt (Perfect Game)
Most Likely To Make a Huge Jump in the Rankings in 2026

Julian Garcia, RHP, San Pedro, CA. St. John Bosco HS (2026)
Garcia, a 6-foot-3, 210-pound right-hander, is poised for a significant leap in the 2026 rankings despite coming off an arm injury last season that limited his exposure. His recent performance showcased a fastball that consistently touched 91-93 mph with exceptional riding life, complemented by a mid-70s curveball with spins north of 2800 RPM. The arm action suggests untapped potential, positioning him as a name to watch closely as he continues to refine his command and secondary offerings. Garcia's recent commitment to Long Beach State further underscores his upside, as he fits the mold of a high-ceiling college arm with the tools to ascend rapidly in the prospect hierarchy. -SD

I guess I kinda teased this in the Jupiter preview when I brought up Taden Krogsgaard as a potential breakout guy that gains some helium down at our biggest tournament (WWBA), and it looks like that’s kinda what happened.  He flipped commitments shortly after the event, now committed to UCLA, and it feels like he could really take off once the calendar turns to 2026.  A two way player, he’s really impressed and made strides, especially on the bump.  At The All American scrimmage, it wasn’t great, but you could see the athleticism and projection, and then we saw a little velo jump in scout ball and we could see even more in ‘26.  Currently ranked 47th in the state (after a sizable recent jump), we could see him jumping significantly as the typical athletic So Cal righty that moves well that scouts can dream on. -SF



The buzz around Kensen Johnson started to be heard in the spring of 2025 and continued to grow over the summer.  At 6-foot-4, 180-pounds with room to add and athleticism, Johnson has the frame that scouts drool over.  His performance at the WWBA in Jupiter earned him All-Tournament team honors, collecting five hits in twelve plate appearances with a couple of triples and a game in which he drove in four.  Already hitting 91 on the mound going into his sophomore season at Bonita Vista, along with developing secondary offerings and big-time projection.  Kensen had a recent jump in the rankings and I feel he could go even higher in 2026. -SR

Most Likely To Hit .500 at PG Events in 2026

Evan Thompson, OF, Gilbert, AZ. Casteel HS (2029)
The athletic 6-foot-2, 180-pound outfielder embodies the model of a future star with his sweet left-handed swing and obvious intent at the plate. As the No. 2 overall prospect in-state nationally in the ‘29 class and the top outfield talent in Arizona, his combination of raw power and refined mechanics suggests he’s primed for a breakout 2026, where a .500 batting average isn’t just possible, it’s probable. -SD

Dylan Seward out of Norco High School is probably the chalk pick here, as I have a pretty long history in seeing, going back to 8th grade when he was a bit undersized, but showed a strong foundation of a swing from both sides of the plate.  Since then, he has hit a growth spurt and filled out and has developed in to quite a burner.  Added strength has introduced some power in to the equation as well, but the hit tool has especially blossomed with the maturation.  Benefitting from hitting from both sides, it’s easy to put him as the safest bet to really hit in 2026.  Since I went with the chalk pick here, I’ll throw another, lower ranked guy in to the fold, Joaquin Covarrubias is currently ranked 39th in the state, and has been a guy that consistently performs for me, both at PG events and at Bonita High School.  The total package is very similar to Matthew Acosta (2016, Ayala HS), who was also committed to USC. Both a little on the shorter side at 5-foot-11 and both swinging it from the left side (and both pitch). Both pests in the box at the top of the lineup that regularly work good at bats.  Just a lot of parallels here. In 2025, Covarrubias hit .455 for BPA, and I can see him taking that to another level. -SF

I didn’t have to think long and hard about this one as Joel Vargas has been as steady of a performer in PG events as you will find.  Vargas landed on six All-Tournament teams in 2025, hitting .437 over 34 games played. The WWBA Underclass World Championship in Jupiter was Joel’s most impressive performance, collecting a hit in all six games played, including two-multiple hit games, finishing with a .533 average.  He also hit .500 in the inaugural Pacific Baseball Championship in August. -SR
 
Most Likely To Make a Velo Jump Into the Mid-90s in 2026

Noah Hunter, RHP, Huntington Beach, CA. Edison HS (2026)
Hunter stands out as a prime candidate to elevate his game in 2026. Already touching 93 mph with a fastball that boasts impressive carry, Hunter's projectable 6-foot-3, 185-pound frame suggests untapped potential for velocity gains. His polished mechanics, combined with a slider that tunnels effectively at 84-86 mph and a wipeout changeup, position him as a breakout prospect in the 2026 MLB Draft class. As he continues to refine his delivery and build strength, expect Hunter to not only maintain his current effectiveness but also push into the mid-90’s in the spring when the weather warms up. -SD

Can I say Striker Pence? Probably not, so I’ll go with his high school teammate at Santiago, Ben Lewis. It may not be next year, but there’s more velo to come from the projectable righty, and you could probably say his heater already looks like it’s mid 90s to opposing hitters, as he hides the ball well and shows some invisible traits as it really gets on hitters with quality life. With a lean, 6’2” frame, Lewis has plenty of room to add strength, so we could see some steady increase in velocity going into 2026 for a Santiago team that has a sneaky good rotation (and 'pen). -SF

I’m not going too far out on a limb when taking Eli Herst out of the state of Washington. Standing 6-foot-5, 205-pounds with room to add, the projection is off the table. Herst is a fluid mover with a low effort delivery and has touched 93 at the 17u UBC West in Irvine. He has a compact arm stroke, throwing out of a low ¾ arm slot and creates vertical qualities with the fastball that consistently misses the barrel. A steady velocity increase in the spring will not come as a surprise from the Vandy commit. -SR

Most Likely To Back Up a Breakout in 2025

Daunte Bell II, LHP, Bellflower, CA. Millikan HS (2026)
Bell, a 6-foot-3 projectable left-handed pitcher from Millikan High School, is poised to solidify his breakout 2025 campaign with a combination of elite stuff and projectable arsenal. His 13 strikeout performance we witnessed underscores his ability to dominate at the high school level. Bell's athletic delivery, slight crossfire action, and 91 mph fastball, coupled with his mid-70’s breaking ball, suggest a high ceiling as he continues to add strength. As a recent Houston commit, Bell's rapid rise of 167 spots in the California state rankings position him as a prime candidate to back up his breakout with sustained excellence in 2026. -SD

Logan Schmidt didn’t really ‘Break Out” in 2025, as he’s been a pretty high profile guy for a few years now, winning MVP’s of tournaments going in to his freshman year (UBC West), but that was more of a hitter than an arm, and he really put things in a new gear over the summer of 2025 that now sees him ranked as the top arm in California. After PG National, he went on to dominate in every look, from the All American Game, to the Area Code Games, and then the Champions Cup up at Westmont, he’s been purely dominant. The heater is now up to 97 and he showed the ability to land the secondaries to get whiffs on all offerings. Ganesha will have plenty of scouts in attendance when he’s on the bump, and we are expecting a huge year from the PG All American. -SF

I’m going to go with a pair of High School teammates out of University City in AJ Curry and Jayden Parker. Curry is coming off of a 40 hit junior season that resulted in a .417 batting average. The two-way star is dominant on the mound as well, posting a 1.14 ERA in 2025 over 61+ innings pitched, recording 111 punchouts.  The sky is the limit for the Tennessee commit. Parker is a standout defensive presence at short and a massive threat at the plate. Jayden followed up a big spring season with a strong showing over the summer in Perfect Game events. He has the ability to completely take over games on both sides and watch out when the power potential is unlocked. Big things to come for the Indiana commit. -SR

Most Likely To Lead the Region in Home Runs in 2026

Tyler Spangler, SS, Danville, CA. De La Salle HS (2026)
Spangler stands out as a prime candidate to lead the region in home runs next season due to his combination of size, strength, and swing mechanics. His ultra athletic frame and well-balanced swing allow him to consistently impact the ball, with projections for above-average power as he matures. Spangler’s ability to make quality contact, coupled with his dynamic tools and athleticism, positions him as a formidable presence at the plate. His offensive upside is undeniable, cementing his status as a top prospect in the class. -SD

If my memory serves me correctly (prob 50/50 chance), Chaminade is a very friendly place to hit, especially for lefties with a short porch in left field. Not like he needs a short porch, but it should help Isaiah Hearn out quite a bit, playing half his games there. The PG All American has arguably the most juice from the left side in SoCal, so it’s easy to see big power numbers for the Oregon commit. Opposing pitchers may pitch around him a bit, but that may be a fools errand as he also has the speed to steal bases. So pick your poison, but if they pitch to him, the ball may be leaving the yard. -SF

I didn’t have to do a deep dive for Judah Ota to come to mind. At 6-5, 210-pounds, the left-handed hitter was built in a lab, regularly flashing 100+ exit velo. The Arkansas commit has the strength to go deep to any part of the field and is on the barrel with regularity. The do it all outfielder can hurt you in a variety of ways with superior speed and athleticism to go along with huge power that he is still tapping into and this could be the year we see it all come together. -SR
 

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...
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: ...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Tournaments | Story | 12/13/2025

Finest in the Field: Class of 2029

Tyler Russo
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Finest in the Field: Class of 2026 | Class of 2027 | Class of 2028 These guys might just be entering high school, but they've certainly already made a name for themselves on the national circuit, especially with their abilities on the defensive side of things.  C: Xavier Rodriguez (Logansville, GA) Rodriguez is a polished defender with real arm strength behind the dish, while showcasing the ability to impact the baseball with authority to all fields evident by thirty of his sixty-five hits going for extra-bases including seven bombs. He handles high-level pitching extremely well, commands his staff and his offensive prowess makes him a true two-way asset. 1B: Cooper Knight (Buda, TX) Knight is a smooth operator at first base with plenty of range, fluidity and agility in his footwork around the bag. Add-in a rocket for an arm, the ability to change slots and to...
Tournaments | Story | 12/12/2025

Scout Stories: Part 5

AJ Denny
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Best Game I Saw: The Dream NTL 18U vs. MBA Scout Team Murphy Jupiter always brings out the best, and we got fireworks from the jump. Turner Marshall gave The Dream an outstanding 4+ innings of work on the mound, holding a lethal MBA team at bay with Chance Dixon, Derrick Carter, and Ellis Appling providing an offensive spark out of the gate for the Georgia based boys. However, it was only a matter of time before the talent on the other side got going, as MBA erased a 3-run deficit in the 5th to take a 4-3 lead led by a Parker Loew HR. The Dream then took command again in the Top of the 6th, before MBA punched right back with a huge 5-run inning in the bottom half capped off by a clutch RBI single from Matthew Kerrigan, ending a wild sequence with tons of notable performances from two very competitive rosters. Best Tournament Performance I Saw: Surely someone has already brought this...
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