As high school baseball is starting to get going across the country in most regions, with some states actually heading into the playoffs, it all means the summer circuit is right around the corner. Over the past several weeks we have taken a look at the top-ranked players at each position, in each class, while also taking a look at some gut-feel players that could be big risers. With players having more access to individual development, things will undoubtably change at a rapid pace in the early months of the Perfect Game schedule. This provides a good look at some of the top performers coming into 2021 who look primed to continue dominance or make their mark on a national level.
Class of 2022: Catchers | Corner Infield | Middle Infield | Outfielders | RHP | LHP
Class of 2023: Catchers | Corner Infield | Middle Infield | Outfielders | RHP | LHP
Class of 2024: Catchers | Corner Infield | Middle Infield | Outfielders | RHP
Class of 2025: Catchers | Corner Infield | Middle Infield | Outfielders | RHP
Jackson Sanders (Ala.)
6-3/170
Commitment: Auburn
PG Events: 16
Key Stats: 24 1/3 innings pitched, 32 strikeouts, 1.60 WHIP
Short Story: Sanders is at the top of the rankings for good reasons as the ultra-projectable lefty has already been up to 91 mph with his fastball and a wipeout breaking ball that racks up swings and misses.
Big Moment: The 2020 14U Battle of The Southeast would be considered Sanders’ coming out party, as he ran his fastball up to 88 mph in his first PG event. The young left-hander’s velocity would give us glimpses throughout the summer and put together all-tournament honors at various national events along the way, ultimately leading to a 2020 Select Festival invitation where he ran his fastball up to 91 mph.
Bold Prediction: As with any young pitching prospect who throws as hard as Sanders’ does already, it comes with some command issues. Look for the Auburn commit to harness his lighting quick arm and power breaking ball this summer, only furthering himself from the pack at the top of the rankings.
Blake Larson (Iowa)
6-2/170
Commitment: TCU
PG Events: 12
Key Stats: 30 innings pitched, 64 strikeouts, 1.70 WHIP
Short Story: Near limitless projection with long levers and plenty of room to continue adding strength. The 6-foot-2, 170-pound lefty has a full starter's arsenal already with a fastball that has been up to 89 mph and a pair of secondary offerings that will only continue to get better as the young prospect matures.
Big Moment: Pinpointing one specific moment over the course of Larson’s PG career may be tough, as the young left-hander has performed extremely well throughout. We will go with his performance at the 2020 14U National Showcase, where the velocity and ease in which he produces was noticeable to our scouting staff. Advancements in his secondary offerings were something we had hoped to see, leading to his invitation to the 2020 Select Festival in Oklahoma.
Bold Prediction: The velocity has already taken steps forward in 2021, as the TCU commit has touched 89 mph this spring. Look for Larson to continue refining his breaking ball and take the next step in cementing his place amongst the top of the class.
Coleman Mayfield (Okla.)
6-3/168
Commitment: Oklahoma State
PG Events: 9
Key Stats: 15 innings pitched, 30 strikeouts, .60 WHIP in ’20
Short Story: Mayfield oozes projection and upside, as he comes in at 6-foot-3, 168 pounds already. The long, lean lefty comes at you from a tough angle and has already been into the mid-80s with his fastball. A developing breaking ball and firm changeup complete the Oklahoma State commit's three-pitch arsenal.
Big Moment: Mayfield was dominant at the 2020 14U WWBA National Championship, as he racked up 19 strikeouts over the course of his 9 1/3 shutout innings. He eventually took home MV-Pitcher honors for his performance in the event that his USA Prime National squad won. The culmination came when Mayfield was selected to participate in the 2020 14U Select Festival game in Oklahoma this past September.
Bold Prediction: Look for Mayfield to take the next step from a velocity perspective, as the young left-hander has assuredly added strength since our last look. The added velocity will only expand his already-immense prospect profile, as he looks to move up in the rankings.
Drew Sofield (Ga.)
6-1/180
Uncommitted
PG Events: 53
Key Stats: 105 innings pitched, 141 strikeouts, 1.20 WHIP
Short Story: The young left-hander is strongly built at 6-foot-1, 180 pounds and has already been up to 87 mph with his fastball. Add in good command to both sides of the plate and a swing-and-miss breaking ball, and you get one of the more polished young arms within the class.
Big Moment: Sofield has performed well in almost every event he has participated in, as he has amassed 105 innings in his PG career, struck out 141 hitters along the way and garnered 20 all-tournament team selections. Pinpointing one specific moment would bode difficult, as he has been extremely consistent and steady on the mound for a long time.
Bold Prediction: Look for Sofield to continue adding velocity, as the young left-hander continues to mature. The addition of a third pitch will only expand his already-impressive repertoire. The additional velocity and addition of a third pitch will allow Sofield to continue ascending up the rankings.
Boston Bateman (Calif.)
6-5/230
Uncommitted
PG Events: 8
Key Stats: 86 mph FB
Short Story: Bateman is a physical 6-foot-5, 230-pound lefty that oozes projection and long-term upside as he has a limited amount of appearances on the mound thus far. His fastball has already been up to 86 mph and flashes two potential secondary offerings that will only continue to improve.
Big Moment: Known more for his bat prior, Bateman was impressive on the mound at the 2020 14U National Showcase. The massively-framed young left-hander created tons of downhill plane from a simple, easy delivery and showcased a three-pitch mix that will only continue to get better as he pitches more frequently.
Bold Prediction: Look for Bateman’s pitching profile to skyrocket as he starts to accumulate more innings. The loose, low effort delivery bodes well for future velocity spikes and there is no telling how high he may climb should that be the case.
Drake Purvis (N.C.)
6-0/186
Commitment: Miami
PG Events: 12
Key Stats: 44 innings pitched, 71 strikeouts, 1.45 WHIP
Short Story: Purvis is about as steady as a young left-hander could be, as he performs seemingly every time out. The looseness of his arm stroke and ability to change speeds is what stands out here, as Purvis sequences his full mix effectively. The fastball has been up to 87 mph, so there is plenty of firmness to it already and should only continue to rise.
Big Moment: As mentioned above, Purvis has consistently performed at seemingly every event he has participated in. He took home MV-Pitcher honors at the 2020 PG Freshman Coastal Championship this past October. The lefty punched out 12 hitters throughout his five innings of one-run ball.
Bold Prediction: The University of Miami commit will surely continue to add velocity as he continues to physically mature. Look for him to harness his command a little better, while adding the aforementioned velocity as he takes the next step in his development.
Talan Bell (Fla.)
5-10/150
Commitment: Florida State
PG Events: 31
Key Stats: 45 2/3 innings pitched, 62 strikeouts, 86 MPH FB
Short Story: The ease in which the long, lean lefty goes about his business is what stands out presently. Already up to 86 mph with plenty of looseness to his arm stroke, the Florida State commit pairs it with a well-tunneled slider for a devastating two-pitch mix. The arsenal will only continue to get better as the young left-hander has plenty of time and room to add strength.
Big Moment: The fall of 2020 is where the velocity started to tick up for the young 2024 grad, as he ran his fastball into the mid-80s at a trio of WWBA World Championship events. It gave our scouting staff a glimpse of what could be in his future and left us yearning for additional looks this summer.
Bold Prediction: Look for the talented lefty to take the next step and truly harness his arsenal by limiting the walks. The components are there If he can truly harness his fastball/slider combination, expect an upward arrow to be attached to his name.
Bryce Navarre (Texas)
6-1/165
Commitment: LSU
PG Events: 10
Key Stats: 21 1/3 innings pitched, 17 strikeouts; Ultra-projectable frame
Short Story: Navarre is a high-upside left-hander with a clean operation, loads of projection remaining and good feel of how to spin the baseball. Has two-way potential with offensive prowess and more velocity in the tank.
Big Moment: The LSU commit gave us a glimpse into the future at the 2020 14U Sunshine South Showcase, where he was named to the Top Prospect List. The young left-hander ran his fastball up to 84 mph at the event, while flashing a potential swing-and-miss breaking ball and an intriguing bat speed/power combination at the plate. He continued to perform well on the big stage, as he garnered all-tournament honors at the 14U National Elite and 14U WWBA World Championship.
Bold Prediction: Look for Navarre to take the next step on the mound, as he continues to progress on the mound, adding more velocity along the way to pair with his sharp-biting curveball.
Justin Cuellar (Calif.)
6-1/180
Uncommitted
PG Events: 4
Key Stats: 22 1/3 innings pitched, 28 strikeouts, 1.61 WHIP
Short Story: Cuellar is a young, immensely-talented left-hander with a true three-pitch mix and plenty of room to continue growing. Fastball has already been up to 87 mph with plenty of projection for more long-term, add-in good feel for spin and a developing third pitch, and you have one of the higher upsides within the class.
Big Moment: The 2020 14U President’s Day Classic in Irvine, Calif. was Cuellar’s first PG appearance, and put our entire scouting staff on notice as the young left-hander ran his fastball up to 87 mph and flashed two potential swing-and-miss secondary offerings. Cuellar allowed just one run throughout his three innings and punched out five batters along the way.
Bold Prediction: Look for Cuellar to show up on the biggest stage sometime this summer and show everyone in attendance the aforementioned upside I mentioned above. Assuredly will continue to add more velocity as he continues to mature, while refining the secondary offerings as they become true weapons to complete his full repertoire.
Matt Hoag (Fla.)
6-3/175
Commitment: Duke
PG Events: 33
Key Stats: 107 1/3 innings pitched, 140 strikeouts, 1.31 WHIP
Short Story: Hoag is a proficient strike thrower with a long track record of success in PG Events. His 6-foot-3, 175-pound frame can certainly hold more strength long-term and the velocity has steadily improved each time out. A true three-pitch mix and a fastball in the mid-80s already makes Hoag one of the more refined and polished lefties in the class.
Big Moment: The Duke commit has been a steady, consistent performer throughout his entire PG career, so pinpointing one specific event may be difficult. The fastball velocity has continued to uptick at every stop. The projectable frame, the impeccable command, and overall pitchabiity is what stands out for the young 2024 grad.
Bold Prediction: The velocity jumps significantly, to go along with the aforementioned plus command and feel for three pitches. The additional velocity allows him to begin his upward ascent and he stakes his claim as one of the best within the class.
Gut Feel Risers/Name to Know
Ryan Ashford (Fla.)
The large-framed left-hander creates a tough angle for opposing hitters and will only continue adding strength to his 6-foot-2, 175-pound frame. Look for the velocity to spike significantly this summer as he looks to move up the rankings.
Cole Lanford (N.C.)
Lanford is another ultra-projectable arm that has already made his commitment. The North Carolina State commit is a confident strike thrower with good feel for his entire three-pitch mix. Will continue to add velocity as he matures and possesses big-time upside on the mound.
Michael Quedens (Calif.)
Legitimate two-way potential with physical upside and plenty of projection remaining. Shows feel for true three-pitch mix on the mound and offensive prowess that will continue to improve as he adds strength.
Brevin Bezick (N.J)
Bezick is a physically-advanced left-hander with long-term two-way potential and pitchability. The velocity will continue to rise as he smooths out his delivery, as he already possesses the ability to spin the baseball and confidently pound the zone.
Taft Middleton (Ga.)
Talented lefty that is only going to get better as he adds more velocity. Consummate strike thrower with good command of the strike zone and feel for spin. Look for him to take the next step once the velocity continues to rise.
Michael Lejeune (Wash.)
Talented Pacific Northwest arm from a storied high school program. Uber-projectable left-hander with long levers and loads of physical projection. Feel for spin and pitchability will not be an issue for the youngster and he will only get better as he adds more velocity.
Tague Davis (Pa.)
Immensely talented lefty that is only scratching the surface from a projection standpoint. Velocity has ticked up into the mid-80s this year, as he has noticeably added strength. Creates tough angle for opposing hitters and already possesses a true swing-and-miss offering with his replicated changeup.