THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,576 MLB PLAYERS | 16,376 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,576 MLB PLAYERS | 16,376 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Sign in Create Account
Sign in Create Account
Tournaments  | Championship | 5/28/2026

ZT Doubles Up at Best of the Best

Hannah Jo Groves
Photo: ZT Elite 14u (Perfect Game)
ZT Run-Rules for First-Ever 14u Best of the Best Championship

The 14U ZT National Prospects sealed their title as the Best of the Best in a run-rule, 10-2 victory over East Cobb Astros 14U.

The championship game was played on the A-Quad of Boombah Sports Complex in Sanford, Florida. After a long, hot weekend, there was some relieving cloud coverage and soft breezes as family members cheered on their kids for the final game of the tournament.



East Cobb struck first, able to come in off a wild pitch. Despite that miscue, ZT showed its defensive strength and fluidity right away with Tucker Richardson making smooth plays at shortstop.

In the bottom of the first, Bryant Ju gave a needed jumpstart to ZT’s offense by blasting a 2-run triple to give his team the lead.

“I was just looking for my pitch and I got behind in the count 1-2,” Ju explained. “I was jumping on the fastball so, I got the fastball and drove it the other way and scored two runs…I was excited…We were down 1-0 at that point, and then, just to take the lead in the championship game - can’t ask for more.”

Ju played first base for the first few innings of the game. He and Richardson continued to work well together on defense through the second inning and catcher Landen Davis showed off his arm to get an East Cobb runner stealing second base - another play that Richardson contributed to. ZT was able to keep East Cobb off the board in the second frame, but East Cobb’s defense did the same to ZT, East Cobb was ending in a scoreless second inning.

ZT was a worthy opponent for this defensive battle, almost turning a double play for the first out of the third, then executing a double play for the final two.

This momentum is what helped ZT run away in the bottom of the third. Mark Thompson hit a nice-looking single, then tournament MVP Chris Cabrera blasted a ball way out to left-center field that brought Thompson across home plate. Cabrera was able to come home on a wild pitch, Fabio Fumai knocked a RBI triple and Micah Delos Reyes lined a RBI double to make the score 6-1 at the end of the third inning.

East Cobb wasn’t done fighting yet, as Whitten Percy singled, Colt Carter walked after a 10-pitch at-bat and Coleman Conner singled to load the bases with one out. Bear Richardson flew out to left field to bring Percy home and add a run to the board. But ZT pitcher Daniel Fernandez shut that momentum down, striking out the next batter to end the frame.

ZT continued to keep the pedal to the metal in the bottom of the fourth - with a lead-off single from Tristan Brown, a ground-rule double from Cabrera and a 2-run single from Davis.

East Cobb came up empty in the top of the fifth, and after a single from ZT’s Kade Valdivia, Brown’s RBI single was enough to seal the run-rule victory.

Right-hander Fernandez got the win - pitching 3 complete innings and striking out 4 with 50 pitches. His fastball topped out at 87 mph and he also showed off a mid-70s curveball in his outing.

ZT’s head coach, Omar Avila, said his message to his guys going in to the championship game was to stay on their toes.

“‘Don’t go through the motions,’” Avila said he told the team. “I think every team’s out here to try to beat us. We’re the number one team in the country for a reason and I think our boys sometimes come in a little flat and they overlook opponents. The main message was to continue to fight and understand that there’s gonna be teams that are gonna try to punch you in the mouth and we gotta continue to punch them back in the mouth.

Ju said that energy was the key to the team’s success this weekend and in the final game.

“At first, we had no energy at the start. We didn’t really start well, but then, these past semis and championship game, we really brought the energy and that’s when we showed what we can do…We got down, then we responded to our adversity.”

A big name to watch coming into the Best of the Best weekend was Cabrera. The tournament MVP, through the whole weekend, had 6 hits, 6 runners batted in and 2 home runs. He said even though he’s been putting in the work preparing for this tournament, everything is silent when he steps into the box.

“In the box, honestly, my mind goes blank. I just hit. I don’t even remember what I say or think…Hitting up with BBCor, pitchers are throwing harder, I was really focused on just hitting the ball hard, hitting through the field. That’s what really helped me out this weekend.”

MVPitcher went to right-hander Mason Pearce, who, through the weekend, pitched 4.1 innings, threw 88 mph and racked up 8 strikeouts. Despite these stats, Pearce said he wasn’t expecting to hear his name called.

“I was just, like, really surprised…I’ve been playing high school ball and my coach, he’s been really helping me getting over the front side and just finishing - making sure I can throw my strikes and command the zone and know what pitch to throw instead of just throwing the ball.”

Even with this MVPitcher award, Pearce said there’s still a couple other things he wants to accomplish this summer.

“I definitely want to get better at throwing all my pitches for strikes. Like, today, I couldn’t throw my changeup or my slider for a strike today, mostly just my fastball, but if I can learn how to do that, big stuff will come.”

Coach Avila mentioned other names that contributed to the team’s success this weekend; guys like Luke Skarda, Eiden OFarrill and John Sundburg. He said he hoped all the members of this team would remember this win throughout the rest of the summer.

“It’s travel ball, like, yes, it’s tough, yes, they’ve been here before but, it’s always work hard and play with heart. You know that at the end of the day, this game is tough and it’s going to continue to be a battle no matter what. If they go through the motions, you won’t go out there and win ball games. This game is about competing and having unselfish at-bats.”

Next up for this 14U ZT National Prospects team, they’ll be traveling back to Irvine, California for the 2026 PG 14U Ultimate Baseball Championship - West, which will be June 12-15.


ZT National Starts Big to Win 13u Best of the Best


The 13U ZT National Prospects had a huge start and a steady pace to outlast DK National 13U 12-5 in the championship.

In an explosive first inning, Christian Cicero took advantage of the bases being loaded with a ground ball to right field for a 2-run single. Lucas Diaz followed suit - blasting a triple to score two more runners. A single from Justin Hinojoza scored one more - and just like that, ZT had already put up 5 runs.

DK National were able to put up a run as Nolan Bingham grounded out to bring Princewill Njoku home - but that was all the offense could muster at that point.

After a scoreless second inning, ZT steadily put up one run in each of the following innings - aside from the top of the seventh, where they put up 3. Highlights of this consistent offense included a RBI singles from Aaron Kim, Lucca Giano and Ethan Palacios and RBI doubles from Palacios and Will Alfredo Arias Vallejo. Hinojoza and Julian Arenas were able to get additional sacrifice runs across the plate.

DK National 13U fought enough to avoid a run-rule victory - putting up a run in the fourth and sixth innings - even putting up 2 before the end of the game in the bottom of the seventh.

But ZT had already put enough distance to seal their Best of the Best championship.

In addition to going 2-3 in the batter’s box, Diaz was also impressive on the mound. In 6.1 innings of work, he threw 89 pitches, struck out 5 batters and only walked 1. His fastball averaged in the low-80s and he mixed in a low-70s curveball as well.

ZT National Director Carlos Avila reflected on the Best of the Best as his teams won 2 out of the 6 age divisions.

“We’re super lucky to be able to be a part of an event with the best teams in the country and be able to push our kids to become the best version of themselves. We feel like iron sharpens iron and to be able to be on the field and compete against these incredible teams is awesome and to be able to end up on top is even greater. We’re excited to be a part of this type of event for the up-and-coming years.

The identity for us is putting kids that are like-minded together to go and compete and grow so that they’re ready to face their next chapter of life… it’s important for us to start getting kids comfortable being uncomfortable at an earlier age so they’re ready for their opportunity.

We want to be able to compete and show people that we have a program that has kids that really have a bright future in their career…the environment that we’ve created has really helped kids blossom and the biggest reason is because of the coaches that we have in this program and the people that are invested in really bringing the best out of these kids. I think that people forget how important coaching is, and that’s something we value and are so appreciative that we have some of the best coaches in the country.”
Give us your feedback
Tournaments | Story | 7/21/2026

15u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 4
Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
15u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 Mason Conner (2029, Palestine, Texas) was a force in the middle-of-the-order for Gold Culture. The right-handed hitter starts from a medium stance with in-line feet and a low handset with a low back elbow, utilizes a negative leg lift stride. Strides through and uncoils the lower half well and creates separation in the back shoulder. Solid hand speed with a flat bat plane and feel to leverage and lift. Impacts the ball well with feel to impact and drive. The shortstop showed the power upside belting a two-run homer over the fence in left field and added a two-RBI knock later in the game. Medium 6-foot, 175-pound frame that was consistently on the barrel and showed a good approach at the plate working two walks. Lennon Dunn (2029, Mansfield, Texas) competed and showed the upside on the mound for Stix 2029 Scout. The right-handed pitcher...
Read More
PG Select Baseball Festival | General | 7/21/2026

13u Select Festival Roster Reveal

Jheremy Brown
Article Image
With the completion of the 2026 13u National Showcase, an event that featured some of the best talent the age group has to offer, 42 players came out with the label of "Festivaler" as they received a phone call shortly after the event concluded. Moving back to the University of Tennessee after a two year stay at the University of Virginia, Ole Rocky Top will see a mixed bag of returners; three-timers, new faces and a couple who bridged the gap from the 11u game into the 13u iteration.  Of the 42 players, 9 players call Florida their home base which is the most of any state while Texas (8), California (7) and Georgia (5) are all close behind nearly three-quarters of the players selected. In total 17 different states are represented, from Hawaii to Arkansas, Washington to Maryland and everywhere in between.  Quick roster breakdown: Three-time Select Festival: 13 players ...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 7/21/2026

16U BCS Rolls into Fort Myers

Alyssa Golden
Article Image
The 21st annual 16U BCS National Championship returns to Fort Myers, Florida from July 23-27, bringing together many of the nation’s top 2028 graduates. The tournament features 44 teams, including six nationally ranked clubs, competing for a national title across five days of high-level competition. Year after year, the event has served as a proving ground for elite talent. Defending champion Showtime Select National 16U returns after capturing last year’s championship, while a talented field from across the country will look to add its name to the event’s prestigious history. One of the premier prospects in the field, shortstop Gabriel Coupet enters as the highest-ranked player in attendance, checking in at No. 49 overall in the Class of 2028 and No. 8 player in Florida. The Boynton Beach, Fla., native has established himself as one of the country’s most talented...
Read More
College | Story | 7/21/2026

Coppy's Corner: July 21 Summer Edition

John Coppolella
Article Image
The amateur players in the Cape Cod Baseball League are the future stars of the 2027 MLB Draft. The league runs from June 13th through August 2nd. Games are played at historic stadiums in Old New England towns. It’s beautiful and charming. Hollywood even made a movie about the Cape Cod League ~25 years ago called Summer Catch. It scored an 8% (!) on Rotten Tomatoes, but, on the plus side, it featured 2001 Jessica Biel in a starring role.  It was so much fun writing Coppy’s Column this spring. My hope is to highlight a pitcher and position player each week from the Cape. And, who knows, maybe somewhere out there Jessica Biel is reading it.    Player of the Week: Coen Niclai – Wareham Gatemen  The Internet tells me that 12 MLB players have come from Alaska, 10 of whom were from Anchorage, and the best of which is Curt Schilling. Niclai, who is also...
Read More
Tournaments | Championship | 7/20/2026

FTB National Completes Elite Run

Kinley Kitchens
Article Image
Championships are never won in a single game. For FTB National 2027, this one has been in the making for years. An 8-0 victory over Team Elite 17U Scout capped off an unforgettable week at the 2026 Perfect Game 17U National Elite Championship, but according to those inside the dugout, the championship was a product of friendships formed long before the tournament ever began. FTB took their first national elite win in team history, giving one of the nation’s top 2027 teams an elite ending to their 17U summer. “This is a homegrown group,” head coach Will Haynie said. “This team has been together for the last four or five years, and I think a lot of them have been together since the Little League World Series when they were 12. It’s been fun, and a nice little cap off to their 17U summer, especially after winning a big event like this.” That chemistry...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 7/20/2026

16u World Series Scout Notes: Days 3-4

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
16u World Series Scout Notes: Days 1-2 Lucas Sullivan (2027, Winder, GA) absolutely shoved in the first round of the playoffs. He racked up a total of 13 strikeouts across his seven inning, complete game shutout performance. Sullivan worked three pitches for strikes with lots of comfort and only allowed two hits. Ran the fastball up to 86 and he got lots of swing and miss on the 11-5 curveball. Mixes speeds well and was electric to watch. Landon King (2028, San Mateo, CA) was just one of the best players on the field the first two rounds of the playoffs. Totaled four hits, two of those were for extra bases and scored three times. Has lightning quick hands in the left-handed batter's box and produced loud contact constantly. Top of the class barrel skills with twitch in the turn.  Jacob Piles (2028, Cape Coral, FL) is hitting an astounding .615 with a pair of doubles in the...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 7/20/2026

15u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 3

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
15u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 ‘29 RHP Bryson Auten (NJ) comes out throwing absolute flames to get out of a jam. Sitting 92-94 & does it with ease. Comes out of the hand well & challenging hitters with the FB. #WWBA @PGMidAtlantic pic.twitter.com/Tf18Rdk4mx — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) July 19, 2026 Bryson Auten (2029, Flemington, N.J.) came in out of the bullpen in a brutal spot and recorded back-to-back strikeouts to get out of it. He would then register another pair of strikeouts in his second inning of work, ending the game going 1 2/3 innings with four strikeouts. The fastball was electric, working at 92-94 and does it super easy, coming out of the hand great. Command was excellent in this outing as well, throwing 70% strikes. It’s a power type arm with advanced arm talent for the age and any time you see 92-94 at a 15u event, it’s notable...
Read More
Tournaments | Championship | 7/20/2026

Legion Captures 16u WWBA West

Emily Hicks
Article Image
After five days of competitive baseball, Legion Baseball emerged as champions at the Perfect Game WWBA Championship, completing an impressive tournament run with a victory over ‘28 San DIego Ghost 10-3 in the championship game at Surprise Stadium.  The tournament brought together talented programs from across the West and beyond, with teams competing in the 15U and 16U divisions. Throughout the week, players showcased their skills in front of coaches, teammates, and families while battling through pool play and the championship bracket for the opportunity to hoist the trophy.  From the opening day of competition, Legion established itself as one of the tournament's top contenders. The club relied on hitting, quality pitching, and consistent defense to navigate a challenging field and earn its place in the championship game.  In the title matchup, Legion received key...
Read More
Draft | Story | 7/20/2026

2026 MLB Draft: Roster Challenge

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
With the 2026 MLB Draft complete, our own draft team put together a fun exercise. Using a snake style draft format, we each had to build a roster using players selected in the 2026 MLB Draft. There was one catch. Each team could select only one player from each of the first 10 rounds, plus one player from Rounds 11-20. You did not have to go in order of each round, meaning you could jump between rounds and pick which players you thought had the most value. Each team installed a different strategy, balancing between star power, positional value, and depth. You tell us, which team do you think has the most talent? Team Albee C: Vahn Lackey, Georgia Tech (1st rd) 1B: Will Adams, Hoover HS (11th rd) MIF: Cole Prosek, Magnolia Heights HS (2nd rd) MIF: Eric Guevara, Auburn (7th rd) 3B: Robert Omidi, Fieldhouse Pirates (8th rd) OF: Kevin Roberts Jr, Jackson Prep HS (4th rd) OF: Alex...
Read More
Press Release | Press Release | 7/20/2026

LGND Becomes Official Glove of PG

Article Image
  667 Progress Way | Sanford, FL 32771 | 319-298-2923 www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   PERFECT GAME PARTNERS WITH MLB SUPERSTAR MOOKIE BETTS, NAMING LGND OFFICIAL GLOVE OF PERFECT GAME   Partnership Officially Kicks Off with LGND Block Party on July 27 in Fullerton, California   Los Angeles, California (Monday, July 20, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced a landmark partnership with Los Angeles Dodgers All-Star and 6-time Gold Glove Award winner Mookie Betts, naming recently-announced LGND Glove the Official Glove of Perfect Game. The collaboration establishes a first-of-its-kind relationship between baseball’s most influential amateur ecosystem and an active MLB superstar at the height of his career. The...
Read More
Loading more articles...
About Perfect Game :: Contact us :: Terms of Use :: Privacy Policy :: Testimonials :: Job Opportunities
Copyright 1994-2026 by Perfect Game. All rights reserved. No portion of this information may be reprinted or reproduced without the written consent of Perfect Game.