EMERSON, Ga. – The second annual WWBA Freshman World Championship will take over Perfect Game Park South at LakePoint for the first time in it’s youthful history at conclude LakePoint’s busy inaugural year. The tournament will kick off Friday morning and conclude Sunday evening with the championship game.
The brand new state-of-the-art Perfect Game Park South at LakePoint will be the site for all tournament games and will play host to 32 travel baseball teams hailing from 12 different states and Puerto Rico. The 32 teams are split up into eight pools of four teams, with the winner of each pool advancing to the playoffs starting Sunday morning.
Chain Baseball, home to last year’s WWBA Freshman World Championship winners, Chain Stealth, return with three teams in an effort to defend the title. One of the club’s teams, Chain Black, brings right-handed pitcher Gavin Bloodworth (2018) who topped out at 85 mph at a Perfect Game event this summer.
Other teams to watch out for include Hardknox Baseball, whose Hardknox Orioles finished in third place at the 13u Perfect Game/East Cobb Invitational in June, and CBA Copperheads Elite 14u, winners of the WWBA 14u Labor Day at LakePoint.
Perhaps the most electric 2018 arm attending the tournament is Jack Carey, a right-handed pitcher who was seen up to 89 mph in three innings of work this past weekend at the WWBA Underclass World Championship as a member of Farrah Scout. Carey will be on the Tri-State Arsenal Showcase 1 at the Freshman World Championship.
The Texas Athletics boast another excellent right-handed arm in Albert Gonzalez (2018), who was seen up to 84 mph in July. He made the West Memorial Day Classic All-Tournament team in May as a hitter, going 6-for-10 with two doubles and a pair of RBI, making him an interesting potential two-way prospect to watch.
Jeremiah Jackson will be one of the more interesting position players to keep an eye on at the Freshman World Championship, covering the shortstop position for Team Elite Prime. Jackson was named to the 14u BCS Finals All-Tournament team as a pitcher and a hitter. The primary shortstop went 11-for-21 with five doubles, two triples, a home run, 10 RBI, and eight runs. From the mound, Jackson threw 7.2 innings and gave up one earned run on one hit, while striking out 10. He should be an exciting player to watch in the future.
So Cal NTT brings an interesting shortstop prospect of its own to the tournament this weekend in Chase Wilkerson. The 2018 middle infielder was named to a pair of All-Tournament teams this summer. He made the WWBA 14u National Championship All-Tournament team and the 14u Perfect Game/East Cobb Invitational All-Tournament team.
Jacob Steinberg, a 2018 outfielder with the Diamond Skills Dodgers, may be the most intriguing outfield prospect attending the Freshman World Championship. As a member of Dig In Baseball, Steinberg made the 14u Perfect Game World Series All-Tournament team after a 9-for-20 performance at the plate with a pair of doubles, three RBI, and eight runs scored.
The Freshman World Championship is a great opportunity for scouts to get an early glance at future prospects and discover talent that may not yet be on the radar.
Ten players in the 2017 class that attended last year’s Freshman World Championship have committed to Division I schools, including four in the Top 50 in Ronald Washington (No. 1), Mark Vientos (No. 8), Tyler Ahearn (No. 18), and Joe Lancellotti (No. 40).