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General  | General | 5/18/2005

What Happened to Brett Jacobson?

Brett Jacobson and the PG Predraft

Once we learned that Brett Jacobson's high school team had lost their playoff game, we asked him if he wanted to pitch in the PG Predraft. We've always liked Brett and had come to realize he comes on very strong later in the year. Perfect Game's Kirk Gardner (Wisconsin Blazers coach) told him we could get him in. Last year he attended the PG National at Tropicana field in June. He also played for Gardner's Blazer team in the PG/BA World Championships.

June - Here is our report on him from the PG National:

Brett Jacobson is a tall lean MLB bodied RHP from Carefree, AZ. Jacobson is a 6-6 right hander with a young body and a present 90 mph fastball. His delivery and arm action are clean and he's just going to keep improving. He is very athletic to go with his extremely projectable body. He ran a fast 6.85 60 to show that athleticism. He also can swing the bat. He has nice balanced mechanics and a live fast arm. His CB was good in the mid 70s and he showed a slider in the upper 70s. He also turned over a couple nice change ups. He's a fairly sure shot to end up throwing mid 90s or even higher. Jacobson could move way up the prospect lists quickly over the next few months. Possible high draft pick and highest caliber college pitcher. Brett is an excellent student.

Jacobson threw very well and we strongly considered selecting him to the AFLAC All American Classic. Looking at him later in the year, it became obvious that we probably should have selected him.

October - The PG/BA WWBA World Championship

Moving forward to the PG/BA WWBA World Championships, Jacobson pitching for the Wisconsin Blazers went head to head with the Dallas Panthers. The Panthers had several highest level prospects including AFLAC All Americans like Ben Booker and Ryan DeLaughter. This time we saw Jacobson at his best, mowing down the hitters with a 93 mph fastball (touching 94) and very good breaking ball. He was getting a real good downward angle on his fastball and showed nice smooth mechanics.

I sat there with a MLB Scouting Director talking about some of the top pitching prospects at the event. Here's a few of the many outstanding pitchers at that event.

Zach Putnam (MI), Buster Posey (GA), Mike Bowden (IL), Bradley Clark (FL), Brandon Erbe (MD), Kyle Hancock (TX), Jeremy Hellickson (IA), Tyler Herron (FL), Shooter Hunt (NJ), Jeff Lyman (CA), Thomas Mendoza (FL), Matt Olson (VA), David Phelps (MO), Iain Sebastian (GA), Scott Taylor (VA), Chris Volstad (FL), Josh Wall (LA), David Duncan (OH), Wade Miley (LA), Travis Wood (AR), and many more. Top underclassmen like Kyle Drabek (TX), Dellin Betances (NY), Ryan Jenkins (TX), Josh Thrailkill (NC), Gavin Brooks (CA), Clayton Kershaw (TX), Kasey Kiker (AL), Corey Rasmus (AL), Aaron Miller (TX), and many other highly regarded pitching prospects.

The Scouting Director and I agreed that Brett Jacobson was one of the better prospects in the entire event. Very much a potential early pick.

This Year

Jacobson plays basketball and started the high school season behind most top rated pitchers as far as conditioning. Early on he was not as sharp as he was late last year. He was scheduled to pitch the next game after his high school team was beat out. We didn't expect Brett to travel to Cedar Rapids Iowa on such short notice, but we felt it might help him if he did.

Here was the plan:

Jacobson, being the competitor he is, booked a flight to Cedar Rapids. For those that have flown to Cedar Rapids, you know this is not an easy or cheap flight. Jacobson's schedule was set up to fly into Cedar Rapids arriving at approximately 3PM. Then rush directly to the Ball Park and get ready to pitch. We scheduled his appearance for 4PM. Once done pitching he was to rush to the airport and catch the 5:30PM flight back to Arizona so he wouldn't miss another day of school. We really thought twice about the difficulty of someone flying all day, jumping off the plane, pitching in front of a hundred or so highest level scouts, and rushing out of there to catch a plane. Talk about Barn Storming!

What happened:

Brett Jacobson's had to go through Denver. After a short lay over, the plane he was catching to Cedar Rapids got delayed because of engine trouble. He tried to catch another plane and finally they told him he might not be able to catch a flight until the next day. After trying every conceivable option as he talked to our staff over his cell phone, we finally decided he should head back home. So all in all, you could say it was a wasted day. All for naught, nothing gained.

But Think About

This How many highest level pitching prospects would have the confidence, let alone fortitude to attempt such a risky adventure. In ways, this speaks volumes regarding the makeup of Brett Jacobson. One of the very few pitchers we've had who would do such a thing was Scott Kazmir (now in the Big Leagues). If there was a big important game or event, Scott Kazmir was going to get to it. Fear was never part of the equation. Seems like we found another guy with the same attitude. So Brett Jacobson was technically a no show. Except, MLB Scouting Departments need to know what really happened. He did not pitch, but the effort he put forth and his fearlessness should score extra high. I know it scores high too us.

Is he signable?

We don't know Jacobson's signability as he has committed early to Vanderbilt. We have no idea what it's going to take to sway him from that great school and program. What we do know is this... Brett Jacobson must be very interested in the draft and if things work out he must be signable. What other reason would he have for doing what he did to attend a Predraft Camp in Cedar Rapids Iowa a few weeks before the draft?

There's something very special about Brett Jacobson.

General | Blog | 6/16/2026

Wolforth Throwing Mentorship: Article 66

Ron Wolforth
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  The Number That Just Killed MLB Expansion: 1,217   USA Today's Bob Nightengale dropped a bomb shell recently that the baseball world is still digesting. Major League Baseball wants to expand to 32 teams. Team executives are quietly opposing it and the reason has nothing to do with cities or money.   They cannot find enough healthy pitchers.   Between 2020 and 2024, professional baseball performed 1,026 Tommy John surgeries at the minor-league level alone. Another 191 at the Major League level. More than twelve hundred elbow reconstructions in five years on the best young pitchers in the world.   That is not bad luck. That is a system reporting a verdict on itself.   For fifteen years, the youth-baseball industry has chased one number: velocity significantly more than projectability and arm care.    Recruiters scout by it.    Social...
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PG High School All-Americans

Tyler Russo
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High School Top 50: Final Update With the High School season all wrapped up, today we take a look at our First, Second and Third Team All-Americans from around the country. Below you'll find three teams with stats that seem otherworldly from players who'll likely hear their names called in the coming week's MLB Draft. Within the "Notable Stats" section you'll see the individual award winners as well. First Team All-American Pos.  Name Class School State Commitment Notable Stats C Cole Prosek 2026 Magnolia Heights MS Ole Miss .595 BA, 18 HR, 79 RBI 1B Will Adams 2026 Hoover AL LSU .489, 13 HR, 52 RBI IF James Tronstein 2026 Harvard-Westlake CA Vanderbilt .531, 10 HR, 29 RBI, 21 XBH IF Grady Emerson 2026 Fort Worth Christian TX Texas .508, 8 HR, 56 RBI, 34/35 SB, National POY IF Jacob Lombard 2026 Gulliver Schools FL Miami .477, 10 HR, 52 R, 42 H, 14 SB OF Martin Shelar 2026 Marist GA...
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Kinley Kitchens
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Championship teams often reveal themselves when the game isn’t going their way. Performance Baseball 2028/Milwaukee Brewers Scout Team did exactly that. Trailing Florida Burn 2028 Scout through four innings, the Brewers refused to panic. Instead, they relied on timely hitting, consistent pitching, and an unselfish approach at the plate, rallying a five-run fifth inning before pulling away for a 9-5 victory to clinch their spot in the semifinals. The comeback was fueled by contributions throughout the lineup. Six different players drove in runs, including two RBIs each from Aiden Capobianco and Cameron Massey, while Matthew Heredia, Parker Weston, Ethan Smith, and Aj Bonnette each added an RBI of their own. On the mound, Derek Wenzel set the tone with 3.2 solid innings before Ethan Smith shut the door in relief, helping preserve the comeback victory. Although the Brewers have had a...
Tournaments | Championship | 7/1/2026

JK Select Hawaii Tackles 14u West WS

Emily Hicks
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JK Select Hawaii capped off an impressive tournament run by defeating GBG Vegas 14u Red14-4 in the championship game on Sunday at Goodyear Ballpark, claiming the 14u West World Series title. From the opening pitch, JK Select controlled the pace of the game. The offense jumped out early, scoring 6 runs in the 1st inning after timely hits from MVP Sean Shindo and Kade Manarpaac. The early lead gave the pitching staff confidence as they worked efficiently through the opposing lineup. “I've worked hard to get better at my game for the past few months; it means a lot that I did well and performed in a tournament like this” said Shindo. Starting pitcher Maddox Prones turned in a strong performance, allowing 3 runs while striking out 5 batters over 3 innings. The defense backed the effort with great plays in the middle infield, preventing GBG Vegas from building momentum....
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"Wow" Swings Catch Eyes at 16u Elite

Kinley Kitchens
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On the second day of the 2026 Perfect Game National Elite Championship, one swing turned heads across the ballpark. The next one brought everyone to a stop. With Wow Factor Nation 16U trailing midway through its matchup against Sandlot Scout Team 2028, Micheal O'Connor launched a solo home run to spark the offense. Just one batter later, Aaron Frink stepped into the box and sent another ball over the fence, delivering back-to-back home runs that quickly became one of the most talked about moments of the tournament’s opening days. Parents gathered along the nets, players from previous games stopped to watch, and college scouts turned their attention toward the action as the two towering swings energized the crowd and brought new life to the game. Although Wow Factor Nation ultimately lost 5-3 after a hard-fought performance, the back-to-back home runs served as a reminder of the...
Tournaments | Story | 6/30/2026

Stacked Runs the Table at 17u WWBA

Will Dembo
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Following a jam-packed week of entertainment at the 17u WWBA Championships, the top nationally ranked program, USA Prime 17u National/Detroit Tigers Scout Team, faced off against Stacked Baseball 17u (No. 80 nationally) in the highly anticipated championship matchup as both teams looked to earn one of the most prestigious titles in all of travel baseball. Each talented squad entered the finale undefeated, but Stacked Baseball continued their dominance throughout the tournament, defeating the Detroit Tigers Scout Team 10-2 in mercy rule fashion to become national champions behind explosive bats and impressive pitching. Stacked Baseball was the overwhelming top team throughout the week as the WWBA Champions outscored opponents by an absurd 117-12 during their 11-0 run. “We got some talented kids, but we played against a little bit of Goliath over there,” Stacked Head Coach Mike...
Tournaments | Story | 6/30/2026

17u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 7

Perfect Game Staff
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17u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4  Day 5 | Day 6 Shea Corona (2027, Brooklyn, N.Y.) showcased some loud stuff out of the bullpen for MLB Breakthrough Series 2027. The New York native and primary shortstop topped out at 93 with the fastball, sitting comfortable in the 90-92 range. Corona paired it with a sharp and tight slider at 81-83, staying on the same plane until late. The pitch plays well already and the delivery is very athletic. The uncommitted right-hander went three scoreless and was in the zone plenty, striking out two while not allowing a walk. '27 SS Moises Gudino (FL) continues to stay red hot, working a long AB & cracking an oppo 2B on the 8th pitch. Really seeing ing well. #WWBA @Florida_PG https://t.co/OjNJ8Bmzao pic.twitter.com/WoDDp35EI1 — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) June 30, 2026 Moises Gudino (2027, Tampa, Fla.)...
Tournaments | Story | 6/30/2026

Texas Twelve Firing On Full Cylinders

Kinley Kitchens
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Every team hopes to start a tournament with momentum, but few make a statement quite like Texas Twelve Maroon 2028. Matched up against defending champion Excel Blue Wave National to kick off their debut in the 2026 Perfect Game National Elite Championship, Texas Twelve Maroon delivered a complete team performance, earning a hard-fought 3-2 victory and immediately establishing themselves as one of the top teams to watch this week. The win showcased the balance that has made Texas Twelve Maroon a powerful team. Strong pitching, timely hitting, and steady defense all played a role as the team held off one of the tournament’s premier programs. Right-hander Ty Antley turned in an outstanding performance on the mound, throwing a complete game while allowing only five hits and two walks over seven innings. The High Follow prospect worked consistently between 85-89 mph and mixed in a sharp...
Tournaments | Championship | 6/30/2026

Flames Capture 18U BCS Title

Alyssa Golden
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Flames Natty used timely hitting and a dominant start from Beau Collier to defeat NLB American 7-3 and capture the 18U BCS National Championship on Monday at Lee Health Sports Complex. Despite being assembled just hours before the tournament began, the Flames quickly developed chemistry throughout the tournament. “This team was put together 12 hours before this tournament, and they went on a crazy run,” head coach Adam Vasquez said. “These kids know each other locally, but they don’t play together. For them to come together last minute like that, it’s crazy. I’m proud of them for that.” The game opened as a pitchers’ duel, with David Acevedo recording the lone hit through the first two innings. NLB American starter Hayden Graham kept the Flames in check early, allowing just one hit while striking out one over 2.0 innings. The right-hander...
Tournaments | Story | 6/30/2026

Ohio Valley BCS Champ. Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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‘28 C Keegan Sawyer (OH) showcased the toolshed in this one. A top player in the OH ‘28 class. LOUD (Hit & Defense) #OVBCS @KeeganSawyer10 Clip 1: 3-R 💣 to LF Clip 2: 2B to LC Clip 3: SEED, Caught Stealing @ 2B Name for August 1 @MidlandBasebal pic.twitter.com/FvIpEU7Llz — Jordan Gates (@JGatesPG) June 27, 2026 Keegan Sawyer (2028, Cleves, Ohio) The stock continues to go up and up for Keegan Sawyer. Fresh off a state championship for Bading High School, he has picked up where he has left off this spring. It seems that he gets bigger each time I see him, but the frame really works on both sides of the ball at 6-feet, 190-pounds. It’s athletic and the actions on both sides are extremely advanced. Sawyer took home MVP honors after finishing with nine hits, six going for extra bases including two home runs, nine RBIs and eight runs scored. It’s electric at...
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Texas Region Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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Austin Lyons (2028, Cibolo, Texas) put on a display for Canes Southwest Prime 16U. Went 7-14 at the plate with a pair of doubles and triples, while driving in 13 runs. He won Tournament MVP for his efforts. Physical left-handed frame with feel to hit to all fields. Utilizes the middle of the field as well as the opposite field efficiently. Should be a force to be reckoned with as he grows into some more power. Evan Rosales (2027, Houston, Texas) was dominant on the mound for HP 2027 Allen. Went five shutout innings over the weekend, surrendering just one hit and two walks while striking out ten. Fastball lives 83-87 with some carry. Curveball is a heavy 12/6 downer at 69-74. North-south approach with a super steep release. Showed some really good feel for the zone and sequenced effectively to keep hitters off balance. Tristan Wright (2028, Magnolia, Texas) put on a show for Banditos 2028...
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