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Tournaments  | Story | 8/4/2015

2015 Tournament Scout Review

Jheremy Brown
Photo: Perfect Game

EDITOR'S NOTE: Jheremy Brown spent three weeks in Emerson, Ga., covering the 2015 16u and 15u WWBA National Championships as well as the 13u, 14u, 15u and 16u PG World Series and provides some thoughts on some of the standout performers as a final recap to the summer tournament season. With that in mind, there were countless performances that are more than noteworthy that are not mentioned below, as only first-hand observations were taken into account.

For more notes from Jheremy Brown, and Brian Sakowski, please visit the daily recaps from the aforementioned events.

16u WWBA Daily Recaps: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7
15u WWBA Daily Recaps: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Days 7-8
15u/16u PG World Series Daily Recaps: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3




A Quick Synopsis of a Three-Week Odyssey


Wait, what?
One of the beauties about the game of baseball is no matter what you think you might see or conceive to be nearly impossible it’s almost a foregone conclusion that the opposite will occur. The players below turned in solid performances that almost make you scratch your head while watching them do their thing out on the diamond.




Alejandro Toral, 1B
2017 | Davie, Fla. | Commitment: Miami

Okay, so this may be cheating as he technically participated in the 17u WWBA National Championship with Elite Squad Prime, but this particular moment occurred while the 16u WWBA was beginning on adjacent fields. Known for his top-of-the-class lefthanded power since his first Perfect Game event over two years ago, Toral strode to the plate with his team down a run and a ticket to the championship game on the line. Like a seasoned veteran, despite actually being one of the youngest players on the field, Toral remained calm and jumped all over a fastball, sending a rising line drive over the right field fence for a solo home run, jumping off the barrel at 106 mph.

A recent commit to the University of Miami, Toral possesses some of the top power in all of amateur baseball, and the fact that the No. 4 overall prospect has another full year on the summer circuit and two years of high school baseball is a scary thought for any opposing pitcher. Though he’s known for his elite level power, Toral’s able to show it off as frequently as he does due to his advanced approach and overall aptitude for hitting. The blast put an exclamation point on an impressive summer for Toral and the video above relives the memorable home run.


Jordon Adell, OF
2017 | Louisville, Kentucky | Commitment: Louisville

While Toral and Leonel Perez (detailed below), each provided a singular blast throughout the three weeks, Jordon Adell made a habit of launching long balls throughout the 16u WWBA National Champinoship and the 16u PG World Series. Hitting three home runs in each of the two tournaments, Adell continued to put one of his many high level and extremely loud tools on display. After an eye opening performance at the Junior National Showcase in June, in which he ran a 6.47 60-yard dash and threw 97 mph from the outfield, Adell continued to put his fast bat and big righthanded power on display.

With each shot that he hit even more memorable than the last, Adell’s encore to a 106 mph, 405-foot shot to the left-center field gap during the 16u WWBA National Championship was another hard liner over the left-center field fence at 100.6 mph off the barrel. While the sheer number of home runs is impressive, Adell’s final home run of the tournament may have been the most remarkable as he drove the ball hard over the right-center field wall showing his strength plays to all fields, even at 8:15 in the morning. With a long and muscular, fast-twitch frame, Adell has all the tools to justify his No. 6 overall ranking in the 2017 class and more importantly shows that they play on a more than regular basis.





Tyler Myrick, RHP
2016 | Lake City, Fla. | Commitment: Alabama State

It wasn’t even 12 months ago that I last saw Tyler Myrick on the mound, but a lot had certainly changed between my two viewing of the Floridian righthander. Last summer at the 15u Perfect Game World Series Myrick sat in the 83-86 mph range rather comfortably, and to prove the type of jump he’s made, he rarely threw a fastball at or below 86 mph in multiple looks this summer. With noticeable added strength to his broad and strongly built frame, Myrick proved to be not only durable over the course of seven innings, but that he’s able to carry and even get stronger in terms of velocity as innings progress.

Working from an up-tempo, high energy delivery Myrick shows off his athleticism, as he’s not only able to repeat his delivery but does so while filling up the strike zone. If you were to watch video or see him throw live you might point out the fact that his arm slot isn’t from pitch-to-pitch but that’s done with intent and is part of the reason the Alabama State commit remains so difficult to hit. Able to work through a lineup multiple times on just his fastball, Myrick typically lived at 88-93 mph while peaking at 94 mph and did so up until the last pitch of the game. A part of the reason for such a wide range on his fastball is due to Myrick dropping down to a lower three-quarters slot which adds even more sinking and heavy life to his already bat-breaking fastball, living in the 88-91 mph range from that slot.

From his more comfortable and traditional three-quarters slot Myrick comes out attacking with his heater which shows heavy bowling ball type life and in one start threw fastballs for roughly 65 of his 74 pitches in a complete game, shutout effort. His arm action is very fast and remains hidden through the back and at release, making it even more difficult to pick up especially as he’s able to dot his fastball to either side of the plate.





Ian Anderson
2016 | Rexford, N.Y. | Commitment: Vanderbilt

With a handful of 2015 Perfect Game All-Americans both age eligible and in attendance for the 16u WWBA National Championship, none made a bigger impression than this Vanderbilt University commit. No more than a year ago Anderson was working in the mid-80s with his fastball but shortly thereafter he began climbing into the upper-80s while toucing 90-91 mph.

Knowing it was only a matter of time before more velocity was coming, Anderson turned in a strong performance at the Perfect Game National Showcase before taking his stuff a step higher while in Emerson. With an ideal and long 6-foot-3 frame, Anderson isn’t done growing quite yet, and it’s scary to think what his stuff will look like come June of 2016 with additional strength gains. Throwing for his hometown team, the Clifton Park Knights, the young righthander came out looking to prove he’s the top righthanded prep pitcher in his class and the message was loud and clear. In the opening frame Anderson sat at 94 mph, bumping a 95 once and simply overpowered hitters while looking as though he was playing a game of catch with his twin brother Ben, who was doing the catching.

The arm action is as clean as you’ll find on a pitcher his age and his command of the strike zone rivals any in the class as he’s able to work to either side of the plate with intent while harnessing the late tailing life. His fastball velocity puts him in the grouping of elite arms, but it’s the off-speed that serves as a separator with both his curveball and changeup showing above average at present while projecting for more. Anderson’s curveball is one of the best in next year's draft class, regardless of high school or college, showing late bite and big depth in the upper-70s which usually foreshadows that more fastball velocity is en route.

His changeup is just as advanced at present, and as outings progressed the more frequently he showed the pitch. Thrown in the low-80s and peaking at 84 mph, everything up until the last 10 feet says fastball out of Anderson’s hand, including the hitters' instincts, as they jump out onto their front foot early, swinging over or creating weak contact on the late diving pitch. Perhaps the most impressive takeaway was Anderson’s advanced level of pitchability as of the 67 pitches he threw, 51 of them were for strikes.


Leonel Perez, 3B
2017 | Palmview, Texas | Commitment: None

Imagine you’re called in to pinch hit in the top of the seventh with two outs, bases loaded and your team down four runs. Now add into the equation that the winning team heads to the 15u WWBA World Championships finale.

While the Houston Banditos ultimately dropped the semifinal game to Chain National, pinch hitter Leonel Perez was responsible for the single most impressive moment of the entire tournament. With a timeout called after a first-pitch strike to Perez, Banditos Coach Ray DeLeon said something to the effect of “get ready, something is going to happen on the next pitch,” and boy was he right. Seeing an elevated fastball he knew he could handle, the uncommitted Perez, who also shows an easy upper-80s fastball on the mound, unloaded on the 0-1 offering over the left field fence to tie the game while simultaneously erupting his dugout and giving his team another chance at victory.



Uncommitted, but for how long?
Below are five players who were already highly regarded prospects, and during their time in the South did nothing but reaffirm what college recruiters and evaluators already thought in their minds. All of the players below have been written about extensively in our daily recaps (as linked above).




Nicholas Storz, RHP
2017 | Brooklyn, N.Y.
Update: Committed to Louisiana State University, August 7, 2015

I’ve covered Storz rather extensively over the last two years, first seeing him in the spring of his freshman year at Poly Prep, and the overall development of Nicholas Storz since that outing is rather impressive. Up until last spring Storz was viewed as a primary catcher who could jump on the mound and throw hard based mostly off his arm strength rather than overall mechanics on the mound.

Like with anything when you’re learning, repetitions are key, and with his focus turned almost solely on pitching – he also shows impressive raw power with the bat – the strides Storz has made in terms of both his mechanics and overall feel were noteworthy. Sitting comfortably in the 88-90 mph range with the ability to bump up to 91-92 when needed, Storz’s arm action has become much more fluid over the last calendar year as have his mechanics which he consistently repeats, allowing him to locate his fastball to either side of the plate.

Always having the big fastball and prototypical size the young New Yorker has shown outstanding development with both his slider and changeup, helping him become a well-rounded pitching prospect. In his most recent outing in the playoffs, Storz was able to rely on his slider until he found the feel for his fastball. He threw his slider in the 78-80 mph with sharp bite and late tilt, serving as a true put-away pitch throughout his time on the mound.

He won’t show his changeup as frequently but it also made jumps since last summer as he does a better job of maintaining his arm action on the 80 mph offering and in turn is able to generate late fading life down in the zone.





Conor Grady, RHP
2017 | Tampa, Fla.
Update: Committed to Florida State University, August 6, 2015

One of only a handful of prospects within the Perfect Game top 100 high school rankings who remains uncommitted, Grady opened eyes with his performances down in Georgia with a bevy of suitors looking on. After getting my first look at Grady last fall at the PG Florida Qualifier, there’s been visible strength added to his 6-foot-2 frame along with more fluidity to his overall mechanics. Previously showing a slight pause at the top of his delivery before driving towards the plate, Grady moves through his mechanics smoother now with a loose and whippy arm action that’s capable of producing highly sought after stuff.

Grady, like Storz above, showed impressive velocity throughout his outing as he sat at 87-90 mph, peaking as high as 91 early in the game. Very fluid through his arm action, Grady’s able to generate consistent sinking life on his fastball and does so with relative ease while locating to either side of the plate. The fastball is just part of the story for Grady as he shows two distinctive breaking balls with both a slider and curveball. Showing more depth on his curveball and sweeping life on his slider, Grady rounds out the full arsenal with a changeup in the 78-80 mph range, showing a solid differential in velocity while mimicking his loose and easy arm action.


Shane Shifflett, SS
2017 | Venice, Fla.
Update: Committed to University of Florida, August 12, 2015

The exploits of Shifflett on the diamond aren’t a hidden secret as he already has 33 different Perfect Game events listed to his name, including three showcases, with the most recent coming in June in Fort Myers for the Junior National Showcase. Full of fast-twitch muscle, Shifflett showed well on both sides of the ball during his time in Georgia with the Florida Burn. Listed at 5-foot-11, 165-pounds, Shifflett showed off his prowess up the middle as he made several plays ranging to his right with soft hands and plenty of arm strength across the diamond off his back foot. He has the athleticism and instincts to stay at the premium position at the collegiate level and shows as much range up the middle as he does to his backhand.

With the bat Shifflett is listed as a switch hitter and is more than capable of doing so though he hit mostly righthanded over the last couple of tournaments in Georgia. The quick-twitch athleticism translates into above average speed down the line though he didn’t have to show it over as he continued to hit line drive after line drive into the outfield, some falling for base hits while others were at-‘em balls. Shifflett is full of tools that play at present and projects well as he’s only going to get stronger as he develops physically.





Jacob Pfennigs, RHP
2018 | Post Falls, Idaho

It’s not often I get to write about a player from Idaho. Only heading into his sophomore year of high school there’s more than enough reason to believe that this won’t be the last time I write about the young Jacob Pfennigs. Already ranked No. 68 by Perfect Game heading into the tournament, the 6-foot-6 Pfennigs solidified himself as an arm to watch in the 2018 class, even if he isn’t from one of the typical baseball hotbeds.

With a long and lean 180-pound frame, Pfennigs immediately shows off his athleticism as he remains balanced and is able to repeat his delivery. While the lower half remains pretty consistent, Pfennigs’ release point would vary at times, which would create occasional hard cutting life, but the arm action remained quick and tension free.

Early in the contest and through the first couple of innings Pfennigs worked comfortably in the 85-88 mph range, peaking 89 a time or two in the opening inning while showing solid acceleration through the back with the ability to work down in the zone with his fastball. Along with the fastball Pfennigs showed both a changeup in the mid-70s and a slider in the upper-70s, each showing present life, and like his fastball, project for even more in the near future.





Mason Denaburg, C/RHP
2018 | Merritt Island, Fla.
Update: Committed to University of Florida, September 3, 2015

Not only does Denaburg shine defensively behind the plate and with his righthanded swing but he also makes a loud impression with his ability on the mound, proving to be a true two-way talent and a highly sought after commodity by major collegiate programs. Ranked No. 35 in Perfect Game’s 2018 rankings, Denaburg’s athleticism is consistently put on display as he shows loose and flexible actions behind the plate despite his long 6-foot-3 frame. His arm is a game changer too, showing a short transfer and a quick release along with above average arm strength and carry down to second base.

Although he's only listed at 170 pounds, Denaburg already shows strength in his swing, and along with the power, he shows an solid overall feel for hitting and isn’t afraid to use all fields. Though a majority of the contact I saw off of Denaburg’s barrel was hard and to his pull side, with loose hands and a short path, he also showed the ability to stay balanced on curveballs and go with outer half pitches to the opposite field.

Showing the same athleticism on the mound Denaburg is able to not only run his fastball into the upper-80s, peaking at 89 mph, but he’s able to hold the velocity from the first pitch of the game to the last thanks in part to how quick his right arm is. He’ll continue to gain velocity as he continues to incorporate his lower half into his delivery, but he already shows the ability to live down in the zone with his fastball, inducing uncomfortable swings from hitters with his fastball.



Commitments, commitments, commitments.
The following players all arrived in Emerson, Ga., uncommitted, but after strong showings were able to head home and begin their next year in high school with their collegiate commitment taken care of. Less than three weeks ago all the following players would have been listed in the grouping above, however, after their standout performances coaches acted swiftly and picked up key pieces to their future recruiting classes.


Pat DeMarco, OF
2017 | Staten Island, N.Y. | Commitment: Vanderbilt
Sterling Hayes, SS
2018 | La Jolla, Calif. | Commitment: Vanderbilt

DeMarco isn’t a stranger to having coaches look on as he played this past spring for a loaded Poly Prep team in New York and is the three-hole hitter in a talent-laden Team Elite Prime lineup. A broadly and strongly built 5-foot-11, 205-pound center fielder, DeMarco shows the defensive tools to stand out with solid reads off the bat and a strong arm on his throws coming in. The defensive abilities are nice, but DeMarco’s calling card is the big power that’s packed into his righthanded swing as he shows the ability to drive the ball to all fields and does so with solid extension and life off the barrel.

Proving that their reach works from coast-to-coast the Vanderbilt coaching staff went into California to pull out the young infielder, Sterling Hayes. With a projectable 6-foot-1, 175-pound build, Hayes already shows loose actions up the middle with quick hands fielding and getting rid of the ball. My looks at Hayes aren’t as extensive as some other players listed, but through a couple of games you could see his full array of tools. Beginning his swing with a rather upright stance, Hayes shows plenty of balance as he shifts into contact with a loose and fluid swing path with contact skills and strength that project as he continues to add strength over the next couple of years.


Nick O’Day, OF
2018 | Coatesville, Pa. | Commitment: Texas Christian

Nick O’Day still has three years of high school left to see where he ultimately makes the most impact, either with the bat or on the mound, but for now he’s able to stand out on both sides and make his presence felt time and time again. A strongly built 5-foot-11, 180-pound right-handed bat, O’Day hit three home runs in consecutive games of watching and in the second game he went yard in back-to-back at-bats. Though all three of his home runs came to his pull side O’Day wasn’t afraid to go with the pitch as he scorched a couple of balls the opposite way and into either gap showing very loose and fast hands with a consistent feel for the barrel. On the mound the newly minted Horned Frog worked in the 88-90 mph range early in his first start of the tournament, bumping 91 while generating solid downhill plane with a quick right arm and a balanced set of mechanics. Able to locate his heater to either side of the plate, O’Day’s feel for his off speed has continued to develop nicely as he shows both a low-70s 12-to-6 curveball and a harder slider while rounding out the arsenal with a changeup, giving him a solid four-pitch mix.


Cory Acton, IF
2018 | Fort Lauderdale, Fla. | Commitment: Florida
Calvin Greenfield, C
2017 | Chicago, Ill. | Commitment: Florida

It was a good two days down in “The Swamp” as Florida Head Coach Kevin O’Sullivan and his staff first landed infielder Cory Acton and followed up his verbal with one from catcher Cal Greenfield, giving them quite a haul in a 48-hour window.

Despite only entering his sophomore year of high school, Acton has already put his sweet lefthanded swing on display at numerous events with each swing as impressive as the last. Don’t let his listed measurable of 5-foot-11, 145-pounds fool you as Acton is full of hidden strength and is already able to spray hard line drives from line to line, earning him the distinction of one of the top pure bats in the 2018 class to this point in the process. He’s listed as a middle infielder in his Perfect Game profile and played third throughout the tournament, showing arm strength across and actions that should allow him to play up the middle for Coach O’Sullivan.

There’s little question as to where Cal Greenfield ends up at the next level as everything he does now behind the plate plays up and would blend right into the D-I level. He shows light, bouncy actions on his feet with soft hands and a quick transfer, and though he already shows enough arm strength to contest any attempted theft, it’s easy to envision more zip coming in the future. Just as his hands are defensively, Greenfield’s hands with the bat show standout quickness, and when coupled with his physical build he’s able to drive the ball to all parts of the field. He even showed off some foot speed as he hit a shot into the opposite field gap and came all the way around for an inside-the-park home run.


Chase Wilkerson, SS/RHP
2018 | Headland, Ala. | Commitment: Florida State

Wilkerson actually committed to the Seminoles at the end of the Perfect Game World Series but he was a vital piece to Chain National’s run to the 15u WWBA National Championship. Though listed as a primary shortstop on his Perfect Game profile, Wilkerson made a loud impression on the mound where brings his up-the-middle athleticism and quick actions. Though listed at 5-foot-11, 165-pounds, Wilkerson regularly ran his fastball into the upper-80s in Georgia and 90 mph a tournament prior while exhibiting the ability to maintain the velocity throughout the duration of a game. A reason for this is that Wilkerson’s arm action and delivery don’t require much effort at all despite generating solid present velocity for a player heading into his sophomore year. While a set of balanced and repeatable mechanics Wilkerson shows a fast arm after his hand break, and when coupled with his overall looseness in his frame and arm action, it’s easy to project another jump or two in terms of velocity on his fastball. Along with his fastball and the ability he showed to work downhill to either side, Wilkerson displayed a nice feel for a low-70s breaking ball with consistent depth and 11-to-5 shape.


Dillon Marsh, LHP
2018 | Elizabethtown, Pa. | Commitment: Wake Forest

While he’s not a catcher when he’s not on the mound like Denaburg above, Dillon Marsh is a two-way talent who is equally impressive on both sides of the ball. A strong and sturdy, broad-shouldered 6-foot-2, 200-pound lefthander, Marsh closed out a playoff game for Bubba Baseball and did it rather impressively. With a physical build that you don’t often see on a player heading into his sophomore year, Marsh came out working in the 83-86 mph range showing a quick arm and an up-tempo delivery on the mound. The ball comes out of his hand cleanly and does so with angle from the first base side. The pitch that served as a put-away offering for Marsh was his advanced changeup in the upper-70s that featured late diving life while living down in the zone. With the bat the newly minted Demon Deacon was just as impressive as he brings that strength into the batter's box. Generating solid extension in his swing with loose hands and a quick barrel, it’s easy to see Marsh hitting the ball a long way due to the amount of natural lift in his swing path and jump coming off when squared up. The verbal commitment from Marsh is Wake Forest’s third in the 2018 class joining Bubba teammate Brady Devereux and fellow Northeasterner Brendan Tinsman.



Young but impressionable
Sure, the players below are only entering their sophomore year in high school, outside of Triston Casas, and each are young, but we’re talking about the impressions they made on those watching rather than their age. Again aside from Casas, all the players are uncommitted but made quite the impression in some of their first Perfect Game events.




Kumar Rocker, RHP
2018 | Watkinsville, Ga.

Not listed in the program for the 16u WWBA National Championship, Rocker made college coaches and myself scramble to find his name after a single warmup pitch. Until we were given his name the 6-foot-3, 220-pound frame and effortless arm action were more than intriguing for a player in the 2016 class, a bonus if he were a 2017, and near jaw-dropping once told he was just going to be entering his sophomore year. He came out sitting 87-89 and touched 90 mph, and the arm action is as easy of one as you’ll find and the athleticism of Rocker is evident after a handful of pitches.

With a full, loose, and whip-like arm action through the back and at release, Rocker is able to live down in the zone with his fastball and create some sinking life on the pitch thanks to the extension he generates out front. Throughout the three weeks and three different looks at Rocker you could see an evolution in his overall game as he began to show more secondaries, which included both a slider that he could locate to either side and a changeup that showed similar life down like his fastball. As he continues to grow and get even stronger he’ll be more than interesting to follow with his three-pitch mix and potential for an above average fastball.


Elijah Cabell, OF
2018 | Winter Park, Fla.

If there’s a 2018 version of what Jordon Adell is capable of doing with the bat then it’s center fielder Elijah Cabell. Listed at 5-foot-10, 150-pounds, Cabell looks closer to 6-foot, 180-pounds with a strong, muscular build and physicality throughout. He uses that strength to generate some of the best bat speed I saw throughout my three weeks in Georgia, regardless of graduation year, and as a result was able to drive the ball hard to all parts of the field. A righthanded hitter who sent a couple of balls over the fence, the loudest came in an early morning game that looked like it had a chance of going through the scoreboard if not for the protective netting that hangs in front.

The most impressive home run came later in the day though when Cabell cleared the opposite field gap and provoked a college coach to say something to the effect of “you just don’t see that” in regards of the strength and ability to drive the ball to the opposite field. As the tournament continued to progress Cabell kept going from gap-to-gap, pacing a potent Central Florida Gators offense. The athleticism plays in center as well as he shows above average arm strength and uses his speed to get good jumps while showing solid closing speed.

Not surprisingly, he finished the 15u PG World Series as the event's Most Valuable Player.



Ethan Hankins, RHP
2018 | Cumming, Ga.

A lot can change in 6-7 months and that holds true to the young righthanded Hankins. The last time I saw him on the mound was last October at the WWBA Freshman World Championship and at that time he sat in the 80-83 mph range and stood 6-foot-2, 180-pounds. In a tournament full of young, projectable talent, Hankins stood out partially due to his velocity, but more important to his future development was the loose and whippy arm action he showed, even as a rising freshman. Since that tournament Hankins has grown three inches and along with the height has added a consistent 5-6 mph to his fastball, peaking 88-89 mph at a bevy of tournaments this summer.

Now standing 6-foot-5 with long limbs and a lean, projectable frame, Hankins projects as well as any arm in his class despite already creating solid velocity with limited effort. Similar to Rocker, Hankins creates solid extension at release and as a result shows late life to his fastball, which is further helped by his lower arm slot. Currently ranked No. 18 in the 2018 class, Hankins pitched mostly off his fastball in my most recent viewing and was able to do so by locating to either side of the plate with solid angle at release.


Triston Casas, 3B/RHP
2019 | Pembroke Pines, Fla. | Commitment: Miami

Casas has been making noise since last winter when he attended his first Perfect Game showcase after committing to the University of Miami. Since that showcase he’s attended another in the Perfect Game Junior National and has participated in numerous of tournaments with Elite Squad Prime. A true two-way talent, Casas doesn’t look like a typical incoming freshman as he stands 6-foot-4, 238-pounds and he doesn’t swing the bat or throw the ball like one either. A lefthanded hitter, Casas shows an advanced feel for the barrel and put that talent on display throughout his time in Georgia as he continued to rip balls from foul pole to foul pole.

In one particular game Casas drove a pitch down the right field line for a standup triple and followed up that impressive at-bat by lining a pitch into the opposite field for a hard single coming off the bat at 97 mph. He uses his strength well to generate big bat speed and also brings that strength to the mound where he’s been clocked as high as 91 mph this summer. Peaking out in the upper-80s during his time in Georgia, Casas showed a quick arm and consistently worked downhill with his fastball and stayed on top of his 12-to-6 curveball in the mid-70s.





Gunnar Hoglund, RHP
2018 | Hudson, Fla.

Earlier I mentioned how clean and easy Kumar Rocker’s arm action is despite being a 2018 graduate and Hoglund’s arm action is just as easy, producing similar stuff on the mound. Coming out of the bullpen for his first appearance Hoglund looked as though he was working in the low-80s while hardly breaking a sweat until you looked at the radar gun and saw the 86-89 mph readings that were popping up. Topping out at 90 mph, the ball comes out of Hoglund’s hand incredibly easy and at the same time generates hard running life down in the zone.

Hoglund is able to repeat his delivery rather well for a young arm who’s listed 6-foot-4 and is able to command the fastball life to either side of the plate. The life and command are enough to stay off barrels and he showed the ability to do so consistently as he threw a complete game against a potent Central Florida Gators lineup in the 15u WWBA Championship game.

A week later Hoglund was named the Most Valuable Pitcher at the 15u PG World Series, and while he may only be heading into his sophomore year of high school, he shows both a mid-70s curveball and a changeup in the upper-70s. The change in particular has the makings to become an above average pitch as he mimics his arm action well and shows late tumbling life down in the zone.
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Perfect Game Staff
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WWBA Scout Scout Notes: Days 1-2 Raylen Hunter (‘30 TX) stays living on the barrel; this one burning the CFer for a double. Just an electric ballplayer. #WWBASouth https://t.co/1LThRBqN80 pic.twitter.com/z5RF5dy47o — Perfect Game Texas (@Texas_PG) May 30, 2026 Raylen Hunter (2030, Cypress, Texas) took home MVP honors for the tournament and helped lead his team to a big championship win. Was a big standout on a loaded Banditos team that steamrolled their way to the championship. He ended the week going 10-16 with a pair of doubles while scoring ten runs atop the lineup. Hunter is a true spark plug who makes consistently hard contact line to line. The swing is short and works to all fields with plenty of twitch and bat speed. Bat to ball plays at an extremely high level as he rarely gets cheated never taking an at-bat off. Once on base, Hunter causes havoc on the base-paths, a...
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High School | Rankings | 6/2/2026

High School Top 50 Update: June 2

Tyler Russo
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With another few weeks in the book of the high school season, we’ve already had state champions crowned with playoffs happening in some northern states. There have been some upsets so there has been a good amount of movement in the National High School Top-50. We have a new number-one this update with Tomball (TX) taking over the top spot and will be playing for a state championship this week. They sport a 42-1 record heading into the title game and have been one of the best teams from start to finish this year. St. John Bosco (CA) has now gone back-to-back with Trinity League and CIF Southern Section titles and take over the No. 2 spot. No. 3 Aledo (TX) continues to win, No. 4 Trinity (KY) has been dominant in Kentucky play and No. 5 Norco (CA) lost the Southern Section title game and had a great year. Magnolia Heights (MS) moves up a few spots to No. 8 after winning their 8th...
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Tournaments | Championship | 6/2/2026

EC Astros Win Back-And-Forth Thriller

Will Dembo
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In a highly anticipated matchup between two of the nation’s top 17u teams, the East Cobb Astros defeated eXposure National 9-8 in a thrilling extra-inning battle to claim the PG Southeast Elite Championship. The Astros completed the weekend undefeated, opening their summer season with a hard-fought, statement victory. “I mean, it's fun, it's been a grind today,” said Astros Head Coach, Josh Burress. “Been out here a long day, but our guys are competitors, they come out compete, they want to compete and win, so it's just fun to watch them come out here and not quitting playing to the end... so the guys did very well today, and they competed all the way through.” eXposure began the opening frame by taking the early lead on an error but quickly gave their lead away as the Astros came out of the gates hot, plating six runs in just the first inning. Mason Peek,...
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Tournaments | Story | 6/2/2026

Central Florida Invite Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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Leanderson Argueta (2027, Panamá) absolutely outmatched every arm he faced this weekend ending up with seven hits, five of which were doubles and also hit a three run home run in game three. In the fifth inning against Freshwater Storm National Argueta got his pitch and deposited it over the wall for a go ahead three run home run. Showed real comfort in the box and was able to repeat the stroke well. Fires his hips with intent and the direct bat path plays to all parts of the park.  Jayden Pagan (2028, St. Cloud, Fla.) would not be denied this weekend slashing .500/.684/1.434. The championship game was no different for Pagan getting a first pitch heater and scorched it into left for an rbi triple. He would later add a double in the seventh inning that carried over the center fielders head. The bat to ball skills paired with his up the middle approach translate. The 2028...
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Tournaments | Championship | 6/2/2026

Biscuits Elite Go Perfect at Kick-Off

Emily Hicks
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After several days of competitive baseball, the Summer Kick-Off came down to one final matchup between Biscuts Elite and BTA 18U. In the end, Biscuits Elite came away with the championship, earning a 26-13 victory at Goodyear Ballpark. “We're a hardworking group; we never give up," said JJ Utash. Biscuits Elite set the tone early, scoring 7 runs in the 1st inning and never looked back. “We just worked together as a team the whole time; we scored runs, and running the ball offensively was good,” said Utash. Nikolas Ramirez led the offense, finishing 3-4 with 2 doubles, 1 triple, and 2 runs scored. Kyle Wisniewski added a 3-4 day at the plate which included a triple, and a run scored to help fuel the attack. Wisniewski hit .444 through 4 games. On the mound, Sean McDaniels got the start, throwing 2.2 innings while allowing 1 hit and striking out 3 batters. The pitching...
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Tournaments | Championship | 6/1/2026

Turn 2 Comes Back to Take BCS

Alyssa Golden
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A mostly clear day at Lee Health Sports Complex in Fort Myers, Florida set the stage for a tightly contested championship matchup between Florida Burn 2028 Myrback and Turn 2 Garcia. Behind two triples from Quinn Seglem, Turn 2 rallied for a 5-4 victory to claim the BCS Qualifier title. Left-hander Carter Brunco started on the mound for Turn 2, allowing six hits and four walks while striking out two over 3.2 innings. Burn jumped out to an early lead in the first inning. Luke Straw singled and later advanced to third on a wild pitch before Joe O’Brien delivered an RBI single to score the game’s first run. Blake Dubiel followed with another RBI single to give Burn a 2-0 advantage. Right-hander Straw carried the momentum onto the mound for Burn, holding Turn 2 hitless through the first two innings while recording a strikeout in each. In the top of the second, Spencer Meachum...
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College | Story | 5/29/2026

Cali Mid-Major Draft Notes

Joey Cohen
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California annually produces its share of high-profile prep and college draft talent, but this spring also offered quality depth especially on the mid-major side. I wanted to highlight a group of semi under-the-radar prospects who have quietly put together strong seasons and caught the attention of our staff whether it was with in-person looks or just by some performance/data metrics that popped. The bulk of this group comes out of the Big West, with additional names from the WCC, WAC, and Mountain West mixed in. Matthew Thomas - OF - CSUN  Few hitters in the Big West have matched Thomas’ offensive impact this spring, as he slashed a strong .335/.411/.679 with 15 home runs. Long and still mostly viewed as a power-first profile, he’s taken a meaningful step forward in the hit tool, cutting down a bit on significant swing-and-miss concerns while increasing his on-base...
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