THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,384 MLB PLAYERS | 15,805 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,384 MLB PLAYERS | 15,805 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Sign in Create Account
Sign in Create Account
Tournaments  | Story | 3/11/2016

PG HS Showdown: Day 1 Recap

Matt Czechanski
Photo: Perfect Game

2016 PG HS Showdown Event Page | 2016 PG HS Showdown-Academies Event Page

In what was a standout day for several prospects across several classes, it was two class of 2016 Georgia prospects who really stood out on Thursday.




Righthanded pitcher Will Ethridge (Lilburn, Ga.) took the mound for Parkview High School and was absolutely sensational against a very talented Magnolia Heights (Miss.) squad. Ethridge threw a complete game (seven innings), allowed three hits, no walks, no runs and struck out 13 hitters. He did so by doing a brilliant job of commanding all three of his pitches in addition to sequencing them well.

His fastball worked 88-92 mph for the majority of his start, touching 93 a couple of times early on, with heavy, running life to the arm side. He worked down in the zone to both sides of the plate consistently, and was able to elevate the pitch to get swings and misses at will. His primary off-speed pitch was his slider, which sat right around 79-81 mph and flashed plus pretty often. It’s very tight spinning (2600-2700 RPM per TrackMan) with sharp, two-plane break, and he was able to throw the pitch both for strikes and as a chase pitch, especially down and away to righthanded hitters. He mixed in a few changeups as well, showing the ability to turn it over out in front without sacrificing arm speed or slot while generating solid fading action.

He was very often ahead 0-2, and threw his complete game shutout on only 90 pitches, 65 of which were strikes. He came into this start with significant helium in regards to his draft stock and it’s easy to see why.

Fellow Georgian senior, outfielder Brandon Marsh (Buford, Ga.) is another prospect who had been receiving some serious draft buzz so far this spring, but really put on a show in nearly every facet of the game on Thursday afternoon/evening. He’s a plus athlete with excellent physicality at 6-foot-3, 185-pounds and his frame is projectable enough to potentially support additional bulk moving forward.

He’s at least a plus runner, turning in turn times right at 4.20 seconds on two occasions and running a 3.95 down the line on a true dig. The swing is very loose and easy, highlighted by above average bat speed and very quick hands, which showed up in the form of hard line drive contact to several parts of the field throughout his 7-8 at-bats. He also showed off the power that is naturally endearing to scouts, lofting a double into the opposite field gap with plenty of carry. It’s pretty easy to project at least average power from him due to the swing, bat speed and projection as far as his strength is concerned. The Kennesaw State signee wasn't tested defensively (he was playing right field, but his athleticism and speed suggest that center field would be a pretty easy option for him), and during infield/outfield in pregame showed off a rocket of an arm that could also be graded as a plus tool.

In what was one of the more consistently funny sights of the day, after his first two at-bats, every time he came to the plate, dozens of scouts could be seen migrating as a group down the left field line so as to have optimal viewing of his swing from the open side, seeing as he’s a lefthanded hitter. To say that Marsh’s draft stock is climbing faster than anyone’s may be a bit of an understatement at this point.

Marsh’s Buford High School teammates also put on a quality display, with two more well known prospects each having stellar days.




Senior lefthanded pitcher Justin Glover (Buford, Ga.) was excellent in his start, scattering four hits over six innings pitched, allowing no runs and only one walk to go along with eight strikeouts. He worked pretty consistently in the 86-90 mph range, bumping 91 in the first inning and settling in from there. His arm action is very smooth and easy, and while a closed landing gives him a bit of a crossfire delivery, he has the flexibility and arm speed necessary to still manage to get over his front side and work downhill to the glove side. He painted corners at the knees with his fastball all day, working in and out to hitters of both handedness.

He showed the ability to manipulate the shape of his curveball, which worked in the 73-76 mph range. To lefthanded hitters he would show a bit slurvier look, often leading to a hitter bailing out before watching the curveball break over the plate at the knees for a called strike. Versus righthanded hitters the pitch had more true downer action, with 1-to-7 shape and plenty of depth, with the ability to bury it down and out of the zone as a chase pitch or to drop it over the heart of the plate to get a called strike. He also showed more advanced feel for his changeup than we’d ever seen from him, doubling up on the pitch at times and trusting it against lefthanded hitters. The change worked around 77-80 mph with a clean release out of the hand and some fading action down in the zone.

Yet another Buford High School product, senior center fielder Nick Wilhite (2016, Buford, Ga.), flashed legitimate tools as far as offense, defense and speed are concerned, and on the whole had a pretty good day. Earlier in the day, with the score deadlocked at zeros, he fielded a line drive single up the middle, gathered cleanly and fired a one-hop strike to the plate to cut down a potential go ahead runner by about five feet. Later on, with the score still close, he delivered a clutch opposite-field single to score a run and eventually came around to score himself, showing off plus wheels in the process. He’s signed with Georgia Tech and could pretty easily be an early-impact contributor as a quality outfielder with high-level contact and batting average skills.




2015 Perfect Game All-American and a University of Georgia signee, senior righthander Anthony Locey (2016, Columbus, Ga.) started for Houston County High School on Thursday afternoon. He absolutely looks the part of a hard-throwing, physical righthander, standing 6-foot-2 and weighing in around 230 pounds with extreme strength throughout his build. He came out hot, touching 95 mph and settling in around 91-93 for the duration of his start. He certainly gets downhill in his delivery, getting to a high slot with a long arm swing and generating good plane to the plate.

The fastball, in addition to the raw velocity, has good arm-side life when commanded down, and when combined with the plane he generates, makes the pitch a tough one to square up when it’s down. He showed a better changeup than we’d previously seen from him, turning them over in the 82-84 mph range and getting quality fading action at the plate. His breaking ball was a bit inconsistent but flashed, with his curve being of much better quality the harder he threw it. It worked anywhere between 70-76 mph, with the best ones being at 75-76.

Over in the Academies portion of the tournament, Faith Baptist Academy offered quite a few quality talents. Arguably the most impressive of the bunch was senior center fielder Chavez Young (2016, Brandon, Fla.). Young started out hot immediately, lacing a triple deep into the gap from the left side of the plate (he’s a switch hitter), showing an excellent combination of bat speed, strength and leverage in his swing that showed the ability to produce hard contact on pitches throughout the zone. Later in the game, he drilled a hard single to the pull field from the right side of the plate, and while the swing is a bit more fluid from the left side, there still exists good bat speed and strength from the right.

A very good athlete and plus runner, Young projects well in center field, and his loudest tool may actually be his arm, which—in an albeit brief few looks—looked to be another plus tool at his disposal. He’ll be watched closely by many evaluators throughout the weekend.

Oxford High School (Oxford, Miss.) is ranked third in our Top 50 high school team rankings, and there’s no mistaking just how loaded with talent they are. Their highest-ranked prospect is senior shortstop Grae Kessinger (2016, Oxford, Miss.), an Ole Miss signee with legitimately high defensive upside. With a body that oozes projection, Kessinger may have one of the smoother infield gloves of the 2016 class, with the range, quick-twitch athleticism, actions and arm strength to stay at the shortstop position for a long time.

He’s also an accomplished hitter out of the Oxford leadoff spot, where his contact-driven swing is quick, clean, and generates hard line drive contact all over the field. He also features an advanced approach with the willingness and ability to work the count into his favor, or simply draw a walk. Those on base and contact skills are ideally suited to the top of the order, where he is a near-perfect fit.

– Brian Sakowski





Righthanded pitcher Alex Speas (2016, Powder Springs, Ga.) of McEachern High School made his second trip to LakePoint in the last two weeks and continued to build off his recent success. Speas’ 6-foo-4, 190-pound frame is still just as projectable as it was his first time through as he took on a tough IMG Academy team Thursday afternoon. Speas opened the game featuring his explosive fastball that worked at 94-96 mph and touched 97. The pitch showed good arm-side wiggle and he had the ability to elevate to garner a swing and miss. He also showed the ability to generate good cut action on the pitch when trying to work to his glove side and slightly closing off his landing and working more across his body.

As good as Speas’ arm is the most consistent criticism pertains to his command. In front of approximately 50 MLB scouts he easily showed his best outing to date as he walked only two batters and gave up only five hits in his dominant complete game outing. He struck out six batters and showed the same feel for a curveball up to 80 mph with occasional sharpness and the ability to work the pitch for a strike. He showed a changeup up to 90 with slight sink. Both off-speed pitches he only flashed feel for, as they occasionally fluttered out of his hand with loose rotation.

What Speas did exceptionally well was hold his velocity over the whole game. The last pitch of the seventh inning was 96 mph, a good sign of his improved strength and conditioning. As noted, this was a big outing in terms of command for Speas, and if he continues to trend in the right direction he could see his draft stock improve since June.

Adrian Del Castillo (2017, Miami, Fla.), a Miami commit, delivered not one, but two home runs for the Gulliver Prep Raiders in their first two games of the Showdown. Del Castillo, a sophomore, is listed at 6-foot-1, 185-pounds with very clear present strength in his frame. He generates good torque through his lower half and is well balanced through the point of contact. He has very clear feel for his barrel release and his bat stays in the zone a long time with a smooth stroke. He starts his swing with a leg lift timing mechanism and stands slightly open with a high hand-set. He has a slight pull-oriented approach, but did show the ability to work the other way and take the ball where pitched. He showed a line drive swing plane and the ability to work generate good backspin, enabling both homers to fly over the outfield fence.




Like his teammate Del Castillo, Robert Touron (2017, Miami, Fla.) is a fellow Miami commit, but the junior impressed on the mound rather than at the plate. Touron worked from a low three-quarters arm slot on the mound with a long, loose arm action. He stands with a projectable 6-foot-2, 175-pound frame and shows the ability to easily handle added weight and strength. He showed good drive from his lower half, albeit inconsistent, and cut off his extension, though landing online. He landed on a very stiff front leg with complete lower half turn towards first-base.

His fastball worked 87-89 mph and topped out at 91 mph with slight arm-side life. What he struggled with on the mound that didn’t necessarily hurt him in the box score was leaving his fastball in the middle of the plate. He received some help from his defense, but began to work the ball lower in the zone as his start progressed. He missed in a slider as well on the mound with 10-to-4 shape that flashed depth, but he struggled to get through the pitch. Touron finished the game tossing 6 2/3 innings allowing two runs on three hits and a pair of walks, while striking out five batters.

The talented 6-foot, 190-pound Drew Bianco (2018, Oxford, Miss.) manned shortstop as well as the No. 2 spot in the lineup for the Oxford Chargers. He has good present strength in his frame with loose actions in the field. He showed good lateral range with soft hands as well as sound footwork around the bag. Where he made his presence known in a louder fashion was at the plate as he delivered a two-run home run as well as a hard ground ball single through the left side. Bianco did well to consistently match his swing plane through the zone and he swings with the intent to hit line drives. He has loud ability to find the barrel and shows the ability at a young age to time its release on a breaking ball. He has plus bat speed at the plate as well with the ability to generate loft on an elevated pitch.




Julio Blanco (2016, Brandon, Fla.) was the second pitcher into the game for Faith Baptist following another impressive, young, righthanded arm named Shameko Smith. Blanco worked from a high three-quarters arm slot on the mound with a long, loose arm action from a medium frame. He started with a medium leg raise and got downhill well for his size, landing online with a slight heel turning finish and fall off towards first base. Blanco showed good lower half incorporation with power generated through his hips and down the mound well.

He generated good plane with his fastball and saw good arm-side life generated while working 89-91 mph and topping out at 93 mph. He worked up in the zone, but had better command arm-side on the black, away from lefthanded hitters. He mixed in a curveball with 11-to-5 shape that showed loose rotation. Blanco was able to throw the pitch for strikes and did have some confidence in it, topping it out at 74 mph. He also showed a changeup in warmups that got up to 80 mph with slight fade, but like his curveball, he slowed his arm for the offering. Blanco fired one inning allowing one hit and struck out the side.

A Notre Dame commit from Englewood Cliffs, N.J., Michael Feliz (2016) hit and played shortstop for IMG showing good raw skills both offensively and defensively. Feliz has exceptional strength present in his 5-foot-11, 180-pound frame and still maintains his athleticism. At the plate, he showed exceptionally loose wrists and strength to flick a triple to the right-center field fence. Feliz has impressive raw bat speed with a line drive plane and a smooth swing through the zone. His patient approach and balance throughout give him the ability to wait back on off-speed pitches and drive them around the field. His ability to recognize bad spin and lay off allows him to wait for either an inside fastball or a breaking ball left up that he can drive. He utilizes a gap-to-gap approach that should produce plenty of extra base hits at higher levels.

– Matt Czechanski
Give us your feedback
Tournaments | Story | 1/27/2026

MLK East Scout Notes Recap
Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
‘28 OF Jakob Groeschel (OH) continues to impress with the bat on the circuit, picked up 2 2Bs in the first game today. Really athletic, went 4.4 on turn; easy to dream on all the traits. #MLKEast @PG_OhioValley pic.twitter.com/wOIwnGKnkg — Perfect Game Florida (@Florida_PG) January 17, 2026 2028 OF Jakob Groeschel (Springfield, Ohio) broke out at this event last year hitting a casual .909, and although he didn’t turn in quite the same performance, he hit a strong .462 with 4 extra-base hits, 5 walks, 5 bags and only struck out once. He’s a pretty dynamic athlete who can do a lot of things well, but the bat is the calling card as he just lives on the barrel and has no problem handling all kinds of pitching. It’s a simple swing, but he’s got fast hands and he can really impact the ball without being overly physical yet.  2030 RHP Michael Vazquez...
Read More
College | Rankings | 3/22/2026

College Top 25: March 23

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
Time flies when you are having fun and the fact that we are almost to the halfway point of the 2026 season, proves just how entertaining things have been to this point. In what was an ultra-impactful week on the national landscape, there are some clubs fading out of the limelight while others are emerging from the shadows and showing they are a force to be reconned with. Conference play always makes the big picture come into view and we are now getting a feel for who the true contenders may be as the grind begins. The UCLA Bruins (21-2) keep their stranglehold on the top spot in the land as they remain unchallenged since the start of Big Ten play and finished the week with a (4-0) record. The Texas Longhorns (20-3) did lose back-to-back games this week but showed their resilience by winning an intense road series against now No. 7 Auburn (19-4). Georgia Tech (19-5) also had a (2-2) week...
Read More
Draft | Rankings | 3/20/2026

2026 Draft Board: Top 300

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
The 2026 MLB Draft class is shaping up to be one of the better in recent memory and, potentially, the best class in the last decade. It’s led by UCLA superstar shortstop Roch Cholowsky, a true five-tool prospect who’s the early favorite for 1:1. One of the most popular pieces of industry feedback when constructing this list was some variation of “Roch is too low” or “go up on Roch” and he’s the best college prospect since 2019 when Adley Rutschman (Oregon State, Orioles) was the consensus No. 1 prospect. Similarly to 2019, there’s a superstar Texas prep shortstop at No. 2, in 2019 it was Bobby Witt Jr. (Colleyville Heritage, Royals) and this year it’s Grady Emerson. Both Emerson and Alabama’s Justin Lebron would have been solid 1:1 candidates in years where Roch Cholowsky is not eligible and both have All-Star potential....
Read More
Press Release | Press Release | 3/19/2026

PG Teams Up with OZ Ball Tournaments PTY

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
  667 Progress Way | Sanford, FL 32771 | 319-298-2923 www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   PERFECT GAME NAMES OZ BALL TOURNAMENTS PTY AS OFFICIAL AREA DIRECTOR IN AUSTRALIA, EXPANDING GLOBAL FOOTPRINT   Sanford, Florida (Thursday, March 19, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced that it has entered into a new international partnership with Oz Ball Tournaments Pty, naming the organization as an official Perfect Game Area Director in Australia. The agreement establishes Perfect Game-licensed tournaments and showcases across major Australian markets, including Sydney, Brisbane/Gold Coast, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.     Australian events will operate under the Perfect Game brand, delivering the same...
Read More
Press Release | Press Release | 3/18/2026

PG Introduces Individual Player Entry

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
  667 Progress Way | Sanford, FL 32771 | 319-298-2923 www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   PERFECT GAME INTRODUCES INDIVIDUAL PLAYER ENTRY, EXPANDING ACCESS TO ELITE NATIONAL EVENTS   Athletes Can Now Compete in Select National Tournaments Through Structured ‘Team PG’ Rosters   Sanford, Florida (Wednesday, March 18, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced the launch of Individual Player Entry, a new initiative designed to provide athletes the opportunity to compete in select national events even if their primary team is not attending.   Through the program, players can now register individually and be placed on a structured “Team PG” roster, allowing them to participate fully in...
Read More
Juco | Rankings | 3/18/2026

JUCO Top 25: March 18

Blaine Peterson
Article Image
This week brings a new top team to the rankings as Johnson County (KS), on the strength of 10 consecutive wins and a 26-2 record, claims the overall number 1 spot. The Cavaliers have made 3 consecutive trips to the JUCO World Series and have the talent to make it back there again this spring. Florida Southwestern and Chipola have seemingly separated themselves as the most consistent teams in Florida. Welcome to the top 5 to the Gaston Rhinos who will be one of the first teams to 30 wins this spring. Pearl River stays as the top NJCAA D2 team and Fresno City stays as the top Juco team in California; both are coming off undefeated 2 week stretches. Welcome back to the top 25 to John A. Logan who is now 20-7 overall and have played one of the toughest schedules of anyone. And for the first time in several years welcome to the top 25 to the College of Southern Idaho, the Golden Eagles have...
Read More
High School | General | 3/18/2026

Class of 2026: Preseason HS All-Americans

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Read More
College | Rankings | 3/18/2026

DII/DIII/NAIA Rankings Update: March 18

Nick Herfordt
Article Image
In every major sport, the championship is decided in the postseason. You can lose games all year, get hot at the right time, and walk away with the hardware. The regular season is a rehearsal. The playoffs are the show.  The championship belt changes that. Borrowed from professional wrestling, boxing and ultimate fighting, the belt travels the moment the holder loses — no brackets, no seeding, no second chances. A random Tuesday non-conference game in Milledgeville, Georgia  becomes a title fight. A spring trip to Florida becomes a gauntlet. The defending national champion can lose the belt before February is over.  We’re tracking three belts this season — NCAA Division II, NAIA, and NCAA Division III — each starting with the defending national champion. The results have been exactly as chaotic as you’d expect.  Worth noting along the...
Read More
High School | Rankings | 3/17/2026

High School Top 50 Update: March 17

Tyler Russo
Article Image
We have another update to the National Top-50 after two weeks of even more games being played in the southern states along with seasons just starting to kick off across the country. We’re quickly approaching another stellar high school event, the NHSI in Cary, and with that will come even more movement in these rankings. St. John Bosco (CA) continues to hold firm at the No. 1 position after a 4-0 start to their season. Venice (FL) has been rolling throughout the early portion of the year and jumps up to No. 2 in the country. One of the biggest movers in this update is The Bennett School (TX) jumping from unranked to No. 8 in the country after beating a handful of top ranked programs to start the year. Some other big movers inside the top-10 are Barbe (LA), who jumps from No. 18 to No. 5 in this update as well as Aledo (TX) who jumps from No. 20 to No. 9. The rest of the top-10...
Read More
College | Story | 3/17/2026

College Players of the Week: March 17

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
March 17th Perfect Game/Player of the Week: Vahn Lackey, C, Georgia Tech The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (17-3) came into the season with the highest external expectations in decades based on the anticipation of their offensive potential. To this point they have not only met those lofty expectations, but twenty games in they may have exceeded them. While there are plenty of high-level prospects up and down the lineup, with all that star power Vahn Lackey has stood out. Sure to be one of the first catchers selected in this year’s MLB Draft with his comprehensive skillset, he projects well as an everyday backstop at the next level. However, his overall athleticism stands out as we saw this week when he had a game where he played every defensive position on the field except pitcher. At the plate over four games including a series victory at Clemson last week, he went 9 for 15, scoring...
Read More
College | Rankings | 3/16/2026

College Top 25: March 16

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
Collegiate Player Report Database As each week of the college baseball season passes, we continue to be entertained at an incredible level with high level drama at every turn.  Conference play is under way and the national landscape is starting to make a bit more sense.  The development and strength of individual players is on full-display and there continue to be upsets on occasion that sends the message no team can relax for one moment.  For the most part, the Top 10 remains unchanged with some reshuffling as No. 1 UCLA (17-2) holds on to the top spot with yet another perfect (4-0) week after sweeping Michigan.  The No. 2 Texas Longhorns (18-1) did drop their first game of the season in Game 1 of SEC play but won the series against Ole Miss and finished the week with a (3-1) record.  The Georgia Tech Yellowjackets (17-3) passed their first real road test of 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.