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| 2,596 MLB PLAYERS | 16,395 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,596 MLB PLAYERS | 16,395 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Draft  | State Preview | 5/31/2016

State Snapshots: Great Lakes

Photo: Perfect Game

 


Perfect Game 2016 MLB Draft Preview Index

South Atlantic
– FL, GA, NC, SC

Southeast – AL, KY, MS, TN
South Central – AR, LA, OK, TX
Mountain – AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY
Pacific – AK, CA, HI, OR, WA
Great Plains – IA, KS, MO, NE, ND, SD
Great Lakes – IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI
Mid-Atlantic – DE, DC, MD, NJ, NY, PA, VA, WV
New England – CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT
Canada and Puerto Rico



Illinois

BEST COLLEGE TEAM:
 Southern Illinois
BEST JUNIOR COLLEGE TEAM: John A. Logan
BEST HIGH SCHOOL TEAM: Brother Rice

PROSPECT ON THE RISE:
John Rave, of, Bloomington HS
WILD CARD: Tyler Fitzgerald, ss, Rochester HS

Best Out-of-State Prospect, Illinois Connection:
 Corey Ray, of, Louisville
Top 2017 Prospect: Brendan Murphy, lhp, Mundelein HS
Top 2018 Prospect: Alek Thomas, of, Mt. Carmel HS

HIGHEST DRAFT PICKS

Draft History:
Danny Goodwin, c, Central HS (1971, White Sox/1st round, 1st pick)

2011 Draft: Charlie Tilson, of, New Trier HS (Cardinals/2nd round)
2012 Draft: Chris Serritella, 1b, Southern Illinois (Phillies/4th round)
2013 Draft: Daniel Lietz, lhp, Heartland CC (Blue Jays/5th round)
2014 Draft: Jeremy Rhoades, rhp, Illinois State (Angels/4th round)
2015 Draft: Tyler Jay, lhp, Illinois (Twins/1st round, 6th pick)

2015 DRAFT OVERVIEW

College Players Drafted/Signed:
 21/18
Junior College Players Drafted/Signed: 2/1
High School Players Drafted/Signed: 11/1

PROSPECTS IN THE TOP 500:

• Cody Sedlock, rhp, Illinois (37)
• Matthias Dietz, rhp, John A. Logan (62)
• Cooper Johnson, c, Carmel Catholic HS (76)
• Tyler Fitzgerald, ss, Rochester HS (116)
• Ben Brecht, lhp, New Trier Township HS (188)
• Cal Coughlin, 3b/rhp, Carmel HS (244)
• Garrett Acton, rhp, Lemont Twp HS (272)
• Drake Fellows, rhp, Joliet Catholic Academy (280)
• Colin Holderman, rhp, Heartland CC (290)
• Jason Goldstein, c, Illinois (308)
• Brendan Heiss, rhp, Harry D. Jacobs HS (310)
• Spencer Gaa, 3b, Bradley (346)
• Jordan McFarland, of, Gibault Catholic HS (383)
• Jack Suwinski, of, Taft HS (400)
• Christian Bullock, of, Morgan Park HS (424)
• Joey Polak, 3b, Notre Dame HS (428)
• Joey Butler, ss, Minooka Community HS (451)
• Sam Ferri, c/rhp, Notre Dame College Prep (458)
John Rave, of, Bloomington HS (470)
• Will Kincanon, rhp, Triton CC (497)



Indiana


BEST COLLEGE TEAM:
 Indiana
BEST JUNIOR COLLEGE TEAM: Vincennes
BEST HIGH SCHOOL TEAM: Zionsville

PROSPECT ON THE RISE: Zach Thompson, lhp, Wapahani HS

WILD CARD: Cavan Biggio, 2b, Notre Dame

Best Out-of-State Prospect, Indiana Connection:
Zack Brown, rhp, Kentucky
Top 2017 Prospect: Brian Gursky, lhp, St. Joseph Catholic HS
Top 2018 Prospect: Jake Sweeney, lhp, Andrean HS

HIGHEST DRAFT PICKS

Draft History:
 Andy Benes, rhp, University of Evansville (1988, Padres/1st round, 1st pick); Bryan Bullington, rhp, Ball State University (2002, Pirates/1st round, 1st pick)

2011 Draft: Alex Dickerson, 1b/of, Indiana University (Pirates/3rd round)
2012 Draft: Kevin Plawecki, c, Purdue University (Mets/1st round, 35th pick)
2013 Draft: Trey Ball, lhp, New Castle HS (Red Sox/1st round, 7th pick)
2014 Draft: Kyle Schwarber, c, Indiana University (Cubs/1st round, 4th pick)
2015 Draft: Ashe Russell, rhp, Cathedral Catholic HS (Royals/1st round, 21st pick)

2015 DRAFT OVERVIEW

College Players Drafted/Signed:
 14/12
Junior College Players Drafted/Signed: None
High School Players Drafted/Signed: 5/3

PROSPECTS IN THE TOP 500:

• Skylar Szynski, rhp, Penn HS (106)
• Cavan Biggio, 2b/3b, Notre Dame (151)
• Zach Thompson, lhp, Wapahani HS (170)
• Michael McAvene, rhp, Roncalli HS (254)
• T.J. Collett, c/1b, North Vigo HS (263)
• Zach Plesac, rhp, Ball State (320)
• Jake Kelzer, rhp, Indiana (332)
• Kyle Hart, lhp, Indiana (345)
• Jarrett Rindfleisch, c, Ball State (350)
• Craig Dedelow, of, Indiana (352)
• Caleb Baragar, lhp, Indiana (354)
• Austin Conway, rhp, Indiana State (429)
• Matt Gorski, ss, Hamilton Southeastern HS (445)
• Andy Young, 3b, Indiana State (467)



Michigan


BEST COLLEGE TEAM:
Michigan
BEST JUNIOR COLLEGE TEAM: Jackson
BEST HIGH SCHOOL TEAM: Saline

PROSPECT ON THE RISE: Keegan Akin, lhp, Western Michigan
WILD CARD: Nick Deeg, lhp, Central Michigan

Best Out-of-State Prospect, Michigan Connection:
 Caleb Baragar, lhp, Indiana
Top 2017 Prospect: Keegan Baar, lhp, Michigan State
Top 2018 Prospect: John Malcom, 1b/lhp, Detroit Country Day HS

HIGHEST DRAFT PICKS

Draft History:
 Mark Mulder, lhp, Michigan State (1998, Athletics/1st round, 2nd pick)

2011 Draft: Trent Howard, lhp, Central Michigan (Orioles/7th round)
2012 Draft: Torsten Boss, 3b/of, Michigan State (Orioles/8th round)
2013 Draft: Michael O'Neill, of, Michigan (Yankees/3rd round)
2014 Draft: Jordan Foley, rhp, Central Michigan (Yankees/5th round)
2015 Draft: Nick Plummer, of, Brother Rice HS (Cardinals/1st round, 23rd pick)

2015 DRAFT OVERVIEW

College Players Drafted/Signed:
 15/14
Junior College Players Drafted/Signed: None
High School Players Drafted/Signed: 2/1

PROSPECTS IN THE TOP 500:

Keegan Akin, lhp, Western Michigan (107)
• Kyle Roberts, lhp, Henry Ford CC (127)
• Carmen Benedetti, of/lhp, Michigan (144)
• Cam Vieaux, lhp, Michigan State (159)
• Dakota Mekkes, rhp, Michigan State (171)
• Jordan Zimmerman, 1b, Michigan State (187)
• Karl Kauffmann, rhp, Brother Rice HS (199)
• Brett Adcock, lhp, Michigan (249)
• Jackson Lamb, rhp, Michigan (273)
• Dion Henderson, lhp, Oak Park HS (328)
• Harrison Wenson, c, Michigan (362)
• Michael Mokma, rhp, Holland Christian HS (465)
• Joe Mockbee, lhp, Michigan State (474)
• Evan Hill, lhp, Michigan (476)
• Nick Deeg, lhp, Central Michigan (482)



Minnesota


BEST COLLEGE TEAM:
Minnesota
BEST JUNIOR COLLEGE TEAM: St. Cloud Tech
BEST HIGH SCHOOL TEAM: Minnetonka

PROSPECT ON THE RISE: Nick Hanson, rhp, Prior Lake HS


Best Out-of-State Prospect, Minnesota Connection:
 Logan Shore, rhp, Florida
Top 2017 Prospect: Jimmy Ramsey, rhp, Minnetonka HS
Top 2018 Prospect: Terrin Vavra, ss/2b, Minnesota

HIGHEST DRAFT PICKS

Draft History:
 Joe Mauer, c, Cretin-Derham Hall HS (2001, Twins/1st round, 1st pick)

2011 Draft: Jordan Smith, of, St. Cloud State (Indians/9th round)
2012 Draft: Mitchell Brown, rhp, Century HS (Indians/2nd round)
2013 Draft: Tom Windle, lhp, Minnesota (Dodgers/2nd round)
2014 Draft: Sam Hentges, lhp, Mounds View HS (Indians/4th round)
2015 Draft: Lance Thonvold, rhp, Minnesota (Mariners/24th round)

2015 DRAFT OVERVIEW

College Players Drafted/Signed:
 3/2
Junior College Players Drafted/Signed: None
High School Players Drafted/Signed: 1/0

PROSPECTS IN THE TOP 500:

• Nick Hanson, rhp, Prior Lake HS (44)
• Austin Athmann, c, Minnesota (314)




Ohio


BEST COLLEGE TEAM:
Ohio State
BEST JUNIOR COLLEGE TEAM: Sinclair
BEST HIGH SCHOOL TEAM: Jackson

PROSPECT ON THE RISE:
Ronnie Dawson, of, Ohio State
WILD CARD: Troy Montgomery, of, Ohio State

Best Out-of-State Prospect, Ohio Connection:
 T.J. Zeuch, rhp, Pittsburgh
Top 2017 Prospect: Brock Mathis, c, Fairfield HS
Top 2018 Prospect: Cal Conley, ss, Loveland HS

HIGHEST DRAFT PICKS

Draft History:
Tim Belcher, rhp, Mount Vernon Nazarene College (1983, Twins/1st round, 1st pick); Ken Griffey Jr., of, Moeller HS (1987, Mariners/1st round, 1st pick)

2011 Draft: Andrew Chafin, lhp, Kent State (Diamondbacks/1st round, 43rd pick)
2012 Draft: Matt Smoral, lhp, Solon HS (Blue Jays/1st round, 50th pick)
2013 Draft: David Ledbetter, rhp, Cedarville University (Rangers/3rd round)
2014 Draft: Cameron Varga, rhp, Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy (Rays/2nd round)
2015 Draft: Ian Happ, of, Cincinnati (Cubs/1st round, 9th pick)

2015 DRAFT OVERVIEW

College Players Drafted/Signed:
17/16
Junior College Players Drafted/Signed: None
High School Players Drafted/Signed: 3/1

PROSPECTS IN THE TOP 500:

• Eric Lauer, lhp, Kent State (40)
• Sean Murphy, c, Wright State (83)
• Ronnie Dawson, of, Ohio State (143)
• Bradyn Sittinger, rhp, Ashland (410)
• Tyler Duvall, c, Lebanon HS (434)
• Troy Montgomery, of, Ohio State (491)



Wisconsin


BEST COLLEGE TEAM:
Wisconsin-Milwaukee
BEST JUNIOR COLLEGE TEAM: Madison College
BEST HIGH SCHOOL TEAM: St. Mary Catholic

PROSPECT ON THE RISE: Gavin Lux, ss, Indian Trail Academy
WILD CARD: Lake Bachar, rhp, Wisconsin-Whitewater


Best Out-of-State Prospect, Wisconsin Connection:
Kyle Cody, rhp, University of Kentucky
Top 2017 Prospect: Nathan Burns, rhp, West Bend West HS
Top 2018 Prospect: Jarred Kelenic, of, Waukesha West HS

HIGHEST DRAFT PICKS

Draft History:
 Kevin Brandt, of, Nekoosa HS (1979, Twins/1st round, 11th pick)

2011 Draft: Cody Koback, of, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (Red Sox/10th round)
2012 Draft: Nathan Mikolas, of, Kenosha Bradford HS (Yankees/3rd round)
2013 Draft: Josh Uhen, rhp, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (Brewers/5th round)
2014 Draft: J.P. Feyereisen, rhp, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (Indians/16th round)
2015 Draft: Justin Langley, lhp, University of Wisconsin-Milwuakee (Marlins/16th round)

2015 DRAFT OVERVIEW

College Players Drafted/Signed:
 3/3
Junior College Players Drafted/Signed: None
High School Players Drafted/Signed: None

PROSPECTS IN THE TOP 500:

• Gavin Lux, ss, Indian Trail Academy (65)
• Ben Rortvedt, c, Verona Area HS (71)
• Nate Brown, rhp, Arrowhead HS (222)
• Lake Bachar, rhp, Wisconsin-Whitewater (269)
• Dominic Clementi, of, Arrowhead HS (407)




Draft | Story | 8/11/2026

Realistic Expectations of a 1:1 Pick

Tyler Henninger
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Over the 2026 draft cycle, UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky was the projected No. 1 pick throughout the entire cycle. White Sox fans began #RochWatch and were already talking about when he will make it to Chicago. Now that he has been selected, Cholowsky has immediately become a Top-10 prospect in all of baseball. There is no denying the hype, and the pressure, for Chowlosky to get to the big leagues and produce at a high level.  But how realistic is that? Let’s take a look back at past 1:1 selections and see what you can expect from a No. 1 overall selection.  For this exercise, we’ll look at No. 1 overall picks from the bonus pool era, excluding Eli Willits from 2025 since this is his first full year of pro ball. That gives us 13 players selected from 2012 through 2024.  Almost All Become Big Leaguers The first thing that stands out is how successful No. 1 picks...
All American Game | Story | 8/16/2026

Romero Slams His Way to Classic MVP

Jim Salisbury
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PHILADELPHIA – Sunday’s DICK’s Perfect Game All-American Classic was a pitching-dominated affair until the bottom of the eighth inning when the rain started to fall at Citizens Bank Park and Koa Romero stepped to the plate and did his best impression of Kyle Schwarber. Romero wears No. 12, just like Schwarber. He bats left-handed, just like Schwarber. He’s got big power, just like Schwarber. And at 5-10 and a rock-solid 225 pounds, he’s even built like Schwarber. Needless to say, Schwarber is Romero’s favorite player. So, it was all kind of storybook when Romero belted a grand slam to dead center to cap off the scoring in the West team’s 8-3 win over the East club in the 24th annual Classic. “This is a dream come true,” said Romero, who was named MVP of the game. “It’s amazing to be able to put a ball like that out of a...
All American Game | Story | 8/15/2026

A Philly Dream for Steingall

Jim Salisbury
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PHILADELPHIA – Carson Steingall had been to Citizens Bank Park many times over the years. After all, he hails from Nazareth, Pa., about 90 minutes up the road from the home of the Philadelphia Phillies and he counts himself as a big fan of the team. Zack Wheeler is his favorite. Steingall realized a dream when he pitched from the same mound that Wheeler does in Perfect Game’s fourth annual All-Star Game for rising sophomores and juniors on Friday. The dream got even better when Steingall, a 16-year-old right-hander, was named Most Valuable Pitcher after striking out the side in the third inning of the National team’s 6-1 victory over the American team. “It’s just an honor to be here,” Steingall said after receiving his trophy. “This event is the best of the best. It’s really cool to win something like this.” Steingall, who’ll...
Showcase | Story | 8/13/2026

PG Honors Pat Gillick With Philly Showcase

Perfect Game Staff
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Perfect Game to honor Pat Gillick in new Philadelphia Showcase  By Maya Heyman Perfect Game is bringing its elite showcase experience to Philadelphia’s FDR Park for the inaugural Philly Stars/Pat Gillick Showcase this weekend, honoring one of the greatest executives in MLB history in the city where he constructed his final of three World Series winners. The event will take place on Sunday, the same day as the DICK’S All-American Classic, taking place just across the street at Citizens Bank Park.  The showcase will allow Philadelphia-area players to gain exposure and will also honor Gillick, who has been a tremendous influence in both professional and amateur baseball.   Jered Goodwin, Vice President of Scouting Operations for Perfect Game, said the idea came naturally.  “Going to Philly made a lot of sense to honor Pat Gillick, who's been a...
General | General | 8/13/2026

PG All-Star Game Heads to Philly

Jheremy Brown
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For the fourth time since its inception in 2023, two rosters comprised of the best rising juniors (and a handful of rising sophomores) will step out onto the field Friday afternoon, kicking off the All-American weekend. While the Perfect Game All-American Classic is slated for a 1:35 first pitch at Citizens Bank Park on Sunday, 36 future hopefuls of the Classic will go up against one another in an American vs National clash at 11 AM Eastern, Friday morning.  With 36 players from across the country descending on Philadelphia, there will be plenty of familiar names in attendance as 24 of the 36 played in at least one PG Select Festival and all 36 attended either the he Sophomore National, Junior National, or the PG Underclass All-American Games this summer. Leading the charge are a pair of No. 1s in 2028 dynamic talent Dexter McCleon Jr and 2029 Macgraw VanWormer, a do-it-all...
Tournaments | Championship | 8/12/2026

Pokers Rally to Capture 16U BCS Title

Alyssa Golden
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Pokers Rally to Capture 16U BCS Title A hot afternoon at JetBlue Stadium in Fort Myers, Florida ended in a 9-1 victory for the Original Florida Pokers 2028 National, defeating SBA Bolts Florida 2028 National on Monday to capture the 16U BCS National Championship. A pitchers’ duel kept the game scoreless through four innings before the Pokers broke it open with a five-run fifth inning. The title marked the Pokers’ second 16U BCS Championship, adding to the championship they won in 2022. Despite a slow start to the summer, the Pokers found their stride at the right time. “We struggled a lot early in the summer, but the past few tournaments we really started turning it on,” Pokers head coach Will McCrimon said. “I’m just so proud of these kids.” Max Maynes started the game on the mound for the Pokers. The left-hander allowed three hits and two walks...
Press Release | Press Release | 8/11/2026

Perfect Game & Goat'd Come Together

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  667 Progress Way | Sanford, FL 32771 | 319-298-2923 www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   PERFECT GAME AND GOAT'D PARTNER TO BRING PREMIUM PROTECTIVE GEAR TO THE NATION'S TOP AMATEUR BASEBALL PLAYERS   Sanford, Florida (Tuesday, August 11, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced a new partnership with Goat'd, a premium protective gear brand focused on developing innovative products for athletes. The partnership will bring Goat'd's premium protective equipment to some of the nation's top amateur baseball players and families across Perfect Game's premier national events. The partnership will debut at several of Perfect Game's marquee events, including the 13U Select Fest, 14U Select Fest, Perfect Game All-Star Game and...
General | General | 8/8/2026

12U Game Time: 8/9/2026 1PM Eastern

Perfect Game Staff
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Sunday August 9th, 2026 1:00PM Eastern DICK'S Sporting Goods Park at East Cobb West vs. East Follow and watch the game
General | General | 8/8/2026

11U Game Time: 8/8/2026 Noon Eastern

Perfect Game Staff
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Saturday August 8th, 2026 12:00PM Eastern DICK'S Sporting Goods Park at East Cobb West vs. East Follow and watch the game
Draft | Story | 8/7/2026

2026 MLB Draft Team Reports: NL West

Tyler Henninger
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2026 MLB Draft Team Report Cards: AL West With the 2026 MLB Draft officially in the books, it’s time to evaluate how each team performed. Every draft class was graded using the standard 20-80 scouting scale with risk factor assigned. While these grades won’t be proven right or wrong for years, they reflect the overall talent, value, and upside each organization added to its system. NL West Arizona Diamondbacks  Grade: 50 Risk: High Notable Selections: C Ryder Helfrick (1st rd) | RHP Blake Bryant (CB-A rd) | SS Carson Kerce (2nd rd) | OF Brayden Dowd (3rd rd)  Ryder Helfrick (@RazorbackBSB ) different AB; same result. He goes dead central for a solo 💣 this time. Threw a runner out earlier; 1.98 pop. #PGCollege @PG_Draft https://t.co/kW7wraqExJ pic.twitter.com/SARYKxd0oE — PG College Baseball (@PGCollegeBall) February 14, 2026 The Diamondbacks started their...
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