THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,618 MLB PLAYERS | 16,397 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,618 MLB PLAYERS | 16,397 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Sign in Create Account
Sign in Create Account
Tournaments  | Story | 7/3/2016

Slammers grow at national level

Vincent Cervino
Photo: Perfect Game

EMERSON, Ga. – Colorado is not normally known for being a baseball state. With only two Division I college programs in the state that field a baseball team, Clint Zavaras, manager of the Colorado-based Slammers, has worked hard over the past decade to improve the quality of Colorado baseball and to compete with traditional powerhouse states like Georgia and Florida.

“When we first started this program, about 13 or 14 years ago, we were lucky to have two or three D-I guys total in the state of Colorado,” said Zavaras. “Over the years we’ve grown and the coaching around Colorado has gotten better and in turn our program has gotten better. Last year we had 44 seniors and all 44 got a college scholarship for baseball. Sixteen or 17 of those guys had D-I scholarships. So now we have this group and the next group of 2018s who will end up being another 15-18 D-I guys and hopefully that will stay from here on out.

“We still get the token ‘You’re a good team from Colorado,’ but we’re just a good team and we compete all over the place.”

One of the latest examples of the talent in Colorado is righthanded pitcher Caleb Sloan. Sloan is the No. 10 righthanded pitcher in the class of 2017 nationally (he’s ranked 32nd overall) and has a power fastball that has reached 94 mph, as it did on Sunday at the 17u WWBA National Championship in a game against the Georgia Jackets. Sloan, a former football player, has embraced his notoriety and loves the game of baseball.

“I started playing baseball when I was four years old,” said Sloan. “I was mainly a football player for a long time and then I started working with Clint (Zavaras) and the Slammers. Baseball became everything for me, I started working and practicing every day. I love this team, I love the players, I love the coaches, traveling with everyone is so much fun.”

The summer has been full of travel and showcases already. After performing at the Perfect Game National Showcase – where he impressed with a 90-94 mph fastball and low- to mid-80s slider – the TCU commit is in Georgia to compete against some of the most talented players in the country at the 17u WWBA National Championship.

“This summer has been crazy,” said Sloan. “I knew it was going to be long but I didn’t know it was going to be this much fun. I’m not at home much but I love traveling with my team and meeting new people. Throwing on the road is so much fun. The (recruiting) process was very exciting. TCU was my place because I have a lot of family in Texas, that’s where my parents are from. It’s been exciting, I really love the process.”

His work ethic and desire to be great have rubbed off on his team and his coaches. Zavaras calls Sloan the “hardest worker on the team” and he sets an example for the rest of his teammates to follow.

“Caleb has, in the last six or seventh months, started to come into his own,” said Zavaras. “He’s always had arm strength the question was would he pitch enough to be that kind of pitcher. He’s a good strike thrower and his slider is coming around. The best thing about Caleb is that he works harder than anyone else on the team. The other kids look at that and realize if he has to work hard then they do too. He’s a good leader that way.”
Joshua Dudden went 3-for-3 with three runs scored and five RBI in the Slammers' run-rule win on Sunday
The Slammers program has produced many notable names recently, including Arizona College World Series standout and third-round pick Bobby Dalbec. Joshua Dudden is another player who has blossomed under Zavaras and his program.

“I’m only 5-11 and I don’t try to do too much,” said Dudden. “Just see a pitch and hit it. I take what the pitchers give me and the whole team does that too. We don’t have a lot of big, I think half of our team is under six foot, we’re not big but we put good wood on the ball and hustle. We’re a good team and there’s been a lot of good Slammers team in the past. Bobby Dalbec in Arizona for example, but it’s very exciting.”

Zavaras also had high praise for his middle-of-the-order bat. In a 16-1 barrage over the Georgia Jackets National, Dudden went 3-for-3 with three runs scored and five RBI.

“Josh is the rock in the middle of our lineup,” said Zavaras. “He’s not a big kid but he’s got a little pop and plays really good defense. He’s been our most consistent hitter, tons of RBIs, and when guys are in scoring position he generally delivers. Josh has worked himself, over the last eight months, into a solid D-I type middle infielder.”

With the win over the Georgia Jackets the Slammers are now 3-1 in their pool and have shown they are a quality team. The game ended after three innings due to the run rule, and Sloan threw only 2 2/3 of those, on 44 pitches, meaning he could make another appearance in this tournament depending on how far the Slammers advance. Zavaras says that the most important part of tournaments like this is that the players compete against other elite teams and realize that they are good enough to win games.

“The best part about this tournament is that our kids realize they can compete,” said Zavaras. “They grow up hearing how great kids from California, Texas, or Florida are and we get a chance to play against them and that helps our guys realize that they’re good too. They start to find their place in the baseball world. Our best players in Colorado are as good as the best players anywhere in the country, there’s just not as many of them. They grow up competing now as opposed to 10 or 12 years ago when there wasn’t enough talent to push our top guys. It’s good for us to travel and our kids learn that they fit in with the rest of the country.”

Going forward, Zavaras preaches clean baseball. He knows his team needs to not make mistakes and capitalize opportunities in order to reach bracket play.

“For us, when we get out of Colorado and start playing better competition, we have to make sure we’re playing the game correctly so when we have a chance to score we make sure we put runs on,” said Zavaras. “We’re really good defensively so when we make plays we’re tough to beat. We want to put pressure on the other team so maybe they’ll make a mistake. We try to play a clean game every time whether it’s offense, defense, or pitching. If we can take care of that we’ll have a chance to win almost every game.”
Give us your feedback
Tournaments | Story | 8/26/2026

Underclass Area Codes: Standout Arms
Joey Cohen
Article Image
Year in and year out when the best young talent from across the country is packed into one national-level event the arms tend to win the week. That feels especially true in today’s amateur game where velocity, pitch design and high-level training in general are being introduced earlier than ever, allowing young pitchers to develop impactful stuff at a faster rate than younger hitters can consistently catch up to it. The Underclass Area Code Games are no exception and this year there was no shortage of arms that made you stop and take notice. Narrowing it down to 10 was difficult, but I focused on the pitchers who either displayed starter-type traits, brought something genuinely different from a delivery standpoint whether it was slot, height, crossfire or deception or simply possessed an outlier element of stuff that separated them from the pack. These are the 10 arms that stood...
Read More
Press Release | Press Release | 9/1/2026

PG Hires Nuovo-Golden in South Carolina

Article Image
  667 Progress Way | Sanford, FL 32771 | 319-298-2923 www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   PERFECT GAME SOFTBALL EXPANDS REGIONAL TOURNAMENT OPERATIONS WITH KEY HIRE IN SOUTH CAROLINA   Greenville, South Carolina (Monday, August 31, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced an addition to its Southeast tournament operations team with the hiring of Michelle Nuovo-Golden as Operations Director.   In her role, Nuovo-Golden will oversee regional venue management, team relations and event logistics across South Carolina focusing on expanding Perfect Game’s fastpitch footprint within the core markets which include Columbia, Lexington, Greenville, Anderson and the surrounding regions.   Nuovo-Golden transitions to...
Read More
Draft | Rankings | 8/28/2026

2027 MLB Draft Board

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
The 2026 MLB Draft is official in the books as those players have been signed and have begun their pro career. That means it is time to turn the page and dive into the 2027 class. This class features an intriguing mix of arms both from the prep and college ranks, along with an enticing position player pool. Today, we unveil our first 2027 MLB Draft Board, ranking the Top-100 prospects in the class. There is still plenty of time for new names to emerge and established ones to rise or fall, but here is where things stand as we begin this cycle.  Rk. Name Level Pos. B-T School Hometown State Commitment 1 Dylan Seward H SS S-R Norco Eastvale CA Tennessee 2 Brendan Lawson C SS L-R Florida Toronto ON 3 Dax Whitney C RHP R-R Oregon State Blackfoot ID 4 Gavin Kelly C C/UTL R-R West Virginia Presto PA 5 Tomas Valincius C LHP L-L Mississippi State Lockport IL 6 Malachi Butler H SS L-R...
Read More
Draft | Story | 8/23/2026

2026 MLB Draft Report Cards: NL East

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
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 East Atlanta Braves  Grade: 55 Risk: High Notable Selections: OF AJ Gracia (1st rd) | OF Carter Beck (PPI) | RHP Kaiden McCarthy (2nd rd) | RHP Jensen Hirschkorn (3rd rd)   OF AJ Gracia (@UVABaseball) is seeing the ball really well & picked up a couple of hits, including a 2B into RCF. Smooth LH stroke & easy impact. Showed + pwr in BP, 46 BB: 36 K. Jr./'26 elig. @PG_Draft pic.twitter.com/C4rSc0ZNIc — PG College Baseball (@PGCollegeBall) May 30, 2026 Atlanta had $15,870,800 to spend in this year’s draft,...
Read More
Draft | Story | 8/22/2026

2026 MLB Draft Report Cards: AL East

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
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. AL East Baltimore Orioles Grade: 50 Risk: High Notable Selections: OF Eric Booth Jr. (1st rd) | OF Ty Head (2nd rd) | OF Kevin Roberts Jr (4th rd)  Eric Booth Jr. (26 MS) goes big fly 💣 that carried out oppo. Explosive athlete w/ huge LH juice & tools. Big time in several facets. #NatElite #Vandy commit. @PG_DeepSouth pic.twitter.com/kXl7ZVyD9G — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) July 12, 2025 Baltimore was about middle of the pack in terms of money available this year, having $13.1m to spend on their class. Booth Jr. is a...
Read More
Draft | Story | 8/24/2026

Area Code Gams: Prospect Recap

Steve Fiorindo
Article Image
Pitchers George Ferguson, RHP, Abilene HS  Ferguson toed the slab for the Rangers squad in game one of the Codes, setting the tone early with some loud stuff.  Ferguson attacked hitters with a verty fastball up to 96 that played well up in the zone with up to 24 inches of induced vertical break.  He showed more than just a power arsenal, going to the changeup often, using the pitch to put away hitters.  Kills the spin to the 1600’s, regularly getting 13-15 inches of horizontal break.  The slider rounded out the arsenal, working 82/83.  Struck out four over his three innings of work, two on the fastball, two on the change.  2026 PG All American committed to Texas.  Quinn Fitzpatrick, RHP, Stratford HS  Another 2026 PG All American out of Texas, the LSU commit punched out three over his two innings of work, allowing just one hit. ...
Read More
Draft | Story | 8/21/2026

2027 Draft Preview: Collegiate RHP

Ryan Miller
Article Image
2027 MLB Draft Profile Preview: College Right-Handed Pitchers  Throughout the 2027 draft cycle, I’ll be breaking down different demographics in the class. Today we begin with collegiate right-handed pitching, a strong group that is headlined by a legitimate 1-1 candidate in Dax Whitney. Most of the group is made up of high-quality power four arms, with a handful of mid-major arms mixed in. Below are the top college right-handers in the 2027 class:  Dax Whitney (@BeaverBaseball) showed LOUD stuff. FB up to 100, cruised at 95-98. Pair of plus secondaries. CB at 77-79 (2923) with sharp, 12-6 action. Firm SL at 89-91 (2714) with bite. Flashed fading CH at 87-88 (1425). Ranked No. 1 on the ‘27 board @PG_Draft So./‘27 elig. pic.twitter.com/9PNbjJ53Zo — PG College Baseball (@PGCollegeBall) February 13, 2026 Dax Whitney, Oregon State  Whitney has maintained...
Read More
All American Game | Story | 8/21/2026

Brotherly Love Inspires Carter Hadnot

Jim Salisbury
Article Image
PHILADELPHIA – Perfect Game has been a big part of Carter Hadnot’s life since he was 12. He participated in more than a dozen tournaments and showcases, including prestigious Select Festivals as a 13U and 14U player, as well as last summer’s PG All-Star Game for underclassmen in San Diego.   The PG event that Hadnot always wanted to be part of was the DICK’s All-American Classic. Now, that’s on his resume, too. He played in the 24th annual Classic earlier this week at Citizens Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies. “This means a lot to me,” he said during the event. “I always wanted to make it to Select Fest when I was younger. So, every time I get invited to an event it’s an honor and it’s fun. I don’t take it for granted. “This is definitely the one I always wanted to make it to. A lot of big names have...
Read More
Press Release | Press Release | 8/18/2026

Perfect Game & Delano Partner Up

Article Image
  667 Progress Way | Sanford, FL 32771 | 319-298-2923 www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   PERFECT GAME NAMES DELANO BAT COMPANY OFFICIAL WOOD COMPOSITE BAT PARTNER, LAUNCHES LIMITED-EDITION BAT SERIES   Delano Bats will serve as the Official Game Bat of the 13U Select Festival, taking place this coming weekend in East Cobb, Georgia   Sanford, Florida (Tuesday, August 18, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced a new partnership with Delano Bat Company, LLC, naming the company an Official Wood Composite Bat Partner of Perfect Game. The partnership will feature three exclusive limited-edition bat releases, which began with the Original Glory American Flag Bat in celebration of the United States' 250th birthday, that...
Read More
Draft | Story | 8/17/2026

2026 MLB Draft Report Cards: NL Central

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
2026 MLB Draft Report Cards: AL West | NL West | AL Central 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 Central Chicago Cubs  Grade: 40 Risk: Medium Notable Selections: RHP Cade Townsend (1st rd) | OF Caden Sorrell (2nd rd) | 1B Myles Bailey (2C)   RHP Cade Townsend (@OleMissBSB) sat 95-96 T97 w/ riding FB from fast arm. Nasty cutter at 88-91 is the go-to, showed biting 2 pln SL. Low-80s top to bottom CB & CH ~ 1300 RPM to round out mix. Has had a great spring & risen up boards. Soph./'26 elig. @PG_Draft pic.twitter.com/TAFbM37f5j — PG College...
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.