THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,586 MLB PLAYERS | 16,394 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,586 MLB PLAYERS | 16,394 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Tournaments  | Story | 7/23/2016

16u BCS Finals Day 5 Scout Notes



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Another intriguing prospect from Chet Lemons Juice is Yeakarlos Lleras (2018, Carolina, Puerto Rico). When I look at Lleras his body type and style remind me of Melvin Upton Jr. He’s still rail thin but the athleticism shows through the lack of physical maturity, which is a great sign. At the plate he stands narrow and open, the torso is upright, with the hands above the shoulder. Lleras begins his swing with a gather to the rear leg, uses a leg lift with slight internal rotation that coils the hip, his hands drop while wiggling the barrel to a tipped launch position. As he strides forward, Lleras maintains his coil and lands in a torqued position. His lower half is explosive which generates bat speed and leads to probably one of the better bat paths I’ve seen in the past two weeks. Lleras is currently hitting .444 for the tournament with three RBI and a run scored.

The Boca Raton Thunder have impressed through pool play with the help of Jack Hay (2019, Parkland, Fla.) At the plate he stands with his feet slightly wider than shoulder width, and upright torso and his back elbow up with the barrel resting on the shoulder. He begins his swing by gathering in to the rear leg with a toe tap, lifting the barrel off the shoulder before striding forward, creating good hip and front-side coil. Jack lands in a strong torqued position and has a good path to the ball. His bat speed is still developing but Hay has great mechanics that put him on time with every pitch he sees. Jack has had success at the plate so far in the tournament, ending pool play hitting .500 and scoring five runs.

Also impressive for the Boca Thunder was uncommitted shortstop Christian Larson (2019, Boca Raton, Fla.). Larson has the prototypical shortstop frame standing at a lithe 6-foot and 150-pounds with plenty of room to fill. He shows great actions in the field with great hands and a good arm. At the plate he has a loose rhythmic stance with the feet set shoulder width, and upright torso and hands held at shoulder height. Larson has beautiful mechanics to start the swing by keeping the rear leg braced, with a leg lift with internal rotation that coils the hip and front side. His hands and the barrel move back as he strides forward, creating a great launch position. He really gets in his legs while maintaining explosiveness in the hips and working up to the ball. Like his teammate, Jack Hay, I think the bat speed is developing and the strength will come with maturity.

Chain National-Dobbs continues to throw impressive arms on the mound the most recent was uncommitted Mason Hand (Columbia, AL 2017). On the mound has a high leg lift with internal rotation that creates torque in the rear leg, kicks out with lead leg in to a long stride, long arm swing gaining speed to an over-the-top release. Touching 87 miles per hour with his four seam fastball, Mason showed command of the strike zone by attacking hitters early in the count and working both sides of the plate. He would occasionally miss high with the fastball but he would set up his 11/5 slurve at 70 miles per hour by changing elevations as well. Mason also impressed with his ability to maintain command of his pitches by controlling the running game while varying his looks and holds with runners on base. The uncommitted right handed pitcher finished with three innings of work while allowing only two hits and five strikeouts.

A pair of catchers for Chain National-Buress continue to impress at the plate. First up is Darius Diaz (2018, Perth Amboy, N.J.), who who has a wide stance, upright torso, and rests the bat on his shoulder. Diaz starts his swing with a quick gather to the rear leg, barely lifting his foot off the ground as he takes a small stride forward and uses his lower half violently. His mechanics allow him to work up to the ball with his body and his bat path follows. Darius matches plane with his bat path with great bat speed and strength. His primary position is catcher and he definitely has the ability to stay behind the plate in the future. The only thing I’d like to see him continue to develop is his arm. He also runs well for a catcher and because of his success at the plate I only have trotted singles timed down the first base line. Diaz is currently 7-for-15 with a double and a triple.

And then there is uncommitted Orlando Adams, Jr. (2018, Atlanta, Ga.), who, with his imposing size in the box, stands with his feet wider than shoulder width, an upright torso and a high back elbow and bat held at 45-degrees. Orlando keeps his hands and barrel in a strong launch position throughout his movements, so the hands barely move as he strides forward. His weight shift to rear leg coils his front side, then lands in a torqued position, engaging his hips violently as he works up to the ball. He has sudden bat speed and strength at contact. Between the two catchers, Adams is more physically mature and advanced at the plate where Diaz is the more skilled catcher. Both run above average for catchers and do not clog the bases.

Uncommitted outfield prospect for Top Tier, Clay Thompson (2018, Richmond, Ill.), shows raw athleticism hitting from the left side. He stands tall at the plate with feet shoulder width apart and holds the barrel high above his head. With rhythm he shifts into the rear leg, then using a short stride Thompson separates, dropping his hands and tipping the barrel to a low launch position, landing in a torqued position. He has a really fluid swing, showing bat speed and a good path working up to the ball. His lower half finishes in a good position with the hips showing quick rotation. I do think that he stays too tall with his upper body throughout the swing. By doing this he can create more leverage on the barrel and generate power in to the ball. Thompson is currently 5-for-11 with three RBI and four runs scored.

From Thursday, making a relief appearance for the FTB Rockets was a tall and projectable righthanded pitcher, Jacob Mercado (2017, Royal Palm Beach, Fla.). His fastball reached up to 86 mph, although he struggled to find the zone at his peak velocity, sitting mostly at 82-84. The fastball showed an impressive amount of arm-side run generating a lot of swing and misses from both lefthanded hitters and righthanded hitters. In my opinion his best pitch was the changeup, which he showed incredible command of as well. Mercado threw it arm side at 75-76 mph with good fastball arm speed, good depth and run. Despite its movement, the changeup did get hit hard due to the fact that it moves almost identical to his fastball. In two innings of work, Mercado recorded three strikeouts.



Tournaments | Story | 8/5/2026

17u South World Series Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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Alex Hernandez (‘27 TX) sends a rocket to the gap for a double. Now 6-7 on the week with 4 XBH’s. Certainly looks the part out at short; has made it look easy. #SouthWS @PG_Uncommitted https://t.co/xPXL42Y3WU pic.twitter.com/xKmJS9u01l — Perfect Game Texas (@Texas_PG) July 31, 2026 Alex Hernandez (2027, Cypress, Texas) closed out the Summer with a bang and looked like one of the best players out there on the week. Hernandez put on a clinic on both sides of the ball throughout the week. A mainstay out at short, Hernandez made every play look easy moving to his left and right. Lateral range was on full display paired with footwork, arm strength, and a clean slot. He can really do it all on the dirt and made a statement this week making a plethora of ridiculous plays. There is no doubt that Hernandez can play short at the next level and should be getting a ton of interest....
College | Story | 8/5/2026

Coppy's Corner: August 5 Summer Edition

John Coppolella
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The amateur players in the Cape Cod Baseball League are the future stars of the 2027 MLB Draft. The league runs from June 13th through August 2nd. Games are played at historic stadiums in Old New England towns. It’s beautiful and charming. Hollywood even made a movie about the Cape Cod League ~25 years ago called Summer Catch. It scored an 8% (!) on Rotten Tomatoes, but, on the plus side, it featured 2001 Jessica Biel in a starring role.  It was so much fun writing Coppy’s Column this spring. My hope is to highlight a pitcher and position player each week from the Cape. And, who knows, maybe somewhere out there Jessica Biel is reading it.  Player of the Week: Armani Guzman – Chatham Anglers  Guzman went 8-for-20 this week with 9 Stolen Bases. If that seems like a lot for one week, it is. Guzman has 18 Stolen Bases in the Cape, so half that total came this...
Press Release | Press Release | 8/4/2026

PG & Dick's Expand Partnership

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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 DICK’S EXPAND PARTNERSHIP, INCLUDE NAMING RIGHTS AT EAST COBB COMPLEX   Marietta, Georgia (Tuesday, August 4, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced the renewal and expansion of its longstanding partnership with DICK’S Sporting Goods.   As part of the expanded agreement, the iconic East Cobb Complex in Georgia will officially be renamed DICK’S Sporting Goods Park at East Cobb, reinforcing the retailer’s long-term investment in youth sports and enhancing one of the most recognized destinations in all of amateur baseball. The announcement comes ahead of this weekend’s Perfect Game 11U...
College | Story | 8/3/2026

Cape Cod League Notebook: August 3

Perfect Game Staff
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Angel Cervantes | RHP | UCLA | Chatham Anglers  Angel Cervantes has lived up to the hype since arriving at UCLA after turning down a second-round selection (50th overall) by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2025 MLB Draft. Following a strong freshman campaign that helped power the Bruins to the No. 1 ranking in the country for much of the season, Cervantes has taken another step forward this summer, emerging as arguably the Cape Cod League's top arm. Through 23.2 innings with the Chatham Anglers, he owns a 1.14 ERA with 24 strikeouts and just five walks. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound right-hander attacks hitters with a polished five-pitch mix featuring a low-90s fastball, an 86-88 mph cutter, a low-80s slider and changeup, and a 78-80 mph curveball. He pounds the strike zone, sequences his arsenal with advanced feel, and consistently keeps hitters off balance, giving him the profile of a...
Tournaments | Story | 8/2/2026

Battle For The Midwest Scout Notes

Brayden Powell
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Bryce Urban (2027, Kaukauna, Wis.) An athletic 5-foot-9, 175-pound right-handed hitter, who handled the bat well throughout the weekend while showing feel for the barrel and quality bat speed. Stays balanced throughout the operation while showing direct hands to the baseball. There is feel to rotate through the zone and keep the barrel working for an extended period, helping him consistently produce hard-hit contact. He showed the ability to impact the baseball to all fields and remained productive throughout the event. Urban finished the weekend with five extra-base hits and continued to be a reliable offensive contributor whenever his club needed him. He is currently uncommitted.  Landon Clements (2027, McHenry, Ill.) University of Illinois-Chicago commit put together an outstanding weekend at the plate, finishing 10-for-15 while drawing five walks and consistently finding ways to...
Tournaments | Story | 7/30/2026

16u South World Series Scout Notes

Jay Vossler
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Kai Anderson (2028, Missouri City, Texas) continued his breakout stretch over the past couple of weeks with 2028 South Texas Sliders 16U Pierce. Compiled a 7-15 week with two doubles, a triple, and two home runs, driving in nine runs. Parlayed that into winning Tournament MVP. Physical presence in the box that is starting to tap into a ton of juice offensively. Tight rotation on an uphill plane with loose actions in the barrel. Doing all of this with very little swing and miss while holding it down in center field. One of the louder stretches of the summer. Trent Costales (2028, San Antonio, Texas) was excellent this week for Texas Angels 2028 Libson. Went 4-11 with two doubles and a home run. Was one of the best run creators in the tournament, driving in ten. Extremely physical frame, projecting as a big time power bat. Coils the hips effectively and creates an uphill plane to maximize...
Draft | Story | 7/30/2026

2023 Draft: Late Round Georgia Look Back

Michael Albee
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I have a soft spot for the under the radar high school preps that go in the 11th-20th rounds and sign. It’s not only a nice story, but it’s a show of faith from an organization in their area scout who put the time in, scouted the player and got a feel for the makeup on a guy that wasn’t a consensus “dude”. 2023 was my first year going out to high school games for Perfect Game in Georgia, so I wanted to go back and highlight the late round guys from the ‘23 class that were popped and signed to pursue their dreams of becoming a professional baseball player right away. Here’s a review of those four players from what they were in high school, and where they are at currently in their careers.  Andrew Dunford (‘23 GA) throwing some gas, up to 95 & sitting 92-93 with heavy life (clip), shown comfort going to big sweeping SL; big...
Draft | Story | 7/30/2026

2026 MLB Draft Signing Deadline Recap

Tyler Henninger
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As of Monday at 5 p.m. ET, the 2026 MLB Draft is officially complete. The signing deadline has passed, meaning we now know every team’s finalized draft class and exactly how much each player signed for. Entering the draft, it was clear there was a distinct top tier consisting of Roch Cholowsky, Grady Emerson, and Vahn Lackey. That separation became even more evident once contracts were signed. Cholowsky became the first player in draft history to sign for more than $10 million, agreeing to a record-setting $10,347,500 bonus with the White Sox. Emerson set a new high school signing bonus record at $9,747,500, the second-largest bonus ever awarded to a draft pick. Lackey rounded out the trio with a $9,497,500 bonus, the third-largest signing bonus in MLB Draft history. Those weren’t the only records set. Teams combined to spend $402,481,143 in signing bonuses, surpassing last...
Tournaments | Championship | 7/30/2026

Blue Wave Battle & Prevail at 14u Classic

Kinley Kitchens
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For Excel Blue Wave, the summer was never about being perfect. It was about getting better. After a season filled with challenges, growth, and plenty of learning along the way, Excel Blue Wave put everything together when it mattered most, defeating SBG Sox Prime, Al 9-3 to capture the 2026 14U Perfect Game Hoover Classic championship. For Excel Blue Wave Coach Forrest Heacock, watching the group celebrate with a championship trophy was especially meaningful because of everything it took to get there.  “It hasn’t been the easiest summer, and have battled a lot,” Coach Heacock said. “The kids have improved so much over the summer, and that is really what it’s all about at this age. It’s really just about improving at this age, and to see them be able to put it together, and just really compete together and play as a team, I couldn’t be...
Tournaments | Championship | 7/30/2026

Excel Leaves No Doubt at 15u Hoover Classic

Kinley Kitchens
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Excel Blue Wave National wasn’t leaving Hoover empty-handed.  At least, that was the message head coach Wes Henderson gave his team.  After a summer filled with strong performances but without a tournament title to show for them, Excel Blue Wave National entered the 2026 15U Perfect Game Hoover Classic with one more opportunity to finish the season the way they wanted.  This time, they left no doubt.  Excel Blue Wave National defeated East Coast Sox 2029 Victus, 12-0 in the championship game, combining a balanced offensive attack with a strong performance on the mound to secure their first tournament title of the summer.  “It’s been a special group,” Coach Henderson said. “They fought really hard, and they played really well this summer, and this is the first championship that we’ve been able to bring home. We typically...
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