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Tournaments  | Story | 9/26/2016

South Qualifier Day 3 Notes



Daily Leaders | Day 1 Notes | Day 2 Notes

We will begin moving day at the South Qualifier with a first round playoff matchup between the Hunter Pence Baseball Academy-Crew and the Beaumont Gladiators.

Lefthanded pitcher and Lamar University commit, Joshua Hranicky (2018, Port Neches, Texas) took the mound for the Gladiators and had an impressive outing. Hranicky has a strong build and showcases a high leg lift with internal rotation that coils the front side of the body, a long arm swing to a three-quarters release point and a violent online delivery. He has a slight head whack with an extended follow through that creates a devastating descent angle on his fastball. He pitched dominantly with the four-seam fastball that touched 91 and sat 88-90 mph; the majority of his 83 pitches in the game were fastballs. Occasionally Hranicky threw a hard 2-to-7 curveball at 73 mph but still looked to be developing a consistent feel for it. I really liked the way that Hranicky attacked hitters and pitched to his strength, which was that hard fastball with downhill action. He finished the outing with five innings, three hits and seven strikeouts while only allowing one run.

For the HBPA-Crew, catcher Tyler Erickson (2017, Houston, Texas) stood out at the plate. Tyler has a medium build and athletic frame. He stands with a loose, open stance and looks comfortable in the box. His hands are held at shoulder height, starting the swing by gathering to the rear hip, with a leg lift with internal rotation which creates a coiled front side. He loads barrel with a steep tip over the helmet keeping his hands above the shoulder for a high launch position. Erickson generates good bat speed with quick lower half mechanics and works on plane with his bat path. He had an impressive first at-bat against Hranicky, battling with two strikes and singling with a hard line drive to right field. Erickson is a captain behind the plate as well at the catcher position, showing good blocking and framing skills with an accurate arm. He finished the game 1-for-3.

Hunter Taylor (2017, Hutto, Texas) has been the stopper for Austin Elite throughout the South Qualifier. Sunday was no different, as Taylor was thrust in to a bases loaded, no outs situation and left with no earned runs. Hunter has a tall frame and athletic build with room to fill out physically. The righthanded pitcher has a high leg lift and falls down the mound to a long open stride. The arm action is long and loose with whip to an over-the-top release point that creates a heavy descent angle on his fastball up to 86 mph. He throws a heavy dose of fastballs that are firm and have life and gets good extension at follow through making the 86 mph fastball appear faster to opposing hitters.

Joseph Munoz (2018, Spring, Texas) continued to impress at the plate in a Sunday consolation game for the Houston Heat. Munoz has a medium build and athletic frame and he stands with his feet narrow and open, with a slight bend in the knees and the bat held behind his ear. He stands with the rear hip already loaded so there is no negative move or trigger to load the swing. He starts his swing with a leg lift that coils the front side, and his stride separates and lands in a strong launch position. He has a good barrel path with speed and shows a good feel for contact when hitting with two strikes. In his first at-bat of the game he hit a two-strike single to the right side prioritizing contact over striking out. I’ve also seen power from him with a triple to the wall in center field earlier in the event.

Dallas Patriots shortstop Mason LaPlante (2018, McKinney, Texas) shows control of highly advanced movements at the plate and impresses with his results offensively. He stands slightly open with high hands and the bat held above his shoulder. There are lots of moving parts to his swing but he shows total control, starting with high leg lift that coils the front side, an impressive stride separation as his barrel tips to a strong launch position and lands torqued. His explosive lower half generates bat speed and plane that matches the pitch. He hit a hard line out to center field in his first at-bat, followed by a walk and a hard line drive double to the right-center field gap. LaPlante showcased some of the best actions at the plate that I observed all weekend at the South Qualifier and is currently hitting .444 with a double and an RBI for the event.

It’s not often that a player catches attention purely for defensive skills but when you see somebody with Keaton Bridwell’s (2017, Highlands, Texas) catching tools, you stop and enjoy the show. The first thing you’ll notice is the Texas Trapper catcher’s size; he stands at an athletic 6-foot-2 and 195-pounds and he provides a great target for the pitcher showing great strength and receiving skills. He has lateral agility and confident glove skills which allows him to block and stab balls in the dirt with ease. The icing on the cake is his arm strength and throws down to second. He was not challenged in the quarterfinal playoff game that I observed but he routinely threw sub 2.0-second pop times down to second, showing arm strength, carry and accuracy to the bag.

While observing Bridwell, I was also able to get another look at lefthanded hitter Kyle McShaffry (2017, Cypress, Texas). The three-hitter for Premier Baseball Futures-Nixon stands tall, open and narrow in the box. He holds the barrel high and away from the shoulder in a loaded slot with a lot of weight in the rear hip. He strides forward landing in a good launch position with torque. McShaffry has a quick lower half that generates good bat speed and a great bat path that works to drive the ball in the air. All McShaffry has done is hit this tournament, as he is currently hitting .417 with four doubles in the event.



Tournaments | Story | 3/31/2026

14u East Spring Opener Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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Roman Keister (2030, Dade City, FL) Could not miss the barrel this weekend tallying 6 hits including 2 triples and 4 RBI. Starts the load early and controls his body well, the up the middle approach really plays in game. Also worked from off the mound for an inning and picked up a punch out.  Colton Russo (2030, Coral Springs, FL) Showed off the power burning outfielders all weekend. 5 hits including two triples that carried over the CF and RF heads. Has a good understanding about using the lower half in the swing and the bat to ball skills really impressed.  Karson Blakney (2030, St. Augustine, FL) Made his impact in a big way this week, collecting the win in the quarterfinals. In his outing he went 5 shutout innings and struck out 5 while only allowing 2 hits. Worked in the mid 70s with the FB and topped out at 78. Also produced on offense driving in 5 RBI on 4 hits. ...
Juco | Story | 4/8/2026

JUCO Top 25: April 8

Troy Sutherland
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Another week of conference play down and Johnson County continues there tear through the spring of 2026, they retain the top spot with Gaston nipping their heels at number 2 for the third consecutive week. McLennan jumps up to number 3 with a big series sweep over rival Texas powerhouse, Weatherford. Out west, Cochise just keeps rolling in the desert and California looks to be hotly contested all the way down the final stretch. A couple of debut appearances down the board with Harford, CCF, and Linn Benton all earning their spot on our top 25 for the first time in the first week of April. So many great records out there it will be interesting to see how it all shakes out with so many teams vying for seeding and conference championships on this final stretch run. Rank Team Record 1 Johnson County (KS) 38-2 2 Gaston (NC) 38-3 3 McLennan (TX) 29-7 4 Chipola (FL) 34-7 5 Walters State (TN)...
College | Rankings | 4/8/2026

DII/DIII/NAIA Rankings Update: April 8

Nick Herfordt
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We are past the midpoint of the college baseball season and the stakes are rising by the week. Conference races are tightening, schedules are getting harder, and the résumés that will matter in the selection room are being written right now — one series at a time. This week's most significant development came in Division II, where North Greenville swept Young Harris in three consecutive one-run games to claim the top spot for the first time this season, knocking Tampa from a perch they've held most of the year. It's a genuine changing of the guard at the top, and it's exactly the kind of shakeup that makes this stretch of the season worth paying close attention to. Across all three divisions the picture is coming into focus. In Division I NAIA, Georgia Gwinnett remains the standard while Taylor and Cumberlands continue to make their cases from behind. In Division III,...
High School | General | 4/7/2026

Iowa Spring League Notes: Week 1

Perfect Game Staff
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Brooks Mitchell-Birdsell (2027, Atkins, Iowa) was solid on both sides of the ball this weekend. He was able to show a clean move working into it, with the feel to impact it out in front and drive hard through contact. He had good barrel accuracy with feel to drive the ball well, especially working pull-side. He was 4-for-8 on the weekend with a double to his credit, driving in 7 runs as well. Mitchell-Birdsell also put together a good outing on the mound, delivering 2 innings of scoreless work with 3 punchouts. He worked the low 80s with some run, flashing a mid-70s curveball with good 11-5 shape and depth.  Maddux Mueller (2026, Amana, Iowa) LH bat with plenty to like in the batter’s box, and he put together a solid showing this weekend. He finished 2-for-3 with a double, demonstrating both contact ability and the capacity to drive the baseball for extra bases. Mueller...
College | Story | 4/7/2026

College Players of the Week: April 7

Craig Cozart
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April 7th Perfect Game/Player of the Week:  Andrew Williamson, OF, UCF  The UCF Knights (20-9) are coming off one of their biggest series victories in years when they went to Morgantown and took down the Mountaineers to take control of the Big 12 regular season standings.  The offense put on quite the performance and Andrew Williamson set the tone by leaving the yard in his first at-bat of the weekend launching a towering home run over the centerfield wall.  The 6-0/195 lefty from St. Petersburg, FL has one of the sweetest strokes in the college game today and when he goes, so do the Knights.  In the 3-game series, the junior collected 6 hits in his 10 at-bats, scoring 6 runs, on 5 walks, a double and he launched 3 home runs all told.  While he had a stretch earlier in the season where he was searching for his stroke a bit, he is getting locked in at the...
College | Rankings | 4/6/2026

College Top 25: April 6

Vincent Cervino
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With another week in the books, some teams at the top continue to prove they are elite, and others continue to fall by the wayside.  Meanwhile, there were several teams that had been lingering outside the Top 25 that had huge weekends to put themselves in the thick of things as every weekend has significant consequences for good or for bad.  The No. 1 UCLA Bruins (29-2) have now pushed their win streak to an incredible 23-games as they swept USC (27-6) who was previously ranked No. 7 in the poll.  The Bruins are off to a perfect (15-0) start in Big Ten play and are without a doubt the most complete team in the country right now.  The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (26-5) move up to No. 2 this week after they dismantled now No. 12 Auburn (22-9) in the midweek and then swept Cal on the West Coast last weekend.  Texas (26-5) moves down one spot to No. 3 this week after...
Draft | Mock Draft | 4/3/2026

PG Staff Mock Draft

Jheremy Brown
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Welcome to another Perfect Game Mock Draft. This is not your typical mock draft as it features 15 different GMs drafting the first two rounds of the draft. Each member of the mock draft was assigned two teams and as such will be drafting all of the picks in the first two rounds for each responsible team. The actual draft order will be presented below and we will dive into how teams made their selections and how they feel about the players drafted. It is important to note that this is not how we think the draft will play out in almost any capacity. This is simply an exercise 4 months ahead of time with a large portion of the scouting staff and some picks fall under personal favorites, best available, and a multitude of other factors. Chicago White Sox 1:1 Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA | 1:41 Jack Radel, RHP, Notre Dame The White Sox don’t overthink here and select Roch Cholowsky, who has...
High School | General | 4/2/2026

High School Notebook: April 2

Steve Fiorindo
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Lennex Minor (‘28 CA) absolutely destroys this offering to the PS for a 2-run shot. 2-4 on the day w/ 4 driven in. Athletic in the box w/ a quick stroke and strength throughout the frame. Also closed out the game running the FB up to 88 in a St. Bernard win #PGHS @PG_Scouting pic.twitter.com/KF7BsKGcm7 — Perfect Game California (@California_PG) March 29, 2026 Lennex Minor, MIF/P, St. Bernard (2028) Minor had a massive day in my look this past Saturday in a game being played at the University of San Diego.  The sophomore had a pair of hits, one which was a no-doubt homer, and drove in four.  Minor’s athleticism jumps out on the field with twitchy actions both at the dish and in the dirt.  He features a 6-foot, 170-pound frame with room to add and generates from a strong lower half and exceptionally quick hands.  Showing two-way potential, he made an...
High School | General | 4/2/2026

NHSI Scout Notebook

Cam McElwaney
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An extended look at ‘26 RHP Wilson Andersen… 6 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 6 K. @HailStateBB signee. #NHSI26 @JesuitBaseball @Florida_PG @PG_Draft @PGAllAmerican https://t.co/VLwECd2qZ8 pic.twitter.com/JbTFR3Gd2l — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) March 30, 2026 Wilson Andersen, RHP, Tampa Jesuit  Andersen got the ball on day two of the event and showed a quick tempo, pounding the zone with a power mix. He ran the fastball up to 97 mph, working comfortably in the mid-90s, with a power curveball/changeup mix he showed confidence in. He’s one of the top right-handers in the class that saw his stock rise in Cary. Andersen is signed with Mississippi State.    An extended look at ‘26 RHP Cooper Sides… 5 IP, 6 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K. @LSUbaseball signee. #NHSI26 @olubaseball @PG_Draft @California_PG https://t.co/Ag1MfBAR5a pic.twitter.com/5wSszVjBn8...
All American Game | Story | 4/2/2026

All American Classic Heading to Citizens Bank

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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 DICK’S ALL-AMERICAN CLASSIC HEADED TO CITIZENS BANK PARK IN 2026   Perfect Game makes debut at iconic Phillies venue during America’s 250th birthday celebration   Former Phillies Manager Charlie Manuel named Honorary Chairman of All-American Classic   Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Thursday, April 2, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced that the 2026 Perfect Game DICK’S All-American Classic will be played at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, marking the first time a Perfect Game event has ever been held at the iconic home of the Philadelphia Phillies.   The game will take place on...
College | Rankings | 4/1/2026

DII/DIII/NAIA Rankings Update: April 1

Nick Herfordt
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Welcome to another week of Perfect Game Small School baseball — and if you're looking for clarity at the top, you've come to the wrong place. Across all three classifications, the No. 1 spot is very much an open question, and nobody is sleeping comfortably right now. In NCAA Division II, Pittsburg State is stumbling at precisely the wrong moment, leaving the door cracked wide open for hungry challengers to come knocking. In the NAIA, defending national champion LSU Shreveport has dropped four straight and suddenly looks far more vulnerable than a program of their pedigree ever expects to be. And in NCAA Division III, the race for the top ranking is less a competition and more a ten-car pileup of elite programs, none of whom have done enough to pull away — and all of whom have done plenty to deserve it. Three classifications, three vacancies at the top, and a whole lot of...
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