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High School  | Rankings | 1/30/2017

2017 National HS Rankings: 6-10

Photo: Perfect Game



2017 Perfect Game High School Preview Index


6. American Heritage Patriots


Christian Santana
Plantation, Fla.
FHSAA Class 6A District 15
Head Coach: Bruce Aven
2016 Result: 19-5, 6A Regional Semifinals

Key Losses: MIF Gary Mattis (Florida Atlantic), RHP Taylor D’Agostino (Christopher Newport), RHP Michael Cortelli (Amherst), MIF Kyle Carter (Bates)

Top Players: SS Mark Vientos (Miami), RHP Christian Santana (Florida International), 1B/3B/RHP Triston Casas (Miami), MIF Cory Acton (Florida)

American Heritage slots in at the No. 6 spot after making it to the 6A regional semifinals last season and falling to eventual state champion Archbishop McCarthy.

The Patriots are a deep team and they are led with star power as high ceiling infielder Mark Vientos, a PG All-American and Miami commit, and hard-throwing righthander Christian Santana, a Florida International commit, will anchor the team in the lineup and in the pitching rotation respectively.

One of the younger, and more intriguing, players for the Patriots is recently reclassified 2018 graduate Triston Casas, a Miami commit, who will be asked to anchor the middle of the lineup and pitch for American Heritage. Playing on the varsity team as a freshman, Casas is one of the most potent hitters in his class, evidenced by his .453 batting average last season, with big power and can also bump the fastball up in the low-90s from the mound. He has recently re-classified to the class of 2018, making him draft eligible a year earlier than expected.

Infielders Cory Acton, a Florida commit, and Devyn Munroe round out the athletic infield as the pitching staff should have a reliable defense behind them. Acton was a force with the bat in 2016 hitting .500 for Westminster Academy. Losing two starting pitchers to graduation hurts but American Heritage should have the depth to replace those players and the pitchers will need to step up if the Patriots want to reach the state finals.


7. Barbe Buccaneers

Adam Goree
Lake Charles, La.
LHSAA 5A District 3
Head Coach: Glenn Ceccini
2016 Result: 35-6, 5A State Champions

Key Losses: OF Tyler Booth (Southeastern Louisiana)

Top Players: LHP Adam Goree (uncommitted), IF Antonio Gauthier (uncommitted), OF/RHP Damon Fountain (uncommitted), RHP Brandon Rushing (uncommitted)

As has been the case in the past with Barbe High School, this team is led by a combination of depth and a strong senior class. Turning in a remarkable 35-win season in 2016, the Buccaneers powered their way to the 5A State Championship and finished No. 5 in the Perfect Game Top 50.

The key loss for the Buccaneers came in the form of graduating senior outfielder and lefthanded pitcher Tyler Booth, who now attends Southeastern Louisiana, but aside from Booth this team retained a lot of talent and is led by a strong senior pitching staff.

The Bucanneers will have seniors Adam Goree, Brandon Rushing and Slate Fuller to round out a pitching staff that has a lot of experience up to this point. Goree, the highest ranked senior according to PG, is lefthanded and has been up to 88 mph with his fastball. He led the staff last season going 8-1 with a 1.17 ERA.

Damon Fountain is one of the more interesting pieces on this team as he is only a sophomore but is immensely talented. He’s a 6.8 runner in the 60-yard dash with strong tools on both offense and defense. Fountain pitches as well and should have no problem finding playing time.

The seniors on the roster come in the form of 12 players and their experience should be invaluable in leading the lineup. The offense will be the question mark entering the season but the leadership and experience should help the Bucanneers make a run to defend their state title.


8. Merritt Island Mustangs

Brady McConnell
Merritt Island, Fla.
FHSAA Class 6A
Head Coach: Greg Plecki
2016 Result: 20-8, 6A Regional Quarterfinals

Key Losses: OF Jackson Muldowney (Greenville), MIF Trent Taylor (Belmont Abbey), RHP Tyler Stephens (Shorter)

Top Players: SS Brady McConnell (Florida), C/RHP Mason Denaburg (Florida), 1B Connor Allen (Miami), MIF Ricardo Diaz (uncommitted)

The Mustangs return a strong collection of talent for the 2017 season led by a pair of Florida commits. Perfect Game All-American Brady McConnell returns as the starting shortstop and should be the catalyst near the top of the lineup. McConnell has a quick bat with advanced actions in the field and is one of the top draft prospects for the 2017 class.

Perhaps one of the most talented underclassmen in the country is fellow Florida commit Mason Denaburg. A legitimate two-way prospect, Denaburg has big power from the right side and can pump his fastball in the low-90s on the mound. Denaburg is joined in the lineup by lefthanded first baseman Connor Allen, a Miami commit. Allen is a power bat from the lefthand side who completes a strong "big three" in the lineup alongside Denaburg and McConnell.

Merritt Island has some 2017 arms returning but will need to find consistency from the rotation as the season goes on. Pitching can make or break a season but the Mustangs have enough talent on their roster to figure it out in the early part of the season. The Mustangs are no doubt a talented squad and should find themselves competing for their first state championship since 2000.


9. Walton Raiders

Jason Rooks
Marietta, Ga.
GHSA Class 6A
Head Coach: Shane Amos
2016 Result: 32-4, 6A State Champions

Key Losses: SS Carter Kieboom (MLB Draft, Nationals, first round), RHP Zac Kristofak (Georgia), C Drake Frix (College of Charleston), MIF Parker McCoy (Georgia Tech)

Top Players: LHP Luke Bartnicki (Georgia Tech), OF Jason Rooks (Georgia Tech), RHP Jacob Riordan (Uncommitted), OF Michael Guldberg (Georgia Tech)

Walton finished out the 2016 season not only as the No. 2 team in the Perfect Game Top 50 but carried their momentum all the way to becoming 6A state champs.

The big loss for the Raiders came as Carter Kieboom graduated and was selected in the first round of the 2016 MLB Draft by the Washington Nationals. Walton also graduated seniors from the infield, rotation and outfield.

Walton is not short of depth and will have many players willing to step up. The Raiders boast two of the top arms in the state with juniors Luke Bartnicki, a Georgia Tech commit, and Jacob Riordan. The lefthanded Bartnicki is coming off a very impressive outing at the WWBA World Championship where he threw 92-95 mph with his fastball and a tight slider in the upper-70s to low-80s.

The question for Walton is not the pitching staff but who will replace Kieboom’s presence in the lineup. Senior outfielder Jason Rooks, a Georgia Tech commit, should anchor the lineup but Walton will be expecting contributions from fellow seniors Jason Avers, an Appalachian State commit, and Chris Rolick, a Georgia College & State commit.


10. Marjory Stoneman Douglas Eagles

David Vazquez
Parkland, Fla.
FHSAA Class 9A
Head Coach: Todd Fitz-Gerald
2016 Result: 27-2, 9A State Champions

Key Losses: LHP Jesus Luzardo (MLB Draft, Nationals, third round), 3B Colton Welker (MLB Draft, Rockies, fourth round)

Top Players: MIF David Vazquez (NC State), OF Rafael Santos (Florida International), SS John Rodriguez (Florida International), LHP Brandon Kaminer (Miami)

Coach Todd Fitz-Gerald turned in an excellent season for the Eagles as they finished 8-0 in their district and eventually captured the school’s first state title. The team battled through some adversity and a season-ending injury to ace Jesus Luzardo before putting together a strong late season run to come away as champs.

The Eagles will have to make up for two big holes left by the lefthanded Luzardo, who was drafted in the third round by the Nationals, and third baseman Colton Welker, who was drafted fourth round by the Rockies. The pitching staff will also need some players to step up as the loss of Luzardo and fellow senior pitchers Brady Norris, Kyle Sha, and Jeremy Szozda leaves some holes.

Senior lefty Brandon Kaminer, a Miami commit, will lead the rotation and he has proven he has what it takes to be a staff ace. Last season Kaminer finished 11-0 with a 1.28 ERA and struck out 90 batters to step up when Luzardo went down with injury. The team will also certainly have some strength throughout the lineup. Seniors David Vazquez, a North Carolina State commit, and Rafael Santos, a Florida International commit, will anchor the lineup. Junior middle infielder John Rodriguez, another Florida International commit, is very smooth defensively and will be able to add some pop to the lineup as well.



High School | General | 12/19/2025

Huntington Beach HS World Series Recap

Steve Fiorindo
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MVPitcher: Duncan McLeod The uncommitted junior toed the slab in three of the four games for Team Mick, tossing 3 2/3 innings.  Zero walks, zero hits and 6 punchouts for the lefty who was used both as a starter in the series clinching game 4 and he closed out game 3 on Friday in quick fashion.  McLeod was very efficient as well, needing just 42 pitches over all his outings.  In the game 4 start, over two innings he punched out 3, with one strikeout with all of his offerings.  The mid 80’s fastball regularly played up, set up with efficient use of the secondaries, with the breaking ball 73/74 and fading change-up 72-74.   Owen Bone (2026) at it again... Solo shot in the 5th to tie things up. Back to back days with a home run for Bone. #PGHS pic.twitter.com/2JC9qETI5h — Perfect Game California (@California_PG) December 13, 2025 MV Hitter: ...
Tournaments | Story | 12/19/2025

13u Tourney All-American Team

Jheremy Brown
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Tournaments | Story | 12/18/2025

14u Tourney All-American Team

Tyler Russo
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Player of the Year: Asher Williams It was an incredible year for Williams that was rewarded with a trip to the 14U Select Fest, before some more impressive play in the fall. He came to the plate almost 250 times in PG tournaments throughout 2025 and reached base in well over half of them, hitting to a .500 AVG while slugging a 14U circuit best 12 bombs and driving in 113 runs. The numbers on the surface are ridiculous, but when you look at the high-level events he put them up in, it makes it even more impressive. Pitcher of the Year: Tristan Blalock Blalock earns this honor after a dominant 2025 where he struck out 85 batters in just 48.2 innings of work with a minuscule 1.58 ERA. This included several strong performances at many national level tournaments and showcases where he was able to bully some of the best hitters in the country. It’s hard not to fall in love with...
Draft | Story | 12/18/2025

PG Draft: Gut Feel Guys

Tyler Henninger
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While we are nearing the turn of the calendar to the 2026 year, that means we are just inching closer to the beginning of the season for many high school players and college baseball is on the horizon. We are prepping for a reshuffle of the 2026 MLB Draft Board as well here amongst the PG Draft staff. But before we get to that, we sat down and have each picked a couple of players who are in the mix to get selected in a couple of different buckets.  We have prospects who could go into the Top 30 picks or so, prospects who could be selected in the Top 5 rounds, and prospects who could go inside of the Top 10 rounds. With the draft quite far down the road and a lot of re-shuffling to be done as these players play themselves into certain spots on the draft board, our scouts picked some players who fit into these “buckets” who are gut-feel guys. These are the guys that our PG...
Tournaments | Story | 12/17/2025

15u Tourney All-American Team

Jason Phillips
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Hitter of the Year: Landon Bonner The 2028 class saw many players from across the country take the next step in their development as they entered the High School ranks. There were huge performances from highly ranked players on the PG circuit as well as some under-the-radar guys who burst onto the scene. Landon Bonner came into Sophomore National as a Top 500 ranked player and after an impressive showing, left with all eyes on him as a rankings riser in the class. The left-handed hitting shortstop from The Colony, Texas, had a summer to remember with All-Tournament Team selections in three of his next four events culminating with a historic performance at the 2025 PG 15U WWBA National Championship. The Hebron High School prep went 20-for-24 in nine games for 5 Star Mafia 15U Black with four homeruns and 12 runs batted in. He also scored 17 runs and finished with a mind-boggling 2.500...
Tournaments | Story | 12/16/2025

16u Tourney All-American Team

AJ Denny
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Hitter of the Year: Koa Romero is the Hitter of the Year for the 16u group, as he would come to every premier event of the summer and earn All-Tournament honors (Beast of the East, 16/17u WWBA, Jupiter) in every single one. Over 82 plate appearances, Romero would pump ten homeruns with forty two RBI and sixteen walks, good for a .378 average and 1.339 OPS. The performance on volume at the best events of the year pushed Romero over the edge here, as he’d hit a pair of homeruns in Jupiter (one of them at 112 EV) as an underclassmen and collect double digit hits in BOTH WWBA events with a combined six jacks over the two tournaments. It was a summer that combined performance and winning on the biggest stages for Romero. It’s a quiet left-handed swing that packs a punch. He would reap the benefits of his performances, earning a commitment to LSU and jumping to the #74 prospect in...
College | Recruiting | 12/15/2025

Recruiting Notebook: December 15

John McAdams
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Tucker Rice (27 MS) bumping up to 91; living hi-80s from real fast arm. Good SL @ 77-79 w/ depth & sold w/ intent. Loads of traits & strikes. #WWBA @PG_Uncommitted @PG_DeepSouth pic.twitter.com/DEjFqRcsIY — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) July 6, 2025 Tucker Rice, RHP, Class of 2027 Commitment: Alabama Alabama has continued to stay red hot in the recruiting trail ever since August 1st rolled around on the calendar and have continued to stack major pieces in their ’27 class. They dip into Mississippi to land one of the premier arms and one that’s stood out on the circuit for quite some time. It’s a fast arm and the athleticism certainly shines working down the slope. The velocity has continued to tick up over the last calendar year and reached into the low-90s towards the end of the summer. He’s confident in his changeup and the breaking ball is...
Tournaments | Story | 12/15/2025

17u Tourney All-American Team

Vincent Cervino
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There’s a lot of talent throughout this 2026 class, filled with the big-name stars, to talent that spreads across the nation. It’s been a lot of fun seeing these prospects grow and develop over the years, from the days of watching some of these guys at the 13/14u days at events on the circuit, to now where they are all graduating seniors in 2026. There’s been new faces who have popped along the way over the years, even in 2026, where some players who were relatively undiscovered, have come out and made a name for themselves with a statement performance. Between the familiar and the new, there’s a lot of names on this list that are going to be quite regularly talked about on the circuit, and for good reason.  Whether it’s PG All-Americans or not, there’s a lot of names with superstar potential at the next level. We’ve got 14 PG All-Americans...
Tournaments | Story | 12/13/2025

Finest in the Field: Class of 2029

Tyler Russo
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Finest in the Field: Class of 2026 | Class of 2027 | Class of 2028 These guys might just be entering high school, but they've certainly already made a name for themselves on the national circuit, especially with their abilities on the defensive side of things.  C: Xavier Rodriguez (Logansville, GA) Rodriguez is a polished defender with real arm strength behind the dish, while showcasing the ability to impact the baseball with authority to all fields evident by thirty of his sixty-five hits going for extra-bases including seven bombs. He handles high-level pitching extremely well, commands his staff and his offensive prowess makes him a true two-way asset. 1B: Cooper Knight (Buda, TX) Knight is a smooth operator at first base with plenty of range, fluidity and agility in his footwork around the bag. Add-in a rocket for an arm, the ability to change slots and to...
Tournaments | Story | 12/12/2025

Scout Stories: Part 5

AJ Denny
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Best Game I Saw: The Dream NTL 18U vs. MBA Scout Team Murphy Jupiter always brings out the best, and we got fireworks from the jump. Turner Marshall gave The Dream an outstanding 4+ innings of work on the mound, holding a lethal MBA team at bay with Chance Dixon, Derrick Carter, and Ellis Appling providing an offensive spark out of the gate for the Georgia based boys. However, it was only a matter of time before the talent on the other side got going, as MBA erased a 3-run deficit in the 5th to take a 4-3 lead led by a Parker Loew HR. The Dream then took command again in the Top of the 6th, before MBA punched right back with a huge 5-run inning in the bottom half capped off by a clutch RBI single from Matthew Kerrigan, ending a wild sequence with tons of notable performances from two very competitive rosters. Best Tournament Performance I Saw: Surely someone has already brought this...
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