THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,472 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,472 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Sign in Create Account
Sign in Create Account
High School  | General | 2/7/2017

Regional HS Preview: Florida

Vincent Cervino
Photo: Perfect Game



For all of Perfect Game's regional previews as part of the 2017 high school baseball preview content, the Dream Team is available for free. The region top tools can be viewed with an Insider subscription. To learn more about Perfect Game's subscription packages and to sign up today please visit this link.




2017 Perfect Game High School Preview Index

Florida is traditionally one of the most packed regions in terms of baseball talent. The region is very deep in Division I talent and is sure to see some first-round draft picks in the 2017 MLB Draft. The talent of infielders in particular is very deep for the 2017 season.

Due to the extreme levels of talent and depth of said talent there are several well-deserving players not found on the following list. These players make up our “just missed the cut” section:

• Jeter Downs (Pace HS, Miami): Downs is an incredible athlete, a 6.5 runner, with the skill set to stick at shortstop and excellent baserunning instincts.

• Cash Case (The First Academy, Mount Dora): The senior, and a 2016 PG All-American, has a very high ceiling offensively with sound mechanics and a power profile from the middle infield.

• Christian Robinson (Viera HS, Melbourne): Robinson reclassified from the 2018 class to 2017 and has become one of the elite power bats in the class. He has outstanding raw strength with a future power profile.

• Triston Casas (American Heritage HS, Pembroke Pines): Casas, who recently re-classified to the class of 2018, is an elite two-way prospect. He has elite bat speed with raw power in the bat and is in the low-90s off the mound.

• Hunter Barco (Bolles, Jacksonville): Arguably the best freshman in the nation last year, Barco is an outstanding lefthanded pitcher who went 12-0 with a 0.54 ERA last year. He also plays in the outfield with power potential in his bat.  


Florida High School Dream Team

C – Mervyl “M.J.” Melendez, Sr., Westminster Christian, Cutler Bay
Son of Florida International Head Coach Mervyl Melendez, M.J. is also committed to play baseball there and he has some of the highest tools on both sides of the ball. Melendez is extremely athletic behind the plate and arguably the most athletic catcher in the entire country; he ran a 6.8-second 60-yard dash at the Perfect Game National Showcase. The Perfect Game All-American has very good bat-to-ball skills and power from the left side. Melendez could be the first prep catcher off the board during the MLB Draft in June and he should put up another big year in high school.

1B – Alejandro Toral, Sr., Archbishop McCarthy HS, Davie
Appearing on this list for the second consecutive year, Toral has not done much to disprove the notion that he is one of the best hitting prospects in the entire class. Toral is a top-flight hitter with excellent plate coverage and bat speed with tremendous power in his bat. Despite his size, the Miami commit is a good runner and plays very solid defense at first base. Being a first base prospect, his bat is his most valuable asset and he has demonstrated over his high school career that he can crush any pitching. Toral is very advanced at the plate with excellent mechanics and a very polished approach. He is among the best hitters in the state both in terms of power and contact ability and last year he put up an impressive line of .310-4-19 for PG’s preseason No. 3 team in the country, Archbishop McCarthy.

MIF – Brady McConnell, Sr., Merritt Island HS, Merritt Island
There might not have been any other player who raised their draft stock as much as McConnell did at the Perfect Game National Showcase last June. He showed a five-tool skill-set and is impressive in nearly every facet of the game. McConnell is athletic, projectable and is a 6.4 runner with plus speed that plays well defensively and on the bases. The Perfect Game All-American makes a number of plays at shortstop with easy, fluid actions and has an advanced approach at the plate. The Florida commit truly brings it all to the table and he may have the highest ceiling of anyone in the class. McConnell will have one last run through the high school circuit where Merritt Island High School, who open the year ranked eighth in the nation, will be expecting big things from him and the team this season.

MIF – Mark Vientos, Sr., American Heritage HS, Pembroke Pines
Another player with a seemingly endless ceiling is Vientos. The Miami commit and Perfect Game All-American has the athleticism and defensive prowess to stay at short although he has been seeing time at third base and will likely stick at the hot corner at the next level. His presence at the plate has made consistent developments throughout his amateur career and he possesses all the offensive tools to be a consistent threat at the dish. The combination of raw strength with good bat speed and natural lift make Vientos a dangerous hitter who could lace a line drive in any at-bat. He also plays for one of the top high school programs in the nation as American Heritage is ranked sixth on the PG/Rawlings preseason Top 50.

3B – Tim Elko, Sr., Hillsborough HS, Lutz
The fifth Perfect Game All-American to complete the infield for the state of Florida, Elko is one of the top offensive threats in the state. The Ole Miss commit is a pure hitter with the ability to drive the ball, with authority, to all fields. He has excellent plate coverage and pitch recognition and has the raw power to knock the ball over the fence given the right pitch. Elko has an advanced approach with very good barrel control and can react to tough pitches and go the opposite way if need be. Listed as a third baseman, Elko can also play on the opposite side of the diamond at first base.

OF – Reese Albert, Sr., Jupiter HS, Jupiter
Albert is a very talented and uber-athletic outfielder with the defensive tools and skill-set to stick in center field in the future. The future Florida State Seminole has a strong feel for hitting with quick hands and good bat speed. Albert is a 6.7 runner with a very high ceiling as he continues to develop as a ballplayer. The Jupiter product has a very bright future in front of him and should be one of the stars of a talented Jupiter High School team.

OF – Oraj Anu, Sr., TNXL Academy, Orlando
Anu is a Florida International commit and is an outstanding offensive prospect with immense power from both sides of the plate and tremendous bat speed to go along with it. Anu’s calling card is on offense but he is also extremely athletic. Listed at 6-foot-3, 210-pounds, Anu is a blazing 6.5 runner with his speed translating well on defense and on the bases. His impressive tools and overall skill-set make him one of the most coveted players at the next level and he has certainly shown the ability to generate excitement on a baseball field.

OF – Elijah Cabell, Jr., TNXL Academy, Winter Park
Cabell is still an underclassman but remains one of the top outfielders not only in the state but in the entire country. Cabell is remarkably athletic, a 6.6 runner, and uses his excellent speed as an advantage on the basepaths. He also has a very strong throwing arm from the outfield, however his calling card is his offensive potential. The Louisiana State commit is very fluid and loose at the plate with tremendous bat and hand speed culminating in not only a strong hit tool but plus power as well. Cabell should turn in another strong season for Winter Park High School.

UT – Mason Denaburg, Jr., Merritt Island HS, Merritt Island
The only other underclassman to make this list is the talented two-way star Denaburg, who is a teammate of Cabell during the summer for the Central Florida Gators and McConnell during the spring at Merritt Island. The extremely athletic multi-sport player has a very projectable build with long limbs and square shoulders. Denaburg is the kind of athlete who could play any sport he wanted but he truly excels on the baseball field. A very good catcher he can drive the ball with authority for good in-game power as he leverages through the point of contact well. He is an excellent pitching prospect as well. Denaburg has a strong two-ptch mix with a fastball in the low-90s that can bump up to 94 if need be and a tight, sharp slider. The most interesting part of his development will be to see what position he excels more at.

P – Jake Eder, Sr., Calvary Christian Academy, Ocean Ridge
Eder has long been a prospect on the radar of scouts and he put all his tools together in Jupiter last October where he put on one of the best performances of the entire event. The delivery is pretty effortless with a very smooth arm action and the fastball creates good angle down in the zone. He showed the fastball velocity up to 94 mph in Jupiter and his curveball has made a lot of improvement and flashes plus at times. The fastball velocity could climb even higher as he fills out with his frame being very projectable. Eder is one of the highest upside arms in the class and has an argument for the op lefthanded pitcher in the class as well.

P – Garrett “Hunter” Ruth, Sr., F.W. Buchholz HS, Gainesville
The Gainesville native and Florida commit continues to improve year-to-year and 2016 was no exception. He gained five mph on his fastball, to bring it to a sizzling 95 mph and his slider has also continued to improve. Ruth throws from a high three-quarters slot with a quick tempo on the mound. The windup and delivery is quick-paced but the delivery is pretty easy and he does an excellent job of getting batters to swing and miss. Ruth made leaps and bounds last season and he looks to improve in 2017 with a strong high school season with F.W. Buchholz.

P – Jack Leftwich, Sr., TNXL Academy, Maitland
Leftwich is another righthanded power pitcher in the region whose fastball can bump up to the mid-90s. The Florida commit has a loose, easy arm action with tremendous arm strength and he attacks hitters with his fastball. Leftwich has a three-pitch mix that includes a slider and changeup – the latter of which is a power change and more advanced at this point than the slider – that he can use to mix speeds and get hitters out. Similar to Ruth, Leftwich creates good plane on his fastball and gets downhill to make his pitches very difficult to square up. Leftwich is a physical specimen and will continue to get better.

P – Logan Allen, Sr., University HS, Deltona
One of the most polished pitchers in the entire class, with excellent command of four pitches, is Allen. For what Allen doesn’t have in velocity he makes up with sequencing and command. The Perfect Game All-American can use any of his four pitches during any count and does a very good job at keeping hitters off balance. He is a bit undersized but still is an extremely smart pitcher and is always a challenge against any lineup. After a successful 2016 high school season Allen looks to build on his success over the summer and be at the top of his game for the 2017 season.

P – Jordan Butler, Sr., Alonso HS, Odessa
Butler comes in as the second lefthanded pitcher on this list and another player who appeared on this list last season, making the team as a utility player. He is impressive from both the mound and at the plate and will surely be a two-way player if he gets to campus in Gainesville. Butler is a very deceptive pitcher as he hides the ball well, and, in combination with his tricky arm slot, his pitches are very difficult to hit. He mixes a fastball in the low-90s to go along with a wipeout slider for swings and misses. Butler is in store for an excellent senior campaign where he should shine both on the mound and at the plate. 

Florida Top Tools

This is PG 'DiamondKast' Level content.
You must be either an DiamondKast, Crosschecker Rankings & Scouting Reports, or Scout subscriber to read the rest.
Sign in Subscribe Now
Give us your feedback
High School | General | 6/10/2026

Ohio Valley High School Notebook
Jordan Gates
Article Image
‘26 RHP Jack Ryan (@StXBall) w/ an absolute masterclass in the region semis. CG/Shutout, 4 BB & 9 Ks & a No Hitter ‼️ FB worked 89-92, flashed a 93 1x. Velo held in the later innings 88-90. SL was plus @ 81-82 (2400+)/tight, while CH flipped in the low 80s, bottom of the zone.… pic.twitter.com/pdYaEqHmx5 — Perfect Game Ohio Valley (@PG_OhioValley) June 3, 2026 Jack Ryan, 2026, RHP, St. Xavier (OH) JR is finishing his senior campaign off in high fashion. Ryan threw a no-hitter in the Region Semifinals and now the bombers find themselves in the D1 State Final Four. The Boston College commit has taken home numerous awards this season, including conference & city player of the year in Cincinnati, OH. One last award left and that is to will the bombers to a state championship. Ryan has impressed all year and with one week to go, he is leaving it all on the field...
Read More
Softball | Softball Tournament | 6/14/2026

PG Softball Super Regionals

Erica Beach
Article Image
PG Super Regionals Dripping Springs, Texas June 6-7, 2026     DRIPPING SPRINGS, TX- The weather was nice, the Longhorns JUST won a national championship, and Perfect Game brought it’s first softball event to Dripping Springs. It was a weekend packed with college coaches, quality softball, and a great softball atmosphere. Over the course of the six-game guarantee event, our scout saw some amazing athletes. Below she highlights some of the athletes who caught her eye.   Destiny Sidiropoulos (2028, Houston, TX) of the Impact Gold HTX 16U was an incredible spark plug at the top of their lineup all weekend. She is a true triple threat who has great speed on the basepaths. She can soft and power slap, drop a sneaky bunt, and hit away with pop. Her barrel control is next level, and she is fun to watch pick apart defenses. On defense, she is versatile and athletic. She gets...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 6/13/2026

West Coast Summer Breakout Hopefuls

Joey Cohen
Article Image
With summer ball ramping up, the priority follow lists from our scouting staff start to take shape and every year a handful of intriguing names outside the national spotlight begin to separate. Digging deeper into the West region, there’s a group of prospects currently buried outside the Top 200 who carry real breakout and helium potential over the next few months. All 10 players featured here are coming off strong high school seasons and bring traits that evaluators tend to bet on whether it’s projectable/athletic bodies, strong secondary stuff, or flashes of impact tools. They may not be household names just yet, but the ingredients are there for significant jumps by the end of the summer circuit. Don’t be surprised if several of these names are firmly in the mix and climbing up early boards in a hurry before the fall rolls around. Two innings of work here from Jonah...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 6/14/2026

UBC West Scout Notes: Days 1-2

Steve Fiorindo
Article Image
Nash McCarthy (2030, Camas, WA) was outstanding in his start on day two of the UBC West for NW Baum Bat, working six-innings allowing four-hits, no walks and struck out seven.  Standing at 6-foot, 170-pounds with athleticism and room to add.  Effortless mover down the bump with a low effort, up-tempo operation that produced a fastball that was up to 84.  He showed feel for the secondary offerings mixing in a firm breaking ball at 71-74 with 11-5 shape with depth.  Controlled the zone and the tempo throughout the outing, moving the ball around to all four-quadrants.  Projectable arm speed with advanced feel for the spin and strike zone.  Dylan D'Oyen (2030, Cerritos, CA) got the start for 5 Star 2030 in their opening game of the tournament and impressed over six innings of work.  Athletic mover down the mound with balance and repeats the delivery. ...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 6/13/2026

UBC South Scout Notes: Days 1-2

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Quintin Blackwell (2030, Hercules, California) has, literally, been unstoppable this weekend for Premier Banditos Deleon. In six plate appearances, he has a walk and five hits. Doing it all with a double and two triples, while stealing three bags. Plenty of coil on the front side. Hands work through zone and the barrel stays on plane for a long time. High upside bat that makes an already deep Banditos lineup even deeper. Kenson Buth (2027, Trophy Club, Texas) has been an absolute weapon on both ends for Stix 2027 Scout. At the plate, he’s 6-9 with two doubles, a triple, and a home run. Linear approach with a ton of bat speed. Plenty of impact at the bottom of the zone and showing some ability to do serious damage in the middle of the field. On the mound, he went four quality innings, punching out three. The fastball lived 86-90 with carry. Good feel for the slider in the mid 70s....
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 6/13/2026

WWBA East Scout Notes: Days 1-2

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Sawyer Pettit (‘27 MS) Has shown extremely well to start the summer of 2026. Its a physical left-handed hitting corner profile with big muscle mass. Will pass the eye test off the bus at the next level. The swing is clean with controlled violence and big in-air power that has shown up frequently. Good mover for the size and plays the game hard. Candidate for a big frosh season at LSU-Eunice in 2028. Keviyun McQueen (‘27 MS) Pair of barrels tied together here. Innate feel to hit with fast hands. Line drive approach that gets to pull side power in the air. Excellent athlete that will stick at a premium spot. #LaTech commit.#WWBAEast pic.twitter.com/xeintVTMil — PG Deep South (@PG_DeepSouth) June 12, 2026 Keviyun McQueen (‘27 MS) The Louisiana Tech commit just does not stop hitting. Left the yard to the pull side yesterday and followed it up with a 3-4 day with a...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 6/12/2026

AZ All-State Ready to Take Place

Emily Hicks
Article Image
This weekend, eight teams will head to Goodyear Ballpark for the 2026 PG Arizona All-State tournament, setting the stage for what should be an exciting few days of baseball. With teams traveling from across the city, the field will be packed with talent and plenty of championship contenders. Among the teams competing in 16U are AZ Select, Marucci Athletics 2028 Grannis, Overfly 2028, Phoenix Phillies, Team Dinger 2028, T-Rex East Valley, USA Scout Team AZ 16U, and West Coast Ghost AZ 16U. Each team enters the weekend with its own strengths and goals, creating several intriguing storylines to follow throughout pool play and bracket action. One of the biggest teams to watch this weekend will be 10-10, T-Rex East Valley. Whether it's dominant pitching, high-powered offenses, or strong defensive play, T-Rex East Valley has already shown they can compete at a high level this season. A few...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 6/12/2026

13/14u PG Elite Scout Notes: Days 3-5

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
13u & 14u PG Elite Scout Notes: Days 1-2 Tucker Richardson (2030, Mobile, Ala.) has already made a name for himself and he continued to play at the expected high level during his time in Hoover, finishing the tournament with a robust .700 average, collecting at least one base hit in each of his team’s games. Now the No. 10 ranked prospect in the country, Richardson more than once showed the ability to read and react to spin out of the pitcher’s hand, barreling up baseballs for a couple of his hits on the tournament. As much as the bat stands out, the defensive actions in the dirt are even better as he’s arguably the best defender in the class, making the most difficult plays look routing, including one where he charged hard on a slow roller with momentum taking him towards the third base dugout but thanks to the big arm, he was able to make the play look second...
Read More
College | Story | 6/11/2026

Collegiate Freshman All-Americans

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
Collegiate Postseason Awards | Collegiate All Americans First Team Hitters Pos. Name School Class AVG OBP SLG R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB C Alonzo Alvarez Miami FR 0.341 0.439 0.551 40 57 13 2 6 32 3 1B Ethin Bingaman Auburn FR 0.330 0.415 0.581 60 71 9 0 15 50 4 2B Ethan Ball Virginia Tech FR 0.310 0.420 0.660 43 63 18 1 17 52 3 3B Nico Partida Texas A&M FR 0.306 0.408 0.550 45 55 8 0 12 43 4 SS Jett Kenady California FR 0.320 0.350 0.573 36 66 17 1 11 34 1 IF Linkin Garcia Texas Tech FR 0.338 0.387 0.489 53 78 21 1 4 59 1 OF Angel Laya Oregon FR 0.296 0.396 0.538 49 66 10 1 14 47 5 OF Anthony Pack Jr. Texas FR 0.359 0.485 0.597 58 74 16 0 11 52 20 OF Jacob Parker* Mississippi State FR 0.339 0.449 0.732 51 57 10 1 18 62 7 OF Teddy Tokheim Stanford FR 0.352 0.414 0.704 40 70 19 0 17 47 0 UT Drew Grego Nebraska FR 0.326 0.417 0.531 33 57 13 1 7 44 5 DH Enzo Infelise Cincinnati FR 0.374...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 6/11/2026

PG East WWBA to Get Underway

Kinley Kitchens
Article Image
One of the summer’s premier events returns to the Hoover area this week as the 2026 Perfect Game East WWBA Championship gets underway. Now in its seventh year, the event has become a staple on the summer travel baseball calendar, bringing together some of the top organizations and prospects from across the country. A total of 132 teams will compete across three age divisions, including 38 teams in the 15U division, 48 teams in the 16U division, and 46 teams in the 17U division. Past champions include organizations such as Top Gun Team Alabama, EBC, USA Prime Alabama, and defending champion USA Prime Southeast 15U. As always, the tournament field features some of the nation’s top-ranked players. In the 15U division, all eyes will be on Alabama right-hander Tristan Blalock, the No. 23 ranked player nationally in the 2029 class and the top ranked player in Alabama. Blalock...
Read More
Tournaments | Championship | 6/11/2026

Team Elite Takes Another PG Elite

Kinley Kitchens
Article Image
After capturing last year’s championship, Team Elite Scout 14U returned to Hoover looking to prove their success was no fluke. Four days later, they accomplished exactly that. Behind strong pitching, timely hitting, and the confidence that has defined the team throughout the tournament, Team Elite Scout 14U defeated SBA Bolts National 14U to claim the 2026 PG 14U National Elite Championship and secure back-to-back titles. “It’s awesome,” Team Elite Coach Blankenship said. “This is our first event of the year, so it’s good to get it to start with them, and they won it last year, so I know they are excited to do that back-to-back, so it’s pretty awesome.” The championship game showcased many of the same qualities that carried Team Elite through the tournament. Ryan Johnson delivered 4.1 scoreless innings on the mound, allowing just two hits...
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.