THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,625 MLB PLAYERS | 16,400 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,625 MLB PLAYERS | 16,400 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Sign in Create Account
Sign in Create Account
Tournaments  | Story | 7/12/2017

17u BCS Day 2 Scout Notes

Perfect Game Tournament Staff
Photo: Perfect Game

Daily Leaders | Player Stats | Day 1 Notes

Righthanded pitcher, Krishna Raj, (2018, Wellington, Fla.) toed the slab for Palm Beach Select in early morning action at the 5-Plex to begin day two of pool play in the 2017 17u BCS National Championship. The 6-foot, 195-pound Raj, a rising senior at Palm Beach Central High School, commanded both sides of the plate for three innings, showcasing a well commanded fastball in the 85-86 mph range that had late sink and arm-side run. He also showed a sharp-breaking 12-to-6 curveball that was clocked consistently at 69 to 71 mph.

Florida international University commit, Angel Tiburcio (2018, Wellington, Fla.), showed a powerful swing that makes him a Division I recruit. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound senior-to-be at Trinity Christian Academy doesn’t get cheated when steps into the batter’s box. Swinging out of a slightly open stance, the Palm Beach Select cleanup hitter has a swing path that projects to plus power as he moves up the baseball ladder. His mighty cut has lift throughout each pass. He has both the strength and bat quickness to hit pitches consistently into the pull-side gap.

Castro Baseball Academy is a competitive squad out of the Lone Star State. Austin Gonzalez (2018, Pasadena, Texas) is CBA’s catcher and cleanup hitter. Gonzalez, a rising senior at Pasadena High School in the southeast area of greater Houston, is a solid, 5-foot-10, 190-pound receiver who has solid skills behind the plate. He is easy and confident with his setup, controls the game well and manages his pitching staff like a seasoned veteran. He has a strong, quick, and accurate throwing arm. At the plate, he is a powerful gap-to-gap hitter who swings out of a slightly open stance. He has a slight lift at contact which shows potential for plus power.

The Scorpions North 2018 Baseball Club is another in a long line of very solid central Florida based clubs. Jackson Westberry (2018, Saint Johns, Fla.) who is a very capable middle infielder, hit in the two-hole for the Scorps as their XH in their game against North East Baseball at City of Palms Park. Westberry appears to truly understand his role as a two-hole hitter. He works the count well and uses a short, compact swing and a middle-of-the-field mentality to consistently get his barrel to the ball. He has above average speed and is an instinctive baserunner.

Clayton Smith (2018, MacClenny, Fla.) is the powerful three-hole hitter for the Scorpions who has a swing path that is a little longer than average, with a slugger’s lift at contact, that projects to extra-base hits as he continues with his career. He leans on his back half and generates great bat speed with each pass. The big, 5-foot-10, 225-pound first sacker also has better-than-average speed. The senior-to-be at Baker High School, is an agile first baseman with quick feet and soft hands.

Tyler McKay (2018, St. Augustine, Fla.) opened some eyes at City of Palms Park with his dual threat ability. The Scorpions catcher showed advanced ability in handling the Scorps pitching staff. His 6-foot, 180-pound solidly built frame moved with a veteran’s ease behind the plate. He has soft hands and frames pitches fluidly. He controls the game and keeps his defense at the ready. He has a quick trigger and is highly accurate with all his throws. He has the complete package and is ready to catch in a high level collegiate setting. He also brings a very capable stick to the park. He is strong through his core and generates a great deal of bat speed with his powerfully built torso.

The Scorpions dynamic left fielder, Hunter Bratek (2018, St. Johns, Fla.) is a solid lefthanded hitting speed merchant who helps get his ballclub to the middle of its order. It is obvious that he understands that his ability as a plus runner is his No. 1 tool. He bunts for hits and gets the ball on the ground up the middle and to the opposite side and lets his feet go to work. He puts pressure on the defense once he gets on the bases and doesn’t stay on one base too long. He is also a quite capable left fielder. He has a very quick first step, fields with confidence, and has a playable arm that is accurate.

Nick Mueckay (2018, St. Augustine, Fla.) is a high school teammate of catcher Tyler McKay at Allen D. Nease High School. He plays second base for the Scorpions and is a gifted fielder and a heady ballplayer. He and Hunter Bratek have identical offensive game plans at the plate and give the Scorpions a solid back-to-back speed combo, that routinely causes havoc on the basepaths. The 5-foot-9, 140-pound second sacker has excellent lateral movement and great game awareness.

Six-foot-4, 220-pound Bryan Govostes (2018, Woburn, Mass.) is a solidly built, middle-of-the-order slugger for North East Baseball. The rising senior at Woburn High School generates some serious bat speed from a slightly open stance. He has a quick trigger and the power to drive the ball, with authority, to all parts of the park. Considering his size, Govostes shows above average athleticism and is very capable baserunner.

One of the younger players, if not the youngest, at the 2017 17u BCS National Championship is Chandler World shortstop Alex Freeland (2020, Cape Coral, Fla.). The local product, who will be a sophomore at Mariner High School next year, is a gifted player who plays an advanced level at shortstop. He has excellent first-step quickness and the pro-like ability to move confidently in either direction. His arm is collegiate ready right now, as his throws display strength, carry and accuracy. Freeland is also a quite capable switch-hitter, who makes consistent contact and has the bat speed and swing path to hit for average and power. His foot speed and baseball awareness, even at the young stage in his career, makes Freeland a top-flight prospect.

Titans Baseball shortstop Matt Christian (2017, Marietta, Ga.) is an infielder who is ready for college ball. He has extraordinarily quick feet and his lateral movement is on par with the best in this tournament. He has a steady arm that is highly accurate. His bat is solid and he gets his barrel to the ball consistently.

Righthanded pitcher Alex Hayes (2018, Canton, Ga.) closed out the Titans Baseball game with Chandler World Baseball with two solid innings of relief work. The Woodstock High School senior-to-be, with smooth and easy mechanics, threw a solid fastball in the 81-83 mph range that he kept down and on the corners. His high three-quarters arm slot was repeated consistently and he worked with great pace in his pressure packed two innings. His fastball had late life and sink and he pounded the strike zone, retiring the Chandler World team in short order to keep the game tied at zero.

– Jerry Miller



The action continued at the 17u BCS National Championship with more strong performances from Elite Squad 17u Prime. Starting pitcher Alex Rao (2018, Hobe Sound, Fla.) is a large 6-foot-4, 245-pound righty. His big, athletic frame will serve him well as he continues pitching. He begins his delivery with a strong leg kick that moves past his belt. Both arms stretch over his head from the windup. Rao’s arm action is short and compact, but he does well to get good extension at the point of release. His mid-80s fastball is released from a three-quarters arm slot and is generally straight. His curve features a small, tight break with 11-to-5 shape. His changeup has solid fade to the arm side, and Rao doesn’t sacrifice arm speed, which only adds to the deception. The combination of these three pitches induced lots of week contact while also punching out four hitters. Rao has the pitches to become an impressive starter as he moves forward in his baseball career. Rao has a verbal commitment to the University of Notre Dame.

Roberto Pena (2018, Pembroke Pines, Fla.) is one of the best, if not the best, third baseman available in the 2018 draft class. His 6-foot-2, 205-pound frame is incredibly athletic and still projectable in the future. Pena’s work at third is solid. He takes good first steps and works through the ball fluidly. His release is quick, and his arm strength is way above average. He’ll be throwing darts to first for some time. But where Pena really stands out is at the plate. He’s swing is short and easily repeatable. He has a simple shift into contact with a line drive swing plane that can spray the ball all over the field. Pena does get good extension as well. He does an impressive job of utilizing his lower half, which will help his home run power which is currently only to the pull side. This scout also heard that Pena has been clocked as high as 93 mph on the mound. Pena has all the tools he needs to be a stud now and down the road. He is verbally committed to the University of Florida.

Henry Anthony Vilar (2018, Miami, Fla.) joins Pena on the left side of the diamond by playing shortstop. Vilar is a bit smaller at 5-foot-11, 180-pounds, but Vilar possesses more raw athleticism and quickness. His footwork at shortstop is quick, and his arm speed is plenty for his place on the diamond. His lefthanded swing starts from a slightly open, narrow stance with a high back elbow set. Vilar utilizes a small toe tap to trigger the start of motion. Once his body is in motion, Vilar’s swing is mostly effortless. He possesses nice present bat speed, and he consistently gets the barrel to the ball. Despite his swing tending to produce more line drives than monster fly balls, Vilar does get good lift when he extends out front. The ball should continue jumping off his barrel like it did in Tuesday’s game where he went 2-for-2 with four RBI. Vilar is verbally committed to the University of Miami.

Another impressive shortstop on the day was Alexander Bello (2018, Hialeah, Fla.). At the plate, Bello starts from an even stance with a very high hand and elbow set. Bello quickly moves his hands lower as he lifts his left to starts his swing. His bat is long through the zone while also having quick hands that generate good whip. His contact approach and line drive swing plane will result in plenty of balls landing on outfield grass across the whole field. Bello gets good extension when out in front and can drive balls to the gaps like the double he hit during Tuesday’s game. Bello projects to hit for plenty of average, and he should grow into his power. His actions in the field are sound, too. Bello has soft hands that react well to tricky hops. The rest of his body is balanced and composed. He has plenty of arm strength and athleticism to stick at the position. Bello has a verbal commitment to the University of South Florida.

Trevor Kniskern (2018, Lighthouse Point, Fla.) is a highly projectable 5-foot-11, 170-pound middle infielder. He served as a designated hitter on Tuesday and finished the day by collecting two hits and two RBI. His swing is fundamentally sound and repeatable. Kniskern starts from a wide base with a high back elbow set. His hips rotate quickly and his hands follow suit. Kniskern’s swing can occasionally get loopy, but he is almost always fluid through the zone with good extension out front. He has a good feel for the barrel of the bat, and he consistently drives pitches. He get natural loft when balls are squared up, too. There’s plenty of power to project in his swing, and Kniskern will still be making plenty of contact. Kniskern has a bright future ahead of him. He is verbally committed to Pepperdine University.

Luis Garcia (2018, Paterson, N.J.) is a lanky, uber-athletic 6-foot-2, 210-pound outfielder with all the tools to be a big success. He takes a slightly open stance from the right side at the plate. He has tremendously quick hands through the zone, which helps create above average bat speed. Garcia does occasionally shift his weight to the front side too early effectively zapping most of his present power. However, when he does stay back long enough the ball jumps off his bat. Garcia’s line drive swing plane suggests gap-to-gap power over numerous homeruns. However, he does have present strength and the power could go as he fills out his large frame. Garcia plays an effective right field, too. His speed allows him to track down balls in the gap, and his arm strength is well above average. This combination would allow him to play anywhere in the outfield if presented the opportunity. Garcia is surely someone worth keeping an eye on.

Andrew Lee (2018, Boynton Beach, Fla.) is a barrel chested 6-foot-1, 195-pound outfielder with lots of potential with the bat. His righthanded swing starts from an even stance with a high back elbow set. Lee takes a small toe tap to begin his swing. His hands fly through the zone, and his bat speed is well above average. It’s an effortless swing that still produces plenty of thump. Lee will need to learn how to engage his lower half better, however, as his swing is mostly an upper body affair. He doesn’t have a problem generating natural lift to a line drive swing plane that will send the ball far to all fields. Lee has a beautiful swing that will definitely produce at the next level. Lee has a verbal commitment to Louisiana State University.

True first basemen need to be tall and hit for lots of power. Charlie Von Werne (2018, Royal Palm Beach, Fla.) checks both of those boxes. He’s a big 6-foot-5, 225-pound man with long limbs. He comes into the box with a slightly closed front foot with an even stance. Von Werne starts his load with a small, simple leg left. Occasionally he’ll open his hips too early because of where his front foot lands after this left kick. However, Von Werne showed a natural ability to get under the ball and produce a slight uppercut. He’ll be able to drive the ball with hard, loud contact. His power potential is great. His bat stays long through the zone as well, so his contact rates should remain high. Von Werne has the bat to stick at the offensive premium position.

Kevin Casey (2018, Jupiter, Fla.) is a solidly built 6-foot-1, 190-pound outfielder. He begins his righthanded swing from a wide, slightly open stance with a high back elbow set. Casey takes a small left kick to begin his fluid swing. During the leg kick he dips his back shoulder to create an upper cut swing plane that produces good carry when he squares pitches up. He also has an aggressive weight transfer to the front leg as his hands come quickly through the zone. This adds to his power potential that is already impressive. Casey’s power could be his calling card in the future. His work on the mound was also impressive. Casey’s fastball sat in the mid-80s, and his curve showed great depth at 72 mph.

Nicholas Toney (2018, Royal Palm Beach, Fla.) has a large, athletic frame with some remaining physical projection left. He comes in at 6-foot-2, 200-pounds. His righthanded swing begins from a slightly open stance with a high back elbow set. Toney’s swing is very rotational, and that’s where he gets most of his power. He shows plenty of effort, but it does result in plenty of balls being hit hard to the gaps. His exaggerated leg kick occasionally closes him off at the point of contact, but his power still manages to play. His natural uppercut should make balls hit to the gap a think of consistency. Toney’s hands are quick through the zone, and his back whips behind. His work at third base is solid. His arm strength is apparent and he works well through groundballs. Toney is an all-around good athlete with plenty of promise. He is verbally committed to Florida Atlantic University.

Josh Strickland Jr. (2018, Dunedin, Fla.) is one of the smaller prospects at 6-foot, 170-pounds but that doesn’t stop him from playing an impressive shortstop. He has plenty of athleticism and tremendous physical projection as he starts to gain more weight and muscle. His comes into the box with a high back elbow set and an even stance. He’ll hands will slightly drift back as he begins his load. This helps to get lift when Strickland makes contact. He clearly tries to send the ball back up the middle. He doesn’t have much present power, but his contact skills are impressive. He possesses a fluid swing that projects well moving forward.

Another undersized but still solid shortstop is Matthew Mamatas (2018, McDonough, Ga.). He’s only 5-foot-9 and 160-pounds but he has the athleticism and projectability to be worth taking note of. His footwork in the field is solid, and his arm strength was well above average. He has quick releases and easily beats runners to the bag. At the plate he showed quick hands and the ability to drive the ball back up the middle. Mamatas consistently got the barrel to the ball. While Mamatas’ defense profiles better than his bat, he still has the tool to succeed at the next level and beyond.

– Kyle Zweng
Give us your feedback
Tournaments | Story | 9/14/2026

Coastal Fall Battle of the Carolinas Notes
Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Deacon Hensley (2028, Zebulon, NC) stands at 6-foot-0, 165 pounds and is a left-handed hitting and throwing right fielder. Lean frame with good athleticism and additional strength likely to come with maturity. Compact swing with quick hands and good feel for the barrel. Relaxed setup with good bat speed through the zone. Good balance in the box with a direct path and solid contact skills. Hensley went 3-for-3, scoring three runs and hitting a double. Great day at the plate. Colt Funderburk (2027, Lancaster, SC) stands at 5-foot-10, 195 pounds with an athletic frame and present strength. Bats and throws left-handed. Physical hitter with a compact swing, good bat speed, and the ability to drive the ball with authority. Good pitch recognition with a disciplined approach. Quiet lower half with a controlled load and good balance. Funderburk went 2-for-4 with one double and two RBI. Cameron...
Read More
College | Recruiting | 9/14/2026

Class of 2026 Recruiting Rankings

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Read More
Press Release | Press Release | 9/14/2026

PG Athletes Raise North of $138,000 in August

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
  667 Progress Way | Sanford, FL 32771 | 319-298-2923 www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   PERFECT GAME ATHLETES RAISE OVER $138,000 FOR CHARITABLE PARTNERS THROUGHOUT MONTH OF AUGUST   Sanford, Florida (Monday, September 14, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced that its August premier events raised a combined $138,422 for children's hospitals and charitable organizations, with 1,112 total supporters contributing across five showcases. Since 2016, Perfect Game athletes have raised over $1.8 million for various charitable causes and organizations. The annual fundraising initiative, which runs in conjunction with several of Perfect Game's marquee events each year, gives players, families and fans the opportunity to support...
Read More
College | Recruiting | 9/14/2026

Top 500 Fresh Arrivals on Campus

Article Image
It's that time of the year where the freshmen around the country start arriving on campus. Regardless of level, here are the top 500 names to make it to their school for the 2027 season.  Rank Name School High School City ST 1 Archer Horn Stanford St. Ignatius College Prep San Mateo CA 2 Noah Wilson Vanderbilt McCallie School Ooltewah TN 3 Logan Schmidt Louisiana State Ganesha Aliso Viejo CA 4 Blake Bowen Oregon State JSerra Catholic Riverside CA 5 Cole Koeninger Tennessee Keller Keller TX 6 Joseph Contreras Vanderbilt Blessed Trinity Cath Alpharetta GA 7 Bo Holloway Vanderbilt Nolensville Nolensville TN 8 James Clark Duke St. John Bosco Riverside CA 9 Malachi Washington Louisiana State Parkview Stone Mountain GA 10 Brady Harris Florida Trinity Christian Academy St. Augustine FL 11 Grayson Willoughby Kentucky Trinity Louisville KY 12 Jorvorskie Lane Jr. Arkansas Grapevine Fort Worth...
Read More
Draft | Story | 9/11/2026

PG Draft: Potential Risers Into Top 50

Michael Albee
Article Image
We are in the early stages of the 2027 cycle and there is still plenty of time for players to make significant jumps up the board. While our current Top-100 provides an early look at the class, several players just outside that group have the upside to make a run at becoming Top-50 pick by next July. With that in mind, each member of the draft team each selected one college player and one prep player they believe could make the jump into the Top-50 over the course of the spring. These are the names to keep an eye on as the 2027 draft picture continues to develop. Joey’s Picks:   Jake Cueto (27 FL) goes oppo πŸ’£ on a mid-90s LonL heater. Performing at a very high level, hitting .464 with 5 homers. Excellent hit/run combo and here comes the juice! #PGHS #Miami commit @Florida_PG pic.twitter.com/g4gtml81mm — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) April 1, 2026 Prep: OF, Jake...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 9/9/2026

PG Wood Bat Fall Kickoff Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Evan Thompson (‘29, AZ) showcasing the all-fields power with this ground rule double the other way. Immense power upside. Really fun offensive profile #FallKickoff https://t.co/l551KirUOf pic.twitter.com/QW0AIeg59g — Perfect Game Four Corners (@PG_FourCorners) September 7, 2026 Evan Thompson (2029, Gilbert, Ariz.) put on an offensive clinic throughout the weekend, going 8-for-13 with three extra-base hits. He capped off his MVP performance with a walkoff home run to take home the championship. Thompson is one of the premier players in the 2029 class. A fluid left-handed stroke consistently finds barrels. There is all fields power present that will only continue to develop further. It would not be a surprise if Thimpson ends up the top ranked player in the class when it is all said and done.  Chase Fillman (2028, Goodyear, Ariz.) put together a loud summer circuit and...
Read More
Draft | Story | 9/8/2026

What Profiles Are Valued Most at Top of Draft

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
The landscape of the MLB Draft continues to evolve each and every year. What teams value at the top of the draft can change based on the strength of a particular class, shifts in player development philosophy, and, perhaps most importantly, the way organizations evaluate risk and upside. Some trends are subtle, while others become impossible to ignore when viewed across multiple years. For this study, I set out to answer one question: What player profiles do teams value at the top of the draft? To answer it, I analyzed the Top-100 picks from each of the last six drafts (2021-2026). That gives us 600 total selections to examine and provides a large enough sample to identify both the profiles that have remained consistently popular and those that have gained or lost significant ground. The data was broken down by position, handedness and level to create individual player profiles. While...
Read More
General | General | 9/7/2026

First Look: Class of 2031 Rankings

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Read More
Draft | Story | 9/7/2026

Chubb Jones Jr. Enrolls Early

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
Harry Chubb Jones Jr. is getting an early start on the next chapter of his baseball career. The Perfect Game All-American announced Sunday that he will enroll early at the University of Alabama, giving the Crimson Tide an early addition from one of the more intriguing two-way prospects in the 2027 class. See y’all at The Joe! πŸ‘πŸΎπŸ‘πŸΎπŸ‘πŸΎ pic.twitter.com/Kn0T0mJxq7 — 6._.chubbjones (@chubb_hitter) September 6, 2026 Jones, a 6-foot-4, 190-pound SS/RHP from Georgia, was ranked No. 39 in the 2027 class and came in at No. 83 on the initial Top-100 2027 Draft Board. Chubb Jones Jr (‘27 GA) smokes this one the other way for an RBI single & we’re all level in the 6th. Adv bat speed, impacts w/ authority to all fields #PGAAC@PG_Georgia pic.twitter.com/FZ46IvYVp1 — Dick’s Sporting Goods All-American Classic (@PGAllAmerican) August 16, 2026 The McEachern...
Read More
Draft | Story | 9/7/2026

2027 MLB Draft: PG Content Hub

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
No more having to search for articles pertaining to the 2027 MLB Draft as we will keep it all centrally located here, in the PG Content Hub, leading up to the first pick next July. Tyler Henninger, Joey Cohen, Michael Albee and Ryan Miller, along with the rest of the Perfect Game staff, will continue to provide you with the latest info as it pertains to this 2027 crop.  Article Date Initial Follow List July 12 Way Too Early Mock July 13 Realistic Expectations of 1:1 August 11 Preview: Collegiate RHP August 21  Draft Board: Top 100 August 28 Way Too Early 1:1 Predictions September 4 Chubb Jones Jr. Enrolls Early September 7 Preview: Collegiate LHP September 7 What Profiles are Valued Most at Top of Draft September 9 Potential Risers Into The Top 50 September 11
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.