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Tournaments  | Story | 7/14/2017

17u BCS Day 4 Scout Notes


Daily Leaders | Player Stats | Day 1 Notes | Day 2 Notes | Day 3 Notes

A number of vitally important games took place at Century Link Park on day four of the 2017, 17u BCS National Championship. For most the teams playing, playoff seeding stood in the balance.

Rodrigo Montenegro (2018, Lutz, Fla.) helped lead the Tampa based Patriots Baseball Club against the Scorpions North Purple in early play. The 5-foot-10, 180-pound catcher, who also hit in the leadoff position for the Patriots, had a big day offensively and defensively. Hitting out of slightly open stance, Montenegro used a patient approach, working the count and seeing a lot of pitches from the Scorps staff. His inside-out bat path allowed him to see the ball deep and hit line drives to all parts of the field. Defensively, he is an advanced receiver whose calm presence, disposition, and smooth receiving style allowed his staff to work with confidence. He is an excellent thrower of the baseball. He has a quick set-up and release, he gains ground like a professional catcher, and his throws have carry and accuracy.

Patriots second baseman Leandro Alvarez (2018, Tampa, Fla.) is a slick fielding middle infielder who has the ready skills to excel at the collegiate level. He has very quick feet and his lateral movement shows outstanding coordination and athleticism. He has very soft hands and transitions well to throw. He has an exceptional arm that is both strong and true. Offensively, the switch-hitting 5-foot-10, 170-pound Alvarez, has a simple approach. He hits out of slightly open stance. He has a flat bat path that is geared for middle-of-the-field line drives. He is a plus runner and is very instinctive on the basepaths.

Dillon Baker (2019, Tampa, Fla.) makes up the second half of the Patriots dynamic middle infield. The lightning quick, 5-foot-10, 150-pound Baker, is gifted with all his baseball movements and brings a solid set of fundamental skills to the diamond. His first step quickness in either direction is as good as any shortstop in this tournament. He is a fast setup, quick throw guy. His throws have outstanding carry and accuracy.

Completing the Patriots strength in the middle of the field is their center fielder, Kyle Benedict (2019, Lutz, Fla.). The 5-foot-10, 160-pound Benedict is a blur in the outfield. His speed and agility allow his corner outfield mates to play close to the lines, as Benedict has the ability to cover the outfield gaps with ease. Offensively, he has a middle-of-the-field mentality and uses his ultra-quick hands and consistently level bat path to get his barrel to the ball.

Gabe Partridge (2018, Miami, Fla.) was the starter on the hill for the Patriots and was rock solid for six strong innings. His ability to pitch to both sides of the plate and work effectively down in the zone with both his well commanded fastball and his deceptive curveball, kept the Scorpions off-balance for his entire stint. His lively fastball, which he kept on the edges, was clocked in the low-80s, and his curveball, which had a sharp, late 11-to-5 break, stayed at 67-68 mph for six innings. Very few Scorpions made solid contact the entire morning. Throwing only 81 pitches, Partridge only allowed four hits. He struck out four and only walked two.

The Scorpions North Purple battled for seven innings and staged a late rally against the Patriots in the top of the seventh inning. Jeremy Gunter (2018, Bryceville, Fla.) had a solid day for the Scorps at second base and at the plate. At 5-foot-9 and 155-pounds, Gunter brings a very athletic presence to the field. He is the prototypical college second baseman. He has very quick feet, which allow him to constantly be in a solid fielding position. His arm is very playable and his throws are true and firm. Gunter is a tough top-of-the-order hitter. He swings from the left side and makes each pitcher work. He sees a lot of pitches and competes his way through each at-bat. He has a short, quick and level swing path and consistently gets his barrel to the ball. He is a very instinctive base runner with above average speed.

Josh Haygood (2018, MacClenny, Fla.) is the very athletic center fielder for the Scorpions. His solidly built frame and quick-twitch movements, make Haygood an above average center fielder. At 5-foot-11 and 187-pounds, he has a college ready baseball body. His top-end speed is easily at the top of the outfielders in his age group. He has a simple, yet effective approach at the plate. He hits with a slightly open stance. His strong hands allow his bat to get quickly to the hitting zone, generating plus bat speed. He has slight lift at contact, which should translate to power as he continues with his career.

Turner Shultz (2018, Jacksonville, Fla.) is the very capable right fielder for the Scorps. He is solidly built and uses his athleticism at the plate and in the field. He is a power guy. His strength is in his throwing arm that is very strong and true. He also uses his core to create a great deal of torque in and with his swing. He doesn’t have too much length to his swing, but his short bat path is quick and true. He makes consistent contact and has gap-to-gap power.

Academy Baseball Canada has been a big part of Perfect Game for a number of years. The Montreal, Quebec-based Academy brought another strong ballclub to Southwest Florida this year for the 17u BCS Championship. That club was on full display in a very competitive game against the Florida Pokers on Field 6 at Century Link on day four.

Felix Antoine Chenier Rondeau (2017, Bainville, Sel.) is a tremendously gifted center fielder for the Canadians. His 6-foot-2, 195-pound frame is ready for college baseball and beyond. He swings out of a slightly open stance and generates a great deal of bat speed with his short and direct bat path. He has a slight lift in each pass and his gap power, especially to the opposite side, is evident. He is a gazelle in the outfield. He reads each ball off the bat like a seasoned veteran and has a plus, accurate throwing arm.

Capably holding down the catcher’s position for The Academy is Zachary Gagnon (2018, Ste-Julie, Quebec). Gagnon, simply put, is a baseball player. The gritty, tough, intelligent receiver has all the tools. Gagnon has very easy and confident movements behind the plate and it was obvious that the Canadian pitching staff had full confidence in throwing to him. He has a strong and true arm and his throwing ability is highlighted by his mechanics from behind the plate. He is quick to set. He is quick to transition and he gains ground like a professional catcher. Best of all, he gets his throws consistently to second base with a 2.0-second pop time or better. He swings his bat from the left side and does so with confidence. He looks to hit the ball up the middle or the other way and uses an inside-out swing path to do so. He sees pitches deep and uses his flat bat path to pepper left and left-center field.

Simon Menier (2019, Chicoutimi, Quebec) hit out of the two-hole for the Canadian based Baseball Academy and was in the middle of their offense the entire game. His best tool is his plus speed and his intelligence on the basepaths. He sees a lot of pitches each at-bat. He bunts for hits. He steals bases. He disrupts defenses. His patient style and ability to consistently get on base helped his club get to the middle of their order with runners always in scoring position.

Six-foot-4, 210-pound, righthanded pitcher, Olivier Morin Larocque (2017, Quebec), started on the bump and went five solid innings for ABC. Larocque used a classic, Tom Seaver-like, drop-and-drive style and almost pinpoint command to hold down a very capable Florida Pokers offense. His best fastball was clocked at 87 mph and he pitched in the 85-86 mph range for his entire outing. His curveball had a sharp 12-to-6 late break and is very deceptive changeup was thrown at 72 mph. His calm and cool presence was noteworthy as the noise of this highly competitive game never appeared to phase the sturdy Canadian.

The Brenham, Texas based Batter’s Box-Black Baseball Club and Team Elite Select played a highly entertaining and very competitive game in an afternoon contest at Century Link.

Ethan Blinka (2018, Somerville, Texas) took the bump first for Batter’s Box and was sharp from the get-go. The burly, 5-foot-11, 240-pound Blinka used a solid three-pitch mix to keep a very good Team Elite Select squad at arm’s length. His pinpoint command was impressive. His sinking, running two-seamer was clocked in the 82-84 mph range. His used a cut fastball as his breaking pitch. He added and subtracted with his cutter like a pro and kept hitter’s off balance. His out-pitch was his changeup which had late sinking action at the plate. He kept his change on the glove-side edge all day.

Mitchell Parks (2019, Caldwell, Texas), a rising junior at Caldwell High School, leads off and plays centerfield for the central Texas based club. He is a very gifted outfielder who has exceptional speed and the ability to play from gap-to-gap. At the plate, he is a consummate lead-off hitter. He looks at a lot of pitches. He works counts. He fights off good pitches and he puts balls in play. He uses a short, quick swing and consistently gets his barrel to pitches. Once on the base paths, he is a disrupter.

A rising senior at Giddings High School is Shelby Becker (2018, Giddings, Texas). Becker is a 6-foot-1, 160-pound athletically gifted player. Hitting out of a slightly open stance, Becker is short to the ball and his strong hands helps him generate great bat speed. He uses a middle-of-the-field swing path and has a slight lift at contact. Defensively, Becker is a rock solid third baseman. He has excellent lateral movement and a strong, accurate arm.

Will Faust (2018, Caldwell, Texas) is the scrappy, tough, and talented second baseman for the Batter’s Box team. The quarterback for the Caldwell High School football team, Faust doesn’t back away from any challenge. He has exceptionally quick feet and gets to some ground balls that look to be heading to the outfield. He has a quarterback quick right arm that is very accurate. Offensively, he just competes. He always gets his barrel to the ball and his short, quick swing produces line drives to all parts of the field.

One of the more impressive players on the day was 5-fot-11, 200-pound first baseman, Colton Buro (2019, Brenham, Texas). A junior-to-be at Brenham High School, the lefthanded hitting Buro was in the middle of each Batter’s Box scoring opportunity. He has a very mature hitting approach. He is balanced and relaxed at the dish and uses a short stride and quick hands to get his barrel to and through the hitting plane consistently. Around the bag, Buro is very agile and sure handed. He fielded some very tough chances with confidence.

Ty King Richards (2018, Snellville, Ga.) is the speedy and athletically gifted center fielder for the Team Elite Select squad. The leadoff hitter for TES, the 5-foot-3, 150-pound Richards, is one of the faster players in Ft. Myers this week. He works counts like a veteran and gets the ball in play with a very short, quick, smooth swing. Once on first base, it takes very little time for the speedster to reach second. He is a heady and instinctive runner. Defensively, he takes his superior running ability to the outfield. Because he can cover so much ground, he takes a lot of pressure off his corner outfield mates.

Will Arnold (2018, Tucker, Ga.) is a very capable right fielder for Team Elite Select. He has quick confident movements in the outfield and has a plus arm. He has the speed and agility to play all of the outfield positions. Offensively, the lefthanded swinger is the perfect complement to the speedy Richards, who leads off. Arnold, who hits in the two-hole, can work the count, can take pitches allowing Richards running opportunities and he can confidently handle the bat.

Matthew McDade (2018, Cape Coral, Fla.) hits in the three spot for TES and holds down the shortstop position. The 5-foot-11, 170-pound McDade is a natural at shortstop. He is light on his feet and has great first step quickness. His arm is strong and true. McDade is also a very capable hitter. He is very balanced at the plate and uses a short, quick, middle-of-the filed swing path to routinely get his barrel to the ball.

Nation Elite Goodrich brought a talented club to the 17u BCS National Championship this week. Hunter Fornari (2018, Ponce Inlet, Fla.), Nation Elite’s leadoff hitter is also the very capable shortstop. He is unquestionably the NE leader and his play backs up that responsibility. He has very quick feet and his lateral movement allows him to always be in a sound fielding position. He has a quick and accurate arm. Offensively, the rising senior at Spruce Creek High School, is a solid leadoff man. He understands how to work counts, he looks at a lot of pitches, and he uses the whole field to hit. His short, quick swing path is very disciplined and he consistently gets his barrel to the ball with each pass.

Cody Duke (2018, Port Orange, Fla.) holds down the catcher’s spot for Nation Elite. He is quite skilled behind the plate and calls a very sound game. He is a smooth and confident receiver and is the field general for his club. He gains ground coming out of the chute and delivers a true and sound throw to second base routinely.

Jackson Spiller (2018, Palm Coast, Fla.) toed the rubber for Nation Elite and was exceptional. The 6-foot-2, 170-pound senior-to-be at Flagler-Palm Coast High School, Spiller used a three-pitch mix and a cool, calm presence to pitch give his club a chance at victory. His mechanics were flawless. His high three-quarters arm slot was routinely repeated and his delivery was sound and consistent. His fastball, which had late life down in the zone, touched 86 mph and stayed in the 83-85 mph range throughout the game. His tight spinning and sharp breaking curveball was clocked in the 72-74 mph range and his deceptive changeup sat at 75-77 mph.

Chandler World Baseball’s Trevor Candelaria (2018, Durango, Colo.) had a stellar ball game in the late afternoon contest on Field 6 at Century Link. The 6-foot-1, 175-pound right fielder and leadoff hitter is solid for the Chandler squad in the one hole. He has the ability to take pitches, work counts, and use a smooth, quick trigger to hit line drives to all parts of the field. He is a disrupter on the base paths and is an instinctive, aggressive runner. He is a very sound outfielder with an above average arm.

Blake Buckley (2018, Clermont, Fla.), the Chandler World third baseman, is a middle-of-the-order bopper. The 6-foot, 190-pound, solidly built Buckley can drive the baseball. He swings from a slightly open stance and his swing has a power hitter’s lift at contact. He is also a very capable third baseman. He has very good lateral movement and has a strong and accurate arm.

Matthew Byars (2018, Plant City, Fla.) turned in quite the performance for Chandler World. The burly lefthanded swinging first baseman can power the baseball, especially to the pull side. His last at-bat saw him drive a ball off the top of the right field wall. To his credit, the big man motored into third base with a stand-up triple. That big knock gave him three for the day. Byars is also a very talented first baseman. He is very agile around the bag and handles tough chances like a gold glover.

– Jerry Miller



The Elite Squad 17u North team has a solid core that has played well and won three games over the course of the tournament. A.J. Orrico (2018, Boynton Beach, Fla.) hits leadoff in their deep lineup. The 6-foot, 175-pound shortstop has a projectable, athletic frame. His lefthanded swing starts from a wide stance. He progresses into a quick load that shifts that brings his weight to his back leg. As he swings, Orrico’s hands are quick through the zone. He has a clear contact driven approach that doesn’t lend itself to much power. However, he does have a good feel for the barrel and he remains balanced through his swing. His work in the infield was solid as well. Orrico does well to get on top of his throws, and he fields the ball out in front. Orrico is an interesting follow.

Following Orrico is Logan O’Neil (2018, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.). His 5-foot-11, 155-pound frame screams physical projection, and he already has a strong, athletic build. The plate O’Neil stands with a tall stance. He starts movement early, but he always stays well within himself by controlling his body. He gathers in the rear leg and then launches at the ball. O’Neil does well to engage his lower half to generate more power. His bat path is consistently under balls in order to generate lift. His present power and contact skills are both a plus. O’Neil’s work in the outfield was solid. He has plenty of arm strength out in left field, and his first steps are quick but aggressive.

Stephen Garcia (2018, Hialeah, Fla.) got the start as a designated hitter and managed to collect an RBI serving as the cleanup hitter. He’s a solid 5-foot-10, 200-pounds with present strength. His righthanded swing starts open to the pitcher. Garcia demonstrated he loves to pull the ball, but he also is capable of staying inside the ball and hitting the ball where it was pitched. However, when presented the opportunity, Garcia should have plenty of power to pull. He possesses average bat speed. Garcia also took several close pitches for balls. He showed he can be patient and wait for a pitch in his middle-in sweet spot.

Preston Colp (2018, West Palm Beach, Fla.) is another interesting follow with promise. He’s a big 6-foot-2, 210-pound first baseman. With his present size and positioning in the field he’ll need to hit a good amount in order to stick. His righthanded swing starts from an even stance with a high hand-set. During his load he shifts his weight to his back leg. As he swings his lower half rotates quickly and creates added torque. When he is on time with the pitch, Colp shows strength at the point of contact and good extension. His slight uppercut should also help his power numbers. Colp also showed impressive footwork while playing first base. He’s already plenty tall to play the position, and his bat will probably allow him to stay there.

The SCORE International 17u Bama team has been on a roll lately and that has a lot to do with their impressive lineup. Much of their lineup has already been written about, but the team does deserve the attention. Duncan Pastore (2018, Tampa, Fla.) is the 6-foot-1, 175-pound first baseman with plus speed on the bases. And his short line drive swing plane helps him utilize his speed as much as possible. Pastore also showed a decent amount of power. This is an intriguing combination especially because Pastore can play nearly any position in the infield. Pastore finished the day going 1-for-2 with an RBI.

Justice Thompson (2018, Tampa, Fla.) has a long, lean frame at 6-foot-4, 175-pounds. There’s plenty of physical projection left, which is always great for young players. His righthanded swing is very rotation, and he does well to stay balanced and on time at the point of contact. He consistently squares up pitches, and although his power is still developing, it should come eventually. He’s also an impressive outfielder with a big arm. Thompson has great speed in the outfield grass, and he’ll track plenty of long fly balls down. Thompson finished the day with a hit and two RBI.

Jamarcus Lyons (2018, Tampa, Fla.) is an impressive third baseman. Although he doesn’t have much height at 5-foot-8, he has plenty of strength in his 200-pound body. He comes up to the plate with a slightly open stance. He loads with an aggressive leg kick that sets his swing in motion. Lyons’ swing is thunderous. He comes to the plate looking to swing for the fences, and he does just that. This hyper-aggression occasionally makes his swing loopy and long. But he has the power to show for it. His work in the infield was solid as well. His footwork is clean, and his arm strength is plenty to keep him at the hot corner.

Jacob Phelps (2018, Valrico, Fla.) got two innings of work under his belt for SCORE. It was a good two innings where he recorded two strikeouts with only one walk. His fastball sat in the low-80s, and he was able to spot the pitch whenever he needed. Phelps rarely threw any off speed pitches, but the curveball he flashed had tight rotation and average depth. As he matures and plays at higher levels he’ll need to work in his breaking balls more consistently. Phelps’ arm action is clean, and he does get some movement on his fastball from his ¾ arm slot. Phelps’ bat is solid, too. He has a quiet swing with an all fields approach. Phelps has interesting two-way potential. He has a verbal commitment to Columbia University.

Ricky Shimko (2018, Coral Springs, Fla.) is a large 6-foot-3, 195-pound center fielder with present strength and athleticism. His work out in the field was impressive. Shimko has a strong arm that could play anywhere in the outfield. His long arm action and over the top motion gets plenty of carry on the ball. His speed is plenty to stay in center. At the plate, Shimko starts from a wide, open stance. As he matures, Shimko will need to engage his lower half better as most of his swing is driven by his torso. However, his line drive swing plane and up the middle approach already serve him well. There’s plenty to like about Shimko’s present and future ability.

Taylor Pridgen (2018, Eustis, Fla.) served as Power Baseball 2018’s extra hitter in Thursday’s game. As their cleanup hitter power is expected, and Pridgen’s 6-foot-1, 200-pound body and fundamentally sound swing provide just that. His lefthanded stroke starts even with a low hand-set and an extremely crouched lower half. He is short and quick to the ball with plenty of fluidity and ease. Pridgen has a natural upper cut that causes the ball to fly far when contact is made. He has good strength at the point of contact and good extension out front. Pridgen possesses numerous impressive tools currently, but there is still a good amount of projection left. Pridgen has a verbal commitment to Troy University.

Dakoda Grove (2018, Winter Garden, Fla.) is an immensely projectable right fielder at 6-foot-3, 185-pounds. His large frame is already athletic and strong, but there’s a lot left to like about his physical upside. Grove sets up to hit from a wide stance with a high back elbow and hand-set. His hands remain close to his body as he moves the barrel through the zone. His hips rotate quickly and help create good bat speed. Grove’s slight natural uppercut allow him to drive the ball deep, and he also proved he can hit the ball to all fields. That’s a good combination of skills to possess. From the outfield, Grove’s arm is outstanding. Not only does he have a cannon, but he makes accurate throws too. Grove is certainly worth watching.

Jaelyn Brooks (2017, Monroe, Ga.) is one of the younger players in the tournament, but he showed enough natural ability to play with those older than him. He comes in at 6-feet, 170-pounds with plenty of physical projection left. As a center fielder, Brooks has good wheels. His arm strength is fairly raw still, as he doesn’t use his legs very much, but he flashed impressive moments. His righthanded swing starts from a wide, open stance with a high back elbow and hand-set. Brooks’ load consists of a quick left lift as a timing mechanism. At the plate Brooks has no trouble utilizing his lower half. Paired with his line drive swing plane and Brooks should be hitting bullets across the field. Brooks occasionally looked off balance, but when he was on time he stung the ball. He finished the day by going 1-for-3.

– Kyle Zweng



Tournaments | Story | 9/18/2026

Northeast Qualifier Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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Another day, another Gavin Greene (‘28 GA) barrel as the @AuburnBaseball commit is now hitting well over .500 on the event #NEQ<ahref="https: pg_scouting?ref_src="twsrc%5Etfw'">@PG_Scouting @PG_Georgia https://t.co/Lf6G8AExjB pic.twitter.com/LFMueYHMxB</ahref="https:> — Perfect Game Mid-Atlantic (@PGMidAtlantic) September 14, 2026 Gavin Greene (2028 Alpharetta, GA) played a major factor in AZ Diamondbacks Scout’s Championship run, finishing his weekend with a .528 AVG and 7 RBI. The 5-foot-11, 175 pound Auburn commit was simply a hit machine regardless of who was on the mound, showcasing the ability to handle velo with ease and repeat the stroke at a high level. Starting from a narrow and upright, slightly open base, Greene does a great job of working directly to the point of impact with consistent hard line drive impact to the pull side of the field. He...
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JUCO Impact: Top 100 D1 Transfers

Troy Sutherland
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With the season upon us, let's take a minute to look at 100 of the biggest impact players who played at the JUCO level last year and have since transferred to a D1 program for the upcoming spring.  RK Name JUCO in 2025 DI in 2026 1 Ryan Bradford Johnson County TCU 2 Carson Bailey McLennan Texas Tech 3 Kameron Yearsley John A. Logan  Oklahoma 4 Holden Pantier Walters State Georgia Tech 5 Caden Davidson Gaston Florida 6 Anthony Quigley Northwest Florida Oklahoma 7 Walt Jones Weatherford Kansas 8 Colin Coonradt Johnson County West Virginia 9 Collin Smith Cochise Kansas 10 Ned Frutchey Sac City Arkansas 11 Hayden Blair Walters State Georgia 12 Parker Ishee Co-Lin Oklahoma 13 Coy Clements Pearl River Florida State 14 Griffin Rardin Shelton State Alabama 15 Jordan Martinez Gulf Coast State Florida State 16 Noah Bentley Weatherford Oklahoma 17 Kole Fenton Walters State North Carolina...
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PG Softball Des Moines Elite Scouting Showcase

Ashley Mears
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Perfect Game Des Moines Elite Scouting Showcase 2026 Indianola. IA Ashley Mears What started off a perfect weather weekend, unfortunately was cut short due to thunderstorms mid-morning on Sunday. In the 18u Division, the Iowa Gold Prospects and the Midwest Speed National Kotzmacher were undefeated. In the 16U Division, 515 Fastpitch Twogood and Iowa Premier Gold- Brower. The tournament featured a ton of solid hitters and pitchers from across the state and Minnesota. Even with the poor weather on Sunday, there was still plenty to see and write about! 18u Division Lexi Adams (2028 Ankeny, IA), a catcher for Iowa Gold Prospects, had a stellar weekend at the plate. Behind the plate, Adams shows strong command of the game and does an excellent job working the zone, using her framing ability to consistently give her pitchers a chance to earn borderline calls. At the plate, Adams starts from a...
Tournaments | Story | 9/17/2026

South Underclass Qualifier Scout Notes

Geoff Billock
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Cole Marquardt (2029, Montgomery, Texas) left no doubt this weekend as he came home with Tournament MVP honors for his work with Banditos 2028 Black. Went 7-10 with a double, a home run, a pair of triples, and the walk off single in the championship game. Projectable left-handed swing with plenty of tools to dream on. Bat to ball was on point all weekend and he had plenty of chances to show off an advanced run tool. Plenty to dream on moving forward. Callen Corley (2028, Houston, Texas) put together a stellar two-way performance for Houston Wildcatters Navy 2028. At the plate, he went 5-10 with a double, triple, and home run, driving in seven runs. Sinks into his lower half well and creates strong angles for leverage. Plenty of power upside remaining in that frame, to go along with the twitch already present. On the mound, Corley went four shutout innings, surrendering just one hit while...
Tournaments | Story | 9/16/2026

Midwest Labor Day Classic Scout Notes

Brayden Powell
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Ryan Jones (2027, Tinley Park, IL) was one of the most productive hitters of the weekend, collecting six hits, including three doubles and a home run, while driving in nine runs. The left-handed hitter consistently got the barrel out front and created hard contact throughout the event. Working from an open setup with high hands, he features a compact swing that allows him to get to the ball quickly. His hand speed stood out and helped him drive the baseball to multiple parts of the field. Jones showed a strong understanding of pitches he could handle and rarely missed opportunities to do damage. The swing remains efficient through the zone and produces carry off the barrel. His combination of consistent contact and extra-base impact made him a key offensive contributor all weekend. Uncommitted  JP Elbert (2027, Dubuque, IA) put together an impressive tournament, finishing with five...
Tournaments | Story | 9/16/2026

Southeast Qualifier #1 Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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Walk. It. Off! ‘27 IF Drew Giles (GA) calls game here as he hammers a ball over the CF wall for a solo HR to win it in the bottom of the 7th. #FLQualifier pic.twitter.com/YrzspVZzUY — Perfect Game Florida (@Florida_PG) September 12, 2026 Drew Giles (2027, Brunswick, Ga.) took home MVP honors from the weekend after hitting .385 including a walkoff home run during pool play. Giles helped lead his Canes team to victory and did so with the bat. The swing is super short and simple and he gets immense jump off the barrel. It’s a level path through the zone but the blend of hit and power showed out all weekend for the MVP.  August Backman (2027, Venice, Fla.) had a solid weekend on both sides of the ball: hitting .333 over three games and also sitting 88-91 mph on the mound. Backman, a Florida commit who is nationally ranked, has a three pitch mix highlighted by a really...
Tournaments | Story | 9/16/2026

Fall World Series Scout Notes

Jason Phillips
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Joseph Mosley 2028, Hendersonville, Tenn.) showed the upside all weekend for Southeast Rawlings Mad Mavericks. The right-handed hitter starts from a medium stance with in-line feet and a low handset with a low back elbow, utilizes a low leg lift stride. Creates separation in the back shoulder with strength through the hands into a flat bat plane and line drive lift in the swing. Stays balanced throughout the swing and showed the feel to use the whole field. The outfielder has an athletic, strong 6-foot, 190-pound frame with more gap-to-gap type power to be unlocked. Collected four hits, including two triples, to drive in an RBI and came around to score three runs. Exciting player with two-way upside. On the mound the right-handed pitcher went two innings in relief with three strikeouts and spread three hits and three walks for one earned run. The fastball ran up to 87 and paired it with...
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Class of 2026 Recruiting Rankings

Perfect Game Staff
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Tournaments | Story | 9/14/2026

Coastal Fall Battle of the Carolinas Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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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...
Press Release | Press Release | 9/14/2026

PG Athletes Raise North of $138,000 in August

Perfect Game Staff
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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 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...
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