THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,384 MLB PLAYERS | 15,801 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,384 MLB PLAYERS | 15,801 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Create Account
Sign in Create Account
Tournaments  | Story | 7/22/2017

17u PG World Series Day 2 Notes

David Rawnsley
Photo: Perfect Game

Daily Leaders | Player Stats | Day 1 Notes

Midwest Elite righthander Brayden Lloyd (2018, Owasso, Okla.) turned in the pitching performance of the early event Friday morning, throwing 5 2/3 shutout innings against the powerful EvoShield Canes, leading Elite to a 4-0 victory. Lloyd was in complete command the entire time, working consistently at 88-90 whenever he needed it and showing an advanced ability to mix in multiple different pitches, including a two-seamer, a curveball and a changeup that kept the Canes hitters guessing the entire time. Lloyd's old fashioned, full hands-over-head delivery has plenty of deception to it as well. Lloyd does not have a college commitment at present per the PG database but could pitch at any school in the country based on this outing.

EvoShield Canes righthander Brandon Birdsell (2018, Willis, Texas) has notably calmed down and simplified his delivery since undergoing Tommy John surgery last year and it shows in his command, especially of a fastball that worked at 89-92 mph consistently for three innings and touched 93 early. Birdsell was able to spot the pitches to both sides of the plate effectively. His 80 mph slider had a short off-the-barrel break but may need to get either bigger or harder to be an effective pitch at the next level.

Dodgers Scout Team dropped two games Friday but outfielder Jack Herman (2018, Berlin, N.J.) did everything he could to change that. The righthanded hitter, who is ranked 73rd in the PG 2018 class rankings, went 4-for-5 with three RBI in the Dodgers two games, showing very good bat speed and barrel control along with his 6.5 speed. Herman also showcased his plus arm in a couple of different ways. He almost gunned down a runner going to third base on a play where there didn't even appear to be a play before Herman released the ball, plus he threw two perfect innings on the mound with a 88-90 mph fastball. Herman is committed to Maryland but will get plenty of attention from scouts the rest of the summer and next spring.




North East Baseball righthander Ryan Cusick (2018, Sudbury, Mass.) has an outstanding 6-foot-6, 225-pound build, size made even more interesting as he was listed at 6-foot-4, 170-pounds just two years ago at a Perfect Game underclass showcase. The Massachusetts native works from a well-controlled, low effort windup with a big stride towards the plate and a closed front side that forces him to throw across his body. Cusick's arm is loose and easy with great extension out front. He worked mostly in the 90-92 mph range, touching 94 mph once. The ease that Cusick throws with might have had something to do with how easily the San Diego Show hitters were squaring up his fastball, as he didn't seem to have much deception, but it's easier to learn deception and fastball movement that it is to learn to throw 94 mph. Cusick lowers his arm slot for an upper-70s slurve-type breaking ball with a sweeping break that he controls well but will have to make adjustments with the pitch at the next level.




Stars Baseball righthander Jacob Hardney (2018, Arlington, Va.) is another young pitcher with an outstanding pitcher's build that really projects. He stands 6-foot-5, 190-pounds with extra long arms that make him appear taller. He has a very low effort delivery with a high three-quarters arm slot that creates very good downhill angle to the plate. Hardney's fastball was very consistently at 87-88 mph for three scoreless innings and there is no doubt that there is more velocity there with physical maturity. He lands closed with his front leg and that keeps him from getting ideal spin on his breaking ball but he throws it hard at 74 mph and threw it for strikes. Hardney also showed a high level of athleticism for his size coming off the mound and fielding his position, an encouraging sign for his projection.

The Central Florida Gators finally broke out the bats after a quiet two games on Thursday, scoring 11 times in a run-rule victory. Infielder Tyler Callihan (2019, Neptune Beach, Fla.) put on a show out of the leadoff spot, going 3-for-3 and working the entire field with power. The lefthanded hitter opened up the game with a crushed triple up the right-center field gap. Callihan lined a single up the middle his second at-bat, then drove a ball up the left-center field alley for his second triple of the day in his third trip to the plate. Callihan has long been considered one of the top hitters in the 2019 class and his all-fields with power and speed approach on Friday just emphasized that. His body looks to be a bit leaner and firmer over the same time last year and he showed better speed on his triples as well.

PG All-American shortstop Nolan Gorman (2018, Peoria, Ariz.) had his third straight game with a pair of hits for the Gators and is now hitting .667 (6-for-9) for the tournament.




Coast Titans righthander Sam Knowlton (2018, Warrior, Ala.) is going to get plenty of attention as a 6-foot-7, 225-pound pitcher, but that attention is compounded by a fastball that was steadily 90-92 for two innings in the middle of the afternoon heat. Knowlton topped out at 94 mph a few weeks ago at the 17u WWBA National Championship. He works from the stretch, as many extra tall teenage pitchers probably should, and has an extremely steep downhill angle to his fastball from an extended high three-quarters arm slot. Knowlton did an especially good job of working the bottom of the zone. One thing that Knowlton will have to work on for the next level is his breaking ball. He currently changes his arm action significantly to a lower slot to throw his curveball and it would seem his present arm action and release would be conducive to a slider moving forward.




Continuing the big pitcher theme, lefthanded pitcher Luke Little (2018, Matthews, N.C.) is anything but little, listed at 6-foot-8, 220-pounds but appearing bigger and certainly bigger than Knowlton. Little does a good job of keeping his delivery simple for an extra tall pitcher and was able to repeat his delivery pretty well and stay around the strike zone, working mainly off an mid- to upper-80s fastball that topped at 89 mph for three innings. He mixed in an occasional hand position curveball and changeup and induced lots of groundball contact. Little is more of a long-term project than Knowlton but there is lots of potential for improvement as his coordination and strength catch up to his size.




PG All-American shortstop Brandon Dieter (2018, Covina, Calif.) continues to perform at a very high level for CBA Marucci and is starting to develop an aura on the field at Perfect Game events similar that enjoyed by 2016 PG All-American and 2017 Indians second round pick Tyler Freeman. Deiter went 2-for-3, with both hits being solid singles up the middle, and drove in two runs in CBA's come-from-behind 8-7 win Friday afternoon. He had a very distinctive swing on both hits, with a quick and direct path to contact and an easy barrel release through contact. Dieter also was outstanding on defense, showing range up the middle and quick hands on tougher hops.




US Elite’s Marcus Ronan (2018, Ashville, Pa.) is a very projectable 6-foot-2 lefthander with a loose and fluid arm stroke from a high three-quarters arm slot and a low effort release. Roman worked in the 88-91 mph range for four innings Friday afternoon, striking out six hitters and allowing only one hit. The significant thing about that velocity on a young pitcher, who looks eminently able to keep getting better, is that Ronan was only 80-84 at last year's 16u WWBA National Championship in July, meaning he has added eight mph in the last year. Ronan needs to get his release point more out front on his curveball more consistently but flashed his best breaking balls at 76 mph.

Six-foot-6, 210-pound first baseman Nick Hansen (2018, Orange, Calif.) has had a strong tournament thus far with the So Cal Birds, although he is surprisingly not committed to a school despite his tools, projection and 4.0-plus academics. Hansen's righthanded swing is understandably on the long side but he has very good raw bat speed when he attacks the ball and gets the barrel out front and has consistently shown good barrel skills. Hansen is also mobile and athletic at first base and should be an asset defensively. He went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI Friday, with one of those hits being a crushed double into the left field corner that sparked a seven-run Birds uprising.




Lefthander Mitchell Parker (2018, Albuquerque, N.M) is part of what a Four Corners scout called the "Trevor Rodgers effect," meaning that area scouts spent so much time in New Mexico seeing the 2017 first round pick and former PG All-American that they were able to uncover a significant number of 2018 prospects that they might otherwise be behind on at this time of the year. Parker, who topped out at 93 mph at the 17u WWBA National Championship, worked at 89-91 mph on his fastball with a 12-to-6 downer curveball in this outing, displaying a very fast left arm and a very lively fastball. His mechanics, while faintly resembling McKenzie Gore's, aren't consistent yet and there is lots of funk in his arm action in back before it starts coming forward, but there is no mistaking the sheer arm speed.

Righthander Jesse Bergin (2018, Studio City, Calif.) looks like he's going to be a very solid college pitcher who should be able to contribute at UCLA immediately as a freshman. He's a strong and physically mature 6-foot-3 athlete with a polished approach on the mound. Bergin threw four easy business-like innings, needing only 52 pitches, as the first of a trio of GBG Marucci pitchers who combined on a two-hit shutout Friday morning. Bergin was consistently in the 88-90 mph range with his fastball and throwing to spots, while showing feel for a mid- to upper-70s curveball and low-80s changeup.

Give us your feedback
Tournaments | Story | 12/16/2025

16u Tourney All-American Team
Michael Albee
Article Image
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...
Read More
College | Recruiting | 12/15/2025

Recruiting Notebook: December 15

John McAdams
Article Image
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...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 12/15/2025

17u Tourney All-American Team

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
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...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 12/13/2025

Finest in the Field: Class of 2029

Tyler Russo
Article Image
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...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 12/12/2025

Scout Stories: Part 5

AJ Denny
Article Image
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...
Read More
College | Story | 12/12/2025

College Notebook: December 12

Craig Cozart
Article Image
Nebraska Cornhuskers 2025 Highlights: The Cornhuskers were a difficult team to figure in ’25 as they finished with 33 wins, played just .500 (15-15) in the Big Ten but had some big wins at various times during the season and got hot at the right time. They knocked off then #16 Vanderbilt in the second game of the year, beat #5 Oregon State 2-out-of-3 at home in late March and then got hot at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha to win the Big Ten Tournament. They beat Michigan State in a 10-inning thriller before taking care of #4 Oregon, knocking off Penn State and then shutout #13 UCLA to punch their ticket to the Chapel Hill Regional. Head coach Will Bolt has now led his alma mater to three conference titles and three NCAA Regional appearances during his six years in Lincoln. No different than when he was a player, Bolt’s teams play with passion and toughness, this was never more...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 12/12/2025

Finest in the Field: Class of 2028

Troy Sutherland
Article Image
Finest in the Field: Class of 2026 | Class of 2027 You like athletes? You like defenders who can impact a game at any given point? Look not further than this class as it's loaded from coast-to-coast with elite defenders all over the diamond.  C: Brogan Witcher, Bakersfield, CA Our scouting staff got several strong looks at Witcher whether that was at the Summer Kickoff, Sophomore National or the Underclass All American Games where he showcased his strong overall skillset and especially his advanced ability behind the plate. His 6-foot-3,180 pound build looks like one that will fill in quite nicely and be that big and physical catcher’s frame. His arm talent is undeniable where he gets it out quick and runs it up to 79 mph on throwdowns to 2nd (1.84 pop). Besides the standout catch/throw ability, we’ve seen him frame/receive strong arms and block it well during...
Read More
Softball | Softball Tournament | 12/11/2025

PG Softball "Toys 4 Tots" Fundraiser 18U division

Dave Durbala
Article Image
BURLINGTON, IA - 2025 Perfect Game Softball Toys 4 Tots Fundraiser One Day, December 7, 2025. Kicking off the holiday season, six teams participated in this one day, 3 game guarantee tournament in the 18u Division. We would like to thank those that donated a toy, and know that they will be distributed to area underprivileged children through a local charity organization. Following are some of the top performers from the weekend. Earning Tournament MV-Pitcher was Jolee Strohmeyer (2026 Dubuque, IA), a RHP/UTIL with tournament champion Lady Expos Blue. Strohmeyer shows hitters a consistent and repeatable motion and delivery with good use of the legs in the drive phase, and a quick and aggressive arm whip. Working with a six pitch mix of fastball, change-up, rise, drop, curve and screw, Strohmeyer topped out at 60 mph, and showed good movement  as she worked her rise and curve just out...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 12/11/2025

Scout Stories: Part 4

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
Scout Notes: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 Best Game I Saw: Hudson Reed (‘26, GA) torches this ball to deep CF for a solo 💣. Generates easy power that plays to the big part of the yard. Middle of the order traits #UBCWest @PG_Georgia @PG_Uncommitted pic.twitter.com/UXqDVFmUBx — Perfect Game California (@California_PG) June 18, 2025 I was fortunate enough to see a lot of highly competitive games with loads of talent on the field, the game that sticks out to me the most was Alpha Prime 2026 vs. ZT National Prospects at the UBC West. The game was an efficiently played affair with arms dominating on both sides. Graham Schlicht was masterful for Alpha, striking out 12 hitters over 5 dominant innings. PG All-American Julian Cazares came out of the pen blowing smoke, touching 97 mph with the fastball. On the other side, Jake Carbaugh surrendered just one hit and...
Read More
Press Release | Press Release | 12/11/2025

PG Believe In Baseball Announces Awards Dinner

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
    667 Progress Way | Sanford, FL 32771 | 319-298-2923 www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   THE PERFECT GAME BELIEVE IN BASEBALL FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES DETAILS FOR FIRST ANNUAL “IN THE SPIRIT OF THE GAME” AWARDS DINNER AND AUCTION   Los Angeles, California (Thursday, December 11, 2025) – The Perfect Game Believe in Baseball Foundation, together with Perfect Game leadership of Chairman Rick Thurman and CEO Rob Ponger, has announced the inaugural “In the Spirit of the Game” event, an evening of baseball and laughter, taking place Saturday, January 31, 2026, at the iconic Laugh Factory in Hollywood, Calif. The evening supports the Foundation’s mission to provide financial assistance and resources that allow deserving young athletes to play, learn and grow through the...
Read More
Loading more articles...
About Perfect Game :: Contact us :: Terms of Use :: Privacy Policy :: Testimonials :: Job Opportunities
Copyright 1994-2025 by Perfect Game. All rights reserved. No portion of this information may be reprinted or reproduced without the written consent of Perfect Game.