THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,384 MLB PLAYERS | 15,804 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,384 MLB PLAYERS | 15,804 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Create Account
Sign in Create Account
Tournaments  | Story | 10/15/2017

Ways to Play Day 1 Scout Notes

David Rawnsley
Photo: Perfect Game


2017 Ways to Play Power by MLB & PG: Event Page | Daily Leaders | Stats

East Cobb Astros righthander Cooper Stinson (2018, Peachtree Corners, Ga.) threw five very strong innings to pick up a win against MLB Breakthrough Series, working in the 89-92 mph range with his fastball and snapping off some sharp low-80s sliders. Stinson, a Navy commit, has a strong and very durable 6-foot-6, 225-pound build and sound and balanced delivery he repeated very well. His fastball tends to be straight but he did do an outstanding job of working the low corners with the pitch, something that led to numerous called strikeouts per the modified Ways to Play rules. Stinson only threw 53 pitches in five innings while not walking a hitter.

MLB Breakthrough Series righthander Elijah Pleasants (2018, Clarksville, Tenn.) is a very interesting projection prospect. He's listed at a very believable 6-foot-4, 170-pounds, with a high waist and very long and loose arms. Pleasants throws from a very low effort delivery and the ball comes out of his hand easily. He topped out at 90 mph and there is more velocity there as he matures physically and his mid-70s curveball already has some power and a big break. He is a Tennessee commit.

MLB center fielder Baisel Williams (2018, Hammond, La.) had a busy summer, starting off with the PG National Showcase in June, and has been having a very active fall as well. A speedy and athletic true center fielder who ran a 6.59 60-yard dash at the PG National, Williams improvement with the bat over the course of the five months has been very noticeable. A switch-hitter, Williams showed better raw bat speed and barrel control right handed but all those lefthanded repetitions against high level pitching came into play when he blasted a 357 foot run to right field Saturday morning. The 117th ranked player in the PG 2018 class rankings, Williams is committed to Mississippi State.

Upstate Maverick's lefthander Nate Lamb (2018, Chesnee, S.C.) has made what look to be some significant changes to his delivery since this scout last saw him in August. The 6-foot-5 Lamb threw cross body in August and his lack of good direction to the plate impacted the consistency of his pitches. He was very directional and balanced in his mechanics for four innings no-hit innings on Saturday and his stuff was extremely sharp. Lamb topped out at 90 mph after being up to 92 a couple of times this summer but he showed an impressive four-pitch mix that included a 74 mph curveball, an upper-70s slider and a very nice 80 mph changeup. Lamb is a Clemson commit who is ranked 192nd in the PG class rankings.

Another lefthander who looks like he's moved his game to another level since the summer is the Canes National's Carter Lohman (Fishers, Ind.). A Louisville commit, Lohman worked most of the summer in the 86-89 mph range with his fastball and showed advanced pitchability with a mid-70s curveball and a deceptive changeup. He worked four shutout innings on Saturday, pretty much sitting at 90-92 mph with his fastball and showing a similar increase in the power on his curveball at 77-78 mph. Like Lamb, if Lohman can maintain his improvements through next spring it could well change his standing with professional scouts.

Canes National catcher Adam Hackenberg's (2018, Palmyra, Va.) bat was a major factor in the Canes two wins on Saturday. In the first inning in the Canes 3-2 win over North East Baseball, Hackenberg hit a two-out, two-strike, two-run single. The interesting thing about that at-bat was that Hackenberg, a Clemson commit, was late on two low-90s fastballs from North East righthander Travis Lane (2018, Georgetown, Mass.), but instead of staying with the heat, Lane hung a breaking ball and Hackenberg jumped on it. In the second game, the 6-foot-2, 225-pound Hackenberg broke open a 1-0 game in the top of the fifth inning with a no-doubt three-run home run just to the left of the scoreboard in left-center field.

Later that inning, Hackenberg's teammate, outfielder Mike Rodriguez (2018, Ada, Mich.) crushed his own two-run home run to left field. Rodriguez, a Texas A&M commit who is ranked 216th in the PG class rankings, has outstanding raw bat speed and has always been an aggressive hitter who attacks pitches, an advantage in this format.

Perfect Game All-American catcher Anthony Seigler (2018, Cartersville, Ga.) is known, for good reason, as the most versatile player in high school baseball. The switch-hitting, switch-pitching Auburn commit caught the Canes first game, then played first base and right field during the second game, hitting leadoff in both games. He went 3-for-3 in the second game, with a single, double and triple, all from the left side.

Another PG All-American, righthander Austin Becker (2018, Sudbury, Ohio), started the Canes first game and worked five innings, allowing only two hits. Becker worked in the 88-92 mph range to go with a mid-70s curveball and a developing low-80s changeup. The very projectable Becker seemed to be getting out in front early in his delivery and missed frequently down in the strike zone but competed well and worked out of a few jams.

South Charlotte Panthers righthander Owen White (2018, Mt. Ulla, N.C.) looks like he's put on some positive weight on his athletic 6-foot-3, 175-pound frame and used that strength to maintain his stuff well over a seven inning, 90 pitch performance on Sunday. White was regularly up to 92-94 mph in the summer but worked mostly in the 88-90 mph range on Saturday while liberally mixing in his curveball and changeup. He picked up a tough luck loss to 5 Star National despite allowing only one hit in those seven innings. White is the 102nd-ranked prospect in the PG class rankings and is committed to South Carolina.

PG All-American infielder Kendall Logan Simmons (2018, Macon, Ga.) only went 1-for-6 in the East Cobb Yankees two victories but it was obvious that the modified rules fitted his approach at the plate well. Simmons had three walks on a day, when walks were pretty rare, and had consistently good at-bats with lots of near-miss swings. One big positive about the rules from a scouting perspective was Simmons had nine at-bats on the day and whenever a scout can watch a top prospect get nine at-bats in one day, that's a big positive. This scout, however, enjoys watching Simmons play third base as much as he enjoys watching him hit. While Simmons is a solid shortstop, where he played the first game Saturday, he is a superlative third baseman with very fluid and graceful actions and a plus throwing arm.

– David Rawnsley
Give us your feedback
Tournaments | Story | 1/27/2026

MLK East Scout Notes Recap
Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
‘28 OF Jakob Groeschel (OH) continues to impress with the bat on the circuit, picked up 2 2Bs in the first game today. Really athletic, went 4.4 on turn; easy to dream on all the traits. #MLKEast @PG_OhioValley pic.twitter.com/wOIwnGKnkg — Perfect Game Florida (@Florida_PG) January 17, 2026 2028 OF Jakob Groeschel (Springfield, Ohio) broke out at this event last year hitting a casual .909, and although he didn’t turn in quite the same performance, he hit a strong .462 with 4 extra-base hits, 5 walks, 5 bags and only struck out once. He’s a pretty dynamic athlete who can do a lot of things well, but the bat is the calling card as he just lives on the barrel and has no problem handling all kinds of pitching. It’s a simple swing, but he’s got fast hands and he can really impact the ball without being overly physical yet.  2030 RHP Michael Vazquez...
Read More
General | Blog | 2/20/2026

Wolforth Throwing Mentorship: Article 63

Ron Wolforth
Article Image
Wolforth Throwing Mentorship: Article 62, Part 1 | Part 2 Demystifying the Curveball, Pitch Counts, and Weighted Balls - Part 3  We've made it to Part 3…the final installment of our series on baseball's most misunderstood and debated topics.   In Part 1, we tackled the curveball. The takeaway: the pitch itself isn't what’s dangerous. Decades of awful and ineffective coaching cues, ”snap your wrist," "turn the doorknob”…exacerbated and even in many causes caused some of the problems. Teach it correctly, when the athlete is ready, and it's no riskier than a fastball.  In Part 2, we examined pitch counts. The takeaway: they're a useful tool, but a limited one. Treating a single number as a universal measure of safety ignores everything...
Read More
Softball | Softball Tournament | 2/20/2026

18U PG Winter Elite Showcase Indoor

Dave Durbala
Article Image
SPRINGFIELD, IL - 2026 Perfect Game Softball Winter Elite Showcase, February 6 - 8, 2026.  Twenty teams rolled into Springfield to showcase their talents in this 18u, four-game guarantee, pool-into-bracket play,  at the newly opened 170,000-square-foot domed facility at Scheels Sports Park at Legacy Pointe. In the Silver Bracket, it was the 09 Midwest Sluggers taking home the championship over the CR Blue Devils 18u National. In the Gold Bracket, a championship game that featured the tournament's top two pitchers, it was the Iowa Dynamite 18u with the win over GTS 15u Elite-Herrick, by a score of  2-1. The tournament, with a mix of committed players, and those young ladies striving for the next level,  was loaded with talent.  Below are some of the players that excelled on the field and made their way onto the tournament’s Top Performers list. Earning...
Read More
Softball | Softball Tournament | 2/19/2026

14U PG Winter Elite Showcase Indoor

Erica Beach
Article Image
PG Winter Elite Showcase Indoor 14U January 17-18, 2026 Springfield, IL   SPRINGFIELD, IL- It may be cold outside, but there was some hot competition going on at the PG Winter Elite Showcase Indoor tournament. Six team converged on the Scheels Sports Park at Legacy Pointe and the Texas Glory IL 29 walked away with the hardware after a close 7-6 ballgame. Below we highlight some of the impressive athletes who competed on the weekend.     Lila Rafferty (2029, Leroy, IL) of the Texas Glory IL 29 was an unstoppable force at the plate over the weekend. She showed great tenacity in the box, proving to be one of the most consistent hitters in the tournament. She finished her weekend batting an incredible .750, tallying nine hits and scoring five times. She flashed her speed on multiple occasions, stealing two bases and legging out two doubles and two triples. She came in clutch,...
Read More
High School | General | 2/19/2026

Pacific Northwest All Region & Top Tools

David Rawnsley
Article Image
NORTHWEST REGION (WA, OR, ID, WY, AK, MT, HI)    The biggest change in the Northwest Region for 2026 is the addition of Hawaii, which has always been overlooked due to being lumped with California in the former Pacific Region.  This also coincides with an increased Perfect Game presence in the islands in the form of additional events and scouting.  And Hawaii certainly contributed in it’s first year, placing four players on the All-Region team, including slugging 2026 outfielder Judah Ota. The powerhouse Puyallup HS team is the only Northwest Region team to be represented in the PG Pre-Season Top 50 National HS Rankings, beginning the year ranked 26th.  C – Teagan Scott (Sr., South Salem HS, Ore.) Scott has been on the prospect map since he played in the 2023 PG 14U Select Festival and is signed with Oregon State.  A right-handed hitter with lots...
Read More
Showcase | Story | 2/20/2026

PG ID Camps Help Build Baseball Resume

Jim Salisbury
Article Image
PG ID Camps Help Youngsters Build a Baseball Resume There was still snow on the ground in a lot of places last weekend, but that didn’t stop more than 200 young players from going indoors to participate in the first round of Perfect Game Select Fest ID Camps for the 2026 season. John McAdams, PG’s national crosschecker and Northeast scouting director, ran the event in Farmingdale, New Jersey, and was impressed with his group’s energy and desire to improve at the game. “We’re giving young players the opportunity to build their baseball resumes and chart their growth and progress over a span of years,” he said. In addition to New Jersey, Select Fest ID Camps were held in Lake St. Louis, Missouri; Rossford, Ohio; Marietta, Georgia; and Kent, Washington. The ID camps debuted in 2025. Twenty-two of them were held around the country with nearly 700 young...
Read More
Draft | Story | 2/19/2026

Then vs. Now: '26 Class Look Back

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
One constant across our scouting staff is the volume of in-person looks we get at prospects during their high school years. With assignments at national tournaments and showcases throughout the calendar, we’ve built a deep library of reports and video on many of today’s top college prospects dating back to their prep days. This week, we took a step back to revisit what those players looked like as high school prospects. Which tools stood out? What was missing from the profile at the time? And what, if anything, did we overlook that ultimately helped shape the player they’ve become? Below, we break down 10 players in a “Then and Now” reflection. Justin Lebron (23 FL) finishes off the tournament getting in on the hit parade with a single to the pullside. #PGShowdown #Bama commit pic.twitter.com/C4Irym2ZTR — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) March 4, 2023...
Read More
High School | General | 2/18/2026

High School Notebook: Feb. 18

Cam McElwaney
Article Image
Grady Emerson (‘26 TX) laces this ball to right for a walk off single. Clean lefty stroke. Looks the part both sides of the ball. Checks all the boxes. Will be scouted heavily this Spring. #PGHS #HookEm commit. #PGDraft pic.twitter.com/wXvdHdgqME — Perfect Game Texas (@Texas_PG) February 6, 2026 Grady Emerson (2026, Argyle, Texas) had a strong showing throughout the opening week of high school baseball out here in Texas. Works good at-bats and is always a tough out in general. Makes all the plays at short and just has the look of a future big leaguer. He does all the little things right. Bat to ball will play at a high level and there is still a lot more power to project on here. There is a reason why Emerson is one of, if not the most highly coveted high school prospect in the 2026 class and it’s easy to see why. Currently committed to Texas, but has the potential to...
Read More
High School | Rankings | 2/18/2026

Midwest Region Top Teams

Tyler Russo
Article Image
Midwest All Region & Top Tools Rk Midwest 2025 Record 1 St. Thomas Aquinas (KS) 27-4 2 Edmond Memorial (OK) 30-8 3 Muskego (WI) 27-10 4 Lawrence Free State (KS) 28-2 5 Mill Valley (KS) 22-6 6 Valley View (AR) 29-5 7 Platte County (MO) 29-8 8 Liberty North (MO) 19-14 9 Millard North (NE) 23-13 10 St. John Vianney (MO) 38-2 11 Owasso (OK) 40-3 12 Olathe East (KS) 22-6 13 Staley (MO) 38-4 14 Shawnee Mission South (KS) 10-11-4 15 Blue Springs South (MO) 27-7 16 Blue Valley (KS) 21-10 17 Edmond Santa Fe (OK) 37-7 18 Skutt Catholic (NE) 24-7 19 Howell (MO) 35-4 20 Olathe West (KS) 25-3 21 Creighton Prep (NE) 16-15 22 Rogers (AR) 26-4 23 Fayetteville (AR) 26-7 24 Blue Valley West (KS) 17-10 25 Cretin Derham Hall (MN) 19-5-1
Read More
Softball | Softball Tournament | 2/18/2026

PG Softball Winter One Day Tournament

Dave Durbala
Article Image
BURLINGTON, IA - Perfect Game Softball Winter One Day Tournament, February 15, 2026. Twelve teams, split between the 16u and 18u divisions, participated in this event.  With two pool games, and then a move into single elimination bracket play,  some players used this tournament as  their last warm-up before kicking off their high school seasons, while others were tuning up for the busy Spring and Summer travel season. In the 16u division, it was the Iowa Aries 16u Ce Fire Red taking the championship, with Southeast Iowa Allstars 18u Gold Miller earning the crown in the 18u division. Below are write-ups from observations made during the day, as due to a software glitch, there were no stats available to complete a Top Performers list. 16U Division  Earning the MV-Pitcher Award, as selected by her coaches, was Aurora Widlund (2029 Altoona, IA) of tournament champion Iowa...
Read More
College | Rankings | 2/18/2026

DIII Rankings: February 18

Nick Herfordt
Article Image
Every spring, Division III baseball begins as a wide-open map. Cold mornings turn into long bus rides, non-conference gauntlets test resolve, and by the time the dust settles, only a few teams are still standing with a clear line to the NCAA Division III baseball tournament. The 2026 Perfect Game Division III Baseball Rankings capture that moment before the stretch run, highlighting the programs that have separated themselves through depth, durability, and an ability to win in a variety of ways. These eight teams are not simply piling up wins; they are shaping identities built to survive the grind and thrive when the margins narrow.  The destination is familiar, even if the journey never is. Once again, the final chapter will be written at Classic Park, where timing, composure, and roster balance matter as much as raw talent. The teams ranked here enter 2026 with more than ambition....
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.