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High School  | General | 12/27/2017

Year in Review: High School

Photo: Calvary Christian High School


Year in Review: College
| MLB Draft | PG Events

2017 
High School Players of the Year | Final 2017 National High School Top 50




Underclassmen reign in Jupiter

The Canes reclaimed the title at Jupiter to make it four championships in five years for the program. The difference about this team (the Canes Prospects) as opposed to years past is that this Canes Baseball squad was exclusively made up of underclassmen and not their flagship 17u national team. The star of the tournament for the Canes was undoubtedly righthander Dylan Delucia, who came away with MV-Pitcher honors, as he tallied 17 strikeouts and allowed only one earned run over 11 2/3 strong innings.

The lineup was very deep with underclass talent and featured a lot of Division I commits (19) who will be followed closely during the 2018 spring and summer seasons. Despite their young age as a whole the team showed great poise in winning multiple extra inning playoff games on the final day, which included the thrilling nine-inning championship game against a star-laden FTB/SF Giants Scout Team.


Providence wins PG High School Showdown

This year’s iteration of the PG High School Showdown showed a lot of talented players and drama while ending with the Providence Stallions (Fla.) coming out on top over a talented Blessed Trinity squad. MVP Alec Sanchez, a Florida State commit, crushed two home runs with a tournament-high six runs scored during the event.

The 2017 PG High School Showdown was another banner year in terms of MLB Draft talent with a couple of notable names in attendance being Drew Waters (2nd round, Braves), Jacob Heatherly (3rd round, Reds), Ryan Dease (4th round, Rangers) and Tyler Esplin (7th round, Red Sox). The talent was spread out well throughout the country with many of the more interesting storylines shared in the video below.




Orange Lutheran captures NHSI

Coming into the season, Orange Lutheran (Calif.) was the No. 1 team in the PG/Rawlings Preseason Top 50 but quickly fell out of the rankings following a subpar start to the year. The Lancers put it all together during a strong run at USA Baseball’s National High School Invitational (NHSI). Led by senior outfielder Garrett Mitchell, Lutheran put up 20 runs in four games to finish 4-0 concluding with a one-run victory over Dana Hills (Calif.) to capture the crown.

The Lancers should be highly regarded again heading into the 2018 season featuring some of the top ranked players in their respective, classes highlighted by MLB Draft prospect righthander Cole Winn and 2019 outfielder Jasiah Dixon.


Two perfect teams: Shawnee, Calvary Christian

It is rare to see one perfect season across high school baseball, yet alone two, which is what the 2017 high school season brought us. Shawnee (Okla.) capped off an undefeated season that saw them capture their third straight state title. Led by seniors Tanner Sparks, who was named the PG/Rawlings Player of the Year in Oklahoma, and Jake Taylor, Shawnee will have some holes to fill heading into 2018 but they have clearly shown a penchant for success recently.

Calvary Christian of Clearwater (Fla.) also put together an impressive undefeated season, an extremely difficult task in any state but a particularly arduous task in the talent-rich state of Florida. Coach Greg Olsen’s squad has a lot of talent coming back in 2018, including highly-ranked seniors Matheu Nelson and Eric Kennedy, and should be right in the mix of top teams in the state, and the country.


Preseason Top 10 in hindsight

Looking back at Perfect Game’s Preseason Top 50 there have undoubtedly been more accurate years but a couple of the teams ranked put together banner years while staying near the top all season long. Archbishop McCarthy (Fla.) started out at No. 3 in the country while spending a few weeks as the top-ranked squad as well. The Mavericks finished the 2017 campaign with another state title, their seventh in eight years, finishing No. 2 in the final rankings.

Huntington Beach (Calif.) came into the year ranked at No. 5 in the country while also spending some time in the top spots. Seniors Hagen Danner (2nd round, Blue Jays) and Nick Pratto (1st round, Royals) both were selected extremely high in June’s MLB Draft and had extremely strong senior campaigns. Huntington Beach finished the 2017 season ranked 10th overall.

No other school ranked in the preseason top 10 ended the season ranked, but that did not mean that those schools didn’t enjoy strong years. Orange Lutheran, American Heritage (Fla.) and Merritt Island (Fla.) all participated in the NHSI while schools such as Walton (Ga.) and Marjory Stoneman Douglas (Fla.) enjoyed years consistent with their success in recent seasons.


Tumultuous California

The top-ranked team in the state of California changed five times over the course of the season with Orange Lutheran, Huntington Beach and Buchanan all spending time as the top-ranked team; Eastlake was the top-ranked team in the final edition of the rankings at No. 4 overall. Multiple schools entered and exited the rankings including traditional powers such as St. John Bosco, Harvard-Westlake and JSerra.

Orange Lutheran and Huntington Beach were already previously mentioned but Buchanan was the premier team in Northern California all season as their undefeated start helped propel them to the No. 1 slot. Eastlake captured a state title and ended up with the final top slot thanks to the strong season from senior and 2016 PG All-American Ben Ramirez (35th round, Cubs), who is now playing for USC.


Texas solidified as season went on

No state showed the volatility in the rankings quite like the Lone Star State as the top teams shifted throughout the season. Dallas Jesuit (No. 2) and Flower Mound (No. 12) were the top two teams in the state for the Preseason Top 50 and both teams finished the year on the outside looking in. With a strong run in the state playoffs, finishing off with a state title, Moody ended the year as the top-ranked team nationally from the state, finishing sixth overall.

Wylie (16) and Port Neches-Groves (21) followed Moody in the state whereas Colleyville Heritage (28) was one of the most consistent teams as they were ranked in every edition of the Top 50. The state of Texas looks strong heading into 2018 with numerous top MLB Draft talents headlining some of the bigger teams.


Strong 2018 draft classes in the Midwest, Northeast

The draft classes in the Midwest and Northeast look as strong as ever, led by PG All-Americans Jarred Kelenic (Wis.) and Nick Decker (N.J.) respectively. Austin Becker (Ohio), Seth Halvorsen (Minn.) and Nick Northcut (Ohio) lead a loaded Midwest while Jackson (Massillon, Ohio) and Jefferson City (Mo.) ended the season as the top-ranked teams in the region.

Mike Vasil (Mass.), Mike Siani (Pa.) and Brandon Neeck (N.Y.) lead the way in the Northeast with Malvern Prep (Pa.), Delbarton (N.J.) and William Penn Charter (Pa.) finishing the season as the top-ranked teams in the nation from the region, ranked 29, 47 and 48, respectively.


Top team in Florida?

There was much debate at the end of the season as which of the two Florida-based teams were the best in the country between Calvary Christian of Clearwater and Archbishop McCarthy. Both teams had nearly equally impressive resumes with Calvary Christian finishing undefeated and Archbishop McCarthy winning their unprecedented seventh title in eight years.

Ultimately, Archbishop McCarthy got the nod, finishing at No. 2 in the country, one spot ahead of Calvary Christian. It is very hard to split hairs between the resumes as to which team was ultimately the best, however, in our eyes the consistent success of Archbishop McCarthy was too hard to ignore. Regardless, Calvary Christian had an amazing season and is set up nicely to repeat in their class.


Player of the Year: Jordon Adell, OF, Ballard HS (Ky.)

The toolsed-up outfielder from Kentucky enjoyed a monster season for Ballard High School with a .562 batting average, 25 home runs and 61 RBI. Adell, a PG All-American in 2016, was selected 10th overall by the Angels in the MLB Draft and has already put his exciting tools to good use as the outfielder looks poised for an outstanding career.


Pitcher of the Year
: Mackenzie Gore, LHP, Whiteville HS (N.C.)

Perhaps the biggest riser in the 2017 MLB Draft, Gore was selected as the third straight PG All-American, going third overall to the Padres behind Royce Lewis (Twins) and Hunter Greene (Reds). Gore was must-see entertainment every time he toed the rubber, with a microscopic 0.19 ERA while striking out 158 in 74 innings pitched. Gore showed off some of the most polished command and stuff in the draft this past year and it showed during the high school season.


Two Way Player of the Year: Tanner Burns, RHP/SS, Decatur HS (Ala.)

There might not have been another player more important to his team’s success than Burns as Decatur High School turned in a very strong season. The pitching numbers were electric with a 0.88 ERA and 116 strikeouts in 64 innings. Even when he wasn’t on the mound his presence in the lineup was felt everywhere as he launched 16 home runs during the season.


To see the individual state-by-state high school players of the year from 2017 visit this link.



High School | General | 7/1/2026

PG High School All-Americans

Tyler Russo
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High School Top 50: Final Update With the High School season all wrapped up, today we take a look at our First, Second and Third Team All-Americans from around the country. Below you'll find three teams with stats that seem otherworldly from players who'll likely hear their names called in the coming week's MLB Draft. Within the "Notable Stats" section you'll see the individual award winners as well. First Team All-American Pos.  Name Class School State Commitment Notable Stats C Cole Prosek 2026 Magnolia Heights MS Ole Miss .595 BA, 18 HR, 79 RBI 1B Will Adams 2026 Hoover AL LSU .489, 13 HR, 52 RBI IF James Tronstein 2026 Harvard-Westlake CA Vanderbilt .531, 10 HR, 29 RBI, 21 XBH IF Grady Emerson 2026 Fort Worth Christian TX Texas .508, 8 HR, 56 RBI, 34/35 SB, National POY IF Jacob Lombard 2026 Gulliver Schools FL Miami .477, 10 HR, 52 R, 42 H, 14 SB OF Martin Shelar 2026 Marist GA...
Tournaments | Story | 7/24/2026

PG East World Series Preview

Will Dembo
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As the summer travel baseball season comes to an end, over 80 teams will meet in East Cobb, Georgia as they look to end the year with a victory and a trophy at the PG East World Series. The premier event will host 5 age groups of 14u-18u with pool play commencing the tournament on Friday, July 24th, with champions crowned on Monday, July 27th at East Cobb Baseball Complex. The 15u field will feature 26 teams from all over the southeast, including the No. 27 team in the nation from the 14u rankings, Home Plate Chili Dogs 14u Glozier. The Chili Dogs, who also played up in the 15u WWBA last week for increased exposure, have been a very solid team this summer, but are still in search of their first championship win of the season. Another highly touted team looking to challenge them is USA Scout Team Nike, who is another 14u squad who will play against more mature competition for their 15u...
College | Story | 7/24/2026

Cape Cod League Notebook: July 24

Perfect Game Staff
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Luke Costello | INF | South Carolina | Bourne Braves  Costello brings one of the cleaner offensive operations in the Cape, featuring a simple, direct swing that allows him to consistently get the barrel out front and do damage. He minimizes unnecessary movement, stays on time, and shows the strength to impact the baseball with authority. After a very productive spring hitting .302 with 17 home runs during his sophomore season at Wake Forest, Costello heads to South Carolina as an established middle-of-the-order bat. His combination of present power, offensive consistency, and polished approach should translate well against SEC pitching.     A look at Terry Hayes Jr (@OleMissBSB) lived 92-94 on the FB showed a CT at 88-90, SL at 82-84 and a really good CB at 78-81. @ChathamAnglers So./‘26 elig pic.twitter.com/vbsYWF2IcY — PG College Baseball (@PGCollegeBall)...
Tournaments | Story | 7/23/2026

A Look Ahead: 16U PG West WS

Emily Hicks
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Another exciting week of Perfect Game baseball is on the horizon as the 16U PG West World Series brings together some of the top travel baseball programs for a highly competitive tournament. Taking place July 23 - 26 at Riverview Complex in Mesa, AZ, the event will feature talented teams looking to make a statement as they compete for one of the summer's most prestigious titles. The tournament will welcome clubs from across the West, creating a talented field filled with nationally recognized organizations, rising contenders, and some of the top 16U prospects in the country. Throughout pool play and the championship bracket, every game will provide an opportunity for teams to showcase their talent while pursuing a World Series championship. With high-level competition expected throughout the week, fans can look forward to quality pitching, explosive offenses, and outstanding defensive...
Tournaments | Story | 7/23/2026

Battle For The Midwest Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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Gavin Johnson (2029, De Pere, Wisc.) handled the bat pretty well this weekend for his CBT Wolfpack 15u team that made a run into bracket play. Johnson is a left-handed hitting first baseman with a physical 6-foot-1, 200-pound frame, showing good physicality throughout the build. It’s a clean stroke from the left side, with feel to deliver the barrel on time and drive the ball working pull-side. He has a feel to rotate well, loading deep with the hands & turning well through contact to impact the baseball out in front. Johnson tallied four hits on the weekend, including 2 doubles and a triple. He plated 3 runs as well.   Devon Hester (2029, Chicago, Ill.) had a heck of a weekend for Chicago White Sox Ace 2029 Hunt. He showed out on both sides of the ball this past weekend, really getting it done at the plate. He finished the weekend 7-for-15, with a double and 4 RBI to...
Tournaments | Story | 7/23/2026

UBC Midwest X Atlantic Notes: Part 2

Jordan Gates
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UBC Midwest X Atlantic Notes: Part 1 ‘27 RHP Alexander Kakach (MN) displayed present arm strength and some feel to spin. The #Creighton commit was up to 93 mph with the FB (89-93), while the SL showed two plane break at 79-84 mph. Mixed in CT at 84-86 with tight action in the zone. #UBCMW @MNIcemen @PG_WiscMinn pic.twitter.com/TlrOnNDIcd — Perfect Game Illinois (@PG_Illinois) July 18, 2026 Alexander Kakach (2027, Plymouth, Minn.) of MN Icemen 17U Gominsky displayed intriguing upside on the mound, striking out five over 4.0 innings while running the fastball up to 93 mph with ride. The 6-foot, 180-pound right-hander and Creighton commit paired the fastball with a low-80s slider that flashed two-plane break and a cutter that played well off the mix. Kakach worked with a loose, quick arm from a high three-quarter slot, creating quality movement across his mix while displaying...
Tournaments | Story | 7/23/2026

15u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 6

Perfect Game Staff
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15u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 Brycen Orcutt (‘29, WV) was dominant to open his outing, tossing five innings of shutout ball thus far, striking out nine. Got the FB up to 85 w/ feel to land a tight + sharp two-plane BB. #WWBA @PG_VirginiaWV pic.twitter.com/Yjm2IbufqU — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) July 21, 2026 Brycen Orcutt (’29, South Charleston, WV) has put together a strong event on both sides of the ball, posting a 1.458 OPS at the plate thus far, including a pair of doubles and three driven in. On the mound, Orcutt has logged a pair of starts, totaling 11.1 innings of shutout ball, striking out 15. The West Virginia native operates from a medium right-handed frame with a bit of length and lower half strength. He starts above the belt, working into an over-the-head windup before utilizing a medium direct leg lift, firing down...
Tournaments | Story | 7/22/2026

15u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 5

Perfect Game Staff
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15u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 Noah Rumley (‘29 NC) has been up to 90 so far in this start w/ 8 Ks in 4 innings of work. Really jumps out of the hand at foot strike w/ some ride to it; has also mixed in a SL w/ horizontal action. #WWBA @PG_Coastal pic.twitter.com/OcU57a3Syl — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) July 21, 2026 Noah Rumley (2029, Summerfield, N.C.) got the ball for GBC Lopez 2029 15u in their final game of pool play and dominated, going up against a tough lineup in the East Cobb Astros. The 6-foot-2 left-handed pitcher ended up going five innings, allowing only one hit and one run, while striking out nine. It’s premium stuff at the 15u level as he worked easily in the upper-80s, topping at 90 mph in the first. The breaking ball showed two-plane shape in the upper-70s as well. There’s a ton of things to like already and even...
Tournaments | Championship | 7/22/2026

Champions Named at Southwest Select

Emily Hicks
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Another week of Perfect Game baseball concluded as champions were crowned in the 15U, 16U, and 18U divisions of the Southwest Select Championship. After several days of pool play and championship bracket action, three teams rose above the competition to capture tournament titles following a week of high-level baseball. Throughout the tournament, teams from across the Southwest and beyond competed in closely contested matchups, producing standout pitching performances, timely offense, and memorable defensive plays. As the bracket narrowed, each division featured championship-caliber baseball before the final trophies were awarded. 15U Championship The 15U division title was claimed by AZ Prodigy, who defeated Nomadic 14U Premier by a score of 2-1 in the championship game. After putting together a strong tournament run, AZ Prodigy continued its momentum in the title game with contributions...
Tournaments | Story | 7/23/2026

17u BCS Scout Notes: Days 4-5

Perfect Game Staff
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Easton Vandyke (’27 RHP, RISE 2027/2028, VA) opened Day 4 by running his fastball up to 84 mph, showing consistent strike-throwing ability throughout the outing. The 6-foot-1, 160-pound right-hander paired the fastball with a low-70s curveball and a 75 mph changeup that he consistently kept at the bottom of the zone. Vandyke worked with a quick, whippy arm action, getting down the mound efficiently while filling up the strike zone with all three pitches. ’27 P Daniel McDevitt, the No. 91 shortstop in Florida and No. 531 overall in the state, has been dominant through four innings, working in the low-to-mid 80s with a quality two-pitch offspeed mix that shows consistent depth. The 5-foot-11, 150-pound right-hander has yet to allow a hit or a run, attacking the corners with confidence and showing strong command throughout the outing. McDevitt continues to fill up the strike...
Tournaments | Story | 7/23/2026

Battle for the Windy City Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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Tyler Osmanski (2027, Frankfort, Ill.) a 5-foot-11 160-pound right-handed pitcher worked a 7 inning complete game shutout to start off Chicago Elite’s 6-0 weekend. On top of going the distance he allowed only three base runners and one hit. Osmanski has lots of athleticism in his delivery. He keeps his body under control while still being able to have good arm action and great hip to shoulder separation. He works from the third base side of the rubber with a high ¾ arm slot. His fastball was up to 84mph multiple times and sat 80-83mph. He used two offspeed pitches, a good 12-6 breaking ball 65-68mph, and a changeup in the low 70’s.     ‘27 RHP Brett Alkire (IL) punched out everyone across his 5.2 inning masterful outing. He struck out 13 batters and did it on 66% strikes. Has an active arm action and kept the ball on the corners. FB T92 early w/...
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