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High School  | Rankings | 1/29/2018

2018 National HS Rankings: 6-10

Photo: Perfect Game



2018 Perfect Game High School Preview Index


6. Orange Lutheran Lancers


Cole Winn
Orange, Calif.
CIF Southern Section Division I Trinity League
Head Coach: Eric Borba
2017 Result: 18-12, Division I playoffs

Key Losses: OF Garrett Mitchell (UCLA), SS Tristan Hanoian (Texas Christian), SS Brenden Avventino (UC Riverside), 1B Zach Busalacchi (Oregon State)

Top Players: RHP Cole Winn (Mississippi State), SS Zachary Lew (Cal State Fullerton), C Caleb Ricketts (San Diego), OF Jasiah Dixon (Southern California), RHP Johnathan Guzman (San Diego State), SS Tank Espalin (Southern California), RHP Christian Rodriguez (Miami), RHP Max Rajcic (UCLA)

After capturing the 2017 NHSI crown, the Orange Lutheran Lancers are back in 2018 with one of the most talent-laden rosters across the country. The Southern California powerhouse has immense depth and talent throughout the ranks and respective classes.

Transferring in from Colorado is dominant righthander Cole Winn, who, at No. 33 in the country, is the top-ranked high school pitcher in the draft from California and should slot right into the No. 1 slot in the rotation. Winn is a huge addition to an already supremely talented roster and should be joined by underclassmen Johnathan Guzman and Christian Rodriguez in the rotation. 

The big loss for the Lancers heading into the 2018 season is that of former PG All-American Garrett Mitchell, who was listed as the top-ranked freshman on the Top 50 College Freshmen list, as well as three other seniors, including the team's leader in batting average Tristan Hanoian, to Division I baseball. The lineup is more than able to step up as senior Zachary Lew should man a position up the middle while Caleb Ricketts will be behind the plate. 

The underclassmen on this team are supremely talented and are headlined by outfielder Jasiah Dixon. The fast-twitch, rangy junior has an elite skill-set across the board and is currently the 17th-ranked player overall in the class of 2019. Tank Espalin is another infielder who should also see lots of playing time as he is one of the top-ranked sophomores in the country. Righthander Max Rajcic will also see time in the late innings, as he features a hammer breaking ball and a low-90s fastball and will likely close for the Lancers to start the year. 

Orange Lutheran has one of the most complete rosters in the country with the requisite depth and talent for a state-title run. They do face one of the tougher schedules in the country, however, which includes being in the same league as Mater Dei, the 10th-ranked team.



7. Reagan Rattlers

Porter Brown (Photo by Donald J. Boyles)
San Antonio, Texas
UIL 6A Region IV District 26
Head Coach: Chans Chapman
2017 Result: 31-9, 6A State Runner-Ups

Key Losses: C/OF Cade Bormet (Missouri), LHP Jake Hoggatt, SS Ramon Garza

Top Players: OF Porter Brown (Texas Christian), OF Seth Morrow (Wichita State), SS Hilton Brown (Northwestern State), LHP Cal Carver (Wichita State), RHP Dalton Brieger (Northeast Texas CC), RHP Travis Sthele (Texas) 

The Rattlers of Reagan High School have been so close to the state title multiple times over the past few years, and the 2017 season was especially close as they finished as runner-up. With the depth of their team in 2018, it looks as if the Rattlers have the talent to become the first San Antonio high school team to win a state championship in 6A in nearly 50 years. 

Seniors will dictate the road ahead for the Rattlers as they are led by outfielder Porter Brown and lefthander Cal Carver. Brown is one of the top pure hitters in the state, and in addition to being talented in his own right, Carver has a ton of experience including starting the game in which Reagan lost the state championship a year ago. Seth Morrow, Hilton Brown and Dalton Brieger are all seniors who will go on to play college baseball next year and provide a wealth of experience and talent heading into 2018. 

The Rattlers will lose some key starters, including Cade Bormet, as he will play at Missouri this spring. Jake Hoggatt, who was affectionately nicknamed "Mr. May" after his playoff heroics, and Ramon Garza both graduated, but the depth of the squad should be enough to continue pushing this squad onward. 

The Rattlers also boast one of the most talented sophomores in the country in righthander Travis Sthele. In addition to boasting a low-90s fastball, Sthele also guided the Rattler varsity football team to a 9-3 record as only a sophomore and put up impressive numbers including an 18-to-5 TD-to-INT ratio and a 109.3 QB rating. 

Texas, as per usual, is lining up to be one of the most competitive states in the country and Reagan enters the rankings as the No. 2 team in the state with an excellent chance at capturing the state crown. 


8. Hattiesburg Tigers

Dexter Jordan
Hattiesburg, Miss.
MHSAA 5A Region 7
Head Coach: Joe Hartfield
2017 Result: 26-11, 5A Regional Semifinals

Key Losses: NA

Top Players: OF Joe Gray Jr. (Mississippi), Dexter Jordan Jr. (Louisiana-Lafayette), RHP A.J. Stinson (Alabama State), OF Kameron Wells (Miami-Dade College), RHP Landon Rascoe (Uncommitted)

The Hattiesburg Tigers boast the rare trio of success in the past season, elite talent and multiple returning starters which culminates into what should be an exciting season in Hattiesburg. 

The obvious place to start is with the star-power as the Tigers will trot out PG All-American Joe Gray, Jr. and the highly-ranked Dexter Jordan Jr. into the outfield. Gray is a dynamic talent and is a top-end MLB draft prospect, currently slotted at No. 24 in Perfect Game's Top 250 Draft Prospects. Jordan also offers an exciting presence, particularly offensively, and comes in at No. 240 on the list as both have the chance to be the first draft picks from the school in over a decade. 

A.J. Stinson and Landon Rascoe will likely be featured heavily in the rotation. Stinson will work his fastball up into the low-90s while Rascoe will work in the upper-80s and both feature strong two-way presences offensively. Kameron Wells and Gray will both see time on the mound as well as they have both pitched in the past. Gray's raw arm strength allows him to work in the low- to mid-90s which could be useful in late-game situations. 

Eight seniors graduate and move on from the Tigers heading into 2018, however, the underclassmen who return this year have a wealth of experience, not only from that Final Four, but from also being state runner-ups in 2016. The experience from this senior class is an invaluable resource for Hattiesburg heading into this spring. 

The Tigers made a deep run in the 5A state playoffs a year ago, falling in the semifinals after winning the first game in a best-of-three series. Hattiesburg returns a good wealth of their talent from a year ago and have enough on the front end to be as complete of a team as you are going to see in the state. 


9. Barbe Buccaneers

Lake Charles, La.
LHSAA 5A District 3
Head Coach: Glen Cecchini
2017 Result: 29-6, 5A Bi-District Playoffs


Carter Quinn
Key Losses: LHP Adam Goree (McNeese State), RHP Brandon Rushing (Hutchinson CC), RHP Slate Fuller (LSU-Eunice)

Top Players: IF Antonio Lorenzo Gauthier (New Orleans), SS Bryan Lawrence (Southeastern Louisiana), OF Carter Quinn (South Alabama), LHP Dylan Beier (Uncommitted), RHP Isaac Duplechain (Uncommitted), OF/LHP Brody Drost (Louisiana State), SS Davis Meche (Mississippi State)

The Buccaneers followed up their state title in 2016 with an uncharacteristic finish last season, as Barbe closed out the year with the No. 2 seed in the state playoffs and fell in the first round.

Coach Glen Cecchini will look to get his 2018 team focused and ready to push onward as Barbe looks poised for another state championship run this spring. The big loss for Barbe will be from the rotation as they lose three of their top starting pitchers to graduation and collegiate baseball.

The pitchers who will be replacing the departed seniors are young but talented arms. Look for Dylan Beier, Isaac Duplechain, and 14u PG Select Festival participant Brody Drost to all play key roles on the mound throughout the year for the Buccaneers.

The crop of position players is as talented as ever with seniors Antonio Gauthier and Bryan Lawrence leading the way. They should both occupy the infield while underclassman Carter Quinn will patrol the outfield. Sophomores like Brody Drost and Davis Meche will also be counted upon to help out offensively as well.

Youth is a big theme for the Barbe Buccaneers, however, there is a strong mix of senior experience and talent to go along with gifted underclassmen which should combine for Barbe to be one of the top teams in the Southeast, and on the path back to the state championships. 


10. Mater Dei Monarchs

Vinny Tosti
Santa Ana, Calif.
CIF Southern Section Division I Trinity League
Head Coach: Burt Call
2017 Result: 21-12, Division I Final Four

Key Losses: C Blake Hunt (2nd Round, Padres), 3B Jonathan Schiffer (Washington), OF Steven Kotkosky, OF Michael Peabody (UC Irvine)

Top Players: OF Vinny Tosti (Oregon), SS Emilio Rosas (Southern California), OF Grant Burton (Stanford), 2B Maxwell Foxcroft (Oregon), C CJ Rodriguez (Vanderbilt), RHP Hunter Cranton (Arizona), SS Chad Call (Uncommitted), 1B Joey Nicolai (San Diego), RHP Hunter Cope (San Diego), RHP Cameron Wheeler (UC Irvine), RHP Kyle Scott (Uncommitted)

The Trinity League in the CIF Southern Section historically turns out some of the best talent and teams in the country. However, this season the stakes are raised as Mater Dei enters as the second team from the league in the Top 10 and they are oozing with talent entering the 2018 season. 

The Monarchs get a big boost in the form of a senior transfer as PG All-American Vinny Tosti will suit up in the red and gray for the 2018 season and be able to provide an immediate impact near the top of the order and in the outfield. Tosti has a diverse set of tools and should be monitored as a high draft prospect as well. 

Emilio Rosas and Grant Burton will be suiting up on the varsity team for their fourth seasons, being varsity lettermen since they were freshmen. Rosas is one of the most agile and versatile defenders in the entire in the class with an excellent feel to hit to boot; he will be one of the Monarch's top MLB draft prospects as well. Burton is an excellent athlete with a complete tool set as well, running a 6.6-second 60-yard dash and throwing 90-plus from the outfield. Maxwell Foxcroft is the fourth senior to be committed to a Division I college. 

The underclassmen for Mater Dei are some of the top in the country. C.J. Rodriguez is one of the most talented backstops in the country while Chad Call and Joey Nicolai should be important contributors to the lineup. On the mound Hunter Cranton is a standout as he will work his fastball up to 90 mph and the 6-foot-11 Hunter Cope is the picture of projection with incredible balance. 

Mater Dei is clearly one of the top teams in the country and should be followed throughout the year as they have one of the most purely talented rosters across America. 



High School | General | 6/10/2026

Ohio Valley High School Notebook

Jordan Gates
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‘26 RHP Jack Ryan (@StXBall) w/ an absolute masterclass in the region semis. CG/Shutout, 4 BB & 9 Ks & a No Hitter ‼️ FB worked 89-92, flashed a 93 1x. Velo held in the later innings 88-90. SL was plus @ 81-82 (2400+)/tight, while CH flipped in the low 80s, bottom of the zone.… pic.twitter.com/pdYaEqHmx5 — Perfect Game Ohio Valley (@PG_OhioValley) June 3, 2026 Jack Ryan, 2026, RHP, St. Xavier (OH) JR is finishing his senior campaign off in high fashion. Ryan threw a no-hitter in the Region Semifinals and now the bombers find themselves in the D1 State Final Four. The Boston College commit has taken home numerous awards this season, including conference & city player of the year in Cincinnati, OH. One last award left and that is to will the bombers to a state championship. Ryan has impressed all year and with one week to go, he is leaving it all on the field...
Tournaments | Story | 6/19/2026

14u WWBA Returns to Hoover

Kinley Kitchens
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One of the most anticipated events on the summer travel baseball calendar returns this week as the 2026 Perfect Game 14U WWBA National Championship gets underway in Hoover and the surrounding Birmingham area. Now in its 19th year, the tournament has established itself as the premier event for 14U players across the country, annually attracting some of the top young talent in amateur baseball. This year’s championship will feature 129 teams competing for a national title, continuing a tradition that has seen organizations such as East Cobb Astros, Team Elite, USA Prime, SBA Bolts National, and defending champion ZT National Prospects take home the trophy. As always, the field is loaded with elite prospects, many of whom are already becoming familiar names within the Perfect Game community. Starting off strong with Christopher Cabrera, the No. 1 overall player and No. 1 third baseman...
Tournaments | Story | 6/19/2026

Road to the 2026 17U BCS Title

Emily Hicks
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This weekend, 11 teams will take the field for the 2026 17U BCS Challenge, a three-day event that brings together programs from across the country for a full slate of pool play and bracket action. With games beginning Friday and a champion crowned Sunday, the format leaves little room for slow starts, making every inning important from the opening pitch. The field features a mix of established programs and rising teams. With so many evenly matched rosters, there’s not much separation heading into the weekend, which puts importance on pitching depth, defensive consistency, and timely hitting. Pool play will quickly determine seeding, and even one loss can shift a team’s path heading into bracket play. One of the teams expected to be in the mix is Hawaii Elite 2G 17U National, a group that is 6-3 overall and ranked as “Honorable Mention” on the Perfect Games...
Draft | Rankings | 6/19/2026

PG Draft: Top 500 Update

Tyler Henninger
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Rk. Name Lvl Pos. B-T School Hometown State Commitment 1 Roch Cholowsky C SS R-R UCLA Chandler AZ 2 Grady Emerson H SS L-R Fort Worth Christian Argyle TX Texas 3 Vahn Lackey C C R-R Georgia Tech Suwanee GA 4 Jackson Flora C RHP R-R UC Santa Barbara Pleasanton CA 5 Jacob Lombard H SS R-R Gulliver Schools Miami FL Miami 6 Eric Booth Jr. H OF L-L Oak Grove Bassfield MS Vanderbilt 7 Drew Burress C OF R-R Georgia Tech Perry GA 8 Ryder Helfrick C C R-R Arkansas Discovery Bay CA 9 AJ Gracia C OF L-L Virginia Monroe NJ 10 Chris Hacopian C SS R-R Texas A&M Potomac MD 11 Gio Rojas H LHP L-R Marjory Stoneman Douglas Coral Springs FL Miami 12 Tyler Bell* C SS S-R Kentucky Frankfort IL 13 Cameron Flukey C RHP R-R Coastal Carolina Egg Harbor Township NJ 14 Ace Reese C 3B L-R Mississippi State Canton TX 15 Justin Lebron C SS R-R Alabama Miramar FL 16 Derek Curiel* C OF L-R LSU West Covina CA 17...
Softball | Softball Tournament | 6/18/2026

PG Softball Stars Over Florida Showcase 14U Division

Erica Beach
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PG Stars Over Florida Showcase Clearwater, FL June 13-14, 2026   CLEARWATER, FLORIDA- Perfect Game Softball made its official debut in the state of Florida this past weekend at Eddie C. Moore sports complex. The weather was perfect, and the atmosphere was right for some great softball. We had many college coaches of all levels attend and our National Scouting Director was on hand to evaluate and highlight the athletes. We are excited for future events and the ability to promote and highlight the great athletes in the southeast! Below we highlight the 14U division where we had teams representing three states.     14U Division   Zoey Salas (2030, RHP/1B Windsor, CO) of the Colorado Angels 14U Breed was a standout player all weekend. She was a strong two-way player who proved to be a consistent force on both sides of the ball. Offensively, this left-handed hitter starts...
Softball | Softball Tournament | 6/18/2026

PG Aggieland Showcase

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PG Aggieland Showcase College Station, Texas June 13-14, 2026 Scouts: Brynn Baca & Karlie Milburn COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS- Perfect Game Softball was excited to return to College Station for the second annual Aggieland Showcase last weekend.. Some great competition was seen over the three age groups. We had two scouts on site to evaluate and highlight some of the athletes who caught their eyes. Thank you to all teams and players who competed so hard! Below we highlight those athletes who impressed our scouts. 18U Division Elizabeth Posada- Elizabeth Posada is a 2028 two-way player from Houston, Texas, competing for Aztecs Premier who brings an intriguing combination of offensive upside and athletic versatility. At the plate, Posada recently went 4-for-8 on the weekend, continuing to show consistency and offensive awareness. She sets up with a slightly open, wide stance and does a...
Tournaments | Story | 6/18/2026

Big Talent on Display at City of Palms

Alyssa Golden
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The fifth annual PG City of Palms Championship is set to take place in Fort Myers, Florida, from June 19-22, featuring teams from the 15U-18U age divisions. The four-day event will showcase some of the top talent in the state, including several nationally ranked prospects who have already made their presence felt this summer season. Before tournament play begins, here’s a look at some of the highest-ranked players expected to compete this weekend. Leading the group is catcher Nico Ayars in the 16U division. Ayars enters the weekend as the No. 135 player nationally, the No. 3 catcher in Florida and the No. 20 catcher in the country. Through 22 games this summer with Turn 2 Garcia, the right-handed hitter owns a .887 OPS while batting .306 with a .438 OBP and a .449 SLG. Ayars has collected 15 hits while driving in 12 runs and scoring 13 times. Ayars’ teammate, right-handed...
Softball | Softball Tournament | 6/17/2026

Perfect Game Softball Route 66 Summer Showcase

Dave Durbala
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SPRINGFIELD, IL - Perfect Game Softball Route 66 Summer Showcase, June 13-14, 2026. Twenty-Seven teams, representing the 14u and High School Divisions, arrived at the newly opened all turfed Scheels Sports Park at Legacy Pointe, for the opportunity to showcase their talent in a five game guarantee format. As with anytime we bring a group of players together for competition, there will be those players that rise to the challenge and turn in performances that earn them a place on our Top Performers list.  Below are some of the players, from both divisions, that were recognized as top performers. 14U Division Kinley Abrams (2030 Bloomington, IL) is a RHH for Texas Glory IL-2030 (Wyatt). Setting up in a slightly wide parallel stance, into her back leg, Abrams gains separation with a  push back to transfer weight, and then utilizes a small stride to launch her swing. Abrams works a...
Juco | Story | 6/18/2026

PG JUCO Awards & Final Top 25

Blaine Peterson
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Pitcher of the Year: Nathan Leffel - RHP - Fresno City College 2026 Stat Line: 89.1 IP | 12-1 | 1.91 ERA | .83 WHIP | 118 K An outstanding individual pitching season in California JUCO baseball this spring. A model of consistency on the mound making starts in January through May for Fresno City. Worked over 89 innings on the mound and made 14 starts where he threw at least 5 innings. Ranked in the top 5 of California JUCO in wins, ERA and strikeouts. And one of the only pitchers in all of JUCO to reach the benchmarks of 10+ wins (12), a sub 2.00 ERA (1.91 ERA) and 100 strikeouts (118 K). A consistent and dominant presence on the mound for a team that went 40-5 this past spring. Congratulations to Nathan Leffel, 2026 Perfect Game JUCO Pitcher of the Year. Ryan Bradford | FR | OF@JCCCBaseball Everything I have from this spring starting with HR’s 31 & 32 today. This is...
Tournaments | Story | 6/18/2026

150 Teams Set to Battle at SE Select

Will Dembo
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As summer travel season continues to ramp up, more than 150 teams from 13-17u from all over the nation will meet in East Cobb as they look to showcase their talents and compete for a trophy in the PG Southeast Select Championship. The tournament will kick off with pool play on Thursday, June 18th, and champions will be crowned following bracket play on Monday, June 22nd. The 13u division will host 23 teams from four different states in the major style tournament. The East Cobb Astros and Ninth Inning Royals will share the spotlight as the only nationally ranked teams in the field as the Astros enter the weekend as the No. 45 ranked squad and Ninth Inning falls at the No. 31 spot. 14u will also play as a major tournament for the weekend and contains 31 teams looking to compete for a trophy. Although there are currently no nationally recognized teams in the pool, PFA Regional will be a...
Tournaments | Story | 6/17/2026

UBC Midwest Scout Notes

Blaine Peterson
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Braydon McMillen (2029, Downers Grove, IL) an athletic MIF with a top of the order skill set at the plate. Reached base in all 5 games played at UBC this week. Including a 3 hit game in bracket play. Shows a balanced and compact swing at the plate with quick wrists and the ability to get the barrel to the baseball regularly. A quick first step defensively with clean glove actions and a quick release from the shortstop position. Made several athletic plays defensively this past week. Lot of promising impact traits and a real skill set to build on.  Paris Head | IF/OF/RHP | 2029 | IL@WhitesoxAce FB: 86-90 | CB: 73-75 SL: 77-79 | CH: 78-82 One of the best pitching performances of the tournament so far. High level athlete with an advanced pitch mix for the age. #UBC @PG_Scouting | @WhitesoxAce https://t.co/V3leWaCBSM pic.twitter.com/EDBvjpgI3p — Perfect Game Illinois...
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