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College  | Story | 2/15/2018

Weekend Preview: 2018 Kickoff

Photo: Stanford Athletics




2018 College Baseball Staff Predictions | 2018 College Baseball Preview Index

As the 2018 season begins many of the top-ranked teams aren't messing around. Both second-ranked Oregon State and third-ranked Texas Christian will be on the road in Arizona facing some tough opponents. No. 7 North Carolina also opens on the road, in Tampa at South Florida, while No. 17 Indiana and No. 18 Oklahoma, as well as South Alabama and a few others, will be hosted by Coastal Carolina in South Carolina. Florida State (Xavier), Ole Miss (Winthrop), LSU (Notre Dame), Sam Houston State (Kent State) and Texas (Louisiana) all have tough assignments at home.

The biggest series this weekend will occur in Hattiesburg, Miss., Nashville, Tenn., and Palo Alto, Calif. Mississippi State and Southern Miss will play in front of a raucous crowd for Mississippi supremacy, while the winner of the Duke/Vanderbilt series could very well determine who is in the Top 25 come Monday, and who isn't. Tristan Beck returns to the mound for Stanford as they host Cal State Fullerton, opening the season against one another for the second year in a row.

Of the teams on the outside of the Top 25 looking in, UCF in particular has a tough weekend ahead of them as they host Virginia, Rice and Samford. We'll go a little more in detail on a few of these series below.

Update: Due to dense fog in the Chicago area a few series across the country were canceled and caused teams to scramble to find new teams to play. Perfect Game is proud to host one of those series, Purdue vs. Western Michigan, at the PG/LakePoint fields in Georgia.

Looking ahead to the rest of the 2018 season, Perfect Game's one-of-a-kind College Player Database returns, a feature added a year ago to help promote the individual players – and the teams that they play for – of college baseball. Twenty-six reports were already added to the database of four different junior college programs. All of the reports can be accessed with a College Baseball Ticket (CBT) subscription. To learn more about the CBT and to sign up today please visit this link.

Returning to the airwaves is Perfect Game College Baseball on ESPNU Radio on SiriusXM channel 84, with co-hosts Daron Sutton and Mike Rooney. The first program will be aired on Monday, February 19 from 9-11 p.m. ET.

In addition to the weekly radio program, Top 25 ranking updates, College Player Database updates and weekend  previews we will continue to announce a Player and Pitcher of the Week each week in conjunction with our friends at Rawlings.

Stay tuned to Perfect Game throughout the weekend as Vinnie Cervino will be on hand to cover No. 7 North Carolina at South Florida in Tampa, Mike Rooney will provide observations on No. 2 Oregon State and No. 3 TCU from Arizona and Matt Arvin will be on hand in Nashville for Duke/Vanderbilt.


Top 25 in Action

Rk. Team Opponent Location
1 Florida home vs. Siena Gainesville, FL
2 Oregon State vs. New Mexico, Gonzaga, Cal Poly Surprise, AZ
3 Texas Christian at Grand Canyon Phoenix, AZ
4 Texas Tech home vs. Maine Lubbock, TX
5 Florida State home vs. Xavier Tallahassee, FL
6 Arkansas home vs. Bucknell Fayetteville, AR
7 North Carolina at South Florida Tampa, FL
8 Kentucky vs. Wofford, USC-Upstate, Evansville Spartanburg, SC
9 Miami home vs. Rutgers Coral Gables, FL
10 Stanford home vs. No. 19 Cal State Fullerton Palo Alto, CA
11 Ole Miss home vs. Winthrop Oxford, MS
12 Louisiana State home vs. Notre Dame Baton Rouge, LA
13 NC State home vs. Seton Hall Raleigh, NC
14 Louisville vs. Richmond, The Citadel, George Mason Charleston, SC
15 Texas A&M home vs. Rhode Island College Station, TX
16 UCLA home vs. Portland Los Angeles, CA
17 Indiana vs. No. 18 Oklahoma, Kansas State, South Alabama, Coastal Carolina Myrtle Beach/Conway, SC
18 Oklahoma vs. No. 17 Indiana, South Alabama, Coastal Carolina, Virginia Tech Myrtle Beach/Conway, SC
19 Cal State Fullerton at No. 10 Stanford Palo Alto, CA
20 Duke at Vanderbilt Nashville, TN
21 Houston home vs. Holy Cross Houston, TX
22 Sam Houston State home vs. Kent State Huntsville, TX
23 Texas home vs. Louisiana Austin, TX
24 Clemson home vs. William & Mary Clemson, SC
25 Mississippi State at Southern Miss Hattiesburg, MS


Week 1 Super Regional

Pardon the stereotype, but Duke at Vanderbilt is more than a bunch of smart guys who also play baseball. These are two Omaha-caliber clubs in 2018, and what’s really surprising is that Duke has more of the headliners. The best senior in this series is the Blue Devils two-way star, Jack Labosky, and it is Duke who is bringing the First Team Preseason All-American in Griffin Conine.

While Vandy’s freshman and junior classes were the No. 1 ranked recruiting classes in the country, there is a dearth of proven commodities on this club outside of Patrick Raby, whose guile and pitchability matches up with anyone on Friday nights. The bottom line is that this is a Super Regional type matchup and there are many insights to be gained: Is the Duke rotation good enough? Is the Vandy junior class ready to live up to the hype? Are the Commodore freshmen hitters the special group that we think they are? Get your notebooks ready.


Welcome to the Desert

Opening weekend in Arizona will be a spectacular cornucopia of College Baseball goodness and it starts with two Top 5 teams coming to town: TCU and Oregon State. And speaking of Super Regional caliber matchups, the Horned Frogs will help Grand Canyon christen their newly renovated stadium. Grand Canyon skipper Andy Stankiewicz is building a mid-major monster in Phoenix (think DBU-West) and the ‘Lopes Friday night ace, Jake Wong, is the highest ranked college draft prospect in the state of Arizona.

Oregon State will host the likes of Cal Poly, New Mexico and Gonzaga in their annual tournament at the Royals and Rangers complex in Surprise. All three of those clubs have been to multiple Regionals in the last several years and Cal Poly in particular looks ready to make noise in 2018. Darin Erstad also brings Nebraska to Tempe Diablo Stadium for the weekend and his Huskers are another perennial Regional team.

Elite baseball players come in all shapes and sizes. The state of Arizona will have both extremes on display this weekend with the diminutive star Nick Madrigal (Oregon State) and the monstrous force of Luken Baker (TCU). It would be a treat to have just one of these stars in town. Hosting both of these special players has the makings of a College Baseball Woodstock.

– Mike Rooney


Must-see TV

We’ve spent most of the last 1-2 months combing schedules and rosters, talking to coaches and writing long, detailed reports as part of our 2018 preview content, but now it’s time to actually watch some college baseball. Here are a few things to watch for from some of the more compelling matchups across the country.

• South Alabama hasn’t messed around with their early season schedule, beginning the year in Myrtle Beach and Conway, S.C., as part of Coastal Carolina’s kick-off tournament. Their opponents include No. 17 Indiana and No. 18 Oklahoma, and they follow their trip to South Carolina with a mid-week matchups against Southern Miss. Other mid-week opponents include Auburn, Alabama State, LSU and Southeastern Louisiana, and they travel to Texas Tech before Sun Belt play opens in Lafayette against the Ragin’ Cajuns. While South Alabama didn’t open the year in the Top 25, they’ll have every opportunity early to force their way in.

• Speaking of Coastal Carolina’s opening tournament, there will be a pair of outfielders in attendance that have first-round aspirations: USA’s Travis Swaggerty and Oklahoma’s Steele Walker. Scouts undoubtedly will be making the short drive in between Myrtle Beach and Conway with hopes of seeing both play on any given day, with their Saturday morning machup against one another being of particular interest.

• UCF received serious consideration for the Top 25 to open the season, but instead had to settle for the 26th spot in the PG preseason rankings. A big part for that omission had to do with the talented yet unproven newcomer class from the JuCo ranks. They get a big test in the very first game of the year against Virginia and their staff ace, lefthander Daniel Lynch. It doesn’t get any easier on Saturday against Rice and hard-throwing sophomore Matt Canterino, and Samford rounds out the weekend competition. The Knights have the pitching depth to win series against competition of this ilk and the 1-2 punch of Bryce Tucker and Cre Finfrock at the back end of the bullpen may ultimately be their biggest strength.

• Another big pitching matchup will take place on the opposite corner of the nation on Friday night as Tristan Beck returns for No. 10 Stanford to take on Colton Eastman and No. 19 Cal State Fullerton in Palo Alto. Beck was expected to return at some point during the 2017 season, but never did, while Eastman missed significant time due to injury as well. As freshmen in 2016 Beck and Eastman went 6-5 and 8-3, respectively, and both had ERAs under 2.50. They’re among the top-ranked prospects in the nation eligible for this year’s draft and are sure to be pitching in front of a large scouting contingent.

• Last, but certainly not least. if you don’t already have a ticket for the Southern Miss/Mississippi State series in Hattiesburg don’t expect to find a way to get in. Pete Taylor Park is sure to be rocking, and outside of the in-state rivalry this series naturally presents, this will be a fun three-game set to follow. Not that one series is going to determine the season-long fate of these two clubs, but it is an opportunity for both to make a statement. Mississippi State, ranked 25th to open the year, needs some arms to step forward and assume key roles, especially after Spencer Price’s injury, and they also must prove they can score runs without Brent Rooker seemingly leaving the yard every game. Southern Miss on the other hand looks to have the star power as outfielder Matt Wallner is looking to gain the national recognition he deserves after hitting .336-19-63 a year ago, as the Eagles open the year just outside the Top 25 at No. 27.

The past few years we have tried to avoid reacting too strongly to opening weekend results, but UCF, Southern Miss, South Alabama and Vanderbilt in particular have the most potential to make some noise as the 2018 season begins.

– Patrick Ebert



College | Story | 6/11/2026

Collegiate Freshman All-Americans

Vincent Cervino
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Collegiate Postseason Awards | Collegiate All Americans First Team Hitters Pos. Name School Class AVG OBP SLG R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB C Alonzo Alvarez Miami FR 0.341 0.439 0.551 40 57 13 2 6 32 3 1B Ethin Bingaman Auburn FR 0.330 0.415 0.581 60 71 9 0 15 50 4 2B Ethan Ball Virginia Tech FR 0.310 0.420 0.660 43 63 18 1 17 52 3 3B Nico Partida Texas A&M FR 0.306 0.408 0.550 45 55 8 0 12 43 4 SS Jett Kenady California FR 0.320 0.350 0.573 36 66 17 1 11 34 1 IF Linkin Garcia Texas Tech FR 0.338 0.387 0.489 53 78 21 1 4 59 1 OF Angel Laya Oregon FR 0.296 0.396 0.538 49 66 10 1 14 47 5 OF Anthony Pack Jr. Texas FR 0.359 0.485 0.597 58 74 16 0 11 52 20 OF Jacob Parker* Mississippi State FR 0.339 0.449 0.732 51 57 10 1 18 62 7 OF Teddy Tokheim Stanford FR 0.352 0.414 0.704 40 70 19 0 17 47 0 UT Drew Grego Nebraska FR 0.326 0.417 0.531 33 57 13 1 7 44 5 DH Enzo Infelise Cincinnati FR 0.374...
Press Release | Press Release | 6/24/2026

PG & Doubted Athletes Team Up

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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 ANNOUNCES MEDIA RIGHTS PARTNERSHIP WITH DOUBTED ATHLETES   Sanford, Florida (Wednesday, June 24, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced a new media rights partnership with Doubted Athletes that will bring select Perfect Game games and events to audiences throughout the year.   Under the agreement, Doubted Athletes will broadcast a slate of select Perfect Game contests from across the organization's national schedule, providing expanded visibility for athletes, teams and events while delivering additional opportunities for fans, college recruiters and professional scouts to follow the next generation of baseball...
Tournaments | Story | 6/24/2026

17u WWBA Invades Georgia

Will Dembo
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One of the most highly anticipated events of the summer, the PG 17u WWBA National Championships, begins this week as over 380 total teams from across the country travel to Atlanta, Georgia from June 23-29 to compete for one of the most prestigious titles in travel baseball. The 17u division showcases over 60 nationally ranked teams with over 30 states being represented in the draw. With summer travel season being in full swing, all eyes will be on East Cobb Baseball Complex as some of the top talent in the nation will be on full display this week. The overall top ranked 17u squad, USA Prime National/Detroit Tigers Scout Team, will be in the spotlight this week as they look to remain undefeated in their summer and win back-to-back highly touted tournaments at Perfect Game hotspots. The team is made up of an astounding 22 college commits and 4 T10 ranked players for their respective...
Tournaments | Story | 6/24/2026

18U BCS Championship Preview

Alyssa Golden
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The 21st annual 18U BCS National Championship returns to Fort Myers this week, bringing together 14 talented programs from across the country, ranging from Ohio and Idaho to several of Florida’s top teams, to compete for one of the summer’s most prestigious titles. Defending champion Reds Florida returns looking to repeat last year’s success, while programs such as VSA Sluggers 18, FBA 2026, Nelson Baseball School and NLB American enter the event with championship aspirations of their own. The five-day event, running Thursday through Monday, will feature several nationally recognized organizations and a talented collection of committed and uncommitted prospects in the mix, promising plenty of high-level competition. Reds Florida will be led by right-handed pitcher Lukas McDowell, who enters as the highest-ranked player in the tournament at No. 285. The 6-foot-9,...
Draft | Prospect Scouting Reports | 6/23/2026

MLB Draft Reports: 300-399

Michael Albee
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2026 MLB Draft Reports: 400-500 300. Anthony Quigley, SS/3B, Northwest Florida State R-R, 6-5/215, Coral Springs, FL Previously Drafted: Never Drafted Anthony Quigley possesses a strong, physical frame with athleticism that plays in the box. There is bat speed through the zone with a feel to launch. The power stands out to the pullside. Quigley shows the athleticism on the defensive side, but is still likely best suited for third base at the next level.  301. Garrett Lambert, RHP, Mercer R-R, 6-2/200, Lilburn, GA Previously Drafted: Never Drafted Garrett Lambert features a strong, athletic frame with a quality three-pitch mix. The fastball works in the low-90’s with carry and cut. It is paired with a sharp slider that has sweep and diving changeup. Lambert has shown the ability to miss bats and throw strikes at a good clip.  302. Spencer Evans, LHP, TNXL Academy HS L-L,...
Tournaments | Championship | 6/23/2026

ATL Lightning Go Undefeated, Claim Title

Will Dembo
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Following a riveting weekend of baseball with over 40 teams represented in the 16u field of the Southeast Select Championship, two nationally ranked squads met in the championship as ATL Lightning 16u Gold put on a dominating performance to take home their first trophy of the summer and complete the tournament undefeated, overcoming eXposure 16u National 11-5. “Lot of compete,” ATL Lightning coach Jamie Palmer said on the successful weekend. “We got some guys that work really hard, get tired. I mean, these tournaments are so short, eight games in four days, they're tired, but they just kept competing and finding a way to get runs across and make plays when they needed to. In the first inning, Cannon Mayes got the starting nod for eXposure and held ATL Lightning to a scoreless frame with a tailor-made 6-4-3 double play ball to send it to the home half of the opening...
Tournaments | Story | 6/23/2026

UBC Northeast Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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Mason Bicht (‘29 PA) stays hot, nukes this ball to dead CF for a Grand Slam💣 clear juice being put on display today #WWBANEChamp@PG_Scouting https://t.co/l24AwJ8RnB pic.twitter.com/iYgNvJcD2M — Perfect Game Mid-Atlantic (@PGMidAtlantic) June 13, 2026 Mason Bicht (2029 Lansdale, PA) was an absolute force offensively over the course of the WWBA Northeast Championship, ultimately ending his event with a well deserved most valuable player award. Finishing with a .571 BA including five doubles, a HR, and 14 RBI, the 6-foot-1, 210 pound prospect simply refused to get out, and was a major reason why his Philly Bandits squad walked away champs Monday afternoon. The stance for Bicht is relaxed and balanced with loose hands and plenty of bat speed to be found. He generates effortless carry to the pull side & middle of the field, flashing clear jump off the barrel with leverage created...
Tournaments | Championship | 6/23/2026

VSA, Swamp Crowned Co-Champs

Alyssa Golden
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VSA, Swamp Crowned Co-Champs After Nine-Inning Battle After three and a half hours under the hot Florida sun, VSA Sluggers 18 and Swamp Baseball’s City of Palms Championship battle ended in fitting fashion, with both teams sharing the title. The two teams remained tied 9-9 through nine innings before lightning in the area brought the championship matchup to a halt Monday afternoon. The two local programs have built a competitive rivalry, with several close matchups stemming from their proximity and familiarity with each other. Their history was evident throughout Monday’s matchup as emotions ran high, resulting in several heated exchanges and the eventual ejection of Swamp head coach Brian Porvaznik. Just three weeks earlier, the two teams met in the championship game of the BCS Qualifier, where VSA earned a 6-4 victory. Swamp entered Monday’s matchup looking to flip...
Tournaments | Story | 6/22/2026

Florida World Series Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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Ian Long (2026, Fort Myers, Fla.), a 6-foot-3, 190-pound right-handed pitcher, came out firing for Swamp Baseball and ran his fastball up to 87 mph through the first inning. Generates power well with his lower half and does a nice job getting down the mound. Filled up the strike zone early and showed the ability to work ahead in counts. Samuel Mendoza (2026, Fort Myers, Fla.), a 5-foot-7, 155-pound right-handed pitcher, got the start for VSA and worked with a fastball in the low-80s. Mixed in a tight breaking ball that paired well off the heater and helped keep hitters off balance. Competed in the zone throughout his outing. Owen Augustine (2026, Fort Myers, Fla.), a 5-foot-10, 165-pound left-handed pitcher, lived in the mid-80s with his fastball and made quick work of hitters. The ball comes out of his hand clean and he consistently attacked the strike zone. Showed confidence working...
Tournaments | Story | 6/23/2026

Coastal Region Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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James Propst (2031, Indian Trail, NC) stands at 5-foot-8, 150 pounds with a lean, athletic frame and developing strength. A left-handed hitter and thrower, Propst is a versatile utility player. He consistently makes hard contact and brings an aggressive approach to the plate. Staying connected throughout his swing, he works counts well and consistently produces quality at-bats. Propst had a great day at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two runs scored, two RBI, and a home run. Overall, he delivered an impressive offensive performance. Daniel Davis (2030, Columbia, SC) stands at 5-foot-11, 145 pounds with a lean, athletic build and room to add strength. He bats right-handed and throws left-handed. He shows a wiry frame with quick-twitch athleticism, a balanced stance, and a repeatable swing, consistently squaring the ball up. Davis went 3-for-4 with a double and a home run, scoring two runs...
Tournaments | Story | 6/22/2026

14u WWBA Scout Notes: Days 1-2

Perfect Game Staff
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2030 SS Cash Kelly (Franklin, Tenn.) is a buzzing name this summer as someone who is off to a fast start and looks the part as one of the better pure hitters in this class. He’s very comfortable in the box, showing an innate feel to find the barrel (and limit swing-and-miss) while the hands are fast and he can really accelerate the barrel. Defensively he has been excellent making plays look easy, showing nice range and enough arm for the left side. Add in the fact that he’s a strong runner and you have someone that can impact the game a ton. 2030 SS/RHP Trey Vandergriff (Milton, Ga.) got a couple innings of work at the back end of East Cobb’s first game and looked awesome, striking out 5 of the 6 hitters he faced with big stuff. He sat 85-88, showing dynamic arm speed and a really athletic delivery, while the breaking ball feel stood out, showing he can land it in any...
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