THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,628 MLB PLAYERS | 16,400 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,628 MLB PLAYERS | 16,400 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Sign in Create Account
Sign in Create Account
High School  | General | 2/22/2018

Regional HS Preview: Mid-Atlantic

David Rawnsley
Photo: Perfect Game



For all of Perfect Game's regional previews as part of the 2018 high school baseball preview content, the Dream Team is available for free. The region top tools can be viewed with an Insider subscription. To learn more about Perfect Game's subscription packages and to sign up today please visit this link.

2018 Perfect Game High School Preview Index


Top 10 Mid-Atlantic Region High Schools
Rk. Nat'l School '17 Rec. '17 Finish
1 18 Riverdale Baptist (Md.) 30-1 MPSSAA Freelance
2 19 Northwestern (S.C.) 29-4 SCHSL 5A State Champs
3 21 T.C. Roberson (N.C.) 31-3 NCSHAA 4A State Champs
4 26 New Hanover (N.C.) 25-5 NCSHAA 4A State Finals
5 NR Miller (Va.) 27-5 VISAA Division 2 State Champs
6 NR DeMatha Catholic (Md.) 23-10 MD Private State Champs
7 NR Lake Norman (N.C.) 26-5 NCSHAA 4A State Semifinals
8 NR Cape Henlopen (Del.) 8-7-1 No Playoffs
9 NR T.L. Hanna (S.C.) 16-11 SCHSL District Championships
10 NR JL Mann (S.C.) 6-16 No Playoffs

Nat’l denotes rank on the Preseason National High School Top 50

Mid-Atlantic Region: Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia

North Carolina is usually the bell weather state of the Mid-Atlantic Region and they enjoyed a banner year in 2017, when two high schoolers, lefthander McKenzie Gore and outfielder Austin Beck, went third and sixth overall in the draft. The state will have to reload for a year, but North Carolina's 2019 class is looking extremely strong and placed four juniors on the All-Region team, including Top 25 prospects in righthander Brennan Malone, lefthander Chris Villaman and standout two-way talent Isaiah Bennett. In fact, juniors make up half of the 14 players on the 2018 Mid-Atlantic All-Region team.

Five states are represented on the team as well, and three of those states – Maryland, South Carolina and North Carolina – also have teams ranked in the top 26 in the Perfect Game Top 50 Preseason rankings. Maryland's Riverdale Baptist checks in at No. 18 overall, followed immediately by Northwestern High School in South Carolina at 19. Two North Carolina schools, T.C. Roberson (21) and New Hanover (26) round out the top teams in the region.




Mid-Atlantic Region High School Dream Team

C – Adam Hackenberg, Sr., The Miller School, Palmyra (Va.)
Hackenburg is the younger brother of New York Jets quarterback Christian Hackenberg, and although he looks like a football player with an extremely strong 6-foot-2, 225-pound build, he's strictly a baseball player. The righthanded hitter hit .446-6-41 with 12 doubles last year at The Miller School and had a very strong summer and fall season. Just as impressively, Hackenberg threw out 14 of 19 runners attempting to steal last spring and has one of the strongest throwing arms in the impressive 2018 catching class. He is signed with Clemson.

1B – Dylan Rogers, Jr., Dorman HS, Spartanburg (S.C.)
Rogers is a big and strong 6-foot-2, 195-pound lefthanded hitter who plays both outfield and first base but is especially good defensively at first, with fluid actions and soft hands. His big tools are on offense, where he takes a very aggressive swing with plus raw bat speed and lots of power projection. Rogers is also a two-way prospect with a mid-80s fastball on the mound. He has a verbal commitment to Kentucky.

MIF – Thomas Keehn, Jr., DeMatha Catholic HS, Highland (Md.)
Keehn is a strong-bodied, 6-foot-1, 200-pound athlete with two-way potential at the college level and tools across the board. He's a sub-7.0 runner in the 60-yard dash with a strong righthanded swing at the plate that projects power and a very strong infield throwing arm. A two-year starter at DeMatha Catholic, Keehn hit .318-3-13 with 12 stolen bases as a sophomore while going 6-2, 0.94 in 52 innings on the mound. He's the 86th-ranked player in the PG 2019 class rankings and is committed to Duke.

MIF – C.J. Neese Jr., Jr., Grimsley HS, Greensboro (N.C.)
Neese has a very similar profile to his fellow All-Region middle infielder, Thomas Keehn, as a talented junior two-way talent, albeit with a completely different 6-foot-4, 175-pound build. Neese is especially talented on defense, with very smooth and athletic actions through the ball that bely his long and lean build, plus a very strong throwing arm that can also produce upper-80s fastballs. Neese is verbally committed to North Carolina State and is the 118th-ranked player in the PG 2019 national class rankings.

3B – James Parker, Sr., T.L. Hanna HS, Anderson (S.C)
Parker's father, Tim, was a third round draft choice as a righthanded pitcher by the Cubs in 1990 out of Clemson and quickly reached Double-A before injuring his arm. His son choose to stay in the infield, where he's a strong 6-foot-2, 190-pound righthanded hitter who plays shortstop currently but projects more as a third baseman as he physically matures. The younger Parker, predictably, is signed with Clemson.

OF – Xavier Bussey, Sr., Garner HS, Garner (N.C.)
Bussey was originally classified with the 2019 class but changed to the 2018 draft class during the fall and will be a player the scouting community will have to catch up quickly. He's a very strong, broad-shouldered athlete with outstanding speed and quickness and also runs track in the springs for Garner High School. A righthanded hitter and lefthanded thrower, Bussey's second best tool behind his speed is his plus righthanded bat speed. He is signed with South Carolina.

OF – Austin Elliott, Sr., Cape Henlopen HS, Milton (Del.)
A big and strong 6-foot-2, 195-pound athlete, Elliott has been an impact player at Cape Henlopen High School since he was named All-State as a freshman. He has classic right field tools, with a strong righthanded swing and an outstanding arm that also makes him a potential two-way player at the college level. Elliott is the 166th player in the PG national class rankings and is signed with North Carolina.

OF – Liam Deegan, Jr., Godwin HS, Richmond (Va.)
Deegan is a physically impressive 6-foot-3, 200-pound junior who plays both third base and outfield but projects as a likely outfielder at the next level. He's a right handed hitter with explosive hands at the plate and outstanding power potential with present lift in his swing. Deegan is the 125th-ranked player in the PG 2019 national class rankings and is committed to Virginia.

UT – Isaiah Bennett, Jr., Pine Forest HS, Fayetteville (N.C.)
Bennett is primary righthanded pitcher with a very slender and athletic 6-foot-1 build. He's a three-pitch starter who works in the 90-92 mph range with his fastball and complements it with a very good curveball and changeup combination. Bennett is also a speedy center fielder with 6.6 speed and plays both ways for both Pine Forest High School and for 5-Star National. Bennett is also one of the best soccer players in North Carolina, although he's announced he won't play as a senior to concentrate on baseball. In three years on the soccer pitch, Bennett has scored 66 goals in 50 games, including 30 as a junior. He is the 16th-ranked player in the 2019 PG class rankings and is verbally committed to North Carolina.

SP – Justin Jarvis, Sr., Lake Norman HS, Mooresville (N.C.)
Jarvis had to travel to the Rocky Mountain Showcase last May to earn an invitation to the PG National Showcase but used that as a springboard to national exposure throughout the summer and fall and eventually a No. 48 ranking in the PG national rankings. Jarvis is a very projectable 6-foot-3, 170-pound athlete with a smooth delivery and very fast arm that produces a fastball up to 94 mph to go with a big-breaking downer curveball and a firm changeup. He went 4-3, 1.39 as a junior with 63 strikeouts in 35 innings and is signed with UNC-Wilmington.

SP – Garrett McDaniels, Sr., Pee Dee Academy, Nichols (S.C.)
McDaniels is a slender, live-boded 6-foot-2, 170-pound southpaw with a very fast left arm and one of the best sliders in the 2018 class nationally. He works down in the zone consistently with an 88-91 mph fastball but his big swing-and-miss pitch is an upper-70s slider that is very sharp and late. McDaniels, who is signed with Coastal Carolina, headlines a strong group of South Carolina lefthanders that also includes Clemson signee Nate Lamb and South Carolina signee Josiah Sightler.

SP – Brennan Malone, Jr., Porter Ridge HS, Thomasville (N.C.)
Malone is a big and strong 6-foot-4, 210-pound righthander who is ranked fifth overall in the PG class of 2019 national rankings. His best pitch is an overpowering present plus fastball but he's shown signs of being a three-pitch starter prospect with an upper-70s downer curveball from a high three-quarters release point and a promising low-80s changeup. He is verbally committed to North Carolina.

SP – Chris Villaman, Jr., Ledford (N.C.)
Villaman was one of the top performers in the state of North Carolina as a sophomore, garnering All-State honors while going 10-1, 0.50 on the mound with 130 strikeouts in 69 innings while also hitting .432 with six home runs. A North Carolina State commit, Villaman has an easy athletic delivery and a very good three-pitch mix he commands well, highlighted by a fastball that will reach 92 mph. He is ranked 23rd in the PG class of 2019 national rankings.

SP – Owen White, Sr., Jesse Carson HS, Mt. Ulla (N.C.)
White has long intrigued scouts with his potential on the mound, in part because he's a three-sport athlete who is a legit two-way prospect on the baseball field. While he's been able to touch 93-94 mph with his fastball since between his sophomore and junior years, White has significantly improved his consistency and ability to pitch as he gains more mound time and was one of the top pitching prospects at the highly scouted 2017 WWBA World Championship while pitching for the South Charlotte Panthers. White has been a three-year starter on both sides of the ball for Jesse Carson High School, going 22-8, 1.06 over that time, including 8-1, 0.33 as a junior, and also hit .473-2-22. He is signed with South Carolina.


Mid-Atlantic Region Top Tools 

This is PG 'DiamondKast' Level content.
You must be either an DiamondKast, Crosschecker Rankings & Scouting Reports, or Scout subscriber to read the rest.
Sign in Subscribe Now
Give us your feedback
High School | General | 8/17/2026

Scott Wins MVP Two Ways
Jim Salisbury
Article Image
PHILADELPHIA – When the folks at Perfect Game reached out to invite him to pitch in the 2026 PG All-Star Game for rising sophomores and juniors, Cullen Scott had one request. “You mind if I get a couple of at-bats, too?” Along with his dad, Scott traveled from the family’s home in Texas to Citizens Bank Park. The trip proved to be a huge success as he starred on the mound and at the plate and was named the game’s Most Valuable Player. Scott, 16, pitched a scoreless first inning and struck out two. In the fourth inning, he belted a grand slam six rows up into the left-field seats to lead the National team’s 6-1 win over the American team. “He showed us why he’s here as a pitcher and a hitter,” said Greg Sabers, PG’s vice president of scouting and showcases. "He’s one of the top pitchers here, but he’s too good a...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 9/18/2026

Northeast Qualifier Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Another day, another Gavin Greene (‘28 GA) barrel as the @AuburnBaseball commit is now hitting well over .500 on the event #NEQ<ahref="https: pg_scouting?ref_src="twsrc%5Etfw'">@PG_Scouting @PG_Georgia https://t.co/Lf6G8AExjB pic.twitter.com/LFMueYHMxB</ahref="https:> — Perfect Game Mid-Atlantic (@PGMidAtlantic) September 14, 2026 Gavin Greene (2028 Alpharetta, GA) played a major factor in AZ Diamondbacks Scout’s Championship run, finishing his weekend with a .528 AVG and 7 RBI. The 5-foot-11, 175 pound Auburn commit was simply a hit machine regardless of who was on the mound, showcasing the ability to handle velo with ease and repeat the stroke at a high level. Starting from a narrow and upright, slightly open base, Greene does a great job of working directly to the point of impact with consistent hard line drive impact to the pull side of the field. He...
Read More
Juco | Rankings | 9/18/2026

JUCO Impact: Top 100 D1 Transfers

Troy Sutherland
Article Image
With the season upon us, let's take a minute to look at 100 of the biggest impact players who played at the JUCO level last year and have since transferred to a D1 program for the upcoming spring.  RK Name JUCO in 2025 DI in 2026 1 Ryan Bradford Johnson County TCU 2 Carson Bailey McLennan Texas Tech 3 Kameron Yearsley John A. Logan  Oklahoma 4 Holden Pantier Walters State Georgia Tech 5 Caden Davidson Gaston Florida 6 Anthony Quigley Northwest Florida Oklahoma 7 Walt Jones Weatherford Kansas 8 Colin Coonradt Johnson County West Virginia 9 Collin Smith Cochise Kansas 10 Ned Frutchey Sac City Arkansas 11 Hayden Blair Walters State Georgia 12 Parker Ishee Co-Lin Oklahoma 13 Coy Clements Pearl River Florida State 14 Griffin Rardin Shelton State Alabama 15 Jordan Martinez Gulf Coast State Florida State 16 Noah Bentley Weatherford Oklahoma 17 Kole Fenton Walters State North Carolina...
Read More
Softball | Softball Tournament | 9/17/2026

PG Softball Des Moines Elite Scouting Showcase

Ashley Mears
Article Image
Perfect Game Des Moines Elite Scouting Showcase 2026 Indianola. IA Ashley Mears What started off a perfect weather weekend, unfortunately was cut short due to thunderstorms mid-morning on Sunday. In the 18u Division, the Iowa Gold Prospects and the Midwest Speed National Kotzmacher were undefeated. In the 16U Division, 515 Fastpitch Twogood and Iowa Premier Gold- Brower. The tournament featured a ton of solid hitters and pitchers from across the state and Minnesota. Even with the poor weather on Sunday, there was still plenty to see and write about! 18u Division Lexi Adams (2028 Ankeny, IA), a catcher for Iowa Gold Prospects, had a stellar weekend at the plate. Behind the plate, Adams shows strong command of the game and does an excellent job working the zone, using her framing ability to consistently give her pitchers a chance to earn borderline calls. At the plate, Adams starts from a...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 9/17/2026

South Underclass Qualifier Scout Notes

Geoff Billock
Article Image
Cole Marquardt (2029, Montgomery, Texas) left no doubt this weekend as he came home with Tournament MVP honors for his work with Banditos 2028 Black. Went 7-10 with a double, a home run, a pair of triples, and the walk off single in the championship game. Projectable left-handed swing with plenty of tools to dream on. Bat to ball was on point all weekend and he had plenty of chances to show off an advanced run tool. Plenty to dream on moving forward. Callen Corley (2028, Houston, Texas) put together a stellar two-way performance for Houston Wildcatters Navy 2028. At the plate, he went 5-10 with a double, triple, and home run, driving in seven runs. Sinks into his lower half well and creates strong angles for leverage. Plenty of power upside remaining in that frame, to go along with the twitch already present. On the mound, Corley went four shutout innings, surrendering just one hit while...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 9/16/2026

Midwest Labor Day Classic Scout Notes

Brayden Powell
Article Image
Ryan Jones (2027, Tinley Park, IL) was one of the most productive hitters of the weekend, collecting six hits, including three doubles and a home run, while driving in nine runs. The left-handed hitter consistently got the barrel out front and created hard contact throughout the event. Working from an open setup with high hands, he features a compact swing that allows him to get to the ball quickly. His hand speed stood out and helped him drive the baseball to multiple parts of the field. Jones showed a strong understanding of pitches he could handle and rarely missed opportunities to do damage. The swing remains efficient through the zone and produces carry off the barrel. His combination of consistent contact and extra-base impact made him a key offensive contributor all weekend. Uncommitted  JP Elbert (2027, Dubuque, IA) put together an impressive tournament, finishing with five...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 9/16/2026

Southeast Qualifier #1 Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Walk. It. Off! ‘27 IF Drew Giles (GA) calls game here as he hammers a ball over the CF wall for a solo HR to win it in the bottom of the 7th. #FLQualifier pic.twitter.com/YrzspVZzUY — Perfect Game Florida (@Florida_PG) September 12, 2026 Drew Giles (2027, Brunswick, Ga.) took home MVP honors from the weekend after hitting .385 including a walkoff home run during pool play. Giles helped lead his Canes team to victory and did so with the bat. The swing is super short and simple and he gets immense jump off the barrel. It’s a level path through the zone but the blend of hit and power showed out all weekend for the MVP.  August Backman (2027, Venice, Fla.) had a solid weekend on both sides of the ball: hitting .333 over three games and also sitting 88-91 mph on the mound. Backman, a Florida commit who is nationally ranked, has a three pitch mix highlighted by a really...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 9/16/2026

Fall World Series Scout Notes

Jason Phillips
Article Image
Joseph Mosley 2028, Hendersonville, Tenn.) showed the upside all weekend for Southeast Rawlings Mad Mavericks. The right-handed hitter starts from a medium stance with in-line feet and a low handset with a low back elbow, utilizes a low leg lift stride. Creates separation in the back shoulder with strength through the hands into a flat bat plane and line drive lift in the swing. Stays balanced throughout the swing and showed the feel to use the whole field. The outfielder has an athletic, strong 6-foot, 190-pound frame with more gap-to-gap type power to be unlocked. Collected four hits, including two triples, to drive in an RBI and came around to score three runs. Exciting player with two-way upside. On the mound the right-handed pitcher went two innings in relief with three strikeouts and spread three hits and three walks for one earned run. The fastball ran up to 87 and paired it with...
Read More
College | Recruiting | 9/14/2026

Class of 2026 Recruiting Rankings

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 9/14/2026

Coastal Fall Battle of the Carolinas Notes

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Deacon Hensley (2028, Zebulon, NC) stands at 6-foot-0, 165 pounds and is a left-handed hitting and throwing right fielder. Lean frame with good athleticism and additional strength likely to come with maturity. Compact swing with quick hands and good feel for the barrel. Relaxed setup with good bat speed through the zone. Good balance in the box with a direct path and solid contact skills. Hensley went 3-for-3, scoring three runs and hitting a double. Great day at the plate. Colt Funderburk (2027, Lancaster, SC) stands at 5-foot-10, 195 pounds with an athletic frame and present strength. Bats and throws left-handed. Physical hitter with a compact swing, good bat speed, and the ability to drive the ball with authority. Good pitch recognition with a disciplined approach. Quiet lower half with a controlled load and good balance. Funderburk went 2-for-4 with one double and two RBI. Cameron...
Read More
Press Release | Press Release | 9/14/2026

PG Athletes Raise North of $138,000 in August

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
  667 Progress Way | Sanford, FL 32771 | 319-298-2923 www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   PERFECT GAME ATHLETES RAISE OVER $138,000 FOR CHARITABLE PARTNERS THROUGHOUT MONTH OF AUGUST   Sanford, Florida (Monday, September 14, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced that its August premier events raised a combined $138,422 for children's hospitals and charitable organizations, with 1,112 total supporters contributing across five showcases. Since 2016, Perfect Game athletes have raised over $1.8 million for various charitable causes and organizations. The annual fundraising initiative, which runs in conjunction with several of Perfect Game's marquee events each year, gives players, families and fans the opportunity to support...
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.