THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,384 MLB PLAYERS | 15,801 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,384 MLB PLAYERS | 15,801 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Create Account
Sign in Create Account
College  | Story | 4/7/2018

Big arms take the stage

Jheremy Brown
Vincent Cervino
Britt Smith
Greg Gerard
Photo: Tristan Beck (Stanford Athletics)



Midseason College Honors | Weekend Preview | College Player Database

During the season Perfect Game scouts will be traveling to some of the top series to watch the very best players in college baseball. Those observations, captured with both written notes and video, will be shared in the College Player Database as linked above, notes that can also be accessed on the players' individual PG profile pages. Throughout the season select reports will be shared in feature format to promote the players, the teams and college baseball as a whole.


Tristan Beck, RHP, Stanford



Throughout his senior year of high school righthander Tristan Beck steadily rose up draft boards though his commitment to Stanford was near iron clad and instantaneously vaulted his name to the top of any draft list for 2017 (as a draft eligible sophomore). His freshman season did nothing but solidify the notion of Beck becoming a top of the draft talent as he garnered a cabinet’s worth of postseason hardware before ultimately missing all of 2017 due to injury. 

Heading into Friday’s contest at UCLA Beck showed no signs of rust on the mound and though he took his first loss of the season, you can’t help but walk away impressed with the raw ingredients and what the complete version of what the Stanford ace may look like down the road. He did surrender eight hits scattered over his 6 1/3 innings, of which some were barreled hard as a result of missing his spot or staying up in the zone. 

Beck immediately catches attention with his long limbed, high waisted, and ultra-projectable 6-foot-4, 190-pound frame, and while he’s likely to gain strength at the next level, his athleticism and advanced arm speed already allow for a noteworthy arsenal. Beginning with his fastball, Beck opened and closed the game by bumping 94 mph and comfortably sat in the 91-93 range. And while the radar gun readings are nice, the ease of which he generates the velocity and the big plane he creates with solid extension out front are just as important in painting the bigger picture of Beck as a prospect. 

It became commonplace as the game wore on for the ump to say “strike one” after nearly every first pitch of an at-bat as Beck time and time again located his fastball to either side of the plate, occasionally mixing in a get-me-over curveball with big depth. His heater offered solid running life to his arm side, and when he was painting the lower third of the strike zone several pitches were simply of the “good luck hitting that” variety. He continued to show the life when working to his glove side, though by the end of the outing the heater showed more sinking life when working in on lefthanded hitters, still proving to be an effective offering. 

Of the three different secondaries Beck showed it was his curveball that he went to most often and at its best showed above average with potential for another bump on the scouting scale. Tunneling the pitch well with the same fast and loose arm stroke, Beck was able to add and subtract on the shape of the pitch as mentioned above, showing more depth in the mid-70s early in the count before showing a late, hard snapping version to put away hitters in the 78-80 mph band. His changeup is another pitch that flashed above average potential with late fading life down in the zone in the 82-85 mph range with a mimicked arm stroke and release point. Rounding out the arsenal was his slider, a pitch that offered a distinct difference in terms of shape and life, working mostly in the mid-80s with much shorter and tighter life through the zone.

Overall, the components for Beck are highly intriguing and he showed the ability to miss bats, punching out five while maintaining his delivery and arsenal throughout. He’s an alluring prospect who has been on the scene for a while and with continued success this spring should continue to solidify his standing come June.


Jake Bird, RHP, UCLA



Senior righthander Jake Bird took the mound for UCLA in a Friday night matchup against No. 2 Stanford and out-dueled touted draft prospect Tristan Beck for the majority of his outing. Bird did a very good job at pounding the strike zone and limiting hard hit contact en route to seven-plus innings on the mound and earning a hard fought victory. 

The righthander has a funky delivery, caused by a big rocker step into his delivery where he leans back hard into the gather, but does a good job at getting timed-up to get downhill effectively. The arm stroke is a bit long through the back, but again, Bird was very good at repeating the delivery to pound the strike zone with a strong, primarily two-pitch mix. 

The fastball worked in the 89-91 mph range for the majority of the evening, bumping a couple of 92's throughout. Bird maintained his velocity well as his final three pitches of the game were at 91 mph. He got downhill to create plane on the pitch but also flashed some hard life to the arm side. The fastball, however was pretty straight and fits the velocity range of about an average Major League fastball going forward. 

The frame is pretty filled out, so there isn't much room to project additional velocity, but the command of the pitch was good as he really didn't miss too often with his spots and could work side to side effectively. The cutter/slider was an effective secondary pitch in the 83-86 mph range while topping out at 87 mph. The pitch had short, biting life to it and he could sneak the pitch over the front door to righthanded hitters. The pitch flashed average potential, if not projecting for slightly better as he showed a pretty good feel for spin. Bird also flashed a traditional curveball at 76 mph with more 11-to-5 shape. 

Bird scattered eight hits across 7 1/3 innings pitched, and while he didn't miss many bats (only three strikeouts) he was adept at limiting hard hit contact. The righthander projects nicely as a senior sign come June's draft and will likely have a career in professional baseball.


Logan Gilbert, RHP, Stetson University



Early on it looked like Logan Gilbert was going to cruise to a win after his Stetson Hatters gave him an early 4-0 lead against Kennesaw State. Gilbert dominated the first 3 2/3 innings retiring the KSU batters in perfect fashion before running into some trouble. Giving up a pair of home runs in the fourth inning, Gilbert’s velocity dipped slightly and his fastball seemed to straighten up more than in the previous innings causing the KSU hitters to better square up the baseball.

Unfortunately after his stint of being perfect, Gilbert started to get hit around in the later innings. His fastball velocity dipped a couple of ticks after the first two innings of being in the 92-93 range. The velocity sat 89-92 later on and when that happened, the jump and short run it had lessened and allowed hitters to get the barrel on the baseball. The 15th ranked player on the Top 250 MLB Draft list took the loss to a well-balanced offense from Kennesaw State on this night giving up nine hits and six earned runs in 6 1/3 innings. The above average curveball he has did help the big righthander tally seven strikeouts in the contest.

At 6-foot-6 225-pounds and featuring a fastball that topped out at 94 mph on this night, it is obvious to see why Gilbert is such a highly regarded prospect. His delivery is so easy and clean as well. He drives off of his back leg extremely well for his size and gets excellent extension out in front. With a full arsenal of pitches Gilbert featured four on this night. The first he showed was his slider that was in the low-80s and had good sharpness to it. The next one that he displayed, and easily his best secondary pitch, was his curveball. At times the pitch showed true 12-to-6 shape and was virtually unhittable all night long. At other times, it showed more 11-to-5 shape and was still a big-time swing-and-miss pitch. On a few occurrences to lefthanded hitters he would throw his straight changeup that would get hitters out in front.


Jake Irvin, RHP, Oklahoma



Entering Friday night’s conference road opener for the Sooners, Jake Irvin had posted some outstanding numbers in the 2018 season. He had held opponents to a paltry .165 batting average and was averaging more than a strikeout an inning, while posting a 5-0 record. Friday night was not a typical performance for the junior righthanded pitcher, but he did show power stuff against TCU. With a pure power pitcher mentality, Irvin comes right after hitters with a lively fastball that sits 92-94 mph and will bump 95. Showing a good amount of arm-side run and slight sinking action, he shows that he can command it in the strike zone. Irvin has a longer arm circle and creates good hip and shoulder separation in his delivery. He can get amped up and will overthrow at times, but it is not the ordinary for him. 

Utilizing a two-pitch mix presently, Irvin may profile best as a reliever at the next level. His secondary pitch is an above average, 11-to-5 shaped slider, with good depth, thrown between 82-84 mph. He can get around it on occasion and create more lateral movement, but it is best when he drives through it and keeps good direction to the plate. It is rare to see a starter, at any level, that posts such good numbers while only throwing two pitches. However, Irvin has not struggled getting through lineups thus far in his Sooner career, as he has 14 starts that have seen him pitch six innings or more.

Although his command was solid average on Friday, his season numbers read that his command is better than shown. Possessing a strikeout-to-walk ratio of nearly 4-to-1 coming into the contest, Irvin issued three walks against five strikeouts on Friday night. He was up to the task of facing a patient TCU offense that played with great intensity early in the game, as he brought his own level of swagger to the outing as well. With a strong and mature athletic build (6-foot-6, 225-pounds), Irvin looks the part of a professional presently. He will remain in the draft conversation as the season progresses but where and how high he will be selected might depend on an organization’s idea of how they would utilize his abilities.


Nick Lodolo, LHP, Texas Christian



With TCU riding a four-game losing streak entering their Friday night contest against Big 12 leading Oklahoma, Nick Lodolo appeared determined to change the Horned Frogs’ luck. With a long and lean frame, standing 6-foot-6, 195-pounds, Lodolo punched out 13 Sooner hitters over the course of six innings of work. Although he was unable to end the losing streak, he showed high-level stuff and the ability to locate it much better than a year ago. With a fastball that had tremendous tilt and sat 91-93 mph for the entirety of his outing, Lodolo also showed the ability to get it to both sides of the plate without losing the slight arm-side run. As a freshman, he struggled to reach the extension side of the plate, but it was not a problem for him on Friday night.

Helping his effort was a 2-to-8 shaped slider that he showed good feel for throughout the game and flashes as a potentially above average pitch. Sitting 78-81 mph, his slider shows good depth with later break and was consistently tunneled in a fastball slot, which produced many ugly swings from left and righthanded hitters. Lodolo’s feel for his slider was good enough that he scrapped the use of his curveball after the first couple innings. Formerly a go-to pitch for the lefthander, with 2-to-8 shape and a bigger break in the 73-74 mph range, it was not as effective as the simple two-pitch mix he used to tie the Oklahoma hitters in knots. 

Lodolo has a faster paced delivery with both good rhythm and extension out front. He will still run from his arm at times but not nearly to the extent that he did as a freshman. Seeing the development of his delivery it is simple to see where the improvement of his command has come from. On a night when both teams had issues with the small strike zone, Lodolo shined with his command.

With a clean arm action and a more consistent point of release, he is developing well in his sophomore season. He showed composure on the mound and the ability to pitch out of trouble that was created by some defensive miscues. The ability he shows to keep better direction to his target, the advancement of his breaking ball command and the ability to get his fastball to both halves of the plate are all huge steps for Lodolo. His ability to continue to improve will only elevate his draft stock moving forward.
Give us your feedback
College | Story | 12/25/2025

2025 Year in Review: College
Craig Cozart
Article Image
The LSU Tigers Win It All Again For the second time in the last three years, the LSU Tigers, led by head coach Jay Johnson secured the national title. The national championship was the eight in LUS program history as they swept Coastal Carolina in the MCWS championship series. As a result, Johnson was virtually a unanimous choice for National Coach of the Year on media outlets and is the fastest coach to win multiple CWS championships at a single school. The tournament’s Most Outstanding Player was Tigers’ lefthanded ace and Perfect Game First-Team All-American, Kade Anderson highlighted by his complete-game shutout in Game 1 of the CWS Finals. The roster was a tremendous blend of offensive firepower, frontline pitching and elite defense, leaving opponents with very few avenues to victory. PG Second-Team All-American, Jared Jones was the heart of the lineup with his 20...
Read More
Showcase | Story | 12/27/2025

Main Event Invades Fort Myers

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 CLOSES OUT 2025 WITH MAIN EVENT SHOWCASE  AT JETBLUE PARK IN FT. MYERS, FLORIDA    Nearly 1,000 players expected at largest showcase of the year  that has produced over 1,000 MLB Draft picks    Ft. Myers, Florida (Saturday, December 27, 2025) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, will host its 2025 Main Event Showcase from December 28–31 at JetBlue Park, the spring training home of the Boston Red Sox, in the Fort Myers area.    The Main Event is the largest showcase Perfect Game holds annually,...
Read More
Draft | Rankings | 12/26/2025

2026 MLB Draft Board Update

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
The calendar is just days away from being flipped over to 2026, and while the players may be on break, it’s clear that they are just itching to get back on the field and compete once again, with another season of college baseball right around the corner. For prep players (especially in warm-weather states), the season’s right around the corner, and players will be back on the ball fields sooner than later. With that said, the PG Draft Team came together and got to work on a 2026 MLB Draft Board update. A little pre-season shake-up and expansion as we took our board from the Top 150 names to the Top 300 names, in preparation for the 2026 college and prep seasons to begin. The 2025 MLB Draft Lottery occurred earlier in December and shed some light on what the draft order will look like in 2026, with the Chicago White Sox taking home the first overall pick, followed by the Tampa...
Read More
High School | General | 12/24/2025

2025 Year In Review: High School

Cam McElwaney
Article Image
IMG Academy Takes Home the National Title Every year IMG Academy comes into the spring with top-to-bottom one of the top rosters in the country and every year have the expectation of winning the national championship. Well in 2025 they did just that after finishing the spring 24-1, winning the High School Showdown, and winning 15 straight games to end their season. Their high end offensive ability was on full display throughout the year and they will once again be one of the most talented teams in the country in ’26 as they look to go back-to-back. Two Top-10 Picks in the MLB Draft Headline National Players of the Year It was another loaded crop that took home the National Players of the Year as both Ethan Holliday, the National Player of the Year, and Seth Hernandez, National Pitcher of the Year, heard their names called within the first-10 picks in the MLB Draft. Another first...
Read More
Draft | Rankings | 12/24/2025

Top 2027 Collegiate Draft Prospects

Isaiah Burrows
Article Image
With the 2025 cycle officially behind us and the calendar nearly flipping over to 2026, it is time to start looking ahead to the future. More importantly, start looking ahead to the next season of college baseball and what that may mean for draft-eligible players with big dreams of continuing their journey. While the 2026 MLB Draft is now on the horizon, we are looking ahead to the future even further – to see which players have already made impacts upon their arrival to college campuses. We have already dropped our 2028 Top 75 collegiate prospects board, but this one is our Top 100 college prospects who will be eligible for the 2027 class. These are the Top 100 players in our eyes for this group, and many of them have already shown up on campus and been impactful in many ways. Whether its our top-ranked player in Oregon State’s Dax Whitney or ninth-ranked William Schmidt...
Read More
Draft | Rankings | 12/23/2025

Top 2028 Collegiate Draft Prospects

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
The college players in the 2028 draft class have yet to step on campus, but they're positioned to make an immediate impact. Several high end talents either turned down significant money last year or honored strong college commitments, resulting in their arrival on campus this fall. The class is currently led by a trio of high-upside arms in Jack Bauer, Angel Cervantes, and Cameron Appenzeller. They are followed by a deep group of bats that rounds out a strong, high end Top-10. Rk. Name Level Pos. B-T School Hometown State 1 Jack Bauer C LHP L-L Mississippi State Frankfort IL 2 Angel Cervantes C RHP R-R UCLA Lynwood CA 3 Cameron Appenzeller C LHP L-L Tennessee Springfield IL 4 Brayden Jaksa C C R-R Oregon Fremont  CA 5 JD Stein C SS R-R Wake Forest Carmel IN 6 Mason Ligenza C OF L-L Pittsburgh Brockton PA 7 Ty Peeples C OF L-R Georgia Lavonia GA 8 Lucas Franco C SS L-R TCU Katy TX 9...
Read More
Juco | Story | 12/23/2025

2025 Year in Review: JUCO

Blaine Peterson
Article Image
Looking Back at the 2025 Top 10  Matt Barr (‘25 Niagara, ‘26 Minnesota Twins) Bursting onto the scene last winter, footage of an indoor bullpen rocketed Barr onto the radar of many. Explosive fastball reaches near triple digits with incredible spin numbers across the secondaries. Huge numbers at Niagara earned him the title of the first Juco player drafted in 2025. JC Vanek (‘25 Chipola, ‘26 Kansas City Royals) Just a professional hitter. Vanek for two years at Chipola was an impossible out. While there are questions if the power will ever reach what it takes to play first base at the big league level, the bat and quality defensive skillset at first base may carry. Donovan Becerra (‘25 New Mexico, ‘26 Texas Tech) One of the more high octane arms anywhere in the country last year. Can reach back for upper 90’s and has shown serious swing and...
Read More
Draft | Story | 12/22/2025

2025 Year in Review: Draft

Isaiah Burrows
Article Image
2025 Year in Review: Draft We’ve reached the end of the 2025 calendar year, and while we’ve already jumped in on the 2026 cycle with some of the fall events and post-draft content we’ve had here at Perfect Game, there’s still one more piece on the docket, and that’s the 2025 Year-In-Review piece here from the PG Draft staff.  The 2025 MLB Draft took place in July, when many highly talented players heard their names called and continued their journey through the game to the next level. There’s already been some of those names making noise in the minors and guys who are moving up prospect lists and becoming names to know for MLB fans digging deep into the future of their organizations. While we are going to “close the book” on 2025 with this article, these players still have many years ahead of them, and many blank pages to continue...
Read More
College | Recruiting | 12/22/2025

Recruiting Notebook: December 22

Jheremy Brown
Article Image
Lucien Saint Cyr, INF, Class of 2026 Commitment: Bucknell Saint Cyr announced his pledge to Bucknell, giving the Bison an interesting blend of present tools and projection. Saint Cyr stands 6-foot-1 and offers room to fill in his medium frame, profiling in the middle infield defensively. The New York product starts wide at the base in the right-handed box, keeping his hands high behind the ear. He works into a subtle outward step load, firing through a compact barrel that showcases bat speed and gap-to-gap impact. For head coach Scott Heather and Bucknell, they land a high-quality Northeast infielder in the ’26 cycle, adding to a class that takes the quality over quantity approach. Patrick Diaz ('26, NY) 102 EV off the bat. Impact to the pull side. #PGNational @PGMidAtlantic @PG_Uncommitted pic.twitter.com/NN0L3FRdO9 — PG Showcases (@PGShowcases) July 9, 2025 Patrick Diaz,...
Read More
High School | General | 12/19/2025

Huntington Beach HS World Series Recap

Steve Fiorindo
Article Image
MVPitcher: Duncan McLeod The uncommitted junior toed the slab in three of the four games for Team Mick, tossing 3 2/3 innings.  Zero walks, zero hits and 6 punchouts for the lefty who was used both as a starter in the series clinching game 4 and he closed out game 3 on Friday in quick fashion.  McLeod was very efficient as well, needing just 42 pitches over all his outings.  In the game 4 start, over two innings he punched out 3, with one strikeout with all of his offerings.  The mid 80’s fastball regularly played up, set up with efficient use of the secondaries, with the breaking ball 73/74 and fading change-up 72-74.   Owen Bone (2026) at it again... Solo shot in the 5th to tie things up. Back to back days with a home run for Bone. #PGHS pic.twitter.com/2JC9qETI5h — Perfect Game California (@California_PG) December 13, 2025 MV Hitter: ...
Read More
Loading more articles...
About Perfect Game :: Contact us :: Terms of Use :: Privacy Policy :: Testimonials :: Job Opportunities
Copyright 1994-2025 by Perfect Game. All rights reserved. No portion of this information may be reprinted or reproduced without the written consent of Perfect Game.