Draft | Story | 6/4/2026
Pence Makes the Jump to 2027
Perfect Game Staff
667 Progress Way | Sanford, FL 32771 | 319-298-2923 www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PERFECT GAME STANDOUT STRIKER PENCE RECLASSIFIES TO CLASS OF 2027, ACCELERATING PATH TO MLB DRAFT Corona, California (Thursday, June 4, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced that Perfect Game prospect Striker Pence, one of the most watched young prospects in amateur baseball, has officially reclassified from the Class of 2028 to the Class of 2027, making the 17-year-old eligible for the 2027 Major League Baseball Draft. Pence is currently the #2 ranked player on Perfect Game’s national rankings and the top-ranked right-handed pitcher. Pence, a 6-foot-6, 215-pound right-handed pitcher and left-handed hitting first...
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Story |
6/9/2026
Desert Classic Scout Notes
Perfect Game Staff
Ryan Sanchez (‘27, AZ) hammers this ball to deep LCF for a 3-run 💣. Physical 6-5/230 frame. Has some rhythm to the hands. Strength plays at contact #DesertClassic @PG_Uncommitted pic.twitter.com/sGL2vcpwIL — Perfect Game Four Corners (@PG_FourCorners) June 6, 2026 Ryan Sanchez (2027, Chandler, Ariz.) showcased loud two-way ability throughout the event. A physical frame at 6-foot-5, 230-pounds stands out on both sides of the ball. The stuff on the bump was impressive. Sanchez sat 89-92 mph with the heater, topping out at 93 mph. Heavy armside run and the velocity makes the pitch hard to barrel. It was paired with a quality breaking ball at 73-77 mph that showed some bite. At the plate, Sanchez uses his strength efficiently. There is some rhythm to the hands that creates some bat speed. When combined with obvious strength at contact, Sanchez can generate easy power to the...
Tournaments |
Championship |
6/9/2026
Swamp Baseball Cruises to 18U Title
Alyssa Golden
Swamp Baseball entered the Gulf Coast Classic looking to break through after falling in the championship game in each of the previous two weekends. Their matchup against Florida Flames 18U was a rematch of the East Memorial Day Classic championship game two weeks earlier, when the Flames earned a 4-1 victory. This time, Swamp turned the tables, defeating the Flames 11-2 at JetBlue Park to claim the 18U Gulf Coast Classic title. The game ended after the top of the fifth inning under Perfect Game’s mercy rule, which ends play when the home team leads by eight or more runs after 4 ½ innings. Strong pitching from Payton Sturrup and Ian Long, combined with consistent offensive production throughout the entire lineup, helped Swamp take control early and never look back. Nicholas Raber delivered Swamp’s first hit of the game, driving in two runs with a double. Anthony Reitler...
College |
Story |
6/9/2026
Collegiate Postseason Awards
Vincent Cervino
Coach of the Year Dan Fitzgerald – Kansas Jayhawks The 2026 season has been a historic one for the Kansas Jayhawks under the leadership of head coach Dan Fitzgerald. The Perfect Game Coach of the Year is also the Big 12 Coach of the Year as he led his team to 22-wins in conference play as they won an incredible 45-games overall. For the first time since 1949, they took home a regular-season conference title, winning the league by one game in what was just the fourth championship in program history. They also went on to win the Big 12 Tournament Championship, only the second time in program history the Jayhawks won the event and its first since 2006. The 45-victories are good enough to tie the all-time single-season record and their 22-wins in conference play is a new program high. Powered by the most homeruns in Kansas history at 111 on the...
Tournaments |
Championship |
6/8/2026
Rawlings Tigers Take the Desert Classic
Emily Hicks
After a weekend of competitive baseball, the 2026 Arizona Desert Classic came down to one final matchup between ATB 13U and Rawlings Tigers Primo. When the final out was recorded, Rawlings Tigers Primo secured the championship with a 14-0 victory at Goodyear Ballpark. Rawlings Tigers Primo wasted little time getting the offense going, scoring 4 runs in the first inning to take an early lead. MVP Easton Bakersky helped spark the attack, finishing 2-2 with an inside-the-park home run and three runs scored. Bakersky's home run came at the end of the third inning and helped extend Primo's lead. He finished with a .625 average through four games, while Callan Sanders went 2-3 with one triple and two runs scored. Sanders hit .500 through four games. “The count was 1-2. I was thinking, just get the barrel to it, not trying to do too much,” said Bakersky. On the mound, Callan...
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Story |
6/8/2026
Coastal Region Scout Notes
Perfect Game Staff
Camden McGill (2027, High Point, NC) had a great day at the plate for the Carolina Redsox vs. Wow Factor Carolina National 17u. The 5-foot-11, 170- pound center fielder has a solid frame. McGill bats from the left side with a short, impactful swing. He has quick bat speed, allowing him to get the barrel through the zone quicker. He uses his lower half effectively, firing his hips and rotating efficiently. McGill has had quality at-bats all weekend long, having multiple multi-hit games. Constantly battling and putting pressure on the defense. He finished the game going 2-for-3 with a single and a triple with 4 RBI on the day. Giovanni Luisa (2027, Weddington, NC) had an amazing day at the plate for the Wow Factor Carolina 17u Premier vs. Performance Carolina National/C35 17u. The 5-foot-10, 176-pound catcher has a solid athletic build. Luisa bats from the right side with a strong,...
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Story |
6/7/2026
From Traction to Festival; Bond is Strong
Kinley Kitchens
For many players, earning an invitation to the Perfect Game Select is a dream. For Cooper Mason and Tucker Richardson, it became reality. Now teammates on Traction Canes 14U National, the two Alabama natives have established themselves among the top players in the 2030 class. Richardson enters the summer ranked No. 10 overall nationally and No. 3 among shortstops, while Mason enters ranked at No. 44 overall and No. 13 among shortstops. Both earned invitations to the 2025 PG Select Festival, one of the most prestigious events in amateur baseball. But beyond the rankings and talent, their story is built on friendship. When asked what it meant to earn a Select Festival invitation last year, both players reflected on years of work leading up to the moment. It felt good. I always wanted to make Select Fest,” Richardson said. “It just felt really good in...
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Story |
6/6/2026
13/14u PG Elite Scout Notes: Days 1-2
Perfect Game Staff
2031 King James (Cincinnati, Ohio) got the start on the bump for Team Elite against, coincidentally enough, his hometown Cincinnati Angels and delivered a 5 inning, run rule shortened complete game effort. Not overly physical at just 5-foot-8, 140 pounds, James came out showing quickness to his arm as he opened up in the 75-77 mph while working around the zone, mixing a bigger curveball with depth to help keep hitters off balance. Ultimately he struck out 6 on the game and walked just one while scattering four hits and even helped his own cause, picking up a double on the offensive side of things. While he went 0-1 at the dish with a pair of walks, it's still worth talking about the performance from catcher Michael Wedgeworth (Flomaton, Ala.) as his catch-and-throw skills from behind the dish were on full display throughout the game, delivering a couple of strikes down to second...
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Story |
6/6/2026
Beast of the East Scout Notes: Day 2
Perfect Game Staff
Beast of the East Scout Notes: Day 1 Another good swing later in the day from ‘28 Derek Vazquez, this one lifted down the LF line for a 2B. So much to like about the profile & projects in every aspect. #BeastOfTheEast @PG_Coastal @PG_Uncommitted https://t.co/EDA8xhgK9G pic.twitter.com/kZDw8tPC5O — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) June 5, 2026 Derek Vazquez (2028, Charlotte, N.C.) has put together a big showing through two games for the SBA Bolts National 2028. The 6-foot-2, 183-pound shortstop/outfielder has showed defensive versatility throughout the event and does so with ease. He has all the actions at shortstop but also showed good range, tracking a flyball down the left field line on Friday. In the box, he’s uber-projectable in every phase and is already doing a great job of controlling the zone. The power should continue to trend up in the coming years and...
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Story |
6/3/2026
Beast of the East Heads to Georgia
Will Dembo
Marietta, Georgia will welcome some of the nation’s top teams this weekend as the Perfect Game Beast of the East Invitational takes place June 4-8. The invite only 15-17u tournament will showcase a plethora of nationally ranked teams and top talent looking to make a statement early into the summer and take home the championship in what promises to be a highly competitive weekend of baseball. The 15u division will shine a spotlight on several of the top ranked programs in the country as 9 out of the 32 total squads competing are T100. 11 states will be represented in the age bracket, proving how prestigious this event has become. Headlining the field are Wow Factor National who comes in at No. 8 in the national rankings, as well as Canes National who enters the weekend trailing just one spot behind Wow Factor. Canes National has an absolutely loaded roster with 9 players who rank in...
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Story |
6/5/2026
"Houston, We Nave a Problem"
Kinley Kitchens
Some moments set the tone for an entire game. For Jackson Nave, it happened in his very first trip to the plate. The Sevierville, Tennessee native stepped into the batter’s box looking for a pitch he could drive. A few moments later, the ball was flying over the fence, giving FTB Phillies 13U an early boost and igniting what would become a dominant offensive performance. “I was feeling good,” Nave said. “I was just trying to find a pitch I could hammer. I kept my eye on it, took it down the middle and that felt good.” That swing was only the beginning. Nave finished the game with a home run, four runs scored, and four RBI as FTB Phillies 13U rolled to a 27-4 victory on the opening day of the 2026 PG 13U National Elite Championship. For Nave, getting the offense started early is an important part of helping his team succeed. “I think it is really...