THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,569 MLB PLAYERS | 16,329 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,569 MLB PLAYERS | 16,329 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Tournaments  | Story | 5/27/2018

East Memorial Scout Notes

Photo: Timothy Manning (Perfect Game)

There is no question that Raymond Torres (2019, Charlotte, N.C.) has established himself as one of the top defensive catchers in his class and the North Carolina native, who attends IMG Academy in Florida, is currently ranked 58th in the country in the PG 2019 class rankings. He has loads of quick twitch athleticism behind the plate and an outstanding throwing arm. Where Torres impressed on Saturday playing for Elite Squad National was with his righthanded bat speed. He showed that rare ability to patiently watch pitches, even with two strikes, that were outside the zone but still explode aggressively when he swung and create peak bat speed. Torres has some late barrel wrap just before he starts his swing that creates some length to the ball but it also makes for some serious barrel whip through the zone as well. He rocketed a double into the left field corner in his first at-bat and later just missed driving another ball deep to the same spot when he just got under the ball.

Elite Squad lefthander Timothy Manning (2020, Pompano Beach, Fla.) is the 69th ranked player in the 2020 class and was sharp in his outing Saturday. The 6-foot-2 southpaw worked in the 86-88 mph range early and established right away that he could hit the corners on both sides of the plate with regularity and intent. He pitched primarily off his fastball but showed a tight, big-breaking 1-to-7 curveball at 74 mph that will buckle hitters knees, especially lefthanders. Manning looks like he's poised for a big summer and we will see him next at the PG Junior National Showcase in Georgia in mid-June.

Nicholas Hardy (2019, Pembroke Pines, Fla.) is a primary catcher who the Elite Squad coaches say has pitched only 20-25 times in his life but he looks like he has a future on the mound. Hardy has a very good delivery with nice lower half use and very good sync between his lower body and arm and throws easily. He sat 87-89 on his fastball and there is plenty more there in his 6-foot-2, 170-pound body. Hardy also threw a slider between 77 and 80 mph that wasn't consistent either in release slot or in spin but which flashed good spin when his hand was over the ball. He is committed to Florida International.

Ryan Vanderhei (2019, Goodyear, Ariz.) is an outstanding projection on the mound. He's still 16-years old and is already 6-foot-6, 175-pounds with size 15 feet and very loose, athletic actions. Working on a 45-pitch limit for North East Baseball National, Vanderhei pitched in the 85-88 mph range from a mid three-quarters arm slot that worked very well for his arm action. His 77 mph slider was his best pitch and garnered him plenty of swing and misses with late two-plane biting action. Vanderhei commanded both pitches well, especially the slider, and cruised through three and a third innings before hitting his pitch limit. It will be very interesting to watch him develop over the next few years.

Vanderhei was relieved by outfielder/righthanded pitcher Max Rippl (2018, Fort Myers, Fla.), who showed nice arm strength from a medium effort delivery that profiles him as a future reliever. Rippl commanded the zone well with a fastball in the 88-91 mph range. He is a Kent State signee.

Catcher Connor Pavolony (2018, Woodstock, Ga.) didn't do much at the plate for North East Baseball this game but he is one of the most enjoyable players in the country to watch throw a baseball. The 91st-ranked player in the class and a Tennessee signee, Pavolony has thrown up to 85 mph in drills at PG events and consistently brings that arm strength and outstanding accuracy to games. He fittingly ended North East's win on Saturday by back picking a runner off third base with a laser throw.

Orioles Scout Team righthander Rudy Gomez (2018, Miami, Fla.) looks like an outstanding signee for St. Leo's University. He is listed at 6-foot-2, 185-pounds but looks a bit bigger than that with a mature build that has good present strength. Gomez has a very smooth and low effort delivery that enables him to pound the strike zone consistently and has the body control to throw well-used hesitations into his delivery as well. His fastball worked in the 87-90 mph range and he maintained his velocity very well throughout the outing. Gomez also had a upper-70s slider that showed good spin and occasional sharp downer biting action that he probably could have used more often, as his fastball tended to be pretty straight and hitters learned to sit on that pitch.



Tournaments | Championship | 7/14/2026

SBA Bolts National Raise Trophy at 16u

Will Dembo
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After an action-packed week at the 16u WWBA Championships, the tournament came down to two of the nation’s top teams battling for one of travel baseball’s most prestigious titles. No. 5 ranked SBA Bolts National faced No. 60 Alpha Prime 2028 after both teams reached the championship undefeated, but the SBA Bolts were the sole team to exit without a loss, defeating Alpha Prime 10-2 in mercy rule fashion and capture the national title behind dominant pitching and explosive offensive performances. The SBA Bolts were perfect throughout their week, running the table and going 11-0 while outscoring their opponents by an impressive margin of 108-25. “It was awesome,” SBA Head Coach Travis Thompson said on the mercy rule victory. “It just kind of culminated our week. It's been a long week. I can't even remember our first game, which felt like three weeks ago. The...
Tournaments | Story | 7/14/2026

Coastal Region Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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Ridge Whitfield (2029, Charlotte, NC) stands at 6-foot, 158 pounds with an athletic build that should allow him to maintain his mobility and quick-twitch actions as he continues to develop. He bats and throws left-handed. Whitfield locates his fastball to both sides of the plate, mixes his pitches effectively, and keeps hitters off balance. He competes on every pitch and doesn’t back down in big situations. Whitfield threw 5.1 innings, allowing three hits, one earned run, and no walks while striking out three on 75 pitches (58% strikes). He attacked the zone with a fastball that sat 73 mph and topped out at 78 mph, mixing in a 67 mph breaking ball and a 68-70 mph changeup to keep hitters off balance. Sam Jobe (2029, Charlotte, NC) stands at 6-foot-1, 175 pounds, with a lean, athletic frame and plenty of projection. He bats and throws right-handed. Jobe shows good feel for the...
Tournaments | Story | 7/14/2026

14u & 17u West Scout Notes: Days 3-5

Perfect Game Staff
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14u & 17u WWBA West Scout Notes: Days 1-2 Adryan Zaragoza (‘30 | CA) turns on this one, sending it down RF line for a 2B. Finished 2-for-3 w/ 2RBI, 2R, BB. PS approach, bat speed, raw strength #WWBAWest @California_PG pic.twitter.com/V6Ctus4CX1 — Perfect Game Four Corners (@PG_FourCorners) July 13, 2026 Adryan Zaragoza (2030, Lake Elsinore, CA) The 5-foot-9, 150-pound left-handed hitter and infielder had a great weekend for ZT Select Prospects, finishing with five hits, eight runs scored, one double, one triple, six RBI, one stolen base, and two walks during the 14U WWBA West National Championships. Zaragoza consistently ignited the offense from the top of the lineup, with a disciplined approach and the ability to create scoring opportunities. He can drive the baseball into the gaps while producing in big situations, combining quality contact with aggressive baserunning....
Tournaments | Story | 7/14/2026

14u BCS Scout Note Recap

Perfect Game Staff
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Jake Karpell (2030, Holmdel, NJ) got on the barrel a couple times in game five and totaled three rbis. Started his production with a single then later on hammered a heater down the right field and flew around the bases for a three run inside the park home run. Keeps the hands inside at contact really well and got the head around on the homer. Runs well and can hit it around the yard in the approach.  Luke Sauer (2030 C, FL)  put his hit tool on display with a well-struck double, continuing to show why he is regarded as one of the top catchers in the class. Owns a big frame with present physicality and does a good job keeping the hands connected throughout the swing. The barrel works efficiently through the zone and there is a solid offensive foundation present. Currently ranked as the No. 66 catcher nationally.  Gavin Politz (2030 OF, FL) continued a strong tournament...
Tournaments | Story | 7/14/2026

15u World Series Scout Notes: Days 1-3

Perfect Game Staff
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Connor Ashley (‘29, FL) has struck out six over six no hit innings thus far. Got the FB up to 87 w/ feel for a sharp two-plane slider. #PGWS @Florida_PG pic.twitter.com/M7mEmTH8pk — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) July 12, 2026 Connor Ashley (’29, Minneola, FL) was stellar on Sunday, striking out seven in a seven inning no hitter. He operates from a medium-to-large right-handed frame with length, room to fill, and lower half strength. Ashley works exclusively from the stretch, starting at the belt before working into a higher compact leg lift, firing down the mound via a long arm action. He releases from a high three-quarters slot, with the fastball jumping from the hand up to 87. Ashley mixed in a sharp 11-5 breaking ball with depth and late bite, a true swing-and-miss offering.  Matthew Hernandez (’29, Miami Lakes, FL) has posted strong numbers on both...
College | Story | 7/14/2026

Coppy's Corner: July 14 Summer Edition

John Coppolella
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The amateur players in the Cape Cod Baseball League are the future stars of the 2027 MLB Draft. The league runs from June 13th through August 2nd. Games are played at historic stadiums in Old New England towns. It’s beautiful and charming. Hollywood even made a movie about the Cape Cod League ~25 years ago called Summer Catch. It scored an 8% (!) on Rotten Tomatoes, but, on the plus side, it featured 2001 Jessica Biel in a starring role.  It was so much fun writing Coppy’s Column this spring. My hope is to highlight a pitcher and position player each week from the Cape. And, who knows, maybe somewhere out there Jessica Biel is reading it.    Player of the Week: Carter White – Falmouth Commodores  Talk about making a great first impression! White introduced himself in a very loud and boisterous way this past week by going 9-17 (.529 AVG) with 6 RBI...
Tournaments | Story | 7/13/2026

17u Elite Scout Notes: Days 1-2

Perfect Game Staff
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High speed look at the FF-SL-CH from '27 RHP Liam McGeady (OH)... #NatElite @PG_OhioValley @Cincy_Legends https://t.co/hhoDL7DBbi pic.twitter.com/Ts79GLPGoU — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) July 12, 2026 Liam McGeady (2027, Liberty Township, Ohio) had the stuff working on Saturday morning, getting the start for Legends Scout 2027. The uncommitted right-hander ran it up to 91 and sat 88-90 with a full starter’s mix. All three of the secondaries played well and project moving forward. The curveball worked in the mid-70s with good depth and healthy shape. The slider operated in the 79-82 range with gyro spin and short break. McGeady rounded out the repertoire with a changeup that showed big fade and depth, proving effective versus lefties. He ended the outing going five ⅔ innings, allowing no earned runs on four hits, striking out six total. The tall and long 6-foot-5,...
Tournaments | Championship | 7/13/2026

ZT Select Takes 14u WWBA West Title

Emily Hicks
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After a week of competitive baseball, the ZT Select Prospects have been crowned the 14U WWBA National Champions, completing an impressive tournament run with a championship victory over Swarm Red Elite National 2030 with a final score of 3-1. The 14U division brought together 19 talented teams for a week of high-level competition, with players from California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Hawaii, and Pennsylvania battling for the opportunity to compete on one of the biggest stages in youth baseball. Throughout the tournament, ZT Select Prospects showed consistency, resilience, and the ability to compete in close games. From the opening rounds of pool play to the championship matchup, the team continued to find ways to win behind strong pitching, timely hitting, and a complete team effort. In the championship game, ZT Select Prospects was led by standout performances from Jeremy Jimenez, who...
Draft | Mock Draft | 7/13/2026

2027 Mock Draft: Way Too Early Ediition

Vincent Cervino
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With the 2026 MLB Draft officially complete, let's quickly turn our eyes to the 2027 group and do a way too early mock draft. Leading the way is shortstop Brendan Lawson out of the University of Florida, setting the trend as three of the top four names all call shortstop home with Dylan Seward and Carter Hadnot. If shortstops aren't your thing for any which reason, maybe hard throwing left-handers tickle your fancy whether it be prep Connor Salerno, Tomas Valincius from Mississippi State or Dylan Volantis, a dominant arm from the University of Texas.  Pick Team Name Pos. School 1 Los Angeles Angels Brendan Lawson SS Florida 2 Kansas City Royals Dylan Seward SS Norco (Calif.) 3 Colorado Rockies Landon Hairston OF Arizona State 4 New York Mets Carter Hadnot SS Aquinas (Calif.) 5 Athletics Connor Salerno LHP Sun Valley (N.C.) 6 Cincinnati Reds Tomas Valincius LHP Mississippi State 7...
Draft | Story | 7/12/2026

2027 MLB Draft: Initial Follow List

Vincent Cervino
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With the 2026 MLB Draft in the books, our focus now shifts to a new group of players ready to take center stage as the 2027 draft cycle begins. Our initial 2027 Follow List serves as an early snapshot of the players who should draw plenty of attention over the next year. This new crop of talent features collegiate players coming off loud spring seasons, alongside prep prospects who have already flashed big upside as underclassman.  As always, this list will evolve throughout the year. Some players will continue to elevate their stock, while others will jump onto the radar and force their way into the conversation. So, without further ado, let the fun begin.  The road to the 2027 MLB Draft starts now. Name Level Pos. B-T School Hometown State Commitment Adrian Rodriguez C 3B/OF S-R Texas Flower Mound TX Aidan King C RHP L-R Florida Bryceville FL Bino Watters C OF L-L LSU...
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