THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,631 MLB PLAYERS | 16,402 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,631 MLB PLAYERS | 16,402 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Sign in Create Account
Sign in Create Account
Tournaments  | Story | 6/13/2018

WWBA Qualifier Scout Notes

Perfect Game Tournament Staff
Photo: Corey Collins (Perfect Game)

A towering presence on the hill at 6-foot-5, Will Sanders (2020, Atlanta, Ga.) possesses a combination of size and stuff that make him a pitcher to follow. He is quite obviously a projectable type with his tall and lean frame and brings 83-84 mph heat with little effort. It is worth noting, however, that he lost a tick or two from the stretch. His other offering, a tight 72-73 curveball was disguised effectively, as he throws it with the same quick arm speed. While he showed good command to his glove side early on, he struggled with control occasionally, as evidenced by a three-walk inning. However, he showed good poise as he was able to limit the damage to a single run. With improvements in control and a stronger emphasis on getting ahead of hitters, Sanders, the 14th-ranked Georgia righthander in his class, could become even more intriguing than he already is. He also looked like a threat in the batter’s box, showing good control of the zone and an advanced approach while lacing a triple to left.

AJ Fiechter (2021, Cumming, Ga.) is a player that any team would be ecstatic to have on their roster, as he has a great effect on multiple facets of the game. At the plate, he uses his quick-twitch muscles to generate swift bat speed and shows great bat-to-ball skills, consistently barreling up pitches with his short, efficient bat path. These skills manifested themselves with a three-hit day. This included a hard-hit, opposite field single to right and an RBI single through the 5-6 hole. On the bases, Fiechter displayed good instincts and speed multiple times, advancing from first to third on a shallow single and later stealing second without a throw. As if his heart-of-the-order bat and baserunning skills weren’t enough, he also exhibited strong shortstop defense with his good range, soft hands, and quick release, making tough plays look much easier than they should.

While his game-breaking power drew eyes last weekend, it was Corey Collins’ (2020, Suwanee, Ga.) defense behind the plate that warranted attention today. Collins is a wall at the catcher position, showing good ability to get to his knees on balls in the dirt and looking very athletic in his movements. In addition, he receives the ball very well, expertly framing pitches to steal strikes, and possesses a strong arm to boot. While he did not play a large role offensively in his team’s drubbing of the opposition, his plate skills were evident as he worked an eight-pitch at-bat that resulted in him muscling a ball he got jammed on for a single anyway. As mentioned before, he is very athletic for a catcher, which became even more apparent as he stole third and looked positively fast in doing so. Ranked sixth nationally among catchers in his class (and second in the state of Georgia), Collins is about as good as it comes in regard to catching prospects.

Jorge Figueroa (2020, Southlake, Texas) served as the primary run producer for his team’s offense Sunday afternoon, getting good extension on a well-hit double to left in the first inning for an RBI. He later knocked a sac fly to the same spot to score another, before singling to left again for a third RBI. Figueroa, ranked 11th among all Texas players in his class, exhibited the ability to make consistent, solid contact and showed good bat speed, and as he fills out over the coming years, there could be some more pop in his bat. On defense, Figueroa possesses a silky-smooth glove at second base and has a very quick tag. The Miami commit also displayed a good internal clock, knowing runners’ speed and appearing able to slow the game down.

Stellar pitching performances turned out to be the story of the day Monday, and the first came from the arm of Sam Stewart (2019, Suwanee, Ga.), who went the distance for a seven-inning shutout. Standing 6-foot-2 and pitching from a high release point, he lived around 80 mph with his fastball and featured a 12-to-6 curveball with good depth.  The rising senior generates torque by slightly twisting his torso back to begin his delivery, before finishing with a somewhat violent motion to the plate, all of which help him disguise the ball effectively and hide it from hitters as long as possible. Stewart was able to repeat these mechanics well and maintained his command throughout the start, walking just two while fanning four en route to earning the victory.

Brandon Blume (2018, Buford, Ga.) was a master of suppressing hard contact on the mound Monday, with very few of his pitches getting squared up. He lived down in the zone on his way to generating nine groundball outs and also showcased swing-and-miss stuff with eight punchouts. Blume averaged 81 mph on his heater, reaching all the way up to 85, and also mixed in a 72 mph slider with good horizontal movement to great effect. He struggled through a laborious second inning, faced with an unlucky combination of shoddy defense, controversial calls, and bloop hits. Despite this, Blume, ranked 101st among Georgia righthanders in his class, stayed in to pitch a full seven innings and was lights out for the rest of his outing, keeping his team in the game.

Unfortunately for Blume, he matched up with Payton Grant (2019, Douglasville, Ga.) who tossed a gem of his own to take the victory. Grant works quickly with a simple, repeatable delivery and averages around 80 mph on his fastball. The fastball may play up a bit based on the late hacks seen throughout the game. His most effective pitch was arguably the curveball, a 71 mph offering with sharp, late break. Grant was less effective when forced to work from the stretch, but this hardly mattered as baserunners were few and far in between. The righty ended his day with four strikeouts to one walk, while breezing through seven frames with 88 pitches.

Nick Ferrera (2019, Tallahassee, Fl.) displayed some of the best raw stuff on the day. His curveball and slider are both lethal weapons with sharp break, effective both when buried in the dirt or dropped into the zone. He is comfortable throwing them in any count and appeared to favor a breaking ball-heavy pitch mix based on the usage seen today. However, Ferrera’s fastball is no slouch. He maximizes his 5-foot-11 frame with good arm action and a powerful stride to register up to 87 mph on the gun. He pounded the strike zone with his filthy repertoire, throwing 68 percent of his pitches for strikes and only walking one while striking out eight over six scoreless frames.

Ask Ferrera who his best friend on the day was, and there’s a good chance he’ll answer with Tucker Talbott (Atlantic Beach, Fla.). Talbott gashed a two-run single to left to provide the only run support needed in the shutout win. He followed this by gunning down a runner at home from right to preserve Ferrera’s pristine pitching line, showing off his strong arm in the process. Talbott is tall and athletic, displaying good patience at the plate with an efficient, short swing. He has wheels, too, made apparent as he got down the line quickly to beat out an infield single. Talbott is an interesting player to watch for the future as a position player alone, but also profiles as a two-way player, ranked 28th in his class among Florida righthanders.

John-Michael Hamby (2019, Canton, Ga.) got the start for his team and offered a glimpse at his unorthodox sidearm delivery. He was able to touch 83 mph from the low arm slot and confounded hitters with the unusual arm angle. Hamby pitches with a lot of moxie, attacking hitters with a bulldog mentality and working quickly, and occasionally throws a pitch from over the top to fool batters. One knock on him would be iffy control, but if he can rein that in, he profiles as an interesting arm to watch based on his unique delivery alone. Hamby, an athletic player, is also the 20th-ranked shortstop in his class in Georgia, making him an intriguing two-way talent.

Tyler Schimming (2019, Forest Hill, Md.) got his morning started off right with a tremendous outing on the mound. The rising senior came out firing in the first frame at 83-84 mph before settling down to around 80 for the remainder of the start. He elevates the fastball effectively and mixes in a curve that works both in the dirt and in the zone to freeze hitters. When hitters weren’t flailing around in the box, they tried bunting to get on base anyway they could, only to watch Schimming make a couple of very athletic plays to retire them. One potential red flag is Schimming’s arm path, as he brings the ball all the way down and behind him after it exits the glove. However, it didn’t seem to hamper his command today, and he kept a consistent delivery throughout the start. Schimming, ranked eighth in his class among Maryland right-handers, finished one out shy of a compete game, striking out eight while walking one.

Taking advantage of the early morning tilt, Zach Turner (2019, Acworth, Ga.) made hitters look drowsy with his overpowering stuff. He consistently hit 85 mph with ease, and, standing at 6-foot-2, has room to add velocity as he adds muscle to his frame. When right, his curveball was electric, a pitch with very sharp bite that makes hitters feel very uncomfortable when behind in the count. Turner’s control could be on and off, as he would walk a hitter on four pitches before coming back to strike the next one out with three; however, he was able to work around whatever trouble he faced as he allowed no runs. Turner, the 71st-ranked Georgia righty in his class, only threw three innings in an easy victory for his team, fanning six and giving up a lone hit.

A toolsy player who may be flying under the radar is Derrick Dennis (2018, Alpharetta, Ga.). Dennis, a stocky, strong player, made consistent, solid contact at the plate and did damage as he did so, doubling down the left field line in his first at-bat before tripling a run home to the left-center wall in his second go-round. There aren’t many moving parts in his easy swing and he uses his strong wrists to generate good bat speed. He also moves around the bases extremely well for a player of his build: the triple he hit probably ends up as a double for a lot of hitters, and earlier in the game would have stolen third with ease had the batter not fouled the pitch off. Despite limited opportunities, he looked good in the field, too, showing soft hands and a strong arm in snaring a tough short hop at third base and firing for the out.

Teammates Blake Redman (2020, Kennesaw, Ga.) and Jason Miller (2020, Riverwood, Ga.) were a dynamic duo atop the lineup Tuesday afternoon. Both players displayed a strong two-strike approach as grinded out tough at-bats to reach base via single and score in what turned out to be a crucial four-run inning. Even considering their strong plate approaches, the pair was most notable for their exploits in the field. Redman showed good outfield instincts in right with great first-step quickness and has a lot of range, covering a ton of ground on flies and making them look routine. Miller, ranked tenth among Georgia shortstops in his class, showcased an immaculate glove at shortstop, deftly charging slow rollers and firing accurately on the run. Any team would be happy to have impact players like these two patrolling the field.

As if the smoke he threw wasn’t enough, the deadpan stare coming from Tyler Olenchuk (2020, Irmo, S.C.) did nothing to quell the fears of hitters. Olenchuk has a strong, sturdy frame and exudes the toughness of an old-school player. He sat 88-89 with his fastball, pitching with a high leg kick and a powerful stride toward home. He thrived around the outside corner on both righties and lefties, showing good command to both sides. The Clemson commit also flashed a curveball that at times looked above average. Worth mentioning is that both offerings lost a little zip from the stretch. He did run into a bit of trouble in the second inning as he was victimized by a trio of defensive misplays but did well to minimize the damage to one run, before striking out the side in his next frame. With two years of high school remaining, it will be interesting to see the progression of Olenchuk, who currently stands as the second-ranked class of 2020 righthander in the state of South Carolina.

– Cameron Hines



There were many standout performers during the semifinal round of the 17u WWBA National Championship Qualifier on Wednesday, highlighted by heavy fastballs and hard contact from some of the best in the 2018, 2019, and 2020 classes.

Logan Tanner (2019, Lucedale, Miss.) delivered another strong outing on the mound Wednesday at the 17u WWBA National Championship Qualifier. In his last tune-up before the Perfect Game National Showcase later in the week, Tanner was able to work both sides of the plate with a fastball that was 87-90. Tanner, who is a Mississippi State commit, was again able to keep hitters off balance with an advanced mix of timings in his delivery. Tanner’s easy arm action looks effortless as the ball jumps out of his hand, and he continues to showcase one of the more repeatable lower half’s in the 2019 class.

Travis Odom (2019, Franklin, Tenn.) was another bright spot on the mound for Team Georgia Wednesday. Odom was 84-88 with his fastball on Wednesday, and showed an ability to spot up a tight breaking ball at 70-72. An Auburn commit, Odom has flashed an ability to run the fastball up to 92 in events past, and has a projectable frame at 6-foot-2, 185-pounds. While command was spotty at times, Odom was able to make big pitches throughout to keep hitters off base. Expect Odom to continue to impress at this week’s National Showcase.

At the plate DRB Elite’s Reuben Church (2020, Maryville, Tenn.) had two of the best exit velocities of the day with a pair of singles that were 94.5 and 97.5 off the bat respectively. Church has a big 6-foot-1, 195-pound frame, and has shown the bat control to hit for power to both fields. An uncommitted member of the 2020 class, Church has a very balanced stance, and though he did strikeout a couple times on the day, he showed an ability to identify pitches, working deep counts on multiple occasions. The bat speed and frame is there to continue to hit for power as the summer goes on.

– Nate Schweers
Give us your feedback
Tournaments | Story | 11/6/2026

National All State Preview: Week 1
Hannah Jo Groves
Article Image
This weekend, teams from all around the country in the 10U, 12U and 14U divisions will converge on the Houston area for the 2026 PG National All-State Select Championships. The 10U division will have 22 teams, 12U will have 23 and 14U will have 22. All ages have many different states represented - from Hawaii, to the Pacific Northwest, to Arizona, to New England, to Carolina to Florida and many more. “National All-State brings together the best players in the country across Houston,” national crosschecker and northeast scouting director, John McAdams, said. “It’s a fun atmosphere for ultimate bragging rights amongst all the regions the PG platform reaches domestically while serving as a good litmus test for myself, Jheremy Brown and Tyler Russo to see the players. We get another glimpse at the end of the year as we start to formulate our initial thoughts on the...
Read More
General | General | 11/6/2026

Class of 2028 Rankings Update

Article Image
Read More
Draft | Rankings | 11/6/2026

2027 MLB Draft Board Update: Top 200

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
PG Draft Content Hub With the fall season winding down and the winter months approaching, it is time for another draft board update.  After getting more live looks and gathering information from the fall action across the country, we have expanded the board to a Top-200. The class continues to feature an intriguing mix of arms from both the prep and college ranks, along with an enticing position player pool.  There is still plenty of time for new names to emerge and established prospects to continue to improve their draft stock, but here is where things stand as we head into the winter.  * denotes draft eligible sophomore Rk. Name Level Pos. B-T School Hometown State Commitment 1 Dylan Seward H SS S-R Norco Eastvale CA Tennessee 2 Brendan Lawson C SS L-R Florida Toronto ON 3 Dax Whitney C RHP R-R Oregon State Blackfoot ID 4 Tomas Valincius C LHP L-L Mississippi State...
Read More
College | Story | 11/6/2026

College Fall Notebook: November 6

Craig Cozart
Article Image
Virginia Cavaliers  2026 In Review:  Under the leadership of first year Head Coach Chris Pollard, the Cavaliers won 37 games which was the second most victories by a first-year coach in program history.  Virginia went (37-23) finishing tied for 8th in the ACC and earned an at-large bid to the Hattiesburg Regional.  They fielded a talented offense that averaged over 8-runs per game, highlighted by AJ Gracia and Eric Becker who were both selected on Day 1 of the 2026 MLB Draft.  While the defensive squad wasn’t quite as elite as usual, they were ultra-competitive on the mound with a strong rotation and lock down bullpen.  With plenty of talent returning for Pollard and his staff in ’27, they should be a force on a national level once again.  Impact Returners:    Senior Antonio Perrotta (.266/.459/.431, 5 HR, 6 2B, 24 RBI) experienced...
Read More
General | General | 11/5/2026

Wolforth Throwing Mentorship: Article 70

Ron Wolforth
Article Image
That Off-Season Program Wasn't Built for Your Son. It Was Built for Nobody. The Harsh Reality of Skill Development · Part 2 of 5 Somewhere right now, a pitcher is starting a twelve-week off-season program. It came from his travel team. Or a trainer. Or a big leaguer's Instagram. It has phases and a logo, and every kid in the building got the same one. Here is the harsh reality. That program was written before anybody looked at your son. It doesn't know he exists. It was built for the average pitcher... and the average pitcher does not exist. A Template Fixes Somebody's Problem. Maybe Not His. Every pitcher who is stuck is stuck for a reason. We call that reason his constraint... the thing that is actually limiting him right now. For one kid it is strength. For the next it is mobility. For the next it is a mechanical inefficiency, or an arm that isn't recovering, or a body that...
Read More
General | General | 11/5/2026

Wolforth Throwing Mentorship: Article 69

Ron Wolforth
Article Image
Your Son's April Arm Injury is Being Scheduled Right Now   The Harsh Reality of Skill Development - Part 1 of 5 Let me start this series with something most people in baseball won't say out loud. In my experience, a great many of the arm problems we will see next April are being set up right now... in October, November and December. Not necessarily because a young pitcher is throwing too much. Often it's because of what happens when he stops. Here is the pattern. I have watched it for more than thirty years. The fall season ends. The arm is tired, so the family does what seems like the responsible thing.  They shut it down. No throwing. For a lot of kids, no anything. Weeks go by. The holidays come and go. Then somebody looks at a calendar in January and realizes tryouts are three weeks away. Suddenly, an arm that has done nothing since October is asked to go from zero to game...
Read More
High School | Rankings | 11/4/2026

Class of 2027 Rankings Risers

Kyler Peterson
Article Image
Complete Class of 2027 Rankings With the end of the summer and fall seasons behind us, it was time for a quick refresh of the 2027 class rankings. Below you'll be able to read about some of the biggest risers up the board, led by North Carolina outfielder John Hucko who jumped more than 110 spots to now sit at No. 20 overall.  John Hucko, OF, Charlotte, N.C. Previous Rank: 132 | Current Rank: 20 Hucko makes a huge leap into the top-20 players in the class after a dominating showing in Jupiter. It’s as good of a left-handed swing as you’ll come across with pretty easy impact to all parts. He’s a supreme athlete with all the tools to play center long term and is a present plus runner. Hucko is a name that cemented his prospect status in Jupiter and will be a name to follow for next year’s MLB Draft. Elyjah Mason, SS, Lake Forest, Calif. Previous Rank: 71 |...
Read More
General | General | 11/3/2026

Class of 2027 Rankings Update

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Read More
Press Release | Press Release | 11/2/2026

PG Partners Up with Minority Prospects

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 ANNOUNCES MEDIA RIGHTS PARTNERSHIP WITH MINORITY PROSPECTS   Sanford, Florida (Monday, November 2, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced a media rights partnership with Minority Prospects, the Atlanta-based organization that has become the largest platform in the world for minority baseball and softball prospects. The partnership kicked off last month at the WWBA World Championship in Jupiter, Fla., Perfect Game's premier fall event, where Minority Prospects produced content featuring some of the nation's top amateur players in front of college coaches, professional scouts and MLB legends. Under the agreement, Minority...
Read More
Draft | Story | 10/30/2026

2027 Draft Preview: Prep Middle Infielders

Ryan Miller
Article Image
2027 MLB Draft Profile Preview: Collegiate Right-Handed Pitchers | Collegiate Left-Handed Pitchers The premium profile in each class often are prep middle infielders, a sought-after group with the athletic ability to stick on the dirt or land throughout the diamond long term. This demographic has produced the superstars of today’s game and therefore are selected in prime spots while demanding high-end signing bonuses. This group features a mix of loud tools, high level projection, and impact defenders. Below we break down at the top prep middle infielder in the 2027 cycle.  ‘27 SS Dylan Seward (CA)- liftoff from the No. 1 player in the class. A solo blast to RCF to extend the lead for @TheCanesBB #WWBA @California_PG @Vol_Baseball commit https://t.co/lJjNg6T7PS — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) June 27, 2026 SS Dylan Seward, Norco (CA)  The Southern...
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.