THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,608 MLB PLAYERS | 16,397 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,608 MLB PLAYERS | 16,397 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Sign in Create Account
Sign in Create Account
Tournaments  | Story | 7/28/2018

Vailes gem propels 643 Cougars

Nate Schweers
Photo: Gage Vailes (Perfect Game)

EMERSON, Ga. – The 643 DP Cougars earned their way to the semifinals of the 18u Perfect Game Summer Showdown with an 8-0 victory over the East Cobb Yankees 17u on Saturday. The Cougars will take on the East Cobb Yankees at 10:15 a.m. on Sunday with a trip to the championship on the line.

Gage Vailes turned in a dominant start of the Cougars on Saturday, tossing six shutout innings. Vailes, who is a Kennesaw State commit, was able to scatter five hits and strike out eight Yankees in the complete game effort.



“I felt really good today. The weather cooperated and it was nice out so that helped a lot,” said Vailes, who was able to keep hitters off balance with a good mix of his fastball and slider. “My catcher and the fielders behind me were definitely working hard. They made a couple really nice plays to keep them from scoring.”

Vailes is just one piece of a pitching staff that has been dominant for the Cougars all summer. Head coach and 643 DP founder Danny Pralgo believes that his pitchers have a unique bond in their training and that only helps the team get better.

“All of these guys push each other because they’re all going to be throwing at the next level,” said Pralgo. “They work so hard to get better on their off days, so what that means to me is that none of these guys think they’re where they need to be yet. It goes to show you that that might have been Gage’s best outing all summer, and I would have said the same thing during his last five or six outings.”

At the plate, Georgia Tech commit Andrew Jenkins had a strong day. Jenkins was 2-for-3 with a pair of hard-hit doubles on Saturday, and one of them drove in a run for the Cougars. Rated as Perfect Game’s ninth-best player in the state of Georgia for the 2019 class, Jenkins has been trying to just keep it simple as of late.

“Today I was just trying to settle down and stay within myself,” said Jenkins, who thinks a championship tomorrow would be the perfect end to the summer. “It would mean a lot to me and all my teammates to just end up on the highest note possible."

With a pair of wins tomorrow, the Cougars would finish off what has been one of the more impressive summers on the travel ball circuit. The Cougars won the 17u WWBA National Championship Qualifier in mid-June, and made a run into the playoffs at the 17u WWBA National Championship earlier this month.

Winners of the last three 17u Perfect Game Summer Showdowns, the Cougars came up just short of four in a row earlier this week with a loss in the championship. While the Home Plate Chili Dogs ended what was a fantastic run, coach Pralgo is looking to start another run on Sunday.

“While we weren’t able to get it done in last week’s championship, you have to tip your hat to the Home Plate team. They played well, we played well, and sometimes it just doesn't bounce your way,” said Pralgo. “My guys have done everything we’ve asked of them all summer long. The motto has been to just do your job.”

To coach Pralgo, winning isn’t the ultimate goal. The 643 DP program consistently produces great baseball players that have the skills and knowledge to succeed at the next level. While championships are great, he judges success in a different way.

“We are absolutely okay with losing baseball games if we play the game the right way. We have been playing it the right way all summer long, so I couldn't be more proud of these guys. They really push each other to get better all the time.”

The Cougars will be looking to cap off a great summer tomorrow, but they will have to compete with three other teams with the same goal in mind.


East Cobb Yankees

The East Cobb Yankees were able to take down the 643 DP Tigers (Beasley) 5-0 in the quarterfinals on Saturday. The Yankees are 4-0 at this week’s event, and will take on the Cougars in tomorrow’s semifinal. Yankees starter Payton MacPherson was able to toss a complete game shutout in the win, and he struck out seven batters while allowing just two hits. At the plate, David Burke led the way with a two-run double to put the Yankees out front. 

East Cobb Colt .45’s 17u

The Colt .45’s were able to sprint to victory in their quarterfinal win over the Denny Pritchett Redbirds. The Colt .45’s were able to score six runs in the fourth inning to jump out to a commanding 8-0 lead. Second baseman Brandon Jolliff was 2-for-3 in Saturday’s game, leading the way with three RBI.

Bodyshop Baseball 18u

Bodyshop Baseball was able to hold on in extra innings to beat the Georgia Scorpions Select 2019 8-7 on Saturday. Bodyshop was able to score three in the top of the eighth inning to create some separation. At the plate, Bryson Fowler was 3-for-3 with as many RBI on Saturday. Fowler is a high follow in the 2018 class and he will be attending Southern Wesleyan University in the fall. On the mound, Thomas Harmon didn't allow an earned run out of the bullpen. Harmon was able to strike out four batters in his 5 2/3 innings. Bodyshop will take on the Colt .45’s in Sunday’s other semifinal.
Give us your feedback
Tournaments | Story | 8/26/2026

Underclass Area Codes: Standout Arms
Joey Cohen
Article Image
Year in and year out when the best young talent from across the country is packed into one national-level event the arms tend to win the week. That feels especially true in today’s amateur game where velocity, pitch design and high-level training in general are being introduced earlier than ever, allowing young pitchers to develop impactful stuff at a faster rate than younger hitters can consistently catch up to it. The Underclass Area Code Games are no exception and this year there was no shortage of arms that made you stop and take notice. Narrowing it down to 10 was difficult, but I focused on the pitchers who either displayed starter-type traits, brought something genuinely different from a delivery standpoint whether it was slot, height, crossfire or deception or simply possessed an outlier element of stuff that separated them from the pack. These are the 10 arms that stood...
Read More
Draft | Story | 8/23/2026

2026 MLB Draft Report Cards: NL East

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
With the 2026 MLB Draft officially in the books, it’s time to evaluate how each team performed. Every draft class was graded using the standard 20-80 scouting scale with risk factor assigned. While these grades won’t be proven right or wrong for years, they reflect the overall talent, value, and upside each organization added to its system. NL East Atlanta Braves  Grade: 55 Risk: High Notable Selections: OF AJ Gracia (1st rd) | OF Carter Beck (PPI) | RHP Kaiden McCarthy (2nd rd) | RHP Jensen Hirschkorn (3rd rd)   OF AJ Gracia (@UVABaseball) is seeing the ball really well & picked up a couple of hits, including a 2B into RCF. Smooth LH stroke & easy impact. Showed + pwr in BP, 46 BB: 36 K. Jr./'26 elig. @PG_Draft pic.twitter.com/C4rSc0ZNIc — PG College Baseball (@PGCollegeBall) May 30, 2026 Atlanta had $15,870,800 to spend in this year’s draft,...
Read More
Draft | Story | 8/22/2026

2026 MLB Draft Report Cards: AL East

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
With the 2026 MLB Draft officially in the books, it’s time to evaluate how each team performed. Every draft class was graded using the standard 20-80 scouting scale with risk factor assigned. While these grades won’t be proven right or wrong for years, they reflect the overall talent, value, and upside each organization added to its system. AL East Baltimore Orioles Grade: 50 Risk: High Notable Selections: OF Eric Booth Jr. (1st rd) | OF Ty Head (2nd rd) | OF Kevin Roberts Jr (4th rd)  Eric Booth Jr. (26 MS) goes big fly 💣 that carried out oppo. Explosive athlete w/ huge LH juice & tools. Big time in several facets. #NatElite #Vandy commit. @PG_DeepSouth pic.twitter.com/kXl7ZVyD9G — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) July 12, 2025 Baltimore was about middle of the pack in terms of money available this year, having $13.1m to spend on their class. Booth Jr. is a...
Read More
Draft | Story | 8/24/2026

Area Code Gams: Prospect Recap

Steve Fiorindo
Article Image
Pitchers George Ferguson, RHP, Abilene HS  Ferguson toed the slab for the Rangers squad in game one of the Codes, setting the tone early with some loud stuff.  Ferguson attacked hitters with a verty fastball up to 96 that played well up in the zone with up to 24 inches of induced vertical break.  He showed more than just a power arsenal, going to the changeup often, using the pitch to put away hitters.  Kills the spin to the 1600’s, regularly getting 13-15 inches of horizontal break.  The slider rounded out the arsenal, working 82/83.  Struck out four over his three innings of work, two on the fastball, two on the change.  2026 PG All American committed to Texas.  Quinn Fitzpatrick, RHP, Stratford HS  Another 2026 PG All American out of Texas, the LSU commit punched out three over his two innings of work, allowing just one hit. ...
Read More
Draft | Story | 8/21/2026

2027 Draft Preview: Collegiate RHP

Ryan Miller
Article Image
2027 MLB Draft Profile Preview: College Right-Handed Pitchers  Throughout the 2027 draft cycle, I’ll be breaking down different demographics in the class. Today we begin with collegiate right-handed pitching, a strong group that is headlined by a legitimate 1-1 candidate in Dax Whitney. Most of the group is made up of high-quality power four arms, with a handful of mid-major arms mixed in. Below are the top college right-handers in the 2027 class:  Dax Whitney (@BeaverBaseball) showed LOUD stuff. FB up to 100, cruised at 95-98. Pair of plus secondaries. CB at 77-79 (2923) with sharp, 12-6 action. Firm SL at 89-91 (2714) with bite. Flashed fading CH at 87-88 (1425). Ranked No. 1 on the ‘27 board @PG_Draft So./‘27 elig. pic.twitter.com/9PNbjJ53Zo — PG College Baseball (@PGCollegeBall) February 13, 2026 Dax Whitney, Oregon State  Whitney has maintained...
Read More
All American Game | Story | 8/21/2026

Brotherly Love Inspires Carter Hadnot

Jim Salisbury
Article Image
PHILADELPHIA – Perfect Game has been a big part of Carter Hadnot’s life since he was 12. He participated in more than a dozen tournaments and showcases, including prestigious Select Festivals as a 13U and 14U player, as well as last summer’s PG All-Star Game for underclassmen in San Diego.   The PG event that Hadnot always wanted to be part of was the DICK’s All-American Classic. Now, that’s on his resume, too. He played in the 24th annual Classic earlier this week at Citizens Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies. “This means a lot to me,” he said during the event. “I always wanted to make it to Select Fest when I was younger. So, every time I get invited to an event it’s an honor and it’s fun. I don’t take it for granted. “This is definitely the one I always wanted to make it to. A lot of big names have...
Read More
Press Release | Press Release | 8/18/2026

Perfect Game & Delano Partner Up

Article Image
  667 Progress Way | Sanford, FL 32771 | 319-298-2923 www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   PERFECT GAME NAMES DELANO BAT COMPANY OFFICIAL WOOD COMPOSITE BAT PARTNER, LAUNCHES LIMITED-EDITION BAT SERIES   Delano Bats will serve as the Official Game Bat of the 13U Select Festival, taking place this coming weekend in East Cobb, Georgia   Sanford, Florida (Tuesday, August 18, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced a new partnership with Delano Bat Company, LLC, naming the company an Official Wood Composite Bat Partner of Perfect Game. The partnership will feature three exclusive limited-edition bat releases, which began with the Original Glory American Flag Bat in celebration of the United States' 250th birthday, that...
Read More
Draft | Story | 8/17/2026

2026 MLB Draft Report Cards: NL Central

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
2026 MLB Draft Report Cards: AL West | NL West | AL Central With the 2026 MLB Draft officially in the books, it’s time to evaluate how each team performed. Every draft class was graded using the standard 20-80 scouting scale with risk factor assigned. While these grades won’t be proven right or wrong for years, they reflect the overall talent, value, and upside each organization added to its system. NL Central Chicago Cubs  Grade: 40 Risk: Medium Notable Selections: RHP Cade Townsend (1st rd) | OF Caden Sorrell (2nd rd) | 1B Myles Bailey (2C)   RHP Cade Townsend (@OleMissBSB) sat 95-96 T97 w/ riding FB from fast arm. Nasty cutter at 88-91 is the go-to, showed biting 2 pln SL. Low-80s top to bottom CB & CH ~ 1300 RPM to round out mix. Has had a great spring & risen up boards. Soph./'26 elig. @PG_Draft pic.twitter.com/TAFbM37f5j — PG College...
Read More
Draft | Story | 8/17/2026

2026 MLB Draft Report Cards: AL Central

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
2026 MLB Draft Report Cards: AL West | NL West With the 2026 MLB Draft officially in the books, it’s time to evaluate how each team performed. Every draft class was graded using the standard 20-80 scouting scale with risk factor assigned. While these grades won’t be proven right or wrong for years, they reflect the overall talent, value, and upside each organization added to its system. AL Central Cleveland Guardians  Grade: 45 Risk: Moderate  Notable Selections: RHP Liam Peterson (1st rd) | Tre Broussard OF (3rd rd) | RHP Savion Sims (7th rd)  Liam Peterson (@GatorsBB) has been pure power stuff through the first 3.0 IP in his start vs Bama…imposing his will on hitters with a fastball that has grabbed 100 mph a few times, backed up by his power slider and curveball @PG_Draft pic.twitter.com/RVThNrdMTn — PG College Baseball (@PGCollegeBall) May 21,...
Read More
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
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.