THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,497 MLB PLAYERS | 15,833 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,497 MLB PLAYERS | 15,833 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Tournaments  | Story | 10/22/2018

Panthers run the table for title

Photo: South Charlotte Panthers 2022 (Perfect Game)



WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – It took a late semifinal rally for the South Charlotte Panthers to even make Monday’s championship game of the WWBA Freshman World Championship. After scoring seven runs in the final two innings to earn their spot in the title game, a six-run first inning for the Panthers was plenty of cushion for Cameron Padgett (2022, Salisbury, N.C.) who fired 6 1/3 shutout innings in the 6-0 triumph over 5 Star National Black 15u.

Padgett set the tone early for the South Charlotte Panthers with a clean first inning of work, and right away his offense provided him with a chance to pitch with a lead. Parker Byrd (2022, Laurinburg, Ga.) lined a one-out double to the gap in left-center and Matt Heavner (2022, Lincolnton, N.C.) followed with a fly ball that dropped into right that allowed Byrd to come in to score to make it 1-0.

Graham Smiley (2022, Stanley, N.C.) kept the line moving as he hammered a hanging breaking ball to the wall in left to score Heavner and Xavier Isaac (2022, Kernersville, N.C.) hit a shallow fly to left that fell in to bring Smiley to the plate and make it a 3-0 Panther advantage. The runs did not stop flowing there as a dropped third strike allowed Issac to trot home and Aiden Evans (2022, Cornelius, N.C.) lined a two-out, two-run single to left to make it a six-run start for the Panthers.

With that lead, Padgett was able to pound the strike zone and only ran into trouble in the fifth inning after allowing the first two men to reach, but got a double play on a line drive to second and a strikeout to keep 5 Star off the board.

“It helped a lot knowing my offense was behind me, all I had to do was pitch to contact,” Padgett said after the game.

After getting the first out in the seventh, Padgett was lifted, allowing just three hits, a pair of walks and finishing his outstanding outing with eight strikeouts. Heavner came on to record the final two outs with ease to culminate an outstanding display for the week from Panther head coach Scott Clemens’ young men.

“We’ve worked all year long to improve our approach at the plate, offensively we feel like we don’t have any holes top to bottom," Clemens said. “To come through with that situation against the Canes was awesome, but we had a situation in our quarterfinal where were down 4-1 and they just wouldn’t quit. The guys were resilient all week, they bought in to what we were telling them and they took care of their bodies.

“Having 7-8 games is a grind on anyone’s body, there’s a lot of emotions going on. To get back up today, having the guys here at 6:45 a.m. in the cage, I could tell they were up and ready to play.”

Lost in the winning effort for the Panthers was the relief appearance by 5 Star’s Zacharia Taha (2022, Fort Myers, Fla.) who entered with one out in the first inning and gave his team 6 1/3 scoreless innings, finishing with three hits allowed and four strikeouts without issuing a walk. 

The story of the day was certainly the effort on the mound from Padgett, which was the capper to four appearances over the tournament in which he worked 12 1/3 innings, collecting 11 strikeouts and didn’t allow a single run. His performance was more than worthy of being selected as the tournament’s Most Valuable Pitcher going head-to-head against some of the top teams from across the country.

“It was a great experience, early in the tournament we had a lot of energy, being able to come all the way down to Florida from North Carolina being able to play with all these kids from around the country, being able to see their energy and see that different competition really helped out a lot and will help our games,” Padgett said.

Out of all the top performances at the plate from the Panthers across their lineup, Isaac was chosen as the tournament’s MVP with a .400 average (8-for-20), four extra-base hits and eight RBI to go along with his stellar defense at first base. 

“We had to stay energetic, Cam and I tried bringing the guys up and that was our biggest thing this week,” Issac said. “We played great and had a really good time.”

Evans led the Panthers with nine hits and drove in eight runs for the tournament and Byrd matched Issac’s eight hits and drove in six runs, while Tanner Zellem (2022, Fleming Island, Fla.) led 5 Star offensively with a .471 average (8-for-17) and seven RBI for the runner-ups.

Facing a 3-0 deficit to a talented Canes National 2022 club in their morning semifinal, the Panther bats rose to the occasion, a trait that they had shown all tournament with being able to put up runs in bunches. One swing off the bat from Braylen Hayes (2022, Sophia, N.C.) changed the game as his two-run triple, and trot home after the throw to try and nab him at third went into the dugout, tied the score up, setting up a seventh-inning, two-out rally.

With men on first and second, Smiley bounced a ground ball through the left side with the runners on the move to put his team ahead for good, and Isaac added a booming two-run double to help pad a lead the Panthers wouldn’t relinquish as they took a 7-4 victory and momentum into their matchup with 5 Star.

5 Star’s William Joyner (2022, Lake Park, Ga.) worked five innings of one-run ball, striking out six to lead his team to the championship game as 5 Star defeated US Elite 15u National 6-1. That win allowed 5 Star to advance to the championship game after a long week that included three playoff victories on Sunday to have a shot to play for a title.


2018 WWBA Freshman World Championship runner-up: 5 Star National Black 15u



2018 WWBA Freshman World Championship MVP: Xavier Isaac



2018 WWBA Freshman World Championship MV-Pitcher: Cameron Padgett






Tournaments | Story | 7/13/2026

17u Elite Scout Notes: Days 1-2

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
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,...
Draft | Mock Draft | 7/13/2026

2027 Mock Draft: Way Too Early Ediition

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
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
Article Image
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...
Tournaments | Story | 7/12/2026

14u BCS Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Austin Way (2030, Yulee, FL) was 2-3 in game four, driving in a run and scoring once himself. Picked it well defensively at shortstop but really showed out in the box today. Works the barrel path to the middle of the field and whips the barrel through the zone. The RHH creates lift in the turn, and the ball jumps off the bat hot.  Sutton Walling (2029, Ponte Vedra, FL) is an athletic 5’11/160lb infielder who gets it done on both sides of the ball. Dominated at the plate right behind his teammate Way in the batting order going 3-3 with two doubles. He does a really good job with the barrel accuracy and works through contact with heavy hands. Lots of project-ability in the profile and is having a sneaky great week at the plate. Banks Kennedy (2030, Arcadia, FL) received it well behind the dish and was the leading force in this one driving in three rbis. He ended up going 2-3...
Draft | Story | 7/12/2026

2026 MLB Draft: Best Available

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
2026 MLB Draft: Best Available for Day Two  A total of 135 players heard their name called on Saturday. As always, signability, bonus pool strategy, and organizational preferences play a major role in how the board unfolds. With that being said, we saw a majority of the top half off the board get selected, but there are a number of players ranked inside our Top 150 that remain available. From high-upside prep talent to polished college performers, these are the top names still available according to our Final Top 500 Draft Board.  Top Prep Bats Available (with Top-500 Board Rankings) 38. Archer Horn, SS/RHP, St. Ignatius College Prep (CA) 58. Blake Bowen, OF, JSerra Catholic (CA) 64. James Tronstein, SS/OF, Harvard-Westlake (CA) 66. Noah Wilson, OF, McCallie School (TN) 71. Cole Koeninger, SS/RHP, Keller (TX) 77. Sean Dunlap, C, Crown Point (IN) 82. Alex Weingartner, OF//RHP,...
Tournaments | Story | 7/11/2026

17U National Elite Heads to Hoover

Kinley Kitchens
Article Image
Another week, another big tournament makes its way to Hoover.  This week, 104 of the nation’s top 17U teams will make their way to Hoover for the 2026 Perfect Game 17U National Elite Championship.  Featuring nationally ranked teams, Division I commits, and many of the country’s top 2027 players, the tournament promises another week of elite competition as teams battle for one of the biggest championships of the summer.  With many players already committed to some of the nation’s top college programs, every game in Hoover this week offers a glimpse into the future of college baseball.  Now entering its eighth year, the National Elite Championship continues to bring in the nation’s best. Past champions include Team Elite Scout Team, Canes National, USA Prime National, Scorpions/Giants Scout Team, 5 Star Performance National, Knights Knation Scout...
Draft | Story | 7/12/2026

2026 MLB Draft: Day One Recap

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
Storylines Heavy College Run Early We came into the day knowing that there were a lot of talented college players at the top of the board, more specifically college bats. That came to light very early in the day, as we saw just two prep players selected within the first ten picks. The college preference lasted throughout most of the entire first round. Nearly 75% of the first 40 selections were college players. It is clear teams want players at the top of the draft that can quickly get through the system and help the big league club as soon as possible. Underslot Strategy Throughout this cycle, we knew that once you get past the first handful of picks the difference in value you were getting for let say pick ten was not that difference compared to pick 30. Because there was a large collection of players that are relatively close in value, teams were looking to get creative. We saw this...
Draft | Mock Draft | 7/11/2026

Final 2026 MLB Mock Draft

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
It's draft day and that means it's time for our final Mock Draft with the 2026 group. 1. Chicago White Sox | Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA It’s between Roch and Grady Emerson at this pick, though there have been heavy rumors of a very late deal potentially with another top 5 pick. This boils down to negotiations and we think that they will get there.  2. Tampa Bay Rays | Grady Emerson, SS, Fort Worth Christian (Tex.) If Grady isn’t the first pick then he is almost certain to be the second pick. The Rays like to get creative but Emerson is a well worth prospect in his own right.  3.  Minnesota Twins | Vahn Lackey, C, Georgia Tech This is likely the floor for Roch Cholowsky, though the Twins might prefer Lackey to Roch outright. They are thought to be in on the top college players with Emerson a distant third.  4. San Francisco Giants | Jackson Flora, RHP, UC...
Tournaments | Story | 7/10/2026

Ohio Valley Regional Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
‘28 INF Christian Ramirez (OH) WALKS IT OFF for @CincyDBulls2028 to win the chip! Has shown impressive tools throughout the weekend and in this AB showed the ability to adjust to the offspeed and win the game. #OVElite pic.twitter.com/J3MXJXFnbM — Perfect Game Ohio Valley (@PG_OhioValley) July 5, 2026 Christian Ramirez (2028, Mason, Ohio) helped his team win the championship batting out of the two-hole. Though he didn’t win tournament MVP, Ramirez was my favorite player to watch take a plate appearance. He has an advanced feel for the zone and sees the ball out of the pitcher’s hand quicker than most. Ramirez led the tournament with eight walks, batting .375 with a .583 on-base percentage. Much more than just the approach, the swing is efficient with little wasted movement, creates quality separation, and puts him in an excellent position at contact. With such an...
College | Story | 7/10/2026

Cape Cod Notebook No. 1

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Cape Cod League Scouting Notebook  Maverick Rizy | Ole Miss | RHP | Brewster Whitecaps  The towering 6-foot-9, 250-pound right-hander continues to stand out with one of the more unique looks on the Cape, pairing a massive frame with a low three-quarter slot that creates difficult angles for hitters. While his fastball velocity was down from its typical mid-90s range during this look, working mostly 90-92 mph, it still generated plenty of swing-and-miss. He paired the heater with an 81-83 mph gyro slider featuring tight bullet-spin action and mixed in an 85-mph changeup with quality separation. Rizy battled his command early in the outing I saw, before settling in to strike out five over three innings, showing the ability to adjust as the game progressed. Through 12.2 Cape League innings, he has recorded 18 strikeouts, and his combination of size, deception, and projectability...
Loading more articles...