THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,467 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,467 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Sign in Create Account
Sign in Create Account
Draft  | Story | 5/22/2019

Rutledge's rank on the rise

Jeff Dahn
Photo: Jackson Rutledge (Perfect Game)

Jackson Rutledge Scouting Report | 2019 MLB Draft Preview Index

The road many of the eligible prospects travel to the MLB June Amateur Draft each year is sometimes littered with detours, as Jackson Rutledge learned over the last two years. And sometimes one of those detours will deliver those top prospects to their desired destination even quicker than anticipated.

Rutledge, an imposing 6-foot-8, 260-pound right-hander out of St. Louis, Mo., went undrafted out of Rockwood Summit High School in 2017, and headed to Fayetteville, Ark., where he was looking forward to embarking on a three-year career as an Arkansas Razorback; getting ready for the 2020 draft was the goal.

But things weren’t quite right for Rutledge in Fayetteville – he battled a torn hip labrum in his first and only season in 2018 – so he changed course. He left the ranks of NCAA D-I baseball and got on board with NJCAA D-I powerhouse San Jacinto College-North in Houston, where his breakout 2019 season sent him rocketing up draft prospect rankings across the country.

“It was everything I could have asked for,” Rutledge told PG when asked what his sophomore season at San Jac was like. “I made a lot of improvements which was a big thing, with command, with maintaining velocity deep into games which eventually led to my success.

‘And on top of that, it was a really fun season,” he added. “I was having fun playing baseball for the first time in a little while. It was really exciting for me and I couldn’t ask for any more than that.”

Rutledge made 13 starts for the Gators this spring and finished 9-2 with a nation’s best 0.87 ERA and 134 strikeouts in 82 2/3 innings pitched. His fastball reaches the upper-90s and he’s been able to maintain that velocity deep into games; he threw four complete games this season.

Just last week Rutledge was named one of 25 semifinalist for the coveted Golden Spikes Award which USA Baseball hands out annually to the top amateur player in the country; he is the only juco prospect among the semifinalists.

Perfect Game ranks Rutledge the No. 16 overall (college, juco, high school) prospect in this year’s draft, which would project to a middle of the first-round pick. A PG scouting report, filed in early March, had this to say about the big right-hander:

“Rutledge immediately stands out for his size, first and foremost. … (and he) is a physical monster in every sense of the phrase. The mechanical profile, especially in terms of the delivery, is pretty simple … and there are no red flags delivery-wise that would speak to problems down the road. … As far as stuff goes, Rutledge is right there with anyone in amateur baseball.”

In his 19 seasons as head coach at San Jac, Tom Arrington has seen his share of top prospects move through the program and on into professional baseball, and he’s got another one in Rutledge. The veteran coach is impressed by the way his right-hander manages four pitches – fastball, slider, changeup and curveball – and even with the power stuff that he has, he’s able to hit his locations.

“We’ve had many big-leaguers come through San Jac over the years, and most of the time it’s not the stuff it’s what they give to their teammates, and their character and their selflessness,” Arrington said. “He makes the players around him better.”

Arrington told PG that over the past several seasons he’s seeing more and more players opt out of their commitments to Division-I schools and start looking at other options. Many of them choose to go the junior college route simply because they don’t have to sit out a year, and Rutledge was one of them.

The coaches at San Jac knew about Rutledge’s abilities and what he might be capable of achieving and they were excited to get him, along with several others who were transferring in. Rutledge arrived in the fall when he was just starting to return to 100 percent from his hip issues, and the staff took a steady-as-she-goes approach to getting him back in a groove; the approach worked.

“I remember that day watching his first bullpen – what he was bringing forth just brought goosebumps to my arms – and I thought this kid is going to be something really special,” Arrington said. “He’s an imposing young man … and you look at him and you think this guy has all the makings to be a big-leaguer at some point.”

As Rutledge’s hip rehab progressed and he was able to gain more flexibility, the San Jac coaches started to work on fine-tuning his pitches and the development of those pitches. One of the top benefits Rutledge received from his year at San Jac was being able to work with pitching coach Woody Williams, a right-hander who pitched in the big leagues for 15 years (1993-2007).

The two clicked. Arrington noticed early on that Williams and Rutledge developed a great trust between one another. They were going to do things the right way and they were going to do things together, and a solid working relationship blossomed.

“Woody was able to mentor him in a way that he might not have gotten at other places,” Arrington said. “Being able to understand what it takes at the big league level, like using a four-seam fastball up in the zone; that was a big thing early on with us, working with Jackson to get that. … It was really just manipulating his identification of hitters, the usage of the tools that he already had and (developing) a comfort zone.

“Young ballplayers, they want to feel that trust and they want to feel that comfort that a coach is going to deliver to them and be on their side the whole way through, even through the tough times.”

Rutledge trained at P3 (Premier Pitching Performance) in St. Louis throughout his high school career while also taking part in eight PG events from 2014-16. He was at the 2015 Junior National Showcase, the 2016 National Indoor Showcase and the 2016 National Showcase, earning top prospect recognition at all three; he was all-tournament at the 2016 PG WWBA 17u National Championship while playing with the St. Louis Prospects.

Thirteen prospects that joined Rutledge at that PG National were selected in the first round of the 2017 MLB June Amateur Draft, including No. 1 overall pick Royce Lewis.

“It was a really good opportunity to kind of see where I’m at in relation to everyone else,” Rutledge said. “Staying in St. Louis, you really only have a select group that you’re competing against, so going to the Junior National, going to the National, gave me some perspective on all the guys that are out there working hard, and that gave me the motivation to work harder than them and be better than them eventually.”

Rutledge’s fastball topped-out at 91 mph at the PG National and he was still sitting in the low 90s during his injury shortened season at Arkansas. The big bump in velo came this spring, and Rutledge finds it pretty easy to identify the source.

“I think it just comes along with getting stronger, getting more mobile and moving better,” he said. “The biggest thing was just getting my hip fixed. I was looking at video from high school, video from my year at Arkansas and compared it to a bullpen I threw a few years ago, and it’s not even close (seeing) how well I’m moving now compared to what I was. Just moving the right way and getting stronger, it all eventually led to increased velo.”

In an unexpected twist to this tale, the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) placed the San Jac baseball program on probation late last year because of scholarship violations linked to letters of intent.

In a statement regarding the violations, San Jac officials said they interpreted the rules regarding student-athlete letters of intent differently the NJCAA but stated “the College respects the NJCAA’s decision and will comply with the one-semester probation.” That meant no postseason berth for the Gators.

Arrington called the probation “difficult” and “heart-breaking” and perhaps the most difficult task arrived in December when the coaches had to notify the players.

“We had to call each player to let them know what was going on, what the sanctions were … and they were free to leave at that point; we gave them that option,” Arrington said. “We let them know that we would welcome them back and that we’d still compete and do as much as we normally do on the field.”

While most of the early calls went out to the returning players, another one  went out to Jackson Rutledge. He let Arrington know that he came to San Jac to develop and become a better pitcher, that he was comfortable in Houston and he wasn’t going anywhere. No other player left, either.

“I think that’s just a testament of our relationship with those players and understanding how we’re going to help them develop in the game of baseball at San Jac,” Arrington said.

The Gators finished the season with a 40-13 mark behind an offense that produced a .291 team batting average and nearly seven runs per game. Sophomore right-hander Dane Acker (10-0, 2.36 ERA) and freshman lefty Mitchell Parker (6-0, 1.54 ERA) were the team’s other fulltime starters and provided terrific complements to Rutledge’s efforts.

This was a team that played its entire regular-season intent on proving to everyone it was one of the best in the country, even if that couldn’t be put on display during the postseason. It was a team with players who never stopped grinding and took to the field wanting to prove themselves on a daily basis.

“We’re pretty player-focused; we’re working on individual player development for the most part,” Rutledge said. “If you have a bunch of good players that’s going to eventually lead to a lot of wins, which has happened for TA (Arrington). Practices are based on what each guy needs to do to get better and that leads to the whole team getting better.”

In the event that the MLB Draft doesn’t produce the desired results, Rutledge will continue his baseball and academic careers at the University of Kentucky next year, and as a junior he would be eligible for the 2020 draft. The Wildcats look like another good fit for the big right-hander if the draft doesn’t work out.

“The big thing with them is the trust that I have in the coaches,” Rutledge said. “They recruited me out of high school so I kind of already had a relationship with them. I have a good buddy (Coltyn Kessler) that was my catcher in high school who is playing with them now, and I’ve heard a lot of good things from him.”

But make no mistake, Rutledge plans to be playing professionally as early as this summer. He wasn’t ready to make that jump out of high school, but he is a different pitcher than he was two years ago. To begin with, he’s a much more confident pitcher as a 20-year-old than he was as an 18-year-old, especially in the way he prepares for each of his starts. That, in turn, leads to a higher degree of consistency during those starts.

Rutledge has come to embrace performing in front of a throng of scouts and evaluators, saying that nervousness is very seldom a part of the equation. He tries to avoid looking up to see what’s going on around him, opting instead to keep his head down and focus on the job at hand. He did admit to feeling some nerves during one of his starts this spring when he spotted Hall-of-Famer Nolan Ryan among the onlookers. Ryan, he explained, “is kind of my hero.”

Jackson Rutledge’s road to the 2019 MLB June Amateur Draft did take a couple of detours, but everything is right on track now. The draft is now just three weeks off and the picture is starting to become more focused.

“Once I decided to transfer to San Jac that was kind of my goal, to get myself prepared for pro ball; I think I’ve absolutely done that,” Rutledge said. “Mentally and physically I’m ready to play pro ball, and if the situation is right I’d love to take that opportunity. If it’s not, I’ll be back next year after a year at Kentucky, so that’s kind of where I’m at.

“It definitely has been enjoyable,” he concluded. “There are still a few things I would have liked to (clean up) … but for the most part this past year has been incredible; just everything that I could ask for.”
Give us your feedback
Draft | Story | 6/4/2026

Pence Makes the Jump to 2027
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 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...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 6/7/2026

From Traction to Festival; Bond is Strong

Kinley Kitchens
Article Image
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...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 6/6/2026

13/14u PG Elite Scout Notes: Days 1-2

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
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...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 6/6/2026

Beast of the East Scout Notes: Day 2

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
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...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 6/3/2026

Beast of the East Heads to Georgia

Will Dembo
Article Image
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...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 6/5/2026

"Houston, We Nave a Problem"

Kinley Kitchens
Article Image
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...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 6/5/2026

Reed Continues to Prove He Belongs

Kinley Kitchens
Article Image
For many young players, competing alongside some of the top talent in the country can be intimidating. For Chris Reed, it is simply another opportunity to prove he belongs. The Conyers, Georgia native has established himself as one of the premier players in the 2030 class, currently ranking No. 24 nationally and No. 7 among shortstops according to Perfect Game. Reed’s game has consistently stood out against elite competition thanks to his athleticism, instincts, and all-around skill set. That ability was on full display during the 2025 Perfect Game 13U National Showcase, where Reed earned his invitation to the PG Select Festival, one of the most prestigious events available to players his age. “It showed that I can play with the best of the best, and that I belong,” Reed said of the experience. The event provided more than just exposure. It also reinforced an important...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 6/5/2026

Beast of the East Scout Notes: Day 1

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
‘29 SS Chase Hallett (NJ) drops the bat head on this one & lifts it out to the PS for a solo HR. Free and easy LH swing w/ present strength & more to dream on. #BeastOfTheEast @PGMidAtlantic pic.twitter.com/Ym9LFg05tx — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) June 4, 2026 Chase Hallett (2029, Pennington, N.J.) came up with a loud swing on Thursday morning, dropping the barrel on one and lifting it out to the pull-side. It’s an intriguing profile overall with the young left-handed hitting middle infielder and the power projects in a big way. The swing is short and simple, he finds the barrel at a high clip, and is a sure handed defender up the middle. This has all the makings of a high-end prospect in a few years and is certainly a name of note in the ‘29 class. Canon Day (2028, Germantown, Tenn.) put together a great day on the offensive side of things,...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 6/5/2026

Arizona Desert Classic Gets Underway

Emily Hicks
Article Image
After another busy week of baseball, attention now turns to the 2026 PG 14u Arizona Desert Classic tournament as teams prepare for a weekend of competition on the Perfect Game circuit. ATB 13U enters the event looking to continue building on its season so far. The team comes into the weekend with a record of 5-4 and has shown strengths in their offense and defense. As the schedule gets tougher, this tournament presents another opportunity to test themselves against quality opponents. The field features teams from across Arizona, setting up several intriguing matchups throughout pool play. Key games against AZ Premier Prospects and Maverix could provide an early look at where the team stands heading into bracket play. A few players to keep an eye on this weekend include Reece Neely and Gavyn Jupp from Maverix and Jakob Couto from USA Scout Team AZ 14u. Whether it's producing at the plate,...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 6/4/2026

California Kickoff Scout Notes

Joey Cohen
Article Image
Jayce Dejong (‘27, CA) finished 6-for-14 on the weekend which included a big HR in the championship game. Intriguing @PG_Uncommitted player to monitor this summer. #CAKickoff https://t.co/UbuSQxNalf pic.twitter.com/kjVcyiG8km — Perfect Game California (@California_PG) June 1, 2026 Jayce Dejong (2027, Yorba Linda, Calif). Really strong weekend at the plate, going 6-for-14 with multiple line-drive barrels, including a no-doubt pull-side HR. Medium, lean, athletic frame with room to add. Hits from a wider base from the left side, starts early and consistently gets to launch on time. Loose barrel turn with adjustability and length through the middle, showing the ability to create lift and impact out front. Coming off a strong junior season at Crean Lutheran and should be a priority uncommitted follow this summer. Evan Stroner (2027, Huntington Beach, Calif). Impressive...
Read More
Showcase | Story | 6/4/2026

Soph. & Junior National Arrive in Georgia

Hannah Jo Groves
Article Image
This weekend will kick off the 2026 PG Junior National Showcase with the Sophomore National Showcase following close behind. Both in Marietta, Georgia, these showcases will feature lots of top-50 talent along with the ever-present potential for lesser-known players to turn heads.  For the Junior National Showcase, starting on June 6, 7 of the top 10-ranked players will attend - No. 2 Colin Anderson, No. 3 Cullen Scott, No. 4 Carter Shouse, No. 6 Aiden Kearney, No. 8 Keelan Zumwalt, No. 8 Landon Bonner and No. 9 Theo Swafford.  Anderson won’t have to travel far to attend, coming from Acworth, Georgia. At last year’s Sophomore National Showcase, he impressed scouts with his calm approach and explosive bat speed. Scott, a right-handed pitcher and third baseman from Melissa, Texas, has shown his arm strength getting up in the 90-mph zone....
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.