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2,578 MLB PLAYERS | 16,376 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
College  | Story | 5/31/2019

PGCBL Ready for Year 9

Photo: Richard Barrella (Travis Larner)

The Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League starts anew on Friday with all 12 teams in action, with a whole bunch of renewed energy in the league.

Through two and a half innings of Game Three of the 2018 Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League Championship series, it appeared like it would be more of the same. Amsterdam, which combined with Mohawk Valley to win every title since 2012, led the Jamestown Jammers 5-0, and looked well on their way to claiming their fifth league title in seven years.

It wasn’t to be, as the Jammers came all the way back and won the decisive Game Three by a score of 8-6. That alone put the rest of the league on notice; that a team other than Amsterdam or Mohawk Valley can win a championship. Add to that the fact that Jamestown will not be in the PGCBL this season, and the league has never felt more winnable to every franchise.

“It really makes it wide open,” Ryan Murphy, PGCBL’s director of communications, said. “No one has that target on their back as the defending champs. When you look at the rosters up and down the league, there’s no team you can look at and really say they’re the favorite. It definitely makes for a very wide-open race.”

One thing you can continue to count on, however, is that Amsterdam will again field a very competitive team. Returning players aren’t all that common in the PGCBL, as alums of the league often move on to the draft or the Cape. That being said, Richard Barrella will return to Amsterdam this summer to anchor a young lineup for the Mohawks.

Barrella, who was a senior at Manhattan this spring, was injured early in the year and decided to redshirt. That decision gave him eligibility for the summer, which led him and his .338 batting average from last summer back to Amsterdam to make another run at a title.

Brian Spagnola, Amsterdam’s President and General Manager, said Barrella’s experience will do wonders for the younger players on the roster that are experiencing the grueling schedule for the first time.

“We typically don’t get a lot of guys back. Some teams in our league do. We have a lot of high-end freshmen, and we understand their road is with us as a freshman, on the Cape as a sophomore, and getting drafted as a junior,” Spagnola said. “…The nice thing about Richie is that he is an older kid. We do have a lot of freshmen, and with freshmen it is good to have an older guy there. Richie is a real leader and a hard-nosed kid.”

As much talent as Amsterdam typically has and with as many championships as they have won, there really is talent all over the league. In 2018, 10 of the 13 teams in the PGCBL had a First-Team All-League selection, and five teams (Amsterdam, Mohawk Valley, Watertown, Albany, and Utica) had at least three All-League selections.

The Mohawks also aren’t the only team returning major talent this season.

Ryan Hernandez, who spent last summer torturing pitchers as a member of the Mohawk Valley lineup, is back for another go as a DiamondDawg. Hernandez, who spent his college season at San Jacinto Community College and is headed to the University of Houston next year, led the PGCBL with an out-of-this-world .423 average. As could be assumed, Hernandez was a First-Team member of the league last season.

The Newark Pilots also return a First-Team member from the 2018 season in outfielder Allen Murphy. The right-handed slugger left the yard six times last summer and racked up 41 RBI on his way to a .369 average, while also taking the Home Run Derby crown during the All-Star Game festivities.

All told, there are more than 30 returning players for the 2019 season with their eyes on a league title. However, even with the high number of league veterans returning, including stars like Barrella, Hernandez, and Murphy, the biggest buzz of the offseason may well have been due to a newcomer.

Connor McCaffery is no newcomer to upstate New York, though. McCaffery, who will suit up as a first baseman and outfielder for the Albany Dutchmen this summer, grew up on the same Siena College campus that he’ll play his home games on. His father, Fran, was the head basketball coach at Siena before he accepted the same position at the University of Iowa in 2010.

"I'd come in here, shoot, we'd hit balls, mostly on the softball field. I'd make this walk past the baseball field every day to go up to the cafeteria to eat,” McCaffery said at the Dutchmen’s team media day. “It's just interesting, being back. I love it. I just got in last night, so I'm still trying to get familiar with the area, but I'm sure it'll all come back to me."

McCaffery, who plays point guard for his father during the winter and hits in the middle of the lineup for the Hawkeye baseball team during the spring, just finished his redshirt freshman year in both sports.

It’s certainly a unique situation. McCaffery will experience the daily grind of the PGCBL schedule while also getting time on the hardwood with the Siena basketball team.

The day-after-day nature of the league is an adjustment for every newcomer of the league, something Spagnola has made clear to his team ahead of Opening Night.

“By the end of the summer the guys will have a lot more respect for the guys in the Big Leagues,” he said. “They’ll feel the grind, and when they see their name’s not on the lineup card one night, sometimes they’re happy. They’ve played seven nights in a row, and they get a night to just sit and rest.”

By the end of the summer we’ll have a lot of things figured out about the PGCBL. For now, every team has a chance, and every team has plenty of talent.

“If you look at the league as a whole and the talent it keeps bringing in, the league is moving up,” Spagnola said.




College | Story | 7/24/2026

Cape Cod League Notebook: July 24

Perfect Game Staff
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Luke Costello | INF | South Carolina | Bourne Braves  Costello brings one of the cleaner offensive operations in the Cape, featuring a simple, direct swing that allows him to consistently get the barrel out front and do damage. He minimizes unnecessary movement, stays on time, and shows the strength to impact the baseball with authority. After a very productive spring hitting .302 with 17 home runs during his sophomore season at Wake Forest, Costello heads to South Carolina as an established middle-of-the-order bat. His combination of present power, offensive consistency, and polished approach should translate well against SEC pitching.     A look at Terry Hayes Jr (@OleMissBSB) lived 92-94 on the FB showed a CT at 88-90, SL at 82-84 and a really good CB at 78-81. @ChathamAnglers So./‘26 elig pic.twitter.com/vbsYWF2IcY — PG College Baseball (@PGCollegeBall)...
Tournaments | Story | 7/24/2026

PG East World Series Preview

Will Dembo
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As the summer travel baseball season comes to an end, over 80 teams will meet in East Cobb, Georgia as they look to end the year with a victory and a trophy at the PG East World Series. The premier event will host 5 age groups of 14u-18u with pool play commencing the tournament on Friday, July 24th, with champions crowned on Monday, July 27th at East Cobb Baseball Complex. The 15u field will feature 26 teams from all over the southeast, including the No. 27 team in the nation from the 14u rankings, Home Plate Chili Dogs 14u Glozier. The Chili Dogs, who also played up in the 15u WWBA last week for increased exposure, have been a very solid team this summer, but are still in search of their first championship win of the season. Another highly touted team looking to challenge them is USA Scout Team Nike, who is another 14u squad who will play against more mature competition for their 15u...
Tournaments | Story | 7/23/2026

A Look Ahead: 16U PG West WS

Emily Hicks
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Another exciting week of Perfect Game baseball is on the horizon as the 16U PG West World Series brings together some of the top travel baseball programs for a highly competitive tournament. Taking place July 23 - 26 at Riverview Complex in Mesa, AZ, the event will feature talented teams looking to make a statement as they compete for one of the summer's most prestigious titles. The tournament will welcome clubs from across the West, creating a talented field filled with nationally recognized organizations, rising contenders, and some of the top 16U prospects in the country. Throughout pool play and the championship bracket, every game will provide an opportunity for teams to showcase their talent while pursuing a World Series championship. With high-level competition expected throughout the week, fans can look forward to quality pitching, explosive offenses, and outstanding defensive...
Tournaments | Story | 7/23/2026

Battle For The Midwest Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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Gavin Johnson (2029, De Pere, Wisc.) handled the bat pretty well this weekend for his CBT Wolfpack 15u team that made a run into bracket play. Johnson is a left-handed hitting first baseman with a physical 6-foot-1, 200-pound frame, showing good physicality throughout the build. It’s a clean stroke from the left side, with feel to deliver the barrel on time and drive the ball working pull-side. He has a feel to rotate well, loading deep with the hands & turning well through contact to impact the baseball out in front. Johnson tallied four hits on the weekend, including 2 doubles and a triple. He plated 3 runs as well.   Devon Hester (2029, Chicago, Ill.) had a heck of a weekend for Chicago White Sox Ace 2029 Hunt. He showed out on both sides of the ball this past weekend, really getting it done at the plate. He finished the weekend 7-for-15, with a double and 4 RBI to...
Tournaments | Story | 7/23/2026

UBC Midwest X Atlantic Notes: Part 2

Jordan Gates
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UBC Midwest X Atlantic Notes: Part 1 ‘27 RHP Alexander Kakach (MN) displayed present arm strength and some feel to spin. The #Creighton commit was up to 93 mph with the FB (89-93), while the SL showed two plane break at 79-84 mph. Mixed in CT at 84-86 with tight action in the zone. #UBCMW @MNIcemen @PG_WiscMinn pic.twitter.com/TlrOnNDIcd — Perfect Game Illinois (@PG_Illinois) July 18, 2026 Alexander Kakach (2027, Plymouth, Minn.) of MN Icemen 17U Gominsky displayed intriguing upside on the mound, striking out five over 4.0 innings while running the fastball up to 93 mph with ride. The 6-foot, 180-pound right-hander and Creighton commit paired the fastball with a low-80s slider that flashed two-plane break and a cutter that played well off the mix. Kakach worked with a loose, quick arm from a high three-quarter slot, creating quality movement across his mix while displaying...
Tournaments | Story | 7/23/2026

15u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 6

Perfect Game Staff
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15u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 Brycen Orcutt (‘29, WV) was dominant to open his outing, tossing five innings of shutout ball thus far, striking out nine. Got the FB up to 85 w/ feel to land a tight + sharp two-plane BB. #WWBA @PG_VirginiaWV pic.twitter.com/Yjm2IbufqU — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) July 21, 2026 Brycen Orcutt (’29, South Charleston, WV) has put together a strong event on both sides of the ball, posting a 1.458 OPS at the plate thus far, including a pair of doubles and three driven in. On the mound, Orcutt has logged a pair of starts, totaling 11.1 innings of shutout ball, striking out 15. The West Virginia native operates from a medium right-handed frame with a bit of length and lower half strength. He starts above the belt, working into an over-the-head windup before utilizing a medium direct leg lift, firing down...
Tournaments | Story | 7/22/2026

15u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 5

Perfect Game Staff
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15u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 Noah Rumley (‘29 NC) has been up to 90 so far in this start w/ 8 Ks in 4 innings of work. Really jumps out of the hand at foot strike w/ some ride to it; has also mixed in a SL w/ horizontal action. #WWBA @PG_Coastal pic.twitter.com/OcU57a3Syl — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) July 21, 2026 Noah Rumley (2029, Summerfield, N.C.) got the ball for GBC Lopez 2029 15u in their final game of pool play and dominated, going up against a tough lineup in the East Cobb Astros. The 6-foot-2 left-handed pitcher ended up going five innings, allowing only one hit and one run, while striking out nine. It’s premium stuff at the 15u level as he worked easily in the upper-80s, topping at 90 mph in the first. The breaking ball showed two-plane shape in the upper-70s as well. There’s a ton of things to like already and even...
Tournaments | Championship | 7/22/2026

Champions Named at Southwest Select

Emily Hicks
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Another week of Perfect Game baseball concluded as champions were crowned in the 15U, 16U, and 18U divisions of the Southwest Select Championship. After several days of pool play and championship bracket action, three teams rose above the competition to capture tournament titles following a week of high-level baseball. Throughout the tournament, teams from across the Southwest and beyond competed in closely contested matchups, producing standout pitching performances, timely offense, and memorable defensive plays. As the bracket narrowed, each division featured championship-caliber baseball before the final trophies were awarded. 15U Championship The 15U division title was claimed by AZ Prodigy, who defeated Nomadic 14U Premier by a score of 2-1 in the championship game. After putting together a strong tournament run, AZ Prodigy continued its momentum in the title game with contributions...
Tournaments | Story | 7/23/2026

17u BCS Scout Notes: Days 4-5

Perfect Game Staff
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Easton Vandyke (’27 RHP, RISE 2027/2028, VA) opened Day 4 by running his fastball up to 84 mph, showing consistent strike-throwing ability throughout the outing. The 6-foot-1, 160-pound right-hander paired the fastball with a low-70s curveball and a 75 mph changeup that he consistently kept at the bottom of the zone. Vandyke worked with a quick, whippy arm action, getting down the mound efficiently while filling up the strike zone with all three pitches. ’27 P Daniel McDevitt, the No. 91 shortstop in Florida and No. 531 overall in the state, has been dominant through four innings, working in the low-to-mid 80s with a quality two-pitch offspeed mix that shows consistent depth. The 5-foot-11, 150-pound right-hander has yet to allow a hit or a run, attacking the corners with confidence and showing strong command throughout the outing. McDevitt continues to fill up the strike...
Tournaments | Story | 7/23/2026

Battle for the Windy City Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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Tyler Osmanski (2027, Frankfort, Ill.) a 5-foot-11 160-pound right-handed pitcher worked a 7 inning complete game shutout to start off Chicago Elite’s 6-0 weekend. On top of going the distance he allowed only three base runners and one hit. Osmanski has lots of athleticism in his delivery. He keeps his body under control while still being able to have good arm action and great hip to shoulder separation. He works from the third base side of the rubber with a high ¾ arm slot. His fastball was up to 84mph multiple times and sat 80-83mph. He used two offspeed pitches, a good 12-6 breaking ball 65-68mph, and a changeup in the low 70’s.     ‘27 RHP Brett Alkire (IL) punched out everyone across his 5.2 inning masterful outing. He struck out 13 batters and did it on 66% strikes. Has an active arm action and kept the ball on the corners. FB T92 early w/...
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