THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,414 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,414 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Sign in Create Account
Sign in Create Account
Tournaments  | Story | 6/11/2019

Team Halo rises above competition

Cory Van Dyke
Photo: Breon Horne (Perfect Game)

MARIETTA, Ga. – At the 2019 WWBA 16u National Championship Qualifier, there’s one team elevating above the rest of the competition. It’s Team Halo.

Team Halo has jumped out a 4-0 record in pool play, outscoring opponents 24-4 through those games. However, the team’s journey to get to this point could be considered an anomaly in today’s travel baseball landscape.

Team Halo originally began under the name of the Atlanta Angels back when head coach Curtis George inherited the team full of seven year olds. George and Co. had to play up a level with eight year olds in order for it to be kid pitch. And ever since, the Atlanta Angels transformed into one of the premier youth travel teams.

They traveled to Yuma, Arizona where they faced teams from California and Mexico as eight year olds, eventually finishing in third. At ten years old, the Angels made the journey to Puerto Rico and finished in second. The team ran through their competition in Georgia, and eventually teams in the area started combining.

The team eventually made the switch to Team Halo and competed in the National Youth Baseball Championship at 12 years old where the top eight travel teams in the nation come together every year, finishing fourth in that tournament.

So what makes the current Team Halo 16u team so unique? Half of the current roster has been together since they were 10 years old, with a handful of players being on the team since the very beginning.

“That is the pedigree of this team,” George said. “One thing I can tell you I do like, watch how they play together, how they communicate, how they have fun… I like the way they fight. I love what I do. I have a passion for all of these guys.”

Where there’s a revolving door of different players coming and going over the years, the same core for Team Halo has largely remained the same year after year. Michael Braswell, the No. 17 ranked player in the 2021 class, is one of those players who’s been there from the beginning, and he insists that it forms a bond that cannot be found elsewhere.

“It creates a brotherhood,” Braswell, a South Carolina commit, said. “I’d die for a lot of these guys here. It shows on the field. We have conversation. It’s past baseball. A lot of the travel teams, they just come to the field and play and don’t really form bonds with everybody. We’re a brotherhood and we’re a family. I think that helps us with team chemistry and all that stuff on the field.”

Breon Horne is another one of those players who’s been around the block with Team Halo. The No. 209 player of the 2021 class shares a similar sentiment.

“We stay together since the beginning,” Horne said. “It shows where our loyalty lies. It helps us chemistry wise because we’ve all been with each other since we were young. We all know what we’re trying to accomplish. It’s the same goal of getting to the next level.”

It’s helped George focus on the product on the field when he doesn’t have to iron out any intricacies and cultivate relationships between the players off the field. They’re already best friends having been around each other and a part of the same team for all those years in the past.

“Half of them, they grew up together,” George said. “When I say that, all of these guys are friends. 

“Once you play with each other for a while, it’s chemistry… They know each other. They don’t have to hang out, but on the field they’re the best friends and brothers. They want to win. That’s the biggest key.”

So how exactly does that chemistry built over time manifest itself between the lines? They’ll communicate with each other about a pitcher’s pick off move or what pitches he starts most at-bats with. The communication has become second nature and led to the players calling their own plays.

“They give each other signs,” George said. “It’s a plus to play together. That’s the biggest benefit they get. I get that I don’t have to coach now. I’ve been coaching them since I was seven, so I just stand over there. Everybody has the green light. I don’t throw in a sign unless the game is close. That’s what I appreciate.”

It’s all created a distinct style of play that Team Halo prides itself on. The team is filled with athletes, and they use that adroitness to be menaces on the base paths in order to manufacture runs differently.

“Being able to go first to second, steal third base,” George said. “It takes a lot away from bunting. We get to swing the bat. It’s all about our athleticism and everybody knows it. They know we’re going to run. You either have a good catcher or you don’t.”

The summer ahead for Team Halo is jam-packed with a competitive schedule. The team is no stranger to it, though, as they’ve been playing up an age group every other year since they started. JonPaul Wheat, another player who’s been around from Team Halo’s early stages, says it’s what has helped them develop into the players they are today.

“It’s a big journey that’s going to come,” Wheat, a top 500 prospect for the 2021 class, said. “Everybody knows it. We’re up there in the nation, so everybody pitches their best pitcher against us. We get good competition, so that’s what’s good for us.”

For George, who played his college ball at Florida A&M and was eventually drafted by the Indians in the 18th round in 1992, the ultimate satisfaction for him is helping his players accomplish their dreams by reaching the next level.

“It’s a trust factor,” George said. “If you’ve been together since you were 10, parents trust we can pick them up and get them there. It takes a village, and I think we have a pretty good village over here to help kids succeed to the next level.”

Right now, Team Halo currently has six players who are signed to play in college and a handful of others who have offers on the table. It’s all about reaching the pinnacle of the mission that was birthed nearly a decade ago with all these stepping stones along the way.

“Being a small organization out of Atlanta and you wouldn’t know unless you look us up, but everybody in Atlanta who’s been playing since seven knows us,” George said. “It’s been a good run. I’m waiting to see the finished product and see how it ends… My boys are who they are. I can appreciate coming out and watching them play hard. 

“At the end of the day, I’m just enjoying the moment.”
Give us your feedback
Tournaments | Story | 4/9/2026

Don't Boot the Loot Scout Notes
Cam McElwaney
Article Image
‘30 UTL Chase Jelks (GA) lifts this one deep into the gap & rolls around the bags for a triple. Loose LH swing w/ feel to lift. #DontBootTheLoot @PG_Georgia pic.twitter.com/leF4GMTawJ — Perfect Game Youth (@PGYouthBB) April 4, 2026 Chase Jelks (2030, Atlanta, Ga.) put together a great weekend for The Dream 14u Black in their run to a championship game appearance, hitting .444 with two triples and a double along with three RBI. He controlled the zone throughout the event in the box and finished with a 6:1 BB:K ratio because of it while also swiping five bags as well. It was a strong showing for Jelks, something that’s becoming common this spring in PG events.    ‘30 MIF Cohen Carter (TN) hits this one on the screws into the gap for a triple. Functional & compact swing. #DontBootTheLoot @PG_Tennessee pic.twitter.com/YVUfxbHBxx — Perfect Game...
Read More
High School | Rankings | 4/21/2026

High School Top 50 Update: April 21

Tyler Russo
Article Image
Another few weeks have wrapped up this high school season as we’re flying through the spring and most southern states are starting playoffs right around the corner. With the end of the regular season, we have another National Top 50 update to bring to you, along with this will be the start of the weekly editions of our National Top 50. We have a change at the top of the rankings as Venice (FL) takes over the top spot after just dominating their competition in the state of Florida this year. Orange Lutheran (CA) drops one spot to No. 2 after dropping a series but still holds firm at No. 2 in the country. Barbe (LA) has continued to dominate and holds onto the No. 3 spot while Tomball (TX) skyrockets in this update to No. 4 in the country, currently holding an incredible 30-0-1 record. The rest of the top-10 is names we’ve become accustomed to see with Aledo (TX) at No. 5, IMG...
Read More
PG Select Baseball Festival | General | 4/21/2026

Select Festival Dates/Locations Announced

Article Image
    667 Progress Way | Sanford, FL 32771 | 319-298-2923  www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA      FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE    PERFECT GAME ANNOUNCES DATES AND VENUES FOR   2026 SLATE OF SELECT FESTIVALS    Sanford, Florida (Tuesday, April 21, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced dates and venues for its 2026 Select Festivals, a premiere series of invitation-only events showcasing many of the nation’s top young prospects at the 11U, 12U, 13U and 14U levels.    The Select Festivals provide elite players with a unique opportunity to compete alongside and against the best talent in their age group while experiencing a...
Read More
College | Story | 4/21/2026

College Players of the Week: April 21

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
April 21st Perfect Game/Player of the Week:  Tague Davis, IF, Louisville  The Louisville Cardinals (22-18) haven’t been able to get themselves in much of a groove this spring, their longest winning streak is 5-games, and they are (4-6) in their last 10-games.  The issue has not been the offense as the Cardinals are averaging over 8-runs per game and Tague Davis is leading the club in virtually every offensive category.  His calling card is his 70-grade power and that was on display last weekend in their series against Cal.  In the three-game series, Davis went 7 for 12, scoring 4 runs, launching 5 home runs and collected 7 RBIs.  The 6-4/220 lefthanded hitter from West Chester, PA has a pure stroke, is one of the premier power hitters in the nation and has significantly improved his plate discipline from a year ago.  After his big weekend, he is...
Read More
Press Release | Press Release | 4/20/2026

PG & EventConnect Extend Collaboration

Article Image
    667 Progress Way | Sanford, FL 32771 | 319-298-2923  www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA      FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE    PERFECT GAME AND EVENTCONNECT EXTEND COLLABORATION FOCUSED ON SCALE, SERVICE AND EXPERIENCE    Sanford, Florida (Monday, April 20, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced the renewal and expansion of its long-standing housing and technology partnership with EventConnect, reaffirming a shared commitment to innovation, scale and best-in-class experiences for athletes, families and event operators across North America.    The renewed multi-year agreement extends a successful partnership that has helped Perfect Game...
Read More
College | Rankings | 4/20/2026

College Top 25: April 20

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
As the old saying goes, “all good things must come to an end” and that was the case last Tuesday when UCLA (36-3) saw their 27-game win streak come to an end in a shutout loss to UCSB.  However, the No. 1 team in the land still has their 21-game winning streak in Big Ten to protect, as they have started off league play without a single blemish.  The Bruins will remain atop our poll this week and their historical start to the season roll on.  The UNC Tarheels (33-7-1) move up to No. 2 this week after they made their biggest statement of the year by taking the weekend series from now No. 4 Georgia Tech (32-7).  No. 3 Texas (30-8) and No. 5 Georgia (32-9) both went (3-1) on the week and won their SEC series to stay in contention for the regular season title.  Florida State (28-11) had a nice bounce back (4-0) week and re-enter the Top 10 at No. 8 this...
Read More
College | Story | 4/16/2026

Coppy's Corner: April 16 POY Deep Dive

John Coppolella
Article Image
Each week I huddle with Vinnie Cervino and Craig Cozart  to discuss Top-25 rankings and Players of the Week. In Coppy’s Corner, I dive deeper into these Players of the Week, providing analysis from 20+ years working in baseball front offices at the highest level.   Player of the Week: Jaquae Stewart – Texas State University  If you squint a little bit, you can see some Josh Naylor or Dominic Smith in Jaquae Stewart, with a stout build like a more powerful version of the teacup from the children’s song. Lately, the Sun Belt Conference has been child’s play for Stewart as he has been on fire showing an improved hit approach and power that tracks more with his 2024 performance at Northwest Florida State College than with his 2025 experience at the University of Texas. It’s tough for any player to jump from a JUCO in Florida to the big stage...
Read More
High School | General | 4/16/2026

High School Notebook: April 16

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
Alain Gomez-Gudiño (‘26 AZ) with a pair of backside barrels, including a double. Physical 6-0/215 frame. Switch-hitter with power. Adv. defender with strong C&T behind the dish. @PGAllAmerican alum. #Gamecocks commit #PGHS @PG_Draft @SaguaroBaseball pic.twitter.com/2Vhuu5gYX9 — Perfect Game Four Corners (@PG_FourCorners) April 11, 2026 C Alain Gomez-Gudino, Saguaro (Ariz.) Since I first saw him as a sophomore, Gomez-Gudiño has long been one of my favorite prospects in the state. The backstop features a super physical frame at 6-foot-0, 215-pounds with a thick lower half and strong forearms. Defensively, Gomez-Gudiño has always stood out. He moves well for his size behind the plate and receives with confident hands. The catch-and-throw ability stands out. Gomez-Gudiño looks to be aggressive and will back pick runners often. The glove alone makes...
Read More
Juco | Rankings | 4/15/2026

JUCO Top 25: April 15

Blaine Peterson
Article Image
Another week of undefeated weeks for our top 4 ranked teams. Joining them in the top 5, coming off an undefeated week of their own, is Florence-Darlington, a team we have consistently had as a top 10 team all season long. Cloud County and Midland College continue to put together strong weeks and climb the rankings each week it seems. Jumping into the rankings this week on the strength of a 15-game winning streak is Seminole State (OK). And Linn Benton makes the top 25 for a 2nd consecutive week and looks like the top team in the NWAC this spring. Plenty of high-level matchups at the JUCO level for some of the top teams in the county this next week.  Rk. School Record 1 Johnson County (KS) 42-2 2 Gaston (NC) 43-3 3 McLennan (TX) 34-7 4 Chipola (FL) 37-7 5 Florence-Darlington (SC) 40-8 6 Walters State (TN) 37-10 7 Blinn (TX) 31-11 8 Florida Southwestern (FL) 30-12 9 Southern Nevada...
Read More
College | Rankings | 4/15/2026

DII/DIII/NAIA Rankings Update: April 15

Nick Herfordt
Article Image
Welcome to this week's small school baseball rankings, covering NCAA Division II, the NAIA, and NCAA Division III. As the calendar turns toward the final weeks of the regular season, the urgency is real across all three levels — teams are running out of weekends to build their cases, and the extended postseason invitations that every program is chasing don't go to programs that peak in March. The next few weeks of results will carry more weight than anything that happened before spring break, and the postseason committees in all three divisions are watching closely. Every series dropped to a team you should beat, every road sweep you let get away — it all matters now in a way it simply didn't two months ago. What you'll also notice as you read through the breakdowns below is that the numbers are doing more of the heavy lifting in how these rankings are constructed. Run...
Read More
Press Release | Press Release | 4/15/2026

Perfect Game & Youth Prospects Team Up

Article Image
    667 Progress Way | Sanford, FL 32771 | 319-298-2923  www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA      FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE    PERFECT GAME AND YOUTH PROSPECTS ANNOUNCE   BROADCAST RIGHTS AND CONTENT PARTNERSHIP    Sanford, Florida (Wednesday, April 15, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced a new partnership with content platform Youth Prospects centered around broadcast rights, content collaboration and expanded visibility for elite youth baseball events.    As part of the agreement, Perfect Game will grant Youth Prospects broadcast rights to select games across its premiere events, including marquee matchups at the WWBA World...
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.