THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,612 MLB PLAYERS | 16,397 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,612 MLB PLAYERS | 16,397 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Sign in Create Account
Sign in Create Account
Tournaments  | Story | 6/30/2019

Make way for Mayo and Elite Squad

Cory Van Dyke
Photo: Coby Mayo (Perfect Game)

MARIETTA, Ga. – Coby Mayo fondly recalls the earliest stages of his baseball year. He was playing in a tee ball league where each player was given three chances to hit the ball from the coach pitching before it was placed on the tee.

While the vast majority of players eventually had to hit off the tee, it never got to that point for Mayo. From that early age and on, everyone could see something special in Mayo when he stepped on a baseball field. That’s still the case today as the star-studded third baseman is the No. 21 overall player in the class of 2020.

“Still now, I don’t really listen to what people say,” Mayo said. “I just try to zone in and do my thing.”

It’s that workmanship approach that is on full display this week at the 2019 WWBA 17u National Championship where Mayo is attempting to help guide Elite Squad 17u National to a title.

“Besides his size and physical ability, he’s one of the harder working kids we have in our program,” Elite Squad head coach Richie Palmer said. “I think that and his leadership is probably the biggest thing that he brings outside of his physical abilities. The tone and his presence and the way he goes about his business, there’s a seriousness and a maturity about him that you don’t really see for 16, 17 year olds. It’s pretty impressive to watch, and that’s why I think he’s going to play this game for a long time. He’s got the mindset already of what it takes to be successful in this game.”

No matter what field he plays at, Mayo brings a horde of professional scouts along with him, as was the case in Saturday’s 5-1 win over the API Cavaliers at East Cobb Complex. While he’s currently committed to play his college ball at the University of Florida, a strong showing at the 17u WWBA could be the first step towards hearing his name called high in the 2020 MLB Draft.

“The environment out here is great,” Mayo said. “I love coming to Georgia. All the scouts here, you have the big field. There’s nothing else you can really ask for. It’s the tournament you look forward to all summer. It’s what you prepare yourself for. You workout, you hit in the cage at night just for this tournament.”

As Palmer mentioned, Mayo already has the physical tools of someone who could have a long career in this game. He stands at 6-foot-4, 205-pounds, which allows him to generate huge pop from his bat while carrying solid arm strength from the hot corner. 

It’s why Mayo loves watching the Rockies’ Nolan Arenado. He also has a special connection with Anthony Rizzo who attended the same high school as Mayo at Marjory Stoneman Douglas. 

At the recent Perfect Game National Showcase at Chase Field, Mayo impressed the large gathering and shot up the rankings. Now, he’s patiently awaiting one certain phone call to see if his next appearance at an MLB Stadium will be at Petco Park for the 2019 PG All-American Classic.

“It’s definitely nerve-wracking waiting for that call,” Mayo said. “I’ve been waiting for that the last few weeks coming up. If I get the chance to play there I’m blessed. Nothing else I can ask for. That honestly would be the best experience of my life. Something I can hold with me for the rest of my life.

Joy can be found in the waiting, especially when participating in the biggest tournament of the summer. Palmer sees all of Mayo’s accolades - the two MVP’s in the first two PG tournaments of the summer for Elite Squad and the potential All-American selection - and hopes it rubs off on the rest of his squad.

“I hope that other guys see that and see not only his natural abilities, but the reason why he’s won those MVP’s or why he’s getting these accolades and awards is because of the way he is, the way he goes about his business,” Palmer said.

“That’s what I hope these other guys if they see Coby gets announced for the All-American game. I hope they see him and are like, ‘Man, that guy works his tail off. Not only is he talented, but he works his tail off. I have to start acting like him a little bit more.’”

Another player who puts in a yeoman's work for Elite Squad is catcher Alan Espinal. However, Espinal’s journey has taken a dangerous and poignant path that has shaped his perspective.

Espinal lived in the Canovanas, a small town near San Juan, when Hurricane Maria ravaged Puerto Rico.

“The first thing I can say is that it was scary,” Espinal said. “I’ve never been in a hurricane like that. It was just ferocious.”

The overall destruction forced Espinal and his family to move to Florida. It’s been a tough adjustment at times, as Espinal’s father works most months of the year in Puerto Rico with the restoration that’s still happening.

“It’s hard for me, but it’s even harder for my mom,” Espinal said. “This hasn’t happened in their lives. They’ve always been together. I take it for motivation. I just want my dad here and my family to be happy. They’ve been working for me my whole life, so now I work hard for them. Someday I can pay their house and make them live as comfortable as possible.”

The baseball field allows an escape for Espinal, who’s rated as the No 20 catcher in the class of 2020. For Palmer, it’s incredible to see the adaptation that Espinal has undergone in such a short time.

“I can’t even imagine what he’s gone through, what the whole island went through or his family or anything like that,” Palmer said. “He’s a tough kid, there’s no doubt. He’s a very focused kid. He’s a good student. He’s a great baseball player. He’s just an all-around great kid. For him to deal with that and play the way that he does, he’s pretty impressive.”

That spectacular play has been exhibited at a high level so far in the 17u WWBA. In the opening 8-0 win over Showcase Riley 17u, Espinal uncorked a grand slam to break open the game. Last night, the catcher showcased his 1.88 pop time and quick twitch behind the plate, firing out two runners on the basepaths with a bullet arm.

“People have started asking questions,” Palmer said. “‘Who is this kid?’ He’s pretty impressive. He’s the one that’s going to open the most eyes.”

Despite Espinal’s high achievements, he’s currently uncommitted, but he noted that Vanderbilt, UCF, and Alabama have been in contact with him. If Mayo is the head of the team, then Espinal is the heart of Elite Squad. The Puerto Rican mentality on the field is in his DNA.

“We play ball there hard,” Espinal said. “We play with a lot of emotion. We play hard every day. It’s good getting over here and being an impact on the team and giving that emotion, giving that all the power to make the team successful. It’s been amazing.”

From a young age, Espinal always wrote motivational words on the inside of the bill of his cap. For this tournament he has written Filip 4:13 (Philippians 4:13) along with the brief message “Pon a Dios primero y nunco serás el ultimo” (Put God first and you will never be last). It’s that message that has stuck with Espinal throughout his wild journey. 

And now, he’s using baseball to make his dreams into a reality.

“I want to make a name for my family,” Espinal said. “That’s my motivation and what keeps me going.”

With a 2-0 start in pool play and a roster chock full of talent, Elite Squad 17u National has already proven to be a major contender at the 17u WWBA. Ben Vespi, a UCF commit, pitched four scoreless innings in the opener, recording six strikeouts with a fastball that topped 89 mph. Matthew Fernandez, a Florida International pledge, allowed just one run over his four innings on Saturday with five strikeouts. 

The pitching has already been stellar and there’s plenty more arms left in the tank. It’s a scary sight for opponents when the bats haven’t started clicking for Elite Squad yet with Mayo and guys like Dorian Gonzalez and Lucas Nido who are some of the fiercest threats in the lineup.

“There’s no doubt we want to go out there and play well and win,” Palmer said. “Obviously you have to take it day by day and one game at a time. You can’t look ahead too much because there are a lot of good teams here, but there’s no doubt. We circle this tournament at the beginning of the year and say, ‘Hey, this is the one we want to have all our bullets in the gun for.’”

The vast majority of Elite Squad’s roster is located in a 15-20 mile radius in the surrounding Miami area. The players battle each other in the high school season, creating an interesting dynamic once they team up for the summer.

“We practice and try to get together with the guys and do things together for the chemistry,” Palmer said. “We hope that because they know each other and played against each other all year round, when they get on the field it makes them that much tougher for an opponent to meet.”

There’s still a lot of baseball to be played this week, but Palmer has already seen the signs of a team that plays with passion. The entire dugout is focused and into the game, coming out to greet the player who moved a runner over or the runner who took the extra base and eventually scored. It’s all part of building the camaraderie that will be key if Elite Squad 17u National is going to make a deep run at the 17u WWBA.

“It’s really tough to build in summer ball rosters of kids that really love each other and want to win for each other,” Palmer said. “If we can go out there and play that style of baseball… if they become selfless and do the things for their teammates. I’ll be satisfied no matter where we end up if they craft that concept of playing for each other and playing the right way of baseball.”
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 | Rankings | 8/28/2026

2027 MLB Draft Board

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
The 2026 MLB Draft is official in the books as those players have been signed and have begun their pro career. That means it is time to turn the page and dive into the 2027 class. This class features an intriguing mix of arms both from the prep and college ranks, along with an enticing position player pool. Today, we unveil our first 2027 MLB Draft Board, ranking the Top-100 prospects in the class. There is still plenty of time for new names to emerge and established ones to rise or fall, but here is where things stand as we begin this cycle.  Rk. Name Level Pos. B-T School Hometown State Commitment 1 Dylan Seward H SS S-R Norco Eastvale CA Tennessee 2 Brendan Lawson C SS L-R Florida Toronto ON 3 Dax Whitney C RHP R-R Oregon State Blackfoot ID 4 Gavin Kelly C C/UTL R-R West Virginia Presto PA 5 Tomas Valincius C LHP L-L Mississippi State Lockport IL 6 Malachi Butler H SS L-R...
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
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.