THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,631 MLB PLAYERS | 16,402 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,631 MLB PLAYERS | 16,402 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 | 10/29/2026

WWBA Underclass Prospect Recap
Kyler Peterson
Article Image
WWBA Underclass Scout Notes: Days 1-2 | Day 3 | Day 4 Stars Being Stars These are some of the more well-known names on the national landscape, playing across several big events in which they performed at the highest of levels. Their showings in Fort Myers were simply a continuation of what we've almost come to expect at this point from them!  Kasen Langerhans (2028, Round Rock, Texas) batted leadoff and stuck at the hot corner for Texas Twelve Red Sox 2028 in Fort Myers. The Texas native has the looks a young left-handed power bat and the swing is built for it. Langerhans produces easy bat speed, delivering a fast and leveraged barrel through the zone. He creates backspin and uses the ground well, really getting into the legs. The infielder has excellent power projection and took comfortable, intentful cuts in the box. Langerhans got the job done at the top of the order...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 10/28/2026

WWBA Sophomore Prospect Recap

Kyler Peterson
Article Image
WWBA Sophomore Scout Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 Stars Being Stars These are some of the more well-known names on the national landscape, playing across several big events in which they performed at the highest of levels. Their showings in Fort Myers were simply a continuation of what we've almost come to expect at this point from them!  2029 MIF Easton Housewright (Knoxville, Tenn.) currently stands at 6-foot,175 pounds with strength in the lower half, present above-average athleticism. Continued to shine at the top of the lineup as the left-handed hitter is your prototypical leadoff hitter, consistently finding a way on and scoring. Takes quality at-bats with an above average awareness of the strike zone. Loose hands with easy bat speed that find the barrel often for hard line drives into the gaps that frequently turn into XBHs. Confident and balanced approach. Also...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 10/27/2026

Beyond the Board: SS Malachi Butler

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
As the 2027 draft cycle moves through the fall and into the offseason, we kick off a new series called Beyond The Board. With each installment, we will provide an in-depth scouting report for some of the top players in the class, breaking down their tools, strengths, question marks, and overall projection. This week we take a look at Georgia prep shortstop Malachi Butler. The Georgia Tech put together an outstanding showing on the circuit this summer and has been a significant riser early in the 2027 cycle.  Player: Malachi Butler Position: SS B/T: L/R Height: 6-foot-3 Weight: 190-pounds School: McEachern HS Hometown: Powder Springs, Ga.  Physical Description: 6-2/190. Strong, athletic build. Well-proportioned body. Has strength with room to continue to add more.    High speed BP swing from '27 SS Malachi Butler (GA)... #PGNational @PG_Georgia https://t.co/M9OWUX9rPw...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 10/27/2026

South Fall World Series Scout Notes

Jay Vossler
Article Image
Kason Mead (2029, Spring, Texas) had a great weekend for Premier Baseball Donato 2029. Went 5-9 with a pair of doubles and a home run, driving in five without striking out. Physical frame with a lot more strength on the way. Impressive bat speed that attacks the top of the zone well. Works to all fields consistently and the profile indicates that he’ll be able to build off that with more impact. Lot to like, should be a riser as he goes into his sophomore season. Sterling McCormack (2029, Magnolia, Texas) performed well for Premier Baseball Donato 2029. Reached four times, including a double. Gains ground well on the stride, using his physicality to his advantage as he stays on an uphill plane, geared for slug. Plenty of strength at the point of impact. Landon Hardy (2029, Spring, Texas) had a strong showing for Scorpions Team Easton 2029. Went 4-11 with a double and homer, driving...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 10/27/2026

WWBA Freshman Prospect Recap

Jheremy Brown
Article Image
Stars Being Stars These are some of the more well-known names on the national landscape, playing across several big events in which they performed at the highest of levels. Their showings in West Palm were simply a continuation of what we've almost come to expect at this point from them!  Kolt Hampton (2030, Chandler, AZ) is a left-handed hitting infielder with present barrel speed and twitch in the turn. Turned around an upper 80s heater that plated two runs in the first inning of the quarterfinals and never looked back. Also got it done on the rubber punching out three and topping out at 86. The number one player in Arizona produced all week and took care of business defensively.  Landen Davis (2030, Beaufort, SC) showed up at the dish this event hitting .500 with four doubles and five RBIs. Stays tight in the turn with present strength and the approach plays to all fields....
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 10/24/2026

SBA Takes 14u Title Behind Offense

Jheremy Brown
Article Image
To say there were standouts all over the field for the 14u WWBA World Championship would be an understatement as the matchup of Team Elite 14u Scout and SBA Bolts National 14u saw two of the more loaded rosters going head-to-head with a title on the line. And after weather threw a giant wrench into pool play, both Sunday and Monday were nothing but sunshine and high intensity baseball leading into the final game of the event.  While the game ultimately ended via run rule after five in favor of SBA upon a 9 run inning, it was a tight contest up until that point with Team Elite carrying a 3-2 lead thru four innings.  Team Elite drew first blood as a Ross Logan walk quickly turned into the first run of the game following a well struck single by Cooper Ooten into left field who eventually came around to score following a double steal, scoring before the third out of the inning was...
Read More
Softball | Softball Tournament | 10/22/2026

PG Softball Chesterfield Fall Showcase High School Division

Erica Beach
Article Image
PG Softball Chesterfield Fall Showcase HS Division Oct 17-18, 2026 Chesterfield First Community Athletic Complex CHESTERFIELD, MO — It was a perfect weekend for softball, with 16 teams converging on the Chesterfield First Community Athletic Complex to compete in the High School Division. Teams from Illinois, Minnesota, and Iowa were there to battle it out, and there was only one undefeated team in the tournament: the Southeast Iowa All-Stars 16U Gold Flowerbach, who went a stellar 5-0 on the weekend. We were treated to some stellar performances all weekend and below we highlight some of the standout athletes who caught our eyes.  Lucy Turner (2027, Marion, IA) of the Cedar Rapids Reds was a truly dynamic two-way player this past weekend. Offensively, she batted .444 with 5 RBIs and an impressive 6 stolen bases, which led the tournament. She also scored 6 runs for her team and...
Read More
Tournaments | Championship | 10/22/2026

Wildcatters Reign Supreme at 13u WWBA

Jheremy Brown
Article Image
After both the Best of the West and the Beast of the East wrapped up, a big conglomerate of high end talent and stacked teams descended upon West Palm for both the 13u and the 14u WWBA World Championships. While the weather threw a wrench into the plans early on and some adjustment was needed to ensure the event moved forward, it was nothing but sunshine and competitive baseball throughout Sunday and into the early morning Monday.  Kicking off with the 13u WWBA World Championship, the first thing to point out is the fact this was a wood bat tournament played on 60-90 fields and while the combo was a first for most, you wouldn't know it with their level of play throughout the weekend. In an unsurprising twist and a continuation of their 12u dominance, the 13u championship saw the #2 seeded Goldin Prospects lock horns with the top seeded Houston Wildcatters, aka the champion of the...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 10/22/2026

17u Coastal Fall Invitational

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Dalton Fisher (2028, China Grove, NC) stands at 6-foot-2, 180 pounds, with a lean, projectable frame and room to add strength as he develops. Bats and throws right-handed and plays the outfield. Shows a good approach at the plate with quick hands, solid bat speed, and the ability to drive the ball to all fields. Fisher went 2-for-3 with 1 RBI, putting together a great day at the plate. Bradley Edwards (2028, Summerville,SC) Stands at 6-feet-5 225 strong build and the potential to generate considerable power. Bats and throws right handed is a right handed pitcher. Shows good arm strength and the ability to attack hitters while generating swings and misses. Demonstrates a competitive approach on the mound with the ability to challenge hitters in the zone. Recorded 4.2 innings pitched with 10 strikeouts, a 56% strike rate, and a fastball that topped out at 85 mph. Jackson Pierce (2028,...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 10/26/2026

13u & 14u WWBA Prospect Recap

Jheremy Brown
Article Image
Carlo Rivero struck out the side in the final inning to secure a big quarterfinal win. Sat 87-89 & ball explodes out of the hand, CB & CH both dynamic go-to pitches as well. #WWBAWorlds @Florida_PG https://t.co/l8a4f1psyK — Perfect Game Youth (@PGYouthBB) October 19, 2026 2031 SS/RHP Carlo Rivero (Apopka, Fla.) debuted in the rankings as the top player in the country, and he had widened the gap by a good bit after the fall he had, capped off by an unreal showing in West Palm Beach. He hit almost .700 on the event with 7 of his 10 hits going for extra bases, while driving in 13, scoring 13 times himself, walking 8 times and no striking out in a single trip to the plate across 7 games. The blend of bat speed and pure strength, paired with his approach are that of someone who is much more mature, yet he’s doing it all at just 14 ½. He also jumped on the...
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.