THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,627 MLB PLAYERS | 16,400 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,627 MLB PLAYERS | 16,400 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Sign in Create Account
Sign in Create Account
All American Game  | Story | 7/18/2019

Vukovich wins with mentality

Annika Wall
Photo: AJ Vukovich (Perfect Game)

MARION, Iowa – There’s been a lot of buzz at the new Prospect Meadows Sports Complex at the 17u WWBA National Championship. But one player has garnered attention and accolades like no other.

AJ Vukovich sure has the talent to be named a PG All-American. The 6-foot-5, 210-pounder plays both the infield and outfield corners. His bat is a thing of beauty; his hands travel to the ball and fire it right back.

It’s inside? He’ll single into the five-six hole.

Outside? He’ll fire it into the right field alley for a stand-up triple.

Right down the middle? He might just fire it over the fence.

"He sets the tone every time he gets up to the plate,” Hitters 2020 head coach Brendon Hayden said. “The team expects something good to happen, which is a good thing for a guy in the middle of the order.”

It’s not just what he does at the plate, though. The East Troy, Wis. rising senior is the top-ranked player in the state of Wisconsin and ranked No. 28 in the nation. He boasts an outfield velocity of 93 mph and 92-mph from the infield. His 90 mph fastball ranks in the 98th percentile of the 2020 class.

At the WWBA 17u Prospect Meadows National Championships in Marion, Iowa, Vukovich showed not only his All-American talent but his All-American mentality. Against the Illinois Indians, Vukovich struck out in his first two at-bats. However, when the bottom of the sixth came along, he was more than prepared.

Leading off the inning, in a 1-1 count Vukovich fired the next pitch over the fence, breaking a 2-2 tie and helping Hitters win, 5-2.

“When I was younger, it was definitely tough. No one wants to be that out at the plate,” Vukovich said. “It’s really helped me realize you’re not going to get ahead every time. The ups and downs make the successes a lot better. It’s an imperfect game. The struggles bring out the greatness in you.”

Vukovich’s greatness just keeps piling up. He committed to Louisville, following Hitters alumni Jarred Kelenic and Alex Binelas, who was named a first-team Freshman All-American by five organizations, including Perfect Game. Vukovich also was one of eight semifinalists in the Home Run Derby during MLB All-Star weekend.

In the semifinals, Vukovich hit 18 home runs across two rounds, second only to fellow PG All-American Blaze Jordan, who shot 20 over the fence. Jordan barely edged Vukovich 7-6 in the finals.

“A couple months ago if you had said I’d been in that position, I wouldn’t have believed you at all. Being on that field with 40,000 fans, going up against Blaze Jordan, who’s another great hitter, it was amazing,” Vukovich reflected. “It didn’t even feel real. You dream of that as a kid, taking batting practice out on a major league field, and doing it at All-Star weekend was incredible.”

In addition to the home run derby, Vukovich was selected to play in the PG All-American Classic out in San Diego. Just a week ago, he learned that his best baseball was enough to earn him a spot on the 27-man West roster.

“It’s a great feeling, just because I grew up watching the game on TV, watching Gavin Lux and Jarred Kelenic play in it,” he said. “Now that I get a chance to do it and play with the best kids in the country on TV, it’s going to be a great experience and I’m excited to be a part of it.”

Vukovich has only one year left until he begins fighting for a starting spot at Louisville. But, if you ask his coach, he’ll fit right in with the rest of them.

“They’re a perennial power and he’s another piece of the puzzle for them,” Hayden said. “Having all of this attention with the pro scouts and being committed at a very young age, he holds himself to a higher standard. His approach to the game is advanced compared to a lot of high school guys. It’s very good for him, especially because he’ll be playing at that high level, to learn all of this as such a young age. He’s only going to go up from there.”
Give us your feedback
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
College | Recruiting | 9/14/2026

Class of 2026 Recruiting Rankings

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 9/14/2026

Coastal Fall Battle of the Carolinas Notes

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Deacon Hensley (2028, Zebulon, NC) stands at 6-foot-0, 165 pounds and is a left-handed hitting and throwing right fielder. Lean frame with good athleticism and additional strength likely to come with maturity. Compact swing with quick hands and good feel for the barrel. Relaxed setup with good bat speed through the zone. Good balance in the box with a direct path and solid contact skills. Hensley went 3-for-3, scoring three runs and hitting a double. Great day at the plate. Colt Funderburk (2027, Lancaster, SC) stands at 5-foot-10, 195 pounds with an athletic frame and present strength. Bats and throws left-handed. Physical hitter with a compact swing, good bat speed, and the ability to drive the ball with authority. Good pitch recognition with a disciplined approach. Quiet lower half with a controlled load and good balance. Funderburk went 2-for-4 with one double and two RBI. Cameron...
Read More
Press Release | Press Release | 9/14/2026

PG Athletes Raise North of $138,000 in August

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 ATHLETES RAISE OVER $138,000 FOR CHARITABLE PARTNERS THROUGHOUT MONTH OF AUGUST   Sanford, Florida (Monday, September 14, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced that its August premier events raised a combined $138,422 for children's hospitals and charitable organizations, with 1,112 total supporters contributing across five showcases. Since 2016, Perfect Game athletes have raised over $1.8 million for various charitable causes and organizations. The annual fundraising initiative, which runs in conjunction with several of Perfect Game's marquee events each year, gives players, families and fans the opportunity to support...
Read More
College | Recruiting | 9/14/2026

Top 500 Fresh Arrivals on Campus

Article Image
It's that time of the year where the freshmen around the country start arriving on campus. Regardless of level, here are the top 500 names to make it to their school for the 2027 season.  Rank Name School High School City ST 1 Archer Horn Stanford St. Ignatius College Prep San Mateo CA 2 Noah Wilson Vanderbilt McCallie School Ooltewah TN 3 Logan Schmidt Louisiana State Ganesha Aliso Viejo CA 4 Blake Bowen Oregon State JSerra Catholic Riverside CA 5 Cole Koeninger Tennessee Keller Keller TX 6 Joseph Contreras Vanderbilt Blessed Trinity Cath Alpharetta GA 7 Bo Holloway Vanderbilt Nolensville Nolensville TN 8 James Clark Duke St. John Bosco Riverside CA 9 Malachi Washington Louisiana State Parkview Stone Mountain GA 10 Brady Harris Florida Trinity Christian Academy St. Augustine FL 11 Grayson Willoughby Kentucky Trinity Louisville KY 12 Jorvorskie Lane Jr. Arkansas Grapevine Fort Worth...
Read More
College | Rankings | 9/15/2026

Top Incoming Freshmen by Conference

Article Image
Every conference at the D1 level has impact talent coming onto campus this fall and below we will see who is where, looking for the next program difference maker. America East Conference Rank Name Pos School HS City ST 1 Charlie Firth RHP Bryant St. Martin's Ottawa ON 2 Ryan Moreschi OF Massachusetts at Lowell Austin Preparatory Peabody MA 3 Will Margolies LHP Bryant The Cheshire Academy Trumbull CT 4 Dylan Zammit RHP New Jersey Tech Holmdel Holmdel NJ 5 Kam Street RHP New Jersey Tech Ocean City Brigantine NJ 6 Donald Lloyd C New Jersey Tech St. Augustine Preparatory Millville NJ 7 Jack Curtis 3B Maine Kingsmen Baseball Academy Castle Creek NY 8 Jacob Veloz OF Maine Mount St Charles Academy Lincoln RI 9 Nolan Gillis RHP Bryant Kimball Union Academy Surry NH 10 Chase McLaughlin 3B UMBC Northeast Pasadena MD 11 Matthew Chirumbolo RHP Maine Salisbury Harwinton CT 12 Tobey Bajda RHP Bryant...
Read More
Draft | Story | 9/11/2026

PG Draft: Potential Risers Into Top 50

Michael Albee
Article Image
We are in the early stages of the 2027 cycle and there is still plenty of time for players to make significant jumps up the board. While our current Top-100 provides an early look at the class, several players just outside that group have the upside to make a run at becoming Top-50 pick by next July. With that in mind, each member of the draft team each selected one college player and one prep player they believe could make the jump into the Top-50 over the course of the spring. These are the names to keep an eye on as the 2027 draft picture continues to develop. Joey’s Picks:   Jake Cueto (27 FL) goes oppo πŸ’£ on a mid-90s LonL heater. Performing at a very high level, hitting .464 with 5 homers. Excellent hit/run combo and here comes the juice! #PGHS #Miami commit @Florida_PG pic.twitter.com/g4gtml81mm — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) April 1, 2026 Prep: OF, Jake...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 9/9/2026

PG Wood Bat Fall Kickoff Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Evan Thompson (‘29, AZ) showcasing the all-fields power with this ground rule double the other way. Immense power upside. Really fun offensive profile #FallKickoff https://t.co/l551KirUOf pic.twitter.com/QW0AIeg59g — Perfect Game Four Corners (@PG_FourCorners) September 7, 2026 Evan Thompson (2029, Gilbert, Ariz.) put on an offensive clinic throughout the weekend, going 8-for-13 with three extra-base hits. He capped off his MVP performance with a walkoff home run to take home the championship. Thompson is one of the premier players in the 2029 class. A fluid left-handed stroke consistently finds barrels. There is all fields power present that will only continue to develop further. It would not be a surprise if Thimpson ends up the top ranked player in the class when it is all said and done.  Chase Fillman (2028, Goodyear, Ariz.) put together a loud summer circuit and...
Read More
Draft | Story | 9/8/2026

What Profiles Are Valued Most at Top of Draft

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
The landscape of the MLB Draft continues to evolve each and every year. What teams value at the top of the draft can change based on the strength of a particular class, shifts in player development philosophy, and, perhaps most importantly, the way organizations evaluate risk and upside. Some trends are subtle, while others become impossible to ignore when viewed across multiple years. For this study, I set out to answer one question: What player profiles do teams value at the top of the draft? To answer it, I analyzed the Top-100 picks from each of the last six drafts (2021-2026). That gives us 600 total selections to examine and provides a large enough sample to identify both the profiles that have remained consistently popular and those that have gained or lost significant ground. The data was broken down by position, handedness and level to create individual player profiles. While...
Read More
General | General | 9/7/2026

First Look: Class of 2031 Rankings

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Read More
Draft | Story | 9/7/2026

Chubb Jones Jr. Enrolls Early

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
Harry Chubb Jones Jr. is getting an early start on the next chapter of his baseball career. The Perfect Game All-American announced Sunday that he will enroll early at the University of Alabama, giving the Crimson Tide an early addition from one of the more intriguing two-way prospects in the 2027 class. See y’all at The Joe! πŸ‘πŸΎπŸ‘πŸΎπŸ‘πŸΎ pic.twitter.com/Kn0T0mJxq7 — 6._.chubbjones (@chubb_hitter) September 6, 2026 Jones, a 6-foot-4, 190-pound SS/RHP from Georgia, was ranked No. 39 in the 2027 class and came in at No. 83 on the initial Top-100 2027 Draft Board. Chubb Jones Jr (‘27 GA) smokes this one the other way for an RBI single & we’re all level in the 6th. Adv bat speed, impacts w/ authority to all fields #PGAAC@PG_Georgia pic.twitter.com/FZ46IvYVp1 — Dick’s Sporting Goods All-American Classic (@PGAllAmerican) August 16, 2026 The McEachern...
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.