THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,614 MLB PLAYERS | 16,397 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,614 MLB PLAYERS | 16,397 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Sign in Create Account
Sign in Create Account
All American Game  | Story | 7/18/2019

Dream becomes reality for Walker

Cory Van Dyke
Photo: Jordan Walker (Perfect Game)

HOOVER, Ala. – When Jordan Walker steps on the field, his 6-foot-5, 212-pound frame provides a physical presence that commands respect. The strength that he utilizes allows him to be a threat to send a ball into oblivion anytime he’s at the dish.

Apparently, that power has been there from a young age. Ask Walker his most memorable moment from his youth days of baseball and he recalls his powerful swing from tee ball.

“I hit a home run and I hit my grandmother’s car,” Walker said before taking the field for Team Elite 17u Scout Team at the 2019 WWBA 17u Elite Championship. “I think I broke a windshield or something. I don’t know why I remember that, but I just do. We were all laughing about it at the end. Just being here and getting to grow up and finally seeing where I am now, it’s unbelievable and I’m beyond blessed.”

A home run off a tee that shattered a windshield requires uber strength. Surely there was some embellishment to the story. Jordan’s father, Derek Walker, recalls the day as well, and hints that his son might have hyperbolized just a bit.

“The story grows,” Derek said with a chuckle. “I don’t think it quite hit [the car], but it was in the parking lot. They had the fence and then the grassy knoll and then up on the hill to the parking lot. The ball literally went out and bounced into the parking lot as it first touched down. 

“I think that was probably the first time where I said, ‘Wow, this kid has a lot of power.’ That was a fun day. A lot of people still come up to us nine years later and talk about that hit. That was a special one.”

Since those early days of youth baseball, Walker has transformed into the No. 13 overall player in the 2020 class and the No. 1 player in the state of Georgia. At the Perfect Game National Showcase in June, Walker continually made loud contact at the plate and ran a 6.56 60-yard dash. 

Fast forward over a month later and Walker was named to the 2019 Perfect Game All-American Classic set to take place on August 11 at Petco Park.

“I’ve been waiting for this my whole life,” Walker said. “I remember watching it as a kid on TV and just telling my family, ‘I want to be in that game.’ … Being an All-American means pretty much everything to me because that was my No. 1 goal as a child when I grew up to be a teenager.”

This won’t be the only time that Walker has been to San Diego, though. The rangy third baseman was named to the 2017 and 2018 PG Underclass All American Games that also took place on the West Coast. 

During his time out there, Walker and his father attended the All-American Classic both years, enjoying the scene and realizing that his moment on that field could occur sooner rather than later.

“Both times at the end of the game, we just sat there and we both were visualizing ‘Man, what would it be like for you to be out on the field in this game,’” Derek said. “That was a goal of his since then. He literally has recorded the last two year’s games and watched them probably two times a week, not an exaggeration. When he got the call that he made it, it was just unbelievable.”

As one can probably ascertain, Jordan noted that his father has been the biggest influence on his baseball career. Derek has been there through the highs and the lows, along for the ride from those days in tee ball to his current position on Team Elite.

“[My dad] pushes me even sometimes when I don’t agree with him when he pushes me,” Walker said. “All in all, I know he’s trying to help me, and in the end he usually is right with the stuff he says. I really want to thank him because he’s pretty much the source of everything I do and I love him.”

Walker shot up in the rankings after the National Showcase and there’s now serious talks of him being selected in the 2020 MLB Draft. You wouldn’t know that inside the Walker household, however. There’s no discussion of the rankings or expectations. 

“I really try not to think about that at all,” Walker said. “I know that if I get too worried about that, then my game will probably start getting affected by it. I just try to have fun during the game right now and whatever happens happens.”

Instead, the talks between father and son focus on the last game or what Jordan can do to improve his game or whatever he’s thinking about. It allows the Stone Mountain, Ga. native to stay grounded and avoid the pressure that many kids put on themselves in the process of pursuing their own baseball dreams.

“In all the kids we’ve had that have had that opportunity to go on and play professional baseball, Jordan’s one who just understands the role,” Team Elite coach Jamie Crane said. “He understands what he’s here for. He’s very humble with it, but at the same time he’s here to go to work. It doesn’t affect who he is. Jordan Walker is still Jordan Walker. That’s just a tremendous human being and a great teammate and a great kid.”

When Walker isn’t playing pick-up basketball with his friends at the park or studying Chipper Jones’ righthanded swing, he’s oftentimes studying the material that helps him garner a 3.9 GPA at Decatur High School. Academics is not taken lightly for Walker and Co. 

His mother teaches at the same high school he attends, holding three degrees and graduating from Harvard. His father is an MIT grad and joked that Jordan “didn’t have a choice” about whether or not to take his academics seriously. Walker has bought into the academic expectations, and it’s why he decided on Duke University when choosing a place to play baseball at the next level.

“Academics was pretty much everything for my parents, but also for me too,” Walker said. “I really wanted to go to a good academic school and I felt like Duke would be a perfect fit because they have a pretty good baseball team and I liked the coaches there. The academics speaks for itself… I’m just excited with what the future holds for me.”

That future ahead for Walker is bright both on and off the baseball field. It’s the ineffable joy he finds between the lines that creates a mild-wide smile and will keep Walker returning to the diamond wherever that may be in the years to come.

“Just being on a baseball field makes me the happiest I’ll be, more than doing anything else,” Walker said. “I just love being on the baseball field throwing the ball, hitting the ball. I’ve loved it ever since I was three when I started playing. That’s why I play the game. It just feels right to me.”
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
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
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 | 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
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.