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Tournaments  | Story | 9/2/2019

East Labor Day Scout Notes


The 2019 East Labor Day classic was severely affected by the very real threat of historically devastating Hurricane Dorian as it churned off Florida’s Atlantic coast. A vast majority of the registered teams for this year’s tournament opted to stay at home instead of venturing to Southwest Florida for the always competitive event. The clubs that did choose to participate found the weather just fine as Dorian built strength and thankfully stayed away from the coastline over the weekend.

Representing the championship club, the Southwest Monarchs, were a gifted group of players. Their grit and attention to detail from first pitch to last enabled the Tampa area club to capture the 2019 East Labor Day crown.

The North Port, Fla.-based Monarchs were led by their talented backstop, John Schroeder (2021, Lakewood Ranch, Fla.). The 6-foot-1, 170-pound, switch-hitting catcher was either the kick-starter for the high-powered Monarch offense or the hitter who was somehow at the dish when his club needed a key knock to break open a game. His ability garnered such respect that he was intentionally walked to openan inning in a game in which his club led by a run. The junior at Lakewood Ranch High School is also a mature receiver who calls a veteran’s game. His quick feet and plus arm help keep opponent’s running games in check. His guidance of the Monarch pitching staff helped lead his club to the championship game and to a 1-0 shutout win in the highly entertaining contest.

Although he was only able to play in Sunday’s games, 6-foot-5, 190-pound shortstop Gehrig Wright (2021, North Port, Fla.) made his presence felt. The smooth fielding middle infielder with a plus arm made some crucial defensive plays that kept both the 5-Star Orlando and SWFL Canes clubs at arm’s length. Despite his length, Wright can make all the routine plays in the middle infield and he does so with a calm and confident ability that belies his relative youth. The Booker High School junior shows quickness and agility and a plus arm that is consistently accurate. The big righthanded swinger also had a couple of key at-bats and big knocks for his club. He has gap-to-gap pop and flashed some developing raw power.

Strong and sturdy, Clino Penge (2021, Sarasota, Fla.) was the key bat in the middle of the Monarch’s offense all weekend. The stout, 5-foot-11, 195-pound righthanded hitter posted a 1.514 OPS over five games while driving in six runs and scoring five. The Riverview High School junior has a great feel for the barrel and shows consistent ability to work counts and drive the ball to the gaps.

Fred D'Ariano (2021, Bradenton, Fla.) posted some big numbers on the weekend while garnering the silver platter emblematic of the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. The Southeast High School junior was simply outstanding on the hill in the championship game. His mastery of his mechanics and understanding of his ability is a skill usually reserved for a pitcher much his senior. The 5-foot-11, 160-pound righthander – who pitches with a veteran’s calm presence – is never going to be confused with a high velocity hurler. His fastball is thrown in the low-70s, but it shows consistent sink and arm-side run and he adds and subtracts velo with a plan that sees him reading batters’ swings and stances. He mixes in a quality 12-to-6 breaking curveball and a straight change that shows tumble at the dish. His ability to work with pace and pound the strike zone leads to a lot of anxious at-bats by the opponents. In his 1-0, complete game shutout in the tournament’s final contest, he never let one hitter get a quality barrel to a pitch.

If turning in the most impressive mound outing of the tourney wasn’t enough, the athletic D’Ariano also was a sparkplug for the Monarchs offense. The righthanded hitter is a contact guy who has a great understanding of the strike zone, a disciplined approach and a short, quick, direct swing path that sees him consistently getting his barrel to the ball. He is a plus runner who can pressure defenses with his speed and baserunning ability.

Fort Myers High School senior Jake Griffith (2020, Ft. Myers, Fla.) was dynamic in leading the powerful SWFL Canes offense. The lefthanded swinging leadoff hitter was a constant force in almost willing his club to the tournament finals. He has a great understanding of the strike zone and a truly quick bat. He also flashed some big gap power. He is a plus runner who will steal a base and press the action. Lastly, Griffith is also a gifted defender with a plus throwing arm that is highly accurate.

The East Upperclass Labor Day Classic Most Valuable Pitcher was Jace Jones (2021, Ft. Myers, Fla.). The long and lean, 6-foot-2, 180-pound junior at Cypress Lakes High School was dominant during his two appearances on the hill. He was the tough luck loser in the 1-0 championship game that saw him go the distance, striking out seven while flashing an active fastball that touched 90 mph and sat consistently between 86-88. The FGCU commit also shows a plus 12-to-6 breaking, tight-spinning curveball and a quality changeup thrown out of the same tunnel as his swing-and-miss fastball. On the weekend, Jones threw 10 innings and struck out 16 while walking only one.

Erik Arraraz (2021, Chino, Calif.) was sound for the Bulldogs Baseball Club throughout the weekend. The 5-foot-9, 150-pound dynamo was solid on the hill and at the plate for the Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.-based team. Arraraz posted six solid innings on the mound as he mixed and matched pitches, allowing only one earned run during his outing. His fastball was thrown to the edges and he complemented his well-commanded heater with a commendable curveball that showed late break at the dish. The Ruben S. Ayala junior made his presence felt at the dish, too. His ability to make solid contact with a short and quick path allowed Arraraz to hit .400 on the weekend and post a .971 OPS.

The Cape Coral, Fla.-based Blue Bombers club had one of the tournament’s top offensive performers on the weekend in Gavin Hause (2022, Cape Coral, Fla.). The North Fort Myers High School sophomore turned in an impressive performance as evidenced by his 1.972 OPS. The 5-foot-8, 135-pound righthanded swinger was seemingly always on base. His ability to work counts was noteworthy. He has a flatter bat path and a great ability to always get his barrel to a plus contact position. He uses the entire field to spray line drives and then presses the action with an aggressive baserunning style that showcases his plus speed.

5-Star Orlando’s Josean Sanchez (2021, Kissimmee, Fla.) was arguably the top offensive performer on the weekend. The 5-foot-6, 165-pound bundle of energy only made three outs in 13 plate appearances and was the catalyst to a very impressive 5-Star Orlando lineup. The Osceola High School junior is a line drive machine who has advanced bat quickness and a great ability to drive the ball to both gaps with authority. His almost unheard of 2.103 OPS saw him collect six hits. Four of those hits went for extra bases (two doubles and two triples) as Sanchez used advanced speed and a controlled aggressiveness to push the action throughout the weekend. For good measure Sanchez also stole three bases and scored six runs. Sanchez is also a gifted defender and showcased a smooth glove and plus arm while ably manning third base for his club.




Tournaments | Story | 10/15/2026

Big Offense Propels TBT/FTB to Title

Hannah Jo Groves
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Big Offense Wins TBT/FTB Phillies Scout WWBA Freshman Title Runs scoring in every inning led to the TBT/FTB Phillies Scout Team taking home the 2026 PG WWBA Freshman World Championship - winning over Canes National 15U 10-5. It had been a long week in West Palm Beach for the freshmen coming in from around the country to go up against the best of the best. While they had gotten to play on the backfields during the whole tournament, the players who made it to the championship game got to play it in the CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches Stadium. TBT/FTB showed their defensive strength right away - executing quickly to retire each of the first three batters. With the bats in their hands, they also showed speed to deliver - with Luca Briggs batting Trey Vandergriff in for the first run of the game and Kingston George quickly plating Briggs with a double in the next at-bat. In the first at-bat of...
Draft | Prospect Scouting Reports | 10/15/2026

Beyond the Board: C/UTL Gavin Kelly

Tyler Henninger
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Beyond the Board: SS Dylan Seward 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 are diving in West Virginia’s Gavin Kelly. The Mountaineer backstop posted a .382/.477/.725 slash line with 19 home runs, 44 extra-base hits, and helped lead WVU to Omaha in ‘26. Let’s dive in.  Player: Gavin Kelly  Position: C/UTL B/T: R/R Height: 6-foot-0 Weight: 175-pounds School: West Virginia Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pen. Physical Description: 6-0/175. Lean, athletic build. Sneaky strength throughout. Frame has room to fill out and get stronger.    Slo-mo look at the HR by Gavin Kelly (@WVUBaseball)....
Tournaments | Story | 10/14/2026

Beast of the East Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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‘31 Ryan Spann (GA) obliterates this ball for a solo HR 💣. Ball jumps off barrel & shows the juice and & PS impact. 3x @PGSelectFest alum. #BeastOfTheEast @PG_Georgia https://t.co/TgVGPfDRYc — Perfect Game Youth (@PGYouthBB) October 10, 2026 Ryan Spann (2031, Warner Robins, Ga.) took home MVP honors after a standout weekend and finishing as the number one player on the top performers list. The top player from Georgia and number two player in the country led all performers in home runs (2) and tallied 7 RBIs on his way to a .400 average. The overall profile on Spann is super advanced for the age with electric offensive upside and one of if not the prettiest swing in the class. This will be a fun follow for years to come and I am all in. Carlo Rivero (2031, Apopka, Fla.) checks in as the number one overall player in the class and it’s easy to see why at...
Press Release | Press Release | 10/14/2026

Perfect Game Extends Turtlebox Deal

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  667 Progress Way | Sanford, FL 32771 | 319-298-2923 www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   PERFECT GAME EXTENDS PARTNERSHIP WITH TURTLEBOX AS OFFICIAL BLUETOOTH SPEAKER AND AUDIO PROVIDER   Sanford, Florida (Wednesday, October 14, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced that Turtlebox has extended its partnership as the Official Bluetooth Speaker and Audio Provider of Perfect Game. The relationship, which began in 2023, expands to include original content, player recognition and a larger presence at Perfect Game's marquee events. At the center of the extension is "Turtlebox Cage Sessions," a new series produced and distributed by Perfect Game across all its social media platforms. The 12 short-form episodes will feature...
Tournaments | Story | 10/13/2026

East Cobb/Padres Explode Late for Jupiter Win

Hannah Jo Groves
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East Cobb/SD Padres ST Explode Late for WWBA Worlds Win A hard-fought, crazy ending resulted in the East Cobb/SD Padres scout team coming back and winning the 2026 PG WWBA World Championship over the SBA/Marlins Scout Team 2028. The score was 8-7 after the championship was won with a walk-off balk. After going against some of the most talented, highly-ranked players in the country for the past couple days, it was finally time for the championship game at Roger Dean Complex Stadium in Jupiter, FL. The WWBA World Championship, or, as it’s more commonly and lovingly referred to as, “Jupiter,” has become a favorite for all who have been part of its iconic, golf-cart infested, electric atmosphere. This championship game was sure to entertain. The first two innings were scoreless for both teams as they got settled. Both defenses were making plays - SBA/Marlins executed a...
Tournaments | Story | 10/12/2026

WWBA Freshman Scout Notes: Day 4

Marcus Thomas
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WWBA Freshman Scout Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 James Watson (2030, Canton, Ga.) showed the two-way upside to start bracket play for East Cobb Astros 15u. On the mound the right-handed pitcher went three innings and with three strikeouts and spread five hits and two walks for three runs. Watson works from a hybrid windup from the middle-of-the-rubber into a small heel-turn and an around-the-belt leg lift before using drop-and-drive back leg mechanics into a longer, in-line stride down the mound. Showed some feel to get extension down the mound. The hands separate into a moderate arm action before accelerating through from an over-the-top arm angle. The fastball ran up to 86 with arm-side run and life. Paired it with a curveball with 11-5 shape and solid two-plane break. Mixed in a change-up in the upper- 70s with some vertical depth. Competed at the top of the zone well. Athletic...
Tournaments | Story | 10/12/2026

WWBA World Champ. Scout Notes: Day 4

AJ Denny
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WWBA World Championship Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 ‘27 Mark Susa (WI) picked up 3 Ks thru 2 inn of work. 4SFB topped at 90 mph early on; 2S lived 85-86 w/ good run & sink down in the zone. Spun a 2600 rpm SLV w/ sharp traits (clip). Got up to 7’1” of extension. 6’4/200lb frame w/ more to come. #IUBase #WWBAWorlds @PG_WiscMinn https://t.co/uXfjVSSSZF — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) October 11, 2026 Mark Susa (2027, Hudson, Wisc.) put together a quality outing on Sunday, striking out three batters over 2.1 innings of work. The 6-foot-4 200-pound left-hander ran his fastball up to 90 mph, pairing it with a two-seamer that lived in the 85-86 mph range with heavy sink and arm-side run. He also showed great feel for spinning and locating his slurvy breaking ball, which read spin up to 2600 rpm. Susa utilizes his length to his advantage, creating...
Tournaments | Story | 10/11/2026

WWBA World Champ. Scout Notes: Day 3

Kyler Peterson
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WWBA World Championship Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 ‘28 Alan Zimmerman (FL) racked up 5 Ks w/ just 1 H allowed thru 3 shutout frames. Lived 89-90 T91 w/ lots of life thru the zone & some ASR. Dropped in a 12/6 breaker for Ks (clip). Projectable 6’3” mold. #Uncommitted @PG_Uncommitted #WWBAWorlds @Florida_PG https://t.co/KTDFpGK49y — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) October 10, 2026 Alan Zimmerman (2028, Winter Garden, Fla.) was dominant in his start on Saturday, collecting five strikeouts through three shutout innings while allowing just one hit. The uncommitted 6-foot-3 right-hander showed out in front of a lot of scouts, running his fastball up to 91 mph. The heater plays up with lots of life through the zone and short arm-side run. Zimmerman sat comfortably in the 88-90 mph range, pairing his fastball with a late-acting 12/6 curveball that was landed...
Tournaments | Story | 10/11/2026

WWBA Freshman Scout Notes: Day 3

Jheremy Brown
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WWBA Freshman Scout Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 Carson Garzaniti (2029, Jupiter, Fla.) showed the barrel feel all game for West Boynton Cobras. The right-handed hitter starts from a spread stance with his weight shifted forward and in-line feet with a high handset and an even back elbow, utilizes a heel lift weight transfer trigger. Creates some separation in the back shoulder and uncoils the lower half with a short, direct hand path and extension out front from a slightly uphill bat plane. Good bat speed in the swing with some feel to impact. The catcher has shown the barrel accuracy all event with three hits, including a double and triple, to drive in four RBI and has come around to score five runs. Lean, athletic 5-foot-11, 170-pound frame with feel to generate power working ground up from the back leg. Exciting player that has been swinging a hot stick through pool play.  ...
Tournaments | Story | 10/10/2026

WWBA World Champ. Scout Notes: Day 2

Perfect Game Staff
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WWBA World Championship Notes: Day 1 ‘27 C Joshua Digulio (TX) opened the morning in Cacti Park with a bang. In his first at-bat of the morning, Digulio crushed an 0-2 fastball. The right-handed hitter powered a fly-ball through the Florida morning humidity off the back wall of the left field bullpen for a no-doubt solo shot. Everybody in the stadium knew it was gone as soon as he made contact. The catcher also worked a walk in his only other plate appearance. His home run was the only hit in the game, providing Texas Brigade 2027 a 1-0 win.  ‘27 MIF Xavier Martin (IL) woke up the stadium with an electric swing. The right-handed hitter was sitting dead-red on a 2-0 heater, got it, and torched it. Martin scorched a line drive all the way over the left field bullpen, as the ball cleared a near 20-foot wall and bounced onto the concourse. It was a two-run shot for the...
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