CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The MLB spring training fields in the Florida cities of Fort Myers, Jupiter and West Palm Beach that Perfect Game is able utilize for its annual WWBA World Championships each October fell silent earlier this week.
On Monday, the Florida Hurricanes 14u Platinum beat USA Prime National 2024 in the championship game at the PG WWBA 14u World Championship in West Palm, a result that officially put a cap on the 2019 PG WWBA summer and fall tournament seasons.
And what an extremely busy five months it has been. Perfect Game this year added WWBA national championship tournaments at venues in Alabama, Arizona, Iowa and Texas to go along with the traditional age-division WWBA blockbusters held in Georgia for the past 20-plus years; the PG BCS national championships continued to be anchored in Fort Myers.
More events meant that more teams than ever were able to compete for a PG national championship on fields that were, perhaps, a little closer to home than in years past. And the level of competition was as good as ever.
Just in the last month alone, 5 Star National 2022 Burress (Georgia) won the PG WWBA Sophomore World Championship with MV Player Sal Stewart and MV Pitcher Lane Essary; Canes National 17u (Virginia) with MVP JD Suarez and MVPi Gage Ziehl won the PG WWBA Underclass World Championship and the Top Tier Roos American 2023 (Florida) claimed gold at the PG WWBA Freshman World Championship with MVP Aidan Miller.
And finally, the week before the WWBA 14u World Championship was played, the Florida Burn 2020 Platinum claimed their second straight title at the PG WWBA World Championship at the Roger Dean Complex in Jupiter; the Burn’s PG All-American catcher Mac Guscette was named the MVP.
What follows is a look at what some of the top programs in the 14u, 15u, 16u, 17u and 18u age-groups were able to accomplish during the five-month grind the schedule presents.
Results from every PG tournament that was played in 2019 can be found by following this link to PG’s website.
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THERE WAS NO TEAM MORE DOMINANT AT THE 17U LEVEL THIS SUMMER than the Virginia-based Canes National 17u. The Canes won both the WWBA 17u National Championship and the 17u PG World Series, going 12-0-0 at the former and 6-0-1 at the latter.
2020 right-hander Tyler Olenchuk was named the MVPi at the WWBA 17u National Championship while 2020 catcher Cooper Ingle took home the MVP award at the 17u PGWS. The Canes National sputtered a bit in Jupiter, missing the playoffs after finishing 1-1-1 in pool-play but ended up at 2-1-1 after a consolation victory.
The East Cobb Astros 17u Navy (Georgia) also piled up the wins this summer and fall, a season that concluded with the Padres Scout Team/ECB finishing 5-1-1 in Jupiter after a loss in the semifinals.
This was a team that started the summer out with a co-championship at the WWBA 17u PG-EC Invitational and was the runners-up at the BCS 17u National Championship, the WWBA 17u Elite Championship, the WWBA 18u National Championship and the WWBA 17u National Championship Qualifier.
2020 infielder/catcher Ethan Stamps was named the MVP at three of those events: the 17u PG-EC Invite, the 18u NC and the 17u NC Qualifier. 2020 second baseman John Anderson was the MVP at the BCS 17u and 2020 righty Blade Tidwell the MVPi at the 17u PG-EC Invite.
The Team Elite 17u Scout Team (Georgia) also soared at many of the premier tournaments in 2019, highlighted by a 7-0-0 championship run at the inaugural WWBA 17u Elite Championship. 2020 shortstop Sam Ruta was the MVP and 2020 lefty Jaden Woods the MVPi at the exclusive event.
The TE 17u ST also went 6-1-1 and reached the semifinals at the WWBA 18u National championship and 7-2-0 with a spot in the final four at the BCS 17u National Championship; they finished 8-1-0 after a loss in the second round of the playoffs at the WWBA 17u National Championship.
The Florida Burn 2020 Platinum captured the PG tournament crown jewel when they won in Jupiter, and they had been plenty good leading up to the season finale, as well.
They preceded the 8-0-0 Jupiter run by taking the title at the BCS 17u National Championship with a 10-0-0 record, paced by the play of 2020 right-hander Trace Goforth, the MVPi. The Burn was also 6-0-0 and the champs at the WWBA 17u National Championship Qualifier, led by MVPi Daniel Vassallo, a 2020 righty.
The Rawlings Arkansas Prospects-Menard went a combined 17-4-1 while reaching the semifinals at the WWBA 17u NC, the WWBA 17u Elite Championship and the 17u PG World Series.
The Scorpions 2020 Founders Club (Florida) won the championship at the WWBA Florida Qualifier (7-0-0) behind MVP CJ Kayfus, a ’20 outfielder, and MVPi Brody Norris, a 2020 righty. The Scorps 2020 FC also went 8-2-0 after a loss in the third round of the playoffs at the WWBA 17u NC and finished 5-2-0 after reaching semifinals at the PG WWBA World Championship.
The Scorpions Founders Club roster in Jupiter featured PG All-Americans Michael Brooks, Dylan Crews, Jack O'Dowd and Zac Veen.
The Dallas Patriots 17u Stout (Texas) more than held their own in 2019, highlighted by a 10-1-1 runner-up finish at the WWBA 17u National Championship; 2020 catcher Sam Crowell was the MVP at that event. The Pats also made a 4-1-0 run into the semis at the WWBA South Qualifier and a 5-1-0 run into the quarters at the WWBA 17u South National Championship.
Four programs from California shined brightly throughout 2019, with the San Diego Show, NorCal Baseball Prime, CBA Marucci National and GBG Marucci 2021 Navy each racking up their share of wins.
The Show went 5-2-0 and grabbed a runner-up finish at the 17u PGWS, led by MVPi Joseph Ingrassia, a ’20 left-hander. They also finished 7-1-0 after a loss in the playoff’s second round at the WWBA 17u National Championship, and 5-2-0 after a quarterfinal loss at the WWBA 17u West National Championship.
CBA Marucci National and NorCal Baseball Prime were co-champs at the WWBA 17u West National Championship; CBA 2020 right-hander Cameron Walty was the MVPi. The Marucci National also finished as runner-up at the WWBA Upperclass Fall Championship Protected by G-Form where 2020 shortstop Rocco Peppi picked up MVP honors.
GBG Marucci 2020 Navy went 6-0-0 while winning the championship at the WWBA Upperclass, where 2020 righty Brandon Madrigal was named the MVPi. The 2020 Navy also won a consolation bracket championship at the 17u PGWS, finishing 5-1-1, led by PG All-American Kevin Parada.
On a related note, the GBG Marucci 2021 Navy and the GBG Marucci 2023 Navy took home titles at the WWBA Underclass Fall National and the WWBA Freshman Fall National, respectively. 2021s Josiah Chavez and Griffin Stark were named MVP and MVPi, respectively, at the Underclass Fall while 2023s Julien Cojulun and Charlie Greenleaf received those same awards at the Freshman Fall.
Ostingers Baseball Academy 2020 finished 6-1-0 while winning the PG Super25 17u National championship behind MVP Brock Wilken (’20 3B) and MVPi Cole Stallings (’20 RHP). It also finished 9-1-1 after a loss in the semifinals at the WWBA 17u National Championship.
The GRB Rays (Wisconsin) and the Cangelosi Sparks 2020 Black (Illinois) made the most of the opening of the Prospect Meadows complex in Marion, Iowa.
The Rays went 7-1-1 on their way to winning the title at the WWBA 17u Prospect Meadows National Championship, with 2020 infielder Max Wagner as the MVP; they also reached the playoff’s second round at the WWBA 17u National Championship before bowing out at 7-2-0.
The Sparks 2020 Black were the undefeated champions at the WWBA Kernels Foundation Championship and were the 8-1-0 runner-up at the WWBA 17u Prospect Meadows NC. Sparks 2020 right-hander Jack Crowder was named the MVPi at both of those tournaments.
The Florida-based Next Level Baseball 18u won championships at both the PG WWBA 18u Southeast Championship and the 18u PG World Series while compiling an overall record of 23-3-1 and earned the No. 1 spot in the final 18u National Travel Team Rankings.
2021 outfielder Jaden Rudd was the MV Player at the Southeast Championship and 2019 third baseman Dilan Lawson took home MVP honors at the 18u PGWS. NEB 18u finished as runner-up at the PG WWBA Southeast Qualifier #1 where 2019 right-hander David Warren was named the MV Pitcher.
The Midland Redskins (Ohio) won another championship at the Connie Mack World Series and finished No. 2 in the final rankings while the Okotoks Dawgs 18u Black out of Canada parlayed their 8-0-0 run to the PG BCS 18u National Championship title into the No. 3 ranking. 2019 outfielder Micah McDowell was named the MV Player and 2019 right-hander Matthew Dobberthien was the MV Pitcher at the BCS 18u.
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MANY OF THE USUAL SUSPECTS DOMINATED PLAY AT THE 16U LEVEL in 2019, including the Team Elite 16u Scout Team (Georgia) which rocked and rolled to a 12-0-0 record and the championship at the WWBA 16u National Championship.
That impressive effort was led by MVP Isaac Pacheco, a ’21 shortstop, and MVPi Grant Taylor, a 2021 right-hander.
The Dulins Dodgers 16u Ince won the 16u PG World Series with a 7-0-1 mark, building on the 14u and 15u PGWS championships Dulins’ teams in 2017-18; 2020 righty Lane Forsythe was named the MVPi.
They also went 8-2-1 after reaching the quarterfinals at the WWBA 16u National Championship and 6-1-0 at the WWBA 17u NC, just missing the playoffs.
The East Cobb Astros 16u (Georgia) spent the summer collecting wins like they were rare coins. They won the PG Super25 16u National Championship (7-0-1) behind 2022 catcher and MVP Jared Jones, and reached the semifinals at both the PG Elite Underclass Championship (5-1-0) and the 16u PGWS (5-3-0).
The Astros 16u also advanced to the quarterfinals at the BCS 16u National Championship (6-2-0) and to the playoff’s third round at the WWBA 16u National Championship; they went 6-1-0 but missed the playoffs at the WWBA 17u NC.
The Scorpions 2021 Founders Club (Florida) also found themselves riding high most of the summer and fall with runner-up finishes at both the 16u PGWS and the WWBA Underclass World Championship; 2021 first baseman Cade Bush was the MVP at 16u PGWS. They also went 9-1-0 after a loss in the quarterfinals at the WWBA 16u NC.
Academy Select 16u Ingram (Texas) finished 11-1-0 and as runner-up at the WWBA 16u NC, and the Texas-based Dulins Dodgers 16u Godwin went 9-1-0 while winning the championship at the BCS 16u National; 2021 catcher Dylan Leach and 2021 left-hander Chandler Benson were named the MVP and MVPi, respectively, at the BCS NC.
The Dodgers 16u Godwin also finished 8-1-0 after a third-round loss in the playoffs at the WWBA 16u National Championship.
Elite Squad 16u National (Florida) went a combined 20-5-1 while reaching the semifinals at the 16u PGWS, the quarterfinals at the WWBA Underclass World Championship and the second round of the playoffs at both the WWBA 16u National Championship and the WWBA Sophomore World Championship.
Led by 2021 right-hander and MVPi Austin Grause, the Hit Factory PRO (Florida) went 6-0-0 and won the championship at the 16u PGWS Qualifier. They were also an 8-1-0 semifinalist at the BCS 16u, a 5-1-0 quarterfinalist at the 16u PGWS and a 5-1-0 third-rounder at the WWBA Underclass World Championship.
The Cangelosi Sparks 2021 Black (Illinois) were every bit as good as their older brothers, even without winning a championship. They were 10-0-0 before losing in the semifinals at the WWBA 16u National Championship and were a 5-1-0 semifinalist at the WWBA Kernels Foundation Championship, a Jupiter qualifying event.
5 Star National 16u Burress (Georgia) went a combined 13-0-0 while winning championships at both the WWBA Southeast Memorial Day Classic and the WWBA 16u PG-EC Invitational early in the summer. 2021 shortstop Tyler Christmas was the MVP and 2021 righty Dawson Hamilton the MVPi at the SEMDC and 2021 outfielder Devin Obee was the MVP at the 16u PG-EC Invite.
The Canes National 15u (Virginia) was 24-0-2 during the 15u summer season, a mark that included a 12-0-0 run to the WWBA 15u National Championship; 2022 shortstop/outfielder Cole Young was the MVP and 2022 right-hander Evan Siary the MVPi at the event.
They also claimed a co-championship at the 15u PG World Series (6-0-1) and finished 6-0-1 at the WWBA 16u NC but didn’t reach the playoffs; ’22 lefty Tristan Smith was the MVPi at the 15u PGWS.
Other top 15u teams included 5 Star National 15u Dobbs (Georgia), the South Charlotte Panthers (North Carolina), the Elite Squad 15u National (Florida), Dulins Dodgers 15u Wright (Tennessee), Texas Twelve Maroon and FTB Tucci-Cleveland 2022, among others.
5 Star National was the 9-1-0 champion at the BCS 15u National Championship, paced by MVP Gage Harrelson, a 2022 outfielder. It also finished as runner-up at the WWBA 15u National Championship withy an 11-1-0 mark and reached the quarters at the 15u PGWS (4-1-0).
The SC Panthers were 5-1-0 semifinalists at the WWBA Sophomore World Championship and a 4-2-0 semifinalist at the 15u PGWS.
The Elite Squad 15u National started the summer off as the undefeated champion at the WWBA 15u East Memorial Day Classic; 2022 infielder Jake Santos was the MVP, 2022 lefty Blake Gollett the MVPi. They were also a 5-1-0 semifinalist at the 15u PGWS and were a combined 11-4-0 during playoff runs at both the WWBA 15u NC and the BCS 15u National championship.
The Dulins Dodgers 15u Wright went 5-0-2 while sharing the 15u PGWS championship with the Canes National 15u; 2021 corner-infielder Tanner Jones earned MVP honors.
Texas Twelve Maroon was an 8-0-0 champion at the WWBA South National Championship with MVP third baseman Canon Chester and was a 4-1-0 quarterfinalist at the 15u PGWS. FTB Tucci-Cleveland was the unbeaten champion at the PG 15u Florida World Series and an 8-2-0 quarterfinalist at the WWBA 15u National Championship.
Team Elite 14u National (Georgia) was the 10-0-1 titlist at the WWBA 14u National Championship, led by MVP 2023 shortstop Jaxon Willits and MVPi 2023 right-hander Bransen Powell; the Nationals also were a 5-2-0 quarterfinalist at the 14u PGWS.
The Kangaroo Court Roos American (Florida) completed an 8-1-0 run to the championship at the 14u PGWS with MVP 2023 catcher/outfielder Colton Wombles setting the pace. Genesis Baseball 14u (Florida) was the 9-0-0 champs at the BCS 14u National Championship with MVP 2022 catcher Fabian Amaro.
Other top 14u teams included the Canes National 14u (Virginia) and the Banditos Scout Team 14u (Texas). The Canes were the 10-1-0 runner-up at the WWBA 14u National Championship and a 6-1-0 semifinalist at the 14u PGWS.
The Banditos were a 6-2-0 semifinalist at the 14u PGWS and an 8-1-0 quarterfinalist at the WWBA 14u National Championship.