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General  | General | 4/13/2020

Best of 7 Series: Pacific

Connor Spencer
Photo: Trenton Denholm (UCI Athletics)

Each segment of the Best of 7, 10-part series has been assembled by one of PG’s scouts. The idea of this exercise is to put together a team with the best amateur players from 10 different regions from across the country in an attempt to win a seven-game series. The players are not necessarily the top prospects in each state/region, but those that have consistently proven they have what it takes to win consistently at a high level. Which region would win such a series? Stay tuned to Perfect Game and join us @PerfectGameUSA to chime in.

Best of 7 Series: Florida

Pacific Region: California, Hawai'i



Matt McLain
It’s a shame that McLain didn’t have a full 2020 campaign to continue to build off his phenomenal start for UCLA in 2020. Through 58 at-bats he was hitting .397 with three home runs and 19 RBI. It was a total breakout month for McLain and it’s something that scouts have been waiting to see since he was drafted in the first round by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2018. In addition to the noticeable adjustments McLain made at the plate this season, he has the ability to make spectacular plays in the infield with plenty of range into the hole as well as up the middle and his spark of power at the plate early this season is very promising. Again, the 2021 draft may be the most over-loaded draft in recent history and McLain has the potential to have his name called early.

Pete Crow-Armstrong
Much like Garrett Mitchell coming out of high school, Pete Crow-Armstrong has a myriad of plus tools to his game with fantastic projectables that make the imaginations of scouts run wild. Last summer he seriously impressed with his speed and awareness in the outfield capping off the circuit with his appearance at the PG All-American Classic. There’s room to fill out in his 6-foot-1, 175-pound frame and projects to be similar to Garrett Mitchell as he continues to mature. His quick bat speed and quick-twitch actions suggest that his power tool will continue to improve as he fills out. As he continues to understand his swing and plan at the plate with consistency he’ll be a very dangerous pro player, whether that’s at Vanderbilt next spring or at the professional level.

Garrett Mitchell
It’s been an illustrious career at UCLA for the five-tool outfielder and Mitchell’s overall tools are highly regarded as some of the best in the 2020 draft class. Mitchell has done nothing but hit at UCLA as he posted a .349/.418/.566 slash line in 2019 and went on to play for team USA in the summer. During the shortened 2020 campaign, Mitchell continued to prove himself hitting .355 through 62 at-bats and he put together some extremely professional looking plate appearances in big games. The former PG All-American has plus tools throughout every aspect of his game with a strong arm from the outfield and plus speed that allows him to cover a ton of territory in center and swipe bags at will. Mitchell may arguably be one of the most complete players at the top of the draft board and if I had to name a captain for team Pacific, he’d be it.

Casey Schmitt
San Diego State’s starting third baseman is a strong defender and his defensive tools are plus enough to stick at the hot corner at the next level, however, I plugged him at first base for team Pacific because of the infield talent the region possesses. Schmitt is one of the most legitimate two-way threats in the country with a very strong arm and mature approach at the plate that earned him second team Preseason College All-American honors. Through 62 at-bats this season he was hitting .323 and was well on his way to floating his draft stock. He’s currently ranked No. 101 on the Top 400 MLB Draft prospect list, although the question for Schmitt is whether or not he’ll forgo this year’s shortened draft and try to raise his stock in a loaded 2021 class.

Clay Owens
A primary catcher, Owens spends most of his time at first base for the Trojans and on this Pacific team he’s the starting designated hitter. Due to his size and strength Owens started to break out this season as he finished hitting .346 with three home runs through 59 at-bats, which is half the amount of at-bats it took him to reach that home run total as a freshman in 2019. There’s good whip to Owens’ barrel, and although he’s not quite as big, I’ve heard some pretty decent Ryan Klesko comparisons to his swing especially from our own Steve Fiorindo. He’s a strong kid with some versatility to his game that only stands to improve with experience. He’s a guy that has the ability to hit double-digit home runs for the Trojans next season.

Brooks Lee
The only college freshman and only 2022 draft eligible player on this All-Pacific team, the expectations for Lee were sky high after turning down the Giants and a seven-figure paycheck in the 35th round of last year’s draft. He had a fantastic summer in the West Coast League slashing .342/.420/.466 and was named the league’s top prospect. Unfortunately, Lee was injured in fall ball and was expected to miss a large chunk of the season. Thanks to the training staff at Cal Poly, Lee returned early and was able to get in two at-bats before the season was shut down, ending his 2020 campaign 1-for-2 at the plate. After speaking to Corvallis head coach Brooke Knight about Lee, it was apparent that he was a special talent on both sides of the baseball and scouts are still anxiously awaiting his true premiere in college baseball. Another true shortstop, he has the talent and versatility to play just about anywhere in the infield.

Tyree Reed
Reed’s plus tools have been known for some time as he played for team USA’s 16u development program in 2018 and he truly burst onto the scene last summer after his strong performances at the PG Junior National and underclass Area Code Games. Much like the other outfielders included on this All-Pacific team, Reed oozes athleticism with long limbs that project as he’ll continue to fill out. Once baseball gets back up and running again, Reed has an opportunity to establish himself as a top 10 pick in what could be one of the most loaded draft classes of the 21st century, depending on player’s decisions with the upcoming shortened draft. Currently, Reed is ranked No. 12 overall on PG’s 2021 draft player rankings and he’s listed as the top prep player out of California for the class of 2021.



Kevin Parada
A 2019 PG All-American, Parada has put together a number of impressive offensive performances on the PG circuit. Parada was the co-Most Valuable Player at the 2018 WWBA World Championship and holds a career 1.102 OPS at PG events. Parada was hitting .467 for the Cubs of Loyola High School prior to the halt of the 2020 season and provides a mature approach to this Pacific lineup. Parada's versatility also allows him to fill in a couple of different spots on this team, particularly with the presence of fellow catchers Noah Cardenas and Tyler Soderstrom.

Noah Cardenas
Cardenas may be the most polished overall catcher in the 2021 class and he has the talent to be a top 10 pick. As a true freshman last season at UCLA he slashed .375/.476/.500 through 40 starts and then went on to hit .297 in the Cape Cod League. He got his first taste of adversity at the plate this season as he finished hitting .237 through 38 at-bats. His defensive tools are still on point and his glovework behind the dish is excellent. He beats balls to spots, never takes a pitch off and shows elite confidence with his glove on balls in the dirt. Cardenas also has a very strong arm and was clocked at sub-2.0 seconds in game action, throwing out a runner at on a ball in the dirt. If he’s able to come back and prove his consistency at the plate next season, he’ll have the chance to be one of the top catchers taken in 2021.



Tyler Soderstrom
Currently ranked No. 15 on PG’s Top 400 2020 draft list, Soderstrom is another prep player who greatly inflated his draft stock last summer. The 2019 PG All-American has advanced glovework behind the dish with an already mature baseball IQ to his game. He’s got a projectable 6-foot-2, 190-pound build and projects to be a possible Buster Posey type of professional. Soderstrom’s measurables are strong enough to be one of the safer high school picks in this year’s class as he provides an already plus defensive tool and a plus hit tool that will continue to improve as he progresses. The ceiling for Soderstrom is sky high and with some of the draft chatter going around he may come off the board in the middle of the first round.

Zach Lew
The lone bright spot in the Titans order, Lew has shown consistency throughout his college career at the plate, and he’s due for a true breakout. This shortened season he finished hitting .339 through 62 at-bats and he showed extremely competitive plate appearances against top opponents. He shows great feel and fluidity in the infield for Cal State Fullerton and has some good speed on the basepaths as well. As a polished college hitter, Lew has the potential to be a Big West batting champion in 2021 with his quick hands and quiet mechanics. He’s the one player on this Pacific team who at this moment is not a top prospect for his class, however, he’s a pure hitter with a strong hitterish foundation and it’ll guide him onto the radar of many scouts soon.



Adam Seminaris
Seminaris went from a good pitcher to Long Beach State’s ace this abbreviated season as he only gave up nine hits through 22 innings pitched and he finished with a K/9 rate of 14.72. Seminaris was lights out dominant in just about every start he had this season, including a one-hit, 10-strikeout performance against Mississippi State. His fastball is not overpowering in the high-80s, however, his pitchability is off the charts and all of his secondary offerings have plus ability and debatably a 65 or 70 grade on some pitches. It’s hard to decide whether his changeup or one of his breaking balls is his true best out-pitch. If the season would have finished as scheduled he was clearly on pace to be the Big West Pitcher of the Year and would have most definitely garnered some All-American nods.

Trenton Denholm
There were high expectations for Denholm this season as evidenced by numerous preseason All-American nods, although after a somewhat pedestrian start it will be interesting to see what he decided to do with a shortened 2020 draft. Denholm was debatably one of the best pitchers in the country in 2019, finishing with a 9-4 record and a 1.81 ERA through 99 2/3 innings at UC Irvine. This season, it wasn’t that Denholm lost the effectiveness of his stuff, it’s that he struggled with command through stretches and his opponents capitalized on the opportunities. It’s a shame that he doesn’t have the rest of the season to bounce back, nevertheless, none of this takes away from the potential of his stuff and consistency of his dominance when he’s on.



Kyle Harrison
Harrison was a 2019 PG All-American and has put together a career at De La Salle High School that is certainly worthy of any awards and accolades that come his way. Harrison is 21-1 in his prep career, posting a 1.19 ERA and striking out a whopping 192 batters. The southpaw features a fastball that has been up to 93 mph at PG events and put together a really impressive performance at the National Showcase in June.

Rodney Boone
The 2019 Big West Pitcher of the Year came out, as expected, with more confidence and ferocity in his sophomore campaign this season and posted a 13.08 K/9 rate through 21 1/3 innings pitched. UCSB didn’t have the most difficult non-conference schedule in the Big West, however, they did have a marquee sweep of Oregon State and Boone looked great going 5 1/3 innings allowing just one hit and fanning six against the Beavers. He’s got good length from the left side of the mound and isn’t afraid to work in on hitters from both sides of the plate. Boone was on pace for a special season and he seems to get better with every start he makes.

Nick Garcia
With a strong fastball that sits in the mid-90s, Garcia has the stuff to be successful at the next level and he has been tearing up Division III baseball the past two years with it. In 2019, Garcia finished with a 9-0 record and a 13.18 K/9 rate through 56 innings pitched. This season, he finishes almost right on that same dominant clip again with a 12 K/9 rate through 27 innings pitched. His stuff is pretty electric and there’s some good whip to his arm that helps to generate late life to the plate. He sticks with his heater for most of his outings and looks to establish it early. His secondary stuff shows great promise and his slider has flashes of brilliance when down in the zone. He’s currently ranked No.67 on PG’s Top 400 2020 draft list.

Gage Jump
Jump has been on the up and up since returning last season from injury and he did nothing but balloon his draft stock all summer and into this shortened season. Much like the other lefties on this team, Jump has fantastic pitchability with an elite feel for his stuff, but he now sits in the low- to mid-90s. Right now, he’s ranked No.48 in the class of 2021 by Perfect Game but he has the potential to be a top five prep arm in the class. His abbreviated high school season this year was highlighted by a masterful 13-strikeout performance against a very good Huntington Beach High School team. Moreover, he was also lights out in Jupiter last fall against some of the best high school players in the country.



Nick Frasso
Ranked No. 151 on PG’s Top 400 2020 draft list, Frasso made his transition from a closing role to a starting role this season for the LMU Lions. Last year, he posted a very strong 11.69 K/9 rate though 56 2/3 innings pitched. This season was a very short stint for Frasso as he made just two starts on the year. He has some power stuff from the right side with the ability to run his fastball up to 96 mph. He has great length to his limbs and frame, and when he’s on, his stuff can be lights out. He’s got both a slider that comes in around 84 mph as well as a curveball that sits around 77 mph. As of now, he profiles as more of a reliver at the next level as there’s still room to gain even more on his fastball thanks to his length.

Jared Jones
Jones, a Texas commit, is one of the true two-way prep threats in the country and is currently ranked No. 20 in the 2020 class. A PG All-American last summer, Jones has a fastball that can run up to 98 mph and it still feels very raw on the hill with a larger shaped breaking ball and developing off-speed. His build is as athletic as they come and it’s hard to put a ceiling on what he could turn out to be on the mound. At the plate, Jones possesses good hands with a quiet load and some violence to his launch. Jones’ professional future is on the mound as his stuff is some of the most electric in the class, and if a team is able to effectively use him as a true two-way player at the next level, that’ll just be icing on the cake.

Holden Powell
Although Powell is currently ranked No. 129 on PG’s Top 400 2020 draft list, that number feels low given the type of abbreviated season Powell was able to put together this year. Through 9 1/3 innings pitched, Powell accumulated a ridiculous 19.35 K/9 rate, and the only reason he didn’t record more saves is because the Bruins more often than not were up big when he came into games. Powell’s fastball was up this season as he sat 94-96 mph in a strong four-out save against Vanderbilt. Although there are numerous arms in this class with electric stuff, what sets Powell apart from the rest is his experience in high pressure situations. In 2019 he recorded 17 saves for a top-ranked Bruin team. It would have been interesting to see what his final K/9 rate would have been had he been able to finish the full season.
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General | Blog | 4/10/2026

Wolforth Throwing Mentorship: Article 64

Ron Wolforth
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What Do Barry Zito, Justin Verlander, Trevor Bauer, and Dallas Keuchel All Have in Common? By Ron Wolforth | Texas Baseball Ranch® | PG Arm Care Take a second and think about the question posed in the title before you read on. Four Cy Young Award winners. Four of the most decorated pitchers of their generation. What's the common thread? The first answer is obvious… they all won the most prestigious individual award in pitching. Most of you probably got there immediately. The second answer is less obvious… they all trained at the Texas Baseball Ranch® at some point in their development. Interesting, maybe, but not the point of this article. The third answer is the one I really want you to sit with, because it has direct relevance to your career right now: they all move completely differently. And they all attack hitters completely differently. Don't rush past that....
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Tournaments | Championship | 6/3/2026

EBC 17U-Griggs Takes Title

Kinley Kitchens
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After a week of dominant performances, timely hitting, and resilient play, EBC 17U-Griggs capped off its run through the 2026 Perfect Game Hoover Invitational with a championship victory Monday, securing the program’s first tournament title of the summer. Despite a lengthy rain delay, EBC never lost focus, relying on contributions throughout the lineup and another strong pitching performance to secure the win. “This being our first [win] of the summer, we have an amazing group right here,” head coach Rodd Griggs said. “Some of the guys I’ve had for years, some of the guys just joined us this summer, but it’s an amazing group.” EBC’s championship performance reflected the depth that carried the club throughout the tournament. Paxton Wright set the tone of the mound, working four innings while allowing just two hits striking out two hitters....
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Tournaments | Story | 6/3/2026

AZ Summer Kickoff Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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JJ Utash (‘27, AZ) tripled to both gaps, collecting 3 RBI along the way. Big time strength. Balls jumps off the barrel to all fields. Good runner/athlete too. #HookEm commit #AZKickoff pic.twitter.com/h1SbsSxpMy — Perfect Game Four Corners (@PG_FourCorners) May 30, 2026 JJ Utash (2027, Gilbert, Ariz.) is the top-ranked player in the state and showed off why over the weekend. The Texas commit collected five hits, including a pair of doubles and a pair of triples. The mix of power and speed is impressive. The ball jumps off the barrel with ease to all fields. Utash consistently lifts balls with authority, resulting in loud in-game power. The speed on the bases stands out as well. Utash looks to be aggressive and can take extra bags when they present themselves. The tools are some of the loudest in the class and will draw considerable draft interest next July.  Soren...
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Tournaments | Story | 6/2/2026

Southeast Elite Scout Notes: Days 3-5

Perfect Game Staff
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Southeast Elite Scout Notes: Days 1-2 Auburn commit Brennan Neal (2027, Columbus, Ga.) had a good showing on Sunday on the mound, putting the clean, athletic delivery on display in an inning of work. Neal worked in the 90-93 range with the fastball with plenty of life, and showed some run to it when working to the arm side. Neal also worked in a tight slider in the upper 70s, but also showed confidence in a fading changeup in the mid 80s. Neal also has room to add strength to his lanky frame, which could be big for him to continue to add velocity. South Florida commit Taylor Casson (2026, Atlanta, Ga.) had an impressive showing on the hill with the stuff and results, going 5 innings of no-hit baseball with 10 strikeouts. The fastball worked in the 89-92 range with downhill angle and tail, and was in the zone often. He worked a 3-pitch mix, showing some impressive swing and miss stuff...
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Tournaments | Story | 6/2/2026

WWBA South Invite Notes: Days 3-5

Perfect Game Staff
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WWBA Scout Scout Notes: Days 1-2 Raylen Hunter (‘30 TX) stays living on the barrel; this one burning the CFer for a double. Just an electric ballplayer. #WWBASouth https://t.co/1LThRBqN80 pic.twitter.com/z5RF5dy47o — Perfect Game Texas (@Texas_PG) May 30, 2026 Raylen Hunter (2030, Cypress, Texas) took home MVP honors for the tournament and helped lead his team to a big championship win. Was a big standout on a loaded Banditos team that steamrolled their way to the championship. He ended the week going 10-16 with a pair of doubles while scoring ten runs atop the lineup. Hunter is a true spark plug who makes consistently hard contact line to line. The swing is short and works to all fields with plenty of twitch and bat speed. Bat to ball plays at an extremely high level as he rarely gets cheated never taking an at-bat off. Once on base, Hunter causes havoc on the base-paths, a...
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High School | Rankings | 6/2/2026

High School Top 50 Update: June 2

Tyler Russo
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With another few weeks in the book of the high school season, we’ve already had state champions crowned with playoffs happening in some northern states. There have been some upsets so there has been a good amount of movement in the National High School Top-50. We have a new number-one this update with Tomball (TX) taking over the top spot and will be playing for a state championship this week. They sport a 42-1 record heading into the title game and have been one of the best teams from start to finish this year. St. John Bosco (CA) has now gone back-to-back with Trinity League and CIF Southern Section titles and take over the No. 2 spot. No. 3 Aledo (TX) continues to win, No. 4 Trinity (KY) has been dominant in Kentucky play and No. 5 Norco (CA) lost the Southern Section title game and had a great year. Magnolia Heights (MS) moves up a few spots to No. 8 after winning their 8th...
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Tournaments | Championship | 6/2/2026

EC Astros Win Back-And-Forth Thriller

Will Dembo
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In a highly anticipated matchup between two of the nation’s top 17u teams, the East Cobb Astros defeated eXposure National 9-8 in a thrilling extra-inning battle to claim the PG Southeast Elite Championship. The Astros completed the weekend undefeated, opening their summer season with a hard-fought, statement victory. “I mean, it's fun, it's been a grind today,” said Astros Head Coach, Josh Burress. “Been out here a long day, but our guys are competitors, they come out compete, they want to compete and win, so it's just fun to watch them come out here and not quitting playing to the end... so the guys did very well today, and they competed all the way through.” eXposure began the opening frame by taking the early lead on an error but quickly gave their lead away as the Astros came out of the gates hot, plating six runs in just the first inning. Mason Peek,...
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Tournaments | Story | 6/2/2026

Central Florida Invite Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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Leanderson Argueta (2027, Panamá) absolutely outmatched every arm he faced this weekend ending up with seven hits, five of which were doubles and also hit a three run home run in game three. In the fifth inning against Freshwater Storm National Argueta got his pitch and deposited it over the wall for a go ahead three run home run. Showed real comfort in the box and was able to repeat the stroke well. Fires his hips with intent and the direct bat path plays to all parts of the park.  Jayden Pagan (2028, St. Cloud, Fla.) would not be denied this weekend slashing .500/.684/1.434. The championship game was no different for Pagan getting a first pitch heater and scorched it into left for an rbi triple. He would later add a double in the seventh inning that carried over the center fielders head. The bat to ball skills paired with his up the middle approach translate. The 2028...
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Tournaments | Championship | 6/2/2026

Biscuits Elite Go Perfect at Kick-Off

Emily Hicks
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After several days of competitive baseball, the Summer Kick-Off came down to one final matchup between Biscuts Elite and BTA 18U. In the end, Biscuits Elite came away with the championship, earning a 26-13 victory at Goodyear Ballpark. “We're a hardworking group; we never give up," said JJ Utash. Biscuits Elite set the tone early, scoring 7 runs in the 1st inning and never looked back. “We just worked together as a team the whole time; we scored runs, and running the ball offensively was good,” said Utash. Nikolas Ramirez led the offense, finishing 3-4 with 2 doubles, 1 triple, and 2 runs scored. Kyle Wisniewski added a 3-4 day at the plate which included a triple, and a run scored to help fuel the attack. Wisniewski hit .444 through 4 games. On the mound, Sean McDaniels got the start, throwing 2.2 innings while allowing 1 hit and striking out 3 batters. The pitching...
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Tournaments | Championship | 6/1/2026

Turn 2 Comes Back to Take BCS

Alyssa Golden
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A mostly clear day at Lee Health Sports Complex in Fort Myers, Florida set the stage for a tightly contested championship matchup between Florida Burn 2028 Myrback and Turn 2 Garcia. Behind two triples from Quinn Seglem, Turn 2 rallied for a 5-4 victory to claim the BCS Qualifier title. Left-hander Carter Brunco started on the mound for Turn 2, allowing six hits and four walks while striking out two over 3.2 innings. Burn jumped out to an early lead in the first inning. Luke Straw singled and later advanced to third on a wild pitch before Joe O’Brien delivered an RBI single to score the game’s first run. Blake Dubiel followed with another RBI single to give Burn a 2-0 advantage. Right-hander Straw carried the momentum onto the mound for Burn, holding Turn 2 hitless through the first two innings while recording a strikeout in each. In the top of the second, Spencer Meachum...
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College | Story | 5/29/2026

Cali Mid-Major Draft Notes

Joey Cohen
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California annually produces its share of high-profile prep and college draft talent, but this spring also offered quality depth especially on the mid-major side. I wanted to highlight a group of semi under-the-radar prospects who have quietly put together strong seasons and caught the attention of our staff whether it was with in-person looks or just by some performance/data metrics that popped. The bulk of this group comes out of the Big West, with additional names from the WCC, WAC, and Mountain West mixed in. Matthew Thomas - OF - CSUN  Few hitters in the Big West have matched Thomas’ offensive impact this spring, as he slashed a strong .335/.411/.679 with 15 home runs. Long and still mostly viewed as a power-first profile, he’s taken a meaningful step forward in the hit tool, cutting down a bit on significant swing-and-miss concerns while increasing his on-base...
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