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2,384 MLB PLAYERS | 15,805 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS

Showcase | Story | 12/15/2021

FAQ Showcase Questions: Part 2

Perfect Game Staff

Pre-Showcase FAQs Part 1

For many heading into their first Perfect Game showcase, there’s an element of the unknown for players and families as they simply haven’t experienced an event in a showcase setting before. In part 1 we looked to answer some frequently asked questions and provide players and families as much information as possible heading into the event. In part 2’s installment, we take a look at what to expect once the showcase is underway, what our scouts are looking for, and how to maximize your exposure throughout the weekend among your peers. The final piece, part 3, will break down the metrics every player will accumulate throughout the weekend from all parts of the showcase.

With the addition of Prospect Gateways (13U/14U) to the Perfect Game showcase schedule, players now have the opportunity to attend at a younger age, post a baseline of numbers and watch their progress over the years. Whether it’s a Prospect Gateway or the National Showcase with 300 of the top rising seniors, the structure of a Perfect Game showcase remains the same, providing continuity from one event to the next. Each segment of a Perfect Game showcase is used in each player's evaluation by our scouts, from the 60-yard time to their performance throughout drills and the live action portion of the event.

This article will answer the most popular question, “what are scouts looking for?” It’s a rather simple question but the answer is not. Scouts are looking at a variety of factors throughout the event.

There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to scouts as “talent is in the eye of the beholder” and two seasoned scouts may see different things evaluating the same process. Below is a brief process of what goes into every aspect of a Perfect Game showcase and what we have seen and been asked many times by players and parents.

All players start by running the 60-yard dash and while notes may not be taken, every time is recorded along with their 10-yard split time, allowing a quick snapshot of their athleticism and twitch. From there we move into the workout portion of the event and that’s where we can begin to break down “what scouts are looking for.”

It’s worth noting that a player’s overall potential and what our scouts project long term is factored into all aspects of a player’s performance and evaluation.

Outfielders: Starting in right field, players will make two throws to third base and three throws to home plate, putting their arm strength on display. One of the first things we notice is how a player fields, moves to the baseball and whether they have proper footwork on the approach, while working through their release. Both their arm speed, arm action, the release point, accuracy and carry on flight are evaluated. All of these traits, along with arm strength, can result in a beautiful throw to the intended target, checking a lot of boxes in this drill setting.

Infielders: The PG showcase method: One ground ball at the player, two to the backhand, one forehand up the middle and a charge play on a slow roller, all from shortstop. That means we want to see your footwork, moving to the backhand, how you maintain balance and if you can turn the glove over cleanly. Does this player show lateral range, can they throw on the run or off balance? One thing we see throughout the country during showcases are players who take a few extra steps to load up for the radar gun and while that can help post a big number on your profile and show your raw arm strength, it’s not how you’d play in a game setting and takes away from your true actions. That said, still show off your arm strength as it’s a critical tool in the evaluation process, just don’t sacrifice your actions in doing so! Like any position on the field, accuracy is important. While big arm strength is impressive, without accuracy it isn’t very usable in a game setting.

First Basemen: While the attention is on the infielders at shortstop during their drills, their throws across also allow us a quick look at the first basemen with how they adjust to throws mid-flight, their flexibility, as well as their glove skill when it comes to picking balls out of the dirt. When it comes time to fully evaluate the first basemen, we get a further look into what we already saw while adding a couple pieces to the puzzle. We look to see how they move on their feet away from the base, how they pivot when making the throw to second base and of course their arm strength, carry and accuracy to the intended base. First basemen will work through a sequence of five ground balls: the first two they play deep and showcase their arm strength to third base, then play one deep to turn a double play, hold the runner on and start a double play before standing even with the base on a slow roller charge play to third base.

Catchers: The drills provide our first look at catchers and an important one as we get to see their mechanical profile for five throws down to second base whereas in live action we may only see one or two at best. That means game-like actions, pace, and mechanics are important in evaluating. Setting up behind the plate as one would in a game during drills is critical in the evaluation process. While starting with a higher set behind the plate or partially turned with shoulders and hips pre-pitch will help quicken your pop time, the prospect isn’t showcasing their true actions which our scouts make note of. Non-game actions can result in having a higher pop time during drills but that is factored into the evaluation process by our scouts and thus the defensive grade may not fall in line with the recorded pop time. Within those five throws scouts are looking how the ball is received, the cleanliness and quickness of the transfer into throwing hand, footwork, athleticism and overall flexibility, as well as their release, arm quickness and of course arm strength, carry and accuracy down to second base.

•            When it comes to working out at a position, showcase where you envision yourself playing at the next level. Don’t tire your arm out at a secondary position just to show arm strength and ultimately take away from your performance at your primary position.

What do scouts look for in pitchers?
•            The first thing associated with pitchers more often than not is velocity but that’s just one piece of the puzzle in the total evaluation process. Our scouts look at everything from body type, to mechanical operation and arm action, ability to replicate movement patterns and release point, mound presence, command and control, feel for secondary pitches, overall pitchability and much more. Just because a pitcher doesn’t light up the radar guns yet doesn’t mean the player won’t catch our attention, especially at the Prospect Gateway events, as no two pitchers are the same in terms of development, both physically and on the diamond.

We’ve seen players who are near physical maturity working upper-80s or better but don’t have the ability to harness within the strike zone and they may get the same overall PG Grade as a long and loose, projectable arm working in the low-80s but shows command of the zone and the makings of quality off-speed pitches.

•            If you’re a two-way prospect but a primary pitcher first and want to work out from a position during the drills portion, you can request to pitch on Sunday so that you aren’t getting your arm hot for drills and then cooling down until game time.

What are the Perfect Game scouts looking at in batting practice?
•            Every player will get 10 swings during their round of batting practice while switch-hitters will get six swings from each side. Just like pitchers, there are a variety of things we look at for every batter aside from the obvious, which in this case is the result off the barrel. The mechanics are evaluated during batting practice, looking at whether they can repeat them, how their balance is, and how will it translate against live pitching?

•            All the components of a swing are broken down as well, from the hand load to timing trigger, length of swing and overall bat speed, whether there’s extension out front and the ability to square the ball up regularly. Of course, these are just some examples before getting into the overall results. In a wood bat setting, it’s understood that some players may not be able to impact the ball yet. They can still show ability to the barrel while squaring up eight of their ten balls and as the player grows stronger, it’s only a matter of time before the ball starts jumping.

•            How does the ball jump off of the barrel? Can the player work to all fields with authority or intent? Is there present power and do the swing mechanics foreshadow power to come?

Why is your Perfect Game profile important?
•            Think of your PG profile as a baseball resume of sorts with college coaches being the job interviewer. Often when a name is passed to a college coach the first thing they do is pull up a player’s profile, review the metrics, and watch the video. This is another reason why showing your true actions, fundamentals and arm strength are important as they will be on your profile for all to see. SHOW YOUR ACTIONS, SHOW YOUR ARM, PLAY YOUR GAME!

What are things Perfect Game scouts are looking at during live game play?
•        Live play is important as we get to see how the drills portion translate into game play. How’s the first step quickness of the infielder, can they adjust to the ball, how are their overall instincts, how does an outfielder track off the bat, can the catcher frame and present pitches all around the zone, how are their throws down to second base with a batter in the box? It also gives us plenty of looks at a player’s game swing, how they can adjust to off speed, do they have an approach/plan at the plate? While players get to showcase their speed at the start of the showcase during the 60-yard dash, scouts also mark down times from home to first, seeing how the speed translates down the line for 90 feet, so run out those ground balls!

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Showcase | Story | 2/20/2026

PG ID Camps Help Build Baseball Resume

Jim Salisbury

PG ID Camps Help Youngsters Build a Baseball Resume There was still snow on the ground in a lot of places last weekend, but that didn’t stop more than 200 young players from going indoors to participate in the first round of Perfect Game Select Fest ID Camps for the 2026 season. John McAdams, PG’s national crosschecker and Northeast scouting director, ran the event in Farmingdale, New Jersey, and was impressed with his group’s energy and desire to improve at the game. “We’re giving young players the opportunity to build their baseball resumes and chart their growth and progress over a span of years,” he said. In addition to New Jersey, Select Fest ID Camps were held in Lake St. Louis, Missouri; Rossford, Ohio; Marietta, Georgia; and Kent, Washington. The ID camps debuted in 2025. Twenty-two of them were held around the country with nearly 700 young...

Draft | Story | 3/13/2026

PG Draft: Under the Radar Preps

Tyler Henninger

PG Draft: Under the Radar Preps As the spring season gets underway, the showcase circuit and early high-level tournaments have already provided our scouts with some intriguing first looks at this year’s crop of prospects. At the same time, we’ve been tracking the buzz among team evaluators, listening closely to the names that keep coming up in conversations and the players clubs are making sure they get eyes on this spring. Every year, a handful of prospects quietly slip beneath the radar during the fall and winter months, only to reemerge once the games start counting again. Sometimes it’s the result of a productive offseason in the weight room, a noticeable jump in velocity, or a step forward in skill development. Other times, it’s simply a player finally getting the opportunity and the stage to show what’s been building behind the scenes. The spring has a...

College | Rankings | 3/11/2026

DII/DIII/NAIA Rankings Update: March 11

Nick Herfordt

Allendale Doesn't Rhyme With Knoxville or Danville. The Baseball Does. Meet the Three Coaches Turning Small College Programs Into National Contenders. There's something happening in small college baseball right now that doesn't get nearly enough attention. Three programs — separated by hundreds of miles and spread across three different governing bodies — are in the middle of the kind of rebuilds that make you wonder why anyone ever counted them out in the first place. One is in a Michigan lakeside college town. Two are in places that end in 'ville. All three have coaches who looked at a program and saw something nobody else did. The Perfect Game small school rankings noticed. You should too. See where Grand Valley State, Johnson U, Centre and the rest of the schools are positioned in the latest Perfect Game Top 25 Small School Rankings. NCAA DII For a generation of DII...

High School | General | 3/12/2026

High School Notebook: March 12

Steve Fiorindo

Trey Rangel (‘26 TX) with some early morning fuzz. Goes 3.2 IP on 7ks. Fastball 92-96 T97 (2508 RPM) late life ASR. Curve 79-83 (2900 RPM) sharp 10-4 shape; power curve. Cutter low-90s. Change flashed at 89 (1405 RPM); kick change. Elite arm talent. #PGHS @PG_Draft #HookEm… pic.twitter.com/Xn3WaTJoVH — Perfect Game Texas (@Texas_PG) February 19, 2026 Trey Rangel (2026, The Colony, Texas) worked through 3.2 quality innings while striking out 7 batters for his opening season look here. Fastball opened up 93-96 with heavy arm side run out the gate. He would proceed to settle into the mid-90s range beyond his first inning of work while topping out at 97 once in the second and then closed out his final inning of work with a strikeout swinging on 96. Velo range varied throughout his outing and command came and went but was still dominant for the most part. He forced a ton of...

College | Story | 3/10/2026

College Players of the Week: March 10

Vincent Cervino

March 10 Perfect Game/Player of the Week: Lorenzo Carrier, OF, Pitt The Pitt Panthers (12-2) are off to one of the best starts in recent program history and their offense has performed as one of the best in the country. For the season, they are averaging almost 12-runs per game and on their recent trip to the West Coast, Lorenzo Carrier went on the kind of hot streak that is hard to comprehend. The 6-5/215 senior from Bear, DE was a one-man wrecking crew in their 4-wins last week, starting with the fact that he reached base safely in 17 of his 19 trips to the plate. He collected 13 hits in 14 official at-bats, scoring 10 runs, with 4 walks, 2 triples, 4 home runs and he drove in an insane 19-runs. Carrier has refined his approach, simplified his bat path and is creating massive power that has him putting up career numbers. For the season, he is...

College | Rankings | 3/9/2026

College Top 25: March 9

Vincent Cervino

Collegiate Player Report Database While there will not be any new faces in this weeks Top 25, there is quite a bit of shakeup as the season, somehow, becomes even more unpredictable. There were several teams in the poll that dropped weekend series and, in some cases, registered losing records in the last seven days. There is sure to be more chaos this week as virtually every conference starts league play and the race for regular season titles begins. The UCLA Bruins (13-2) remain No. 1 as their sizzling hot bats led the way to a perfect (4-0) week and they swept their first Big Ten series of the year. As one of only two remaining undefeated teams in the nation, the Texas Longhorns (15-0) jump to No. 2 before they open SEC play this weekend in Austin. No. 3 Georgia Tech and No. 4 Mississippi State both (14-2) hold their spots in the poll after both dropped a...

Press Release | Press Release | 3/7/2026

Debut: Contreras YouTube Feature

Perfect Game Staff

667 Progress Way | Sanford, FL 32771 | 319-298-2923 www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PERFECT GAME DEBUTS NEW YOUTUBE FEATURE FOLLOWING JOSEPH CONTRERAS ON HISTORIC DAY BEFORE WBC Behind-the-scenes access captures the youngest player in the World Baseball Classic preparing for the global stage Sanford, Florida (Friday, March 6, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced the debut of a new original YouTube feature spotlighting right-handed pitcher Joseph Contreras, as PG cameras followed him throughout the day of his final high school start before departing to join Team Brazil in the World Baseball Classic. The feature provides exclusive, behind-the-scenes access to one...

Softball | Softball Tournament | 3/4/2026

Perfect Game Softball March Madness

Ashley Mears

2026 Perfect Game March Madness February 27-March 1st Ashley Mears What a weekend at the Fun City Dome in Burlington, Iowa! The energy was electric from first pitch to final out towering home runs, edge-of-your-seat battles, dramatic comebacks, and extra-inning thrillers with some unpredictable endings, it was a great weekend all around. The Top Performers list welcomed some exciting new names, while seasoned seniors continued to cement their legacies, delivering standout performances week after week. For some, this may have been their final appearance on a Perfect Game stage, and they made sure it was unforgettable. In the 18u division a tough Nebraska Gold 319 Berning team outlasted the Southeast Iowa All Stars in the championship. In 16u the Top Gun 2028- Strange completed their weekend by beating the Iowa Aries 16U CE Fire Black. 18U The weekend’s Most Valuable Player award...

High School | General | 3/5/2026

High School Notebook: March 5

Steve Fiorindo

Full BP & pregame I/O from ‘26 SS Keon Johnson. Whippy hands and lifted to the middle of the field throughout the rounds, athletic mover on the dirt & enough arm strength to stick on the left side. #4 in @PG_Georgia & #50 on the @PG_Draft Board. #PGHS @FPDVikingSports https://t.co/vYvReQKTVh pic.twitter.com/BksHJtA09X — Cam McElwaney (@CamMcElwaneyPG) February 20, 2026 Keon Johnson, SS, First Presbyterian Day Johnson has long been near the top of the 2026 rankings and it all culminated in being a PG All-American last August. He heads into the spring as one of the names to know in the upcoming MLB Draft and is drawing crowds to his high school in Macon. It’s a well-built 6-foot-2, 200-pound frame with good actions up the middle. The defensive acumen has continued to improve over the last few years and now looks comfortable at shortstop and even projects there...

College | Rankings | 3/4/2026

DII/DIII/NAIA Rankings Update: March 4

Nick Herfordt

The 2026 college baseball season is starting to reveal its early storylines, and across the Division II and Division III landscape a few programs have already forced their way into the spotlight. From the blistering start by the Pittsburg State Gorillas baseball that rocketed them to the top of the rankings, to the steadily rising championship ambitions of the Taylor Trojans baseball, the national picture is beginning to take shape. In Division III, heavyweight programs like the Trinity Tigers baseball and the Wisconsin–Whitewater Warhawks baseball have already traded blows in one of the season’s first statement series, while emerging challengers such as the Keene State Owls baseball are looking to turn early momentum into a breakout year. With many teams still just getting their seasons underway, the rankings remain fluid, but the early results are already giving us clues...

Juco | Rankings | 3/4/2026

JUCO Top 25: March 4

Troy Sutherland

Another week down as we get into conference play in parts of the nation. This week is led by Chipola at No. 1 with an impressive 24-1 record. Walters State drops to No. 2 at 16-3 and Florida SouthWestern State College (17-5) follows closely behind. Powerhouse programs McLennan Community College (11-2) and Johnson County Community College (18-2) round out the top five, while one-loss teams Fresno City, Ohlone, and Cloud County are quickly climbing into the national conversation. With traditional Texas powers, West Coast contenders, and deep Florida Juco rosters all in the mix, the race for Grand Junction is already taking shape. Rk. Team Record 1 Chipola (FL) 24-1 2 Walters State (TN) 16-3 3 Florida Southwestern (FL) 17-5 4 McLennan (TX) 11-2 5 Johnson County (KS) 18-2 6 Gaston (NC) 20-2 7 Blinn (TX) 12-6 8 Florence-Darlington (SC) 18-5 9 Northwest Florida (FL) 16-8 10...

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