THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,490 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,490 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Sign in Create Account
Sign in Create Account
Tournaments  | Story | 7/22/2020

Canes on cruise early at 14U PGWS

Jeff Dahn
Photo: Zach Edwards (Perfect Game)

SANFORD, Fla. – The high level of baseball being played at the 14 and under age level these days is absolutely through the roof with 14U teams from across the country showcasing teenaged prospects whose skill levels often match those of players two or three years their senior.

This week’s invitation-only Perfect Game 14U World Series is a PG national championship tournament that includes a collection of 28 teams and those top 28 have rosters stocked with 13, 14 and 15-year-olds who fans can expect to watch perform at a high level for many, many years to come.



And no organization does a better job of providing those young prospects with an opportunity to compete for national championships then Virginia-based Canes Baseball.

The Canes National 14U is at the BOOMBAH Sports Complex this week looking to improve on the semifinal-round finish they picked up at the PG WWBA 14U National Championship in Hoover, AL, just over a week ago.

The PG 14U World Series is a different animal from the WWBA 14U mega event and that’s by design. Every team here as earned its elite status based on past performance which dramatically levels the playing field. No days off here, folks, and if today was a bad one the players’ and coaches’ memories have to be short because it won’t be any easier tomorrow.

“It’s just baseball and on the days you struggle you just get to comeback,” Canes 14U top 2023 prospect Campbell Smithwick said on Wednesday. “That’s what you want because you get another chance right away the next day. In football, you’ve got to wait a week but in baseball you get right back at it the next day. It’s good and I think it helps out everybody getting to play day after day.”

The first two days here were good ones for the Canes 14U. They topped the Team Colorado Braves, 7-0, on Tuesday with 2024 lefthander BJ Etheridge throwing 3 innings of one-hit, six strikeout ball (no walks) and 2023 righthander Cade Cosper following with 3 2/3 innings of work without allowing a hit and striking out four (one walk); Will Dart singled and drove in two runs, Drake Piersall doubled and drove in one.

On Wednesday, the Canes rallied to beat Team Orlando 14U, 7-3, with Zach Edwards belting a three-run home run in the bottom of the fourth that erased a 3-2 deficit. Smithwick doubled and drove in a run and Dillon Adkins and Coy James both contributed singles and RBIs; PJ Morlando doubled and singled.

Winning the championship at any exclusive PG World Series event, regardless of age group, is a tall order. But it may also come as a surprise that winning titles – however satisfying that may be – isn’t what drives the Canes Baseball program and its players, especially at the 14U level.

The biggest thing that Canes Baseball founder and 17U head coach Jeff Petty and the other coaches within the organization, like National 14U head coach Dan Gitzen, talk about with their players are the many steps they’ll have to take along the way in terms of their development as top prospects.

Gitzen expects that many people look at what organizations like Canes Baseball can provide and they think it’s only about exposure to college coaches and pro scouts. In fact, it goes well beyond that.

“We really hit the development side of it,” Gitzen told PG Wednesday morning. “We feel like whether it’s 14, 15, 16 or 17 years old, if this is the biggest step in these kids’ life, then we’re doing them a disservice. They should be developing to go play baseball beyond their high school careers and beyond their amateur careers. And when we have kids at this level, we talk to them about (how) you’re going to hit bumps in the road along the way.”

The top guys on this young roster have so far managed to keep those bumps in the road to a minimum; Andre' Modugno, a 6-0, 190 pound 2024 third baseman from Upper Saddle River, NJ, is a good case in point.

Just a month shy of his 15th birthday, the alumnus of the 2019 PG 13U Select Baseball Festival has already committed to Duke and has risen to the No. 3 spot overall in the PG class of 2024 national prospect rankings.

“Being a part of the Canes program is really a blessing,” Modugno told PG Wednesday. “Playing with all these amazing kids that are already committed to different schools and things like that, it’s really fortunate for me to be able to play here. … It’s really a privilege.”

Edwards, a 6-2, 190 pound righthander/utility out of Riverton, Utah, is up to No. 10 in the 2024 prospect rankings. Smithwick, a 2023 catcher/outfielder from Conway, SC, is an Ole Miss commit ranked No. 93 nationally; Morlando, a 2024 catcher/utility from Landon, SC, has committed to Mississippi State; Litarris Murray, a 2023 outfielder/infielder is ranked No. 137 nationally.

“We really approach the field with a lot of energy,” Modugno said of the mindset he and his Canes 14U teammates try to maintain. “Keeping the dugout nice and loud and keeping (all) the players in the game at all times. We really take the game seriously and whatever happens in the end happens in the end; it’s baseball.”

It’s obvious that this particular group of 2023 and 2024 grads (there are also a couple of 2025 grads rostered) is very talented, an assertion that can be made just by looking at the prospect rankings alone. But is it, from a coach’s perspective, an easy group to work with?

“From a character standpoint, absolutely,” Gitzen said without hesitation. “With any 14-year-old group it’s 14-year-old baseball; they’re going to make mistakes just because they’re 14 years old. But from a character standpoint I don’t have a kid who doesn’t want to work and get better. … There’s never a kid who doesn’t want more swings, there’s never a kid who doesn’t want more instruction, there’s never a kid who doesn’t want to play hard.

“When you have 20 competitors who want to compete, it’s very easy to coach in that retrospect. The hardest thing to do is to figure out which 10 you’re going to put in the lineup.”

This is the third summer that the Canes have fielded a 14U national team beginning with the 2022 grad class, which has now won three straight PG WWBA National Championships (14U in 2018, 15U in 2019 and 16U just last week).

Gitzen explained that it’s relatively easy to find the talented kids who want to come in and be a part of the Canes program. It’s much more difficult to make the decision as to which ones are the right players that should come in, especially at the 14U level when there are still so many unknowns.

“When we bring in a certain type of kid, we try to make the right decision the first time,” Gitzen said. “We really do our homework on what the kid’s ‘fit’ level is. Obviously, we want them to be really good baseball players but we also want it to be a really good fit.”

The Canes National 14U’s experience at the PG WWBA 14U National Championship was bittersweet in some ways. They zipped through pool play, earning the No. 6 playoff seed in the process, and advanced all the way to the final four where they were beaten by the eXposure 14U Prime, 14-10, to finish with a 9-1-0 record.

“Tip the cap to those guys from eXposure – we couldn’t get them out,” Gitzen said. “There aren’t a whole lot of baseball games where you score 10 runs and put up 15 hits and lose. … We talked to (our players) about that, that the next opportunity we’ve got to do something a little bit different … and when it comes to be your turn, you’ve got to be ready to go.”

There’s no catch-phrase for that philosophy, nothing like the “Canes Way” or anything like that. It’s just a culture built on player development starting at a young age and if some PG national championship trophies are collected along the way – and there have been dozens – then, well, that’s all the better.

“The coaches want to develop us players just like they want to develop every other (age group) player in the organization,” Modugno said. “It’s really a blessing to have that type of a coach that cares.”
Give us your feedback
Tournaments | Story | 7/2/2026

Freedom Classic Opens Holiday Weekend
Alyssa Golden
Article Image
More than 30 teams from the 14U-18U age divisions will head to Fort Myers, Florida this Fourth of July weekend for the seventh annual Perfect Game Freedom Classic. The tournament, running July 3-6, features several nationally ranked prospects from across the country as teams look to compete for a championship. Headlining the field are twin brothers Derek and Ryan Yormark of Merrick, New York. Right-handed pitcher Derek Yormack is the No. 51-ranked player in the class of 2027, the No. 1 player in New York and the No. 5-ranked right-handed pitcher in the country. First baseman Ryan Yormark comes in just behind his twin brother as the No. 3 overall player in New York, the No. 5 first baseman in the nation and the No. 90-ranked player nationally. Both brothers are committed to Vanderbilt. Derek Yormark has established himself as one of the top two-way prospects in the 2027 class. He has run...
Read More
High School | General | 7/1/2026

PG High School All-Americans

Tyler Russo
Article Image
High School Top 50: Final Update With the High School season all wrapped up, today we take a look at our First, Second and Third Team All-Americans from around the country. Below you'll find three teams with stats that seem otherworldly from players who'll likely hear their names called in the coming week's MLB Draft. Within the "Notable Stats" section you'll see the individual award winners as well. First Team All-American Pos.  Name Class School State Commitment Notable Stats C Cole Prosek 2026 Magnolia Heights MS Ole Miss .595 BA, 18 HR, 79 RBI 1B Will Adams 2026 Hoover AL LSU .489, 13 HR, 52 RBI IF James Tronstein 2026 Harvard-Westlake CA Vanderbilt .531, 10 HR, 29 RBI, 21 XBH IF Grady Emerson 2026 Fort Worth Christian TX Texas .508, 8 HR, 56 RBI, 34/35 SB, National POY IF Jacob Lombard 2026 Gulliver Schools FL Miami .477, 10 HR, 52 R, 42 H, 14 SB OF Martin Shelar 2026 Marist GA...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 7/1/2026

16u Elite Scout Notes: Days 3-5

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
16u Elite Scout Notes: Days 1-2  ‘28 AJ Bonnette (TX) with 7 Ks thru 4 IP thus far, living 89-91 w/ heavy traits. Filling up all four quads & attacking hitters early in counts. Mixing a slurvy breaker & turning the CHG over well. @PG_Uncommitted #NatElite @Texas_PG pic.twitter.com/oz2XXoKHvt — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) June 30, 2026 Aj Bonnette (2028, Keller, Texas) showed out on both sides of the ball at the National Elite Championship, but really stood out on the mound Tuesday. He toed the rubber in round two of the playoffs, proceeding to toss six innings with eight punchouts and zero earned runs allowed. The 6-foot southpaw filled up all four quadrants of the strike zone, attacking hitters early and often with his fastball. The heater lived in the 88-91 mph range with heavy traits, often setting up his slurvy breaking ball. Bonnette showed good feel...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 7/1/2026

Performance Baseball Rolls On

Kinley Kitchens
Article Image
Championship teams often reveal themselves when the game isn’t going their way. Performance Baseball 2028/Milwaukee Brewers Scout Team did exactly that. Trailing Florida Burn 2028 Scout through four innings, the Brewers refused to panic. Instead, they relied on timely hitting, consistent pitching, and an unselfish approach at the plate, rallying a five-run fifth inning before pulling away for a 9-5 victory to clinch their spot in the semifinals. The comeback was fueled by contributions throughout the lineup. Six different players drove in runs, including two RBIs each from Aiden Capobianco and Cameron Massey, while Matthew Heredia, Parker Weston, Ethan Smith, and Aj Bonnette each added an RBI of their own. On the mound, Derek Wenzel set the tone with 3.2 solid innings before Ethan Smith shut the door in relief, helping preserve the comeback victory. Although the Brewers have had a...
Read More
Tournaments | Championship | 7/1/2026

JK Select Hawaii Tackles 14u West WS

Emily Hicks
Article Image
JK Select Hawaii capped off an impressive tournament run by defeating GBG Vegas 14u Red14-4 in the championship game on Sunday at Goodyear Ballpark, claiming the 14u West World Series title. From the opening pitch, JK Select controlled the pace of the game. The offense jumped out early, scoring 6 runs in the 1st inning after timely hits from MVP Sean Shindo and Kade Manarpaac. The early lead gave the pitching staff confidence as they worked efficiently through the opposing lineup. “I've worked hard to get better at my game for the past few months; it means a lot that I did well and performed in a tournament like this” said Shindo. Starting pitcher Maddox Prones turned in a strong performance, allowing 3 runs while striking out 5 batters over 3 innings. The defense backed the effort with great plays in the middle infield, preventing GBG Vegas from building momentum....
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 7/1/2026

"Wow" Swings Catch Eyes at 16u Elite

Kinley Kitchens
Article Image
On the second day of the 2026 Perfect Game National Elite Championship, one swing turned heads across the ballpark. The next one brought everyone to a stop. With Wow Factor Nation 16U trailing midway through its matchup against Sandlot Scout Team 2028, Micheal O'Connor launched a solo home run to spark the offense. Just one batter later, Aaron Frink stepped into the box and sent another ball over the fence, delivering back-to-back home runs that quickly became one of the most talked about moments of the tournament’s opening days. Parents gathered along the nets, players from previous games stopped to watch, and college scouts turned their attention toward the action as the two towering swings energized the crowd and brought new life to the game. Although Wow Factor Nation ultimately lost 5-3 after a hard-fought performance, the back-to-back home runs served as a reminder of the...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 6/30/2026

Stacked Runs the Table at 17u WWBA

Will Dembo
Article Image
Following a jam-packed week of entertainment at the 17u WWBA Championships, the top nationally ranked program, USA Prime 17u National/Detroit Tigers Scout Team, faced off against Stacked Baseball 17u (No. 80 nationally) in the highly anticipated championship matchup as both teams looked to earn one of the most prestigious titles in all of travel baseball. Each talented squad entered the finale undefeated, but Stacked Baseball continued their dominance throughout the tournament, defeating the Detroit Tigers Scout Team 10-2 in mercy rule fashion to become national champions behind explosive bats and impressive pitching. Stacked Baseball was the overwhelming top team throughout the week as the WWBA Champions outscored opponents by an absurd 117-12 during their 11-0 run. “We got some talented kids, but we played against a little bit of Goliath over there,” Stacked Head Coach Mike...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 6/30/2026

17u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 7

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
17u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4  Day 5 | Day 6 Shea Corona (2027, Brooklyn, N.Y.) showcased some loud stuff out of the bullpen for MLB Breakthrough Series 2027. The New York native and primary shortstop topped out at 93 with the fastball, sitting comfortable in the 90-92 range. Corona paired it with a sharp and tight slider at 81-83, staying on the same plane until late. The pitch plays well already and the delivery is very athletic. The uncommitted right-hander went three scoreless and was in the zone plenty, striking out two while not allowing a walk. '27 SS Moises Gudino (FL) continues to stay red hot, working a long AB & cracking an oppo 2B on the 8th pitch. Really seeing ing well. #WWBA @Florida_PG https://t.co/OjNJ8Bmzao pic.twitter.com/WoDDp35EI1 — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) June 30, 2026 Moises Gudino (2027, Tampa, Fla.)...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 6/30/2026

Texas Twelve Firing On Full Cylinders

Kinley Kitchens
Article Image
Every team hopes to start a tournament with momentum, but few make a statement quite like Texas Twelve Maroon 2028. Matched up against defending champion Excel Blue Wave National to kick off their debut in the 2026 Perfect Game National Elite Championship, Texas Twelve Maroon delivered a complete team performance, earning a hard-fought 3-2 victory and immediately establishing themselves as one of the top teams to watch this week. The win showcased the balance that has made Texas Twelve Maroon a powerful team. Strong pitching, timely hitting, and steady defense all played a role as the team held off one of the tournament’s premier programs. Right-hander Ty Antley turned in an outstanding performance on the mound, throwing a complete game while allowing only five hits and two walks over seven innings. The High Follow prospect worked consistently between 85-89 mph and mixed in a sharp...
Read More
Tournaments | Championship | 6/30/2026

Flames Capture 18U BCS Title

Alyssa Golden
Article Image
Flames Natty used timely hitting and a dominant start from Beau Collier to defeat NLB American 7-3 and capture the 18U BCS National Championship on Monday at Lee Health Sports Complex. Despite being assembled just hours before the tournament began, the Flames quickly developed chemistry throughout the tournament. “This team was put together 12 hours before this tournament, and they went on a crazy run,” head coach Adam Vasquez said. “These kids know each other locally, but they don’t play together. For them to come together last minute like that, it’s crazy. I’m proud of them for that.” The game opened as a pitchers’ duel, with David Acevedo recording the lone hit through the first two innings. NLB American starter Hayden Graham kept the Flames in check early, allowing just one hit while striking out one over 2.0 innings. The right-hander...
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.