THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,489 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,489 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Sign in Create Account
Sign in Create Account
Tournaments  | Story | 7/23/2020

Lonestar BC 2024 finds ways to win

Jeff Dahn
Photo: Theo Gillen (Perfect Game)

SANFORD, Fla. – Lonestar Baseball Club 2024 Sanders is a tough nut to crack, the proverbial riddle wrapped inside an enigma.

Make no mistake, this is an extremely talented team with one of the best players from the class of 2024 hitting at the top of the order, but these guys never seem to make things easy for themselves. They’re capable of scoring a ton of runs, which they do on a regular basis, but then they surrender a lot of runs, too.



So here they are this week at the 28-team Perfect Game 14U World Series national championship doing what they do best: scoring runs, eking out wins and winning a pool championship while hoping this time they can make a run into the elusive final four of bracket play.

“Our mindset coming in was that we want to play our game and not worry about what other people are doing,” Lonestar BC 2024 head coach Josh Sanders told PG on Thursday, speaking from the BOOMBAH Sports Complex where the PG 14U WS is being played.

“With this tournament being a smaller event, every team is good here; some of the top national contenders, including ourselves, are here. We just really wanted to come in and not worry about what we’re doing and let the chips fall where they may.”

The chips have fallen and they fell the right way, albeit quite dramatically, during Lonestar’s 3-0-0 march to its pool championship, earning it a top 7 seed in the Gold Bracket playoffs which get underway Friday.

All three of its victories were of the hold-your-breath, fasten-your-seatbelt variety. In a 7-6 win over FTB Select 14U Resmondo on Tuesday, the LBC 2024's led by that score after four and were able to shutout FTB Select over the final three innings to make it hold up. They led 5 Star National 14U 3-1 after three on Wednesday and held on for a 3-2 win.

And on Thursday, they trailed Canes American 14U 6-3 after four and 7-4 after five, only to rally for four runs in the bottom of the sixth for an 8-7 walk-off, time-limit win.

All this drama comes after the Lonestars won their pool championship at the PG BCS 14U National Championship in Fort Myers, Fla., earlier this month and then were eliminated in the quarterfinal-round of the playoffs. They were pool champs again at the PG WWBA 14U National Championship in Hoover, Ala., a little over a week ago, and this time lost in the playoffs’ first round. Their overall record at those two tournaments was a noteworthy 11-3-1 but somehow that just wasn’t enough.

“Our mindset is that definitely we’ve got to win this tournament because we went out in the BCS against the Elite Squad and then we lost at the WWBA in the (playoffs’) first round, unfortunately,” top 2024 prospect Theodore Gillen told PG Thursday. “We definitely came in here just wanting to compete really hard every pitch and just play the game.”

The one thing the Lonestar BC 2024s have a shown a knack for doing in these high-profile PG national championship tournaments is score runs. In six pool-play games at the BCS 14U NC they totaled 56 runs (21 against) and in seven pool-play games at the WWBA 14U NC they pushed across 65 (16 against); they went 6-0-0 at the BCS and 6-1-0 at the WWBA in those games.

“We’ve got to be one of the best hitting teams in the country, for sure,” Sanders said. “When you see us get beat it’s usually a 2-1, 3-2 type of affair and balls just don’t fall for us. That happens in this game sometimes … but for the most part you’re going to see this team be one of the most consistent and one of the best hitting teams in the country.”

There is no denying the fact that this offensive attack really does begin with Gillen. A 6-2, 184 pounds, left-handed hitting shortstop out of Austin, Texas, where the Lonestar Baseball Club is also based, Gillen is the No. 2-ranked overall national prospect from the class of 2024.

In the 18 games when he’s stepped to the plate so far at the three PG 14U national championships, Gillen slashed .490/.544/.776 with seven doubles, two triples, a home run, 21 runs and 12 RBI.

Gillen was named the MV Player at last year’s PG WWBA 14U World Championship played in West Palm Beach, FL, despite the fact that Lonestar BC didn’t play in the championship game. He hit .800 (12 for 15) with two doubles, two triples, six walks (.857 OBP), 12 runs and eight RBI at that elite event.

“He’s a phenomenal player,” Sanders said. “As far as affecting the game by himself, particularly on the offensive side of the ball, there’s not a player in the country that affects the game individually as much as he does. … He is the most mature and most advanced hitter in the country by a long shot."

“He can be a gritty lead-off that hits a two-strike line drive and makes contact and gets on base and he can be a guy who should be hitting 4-hole that can really lay into it and hit home runs. And he understands when the right time is to be those hitters.”

Other guys in the order can hit, as well. Reagan Chomel and Matthew Scott II (an Oklahoma commit) are hitting .425 and .417 while playing in 17 and 18 of those games, respectively. Carson Smith (.382), Davin Brazzle and Joshua Atomanczyk (.326) have also been collecting hits. Scott (19), Chomel (14), Brazzle (13), Smith (12) and Atomanczyk (11) have been RBI machines.

“We have good chemistry,” Gillen said, noting that he’s been playing with four or five of his Lonestar teammates since they were in elementary school and many of the others for the last two or three years. “We’ve been playing together for a long time and you can just feel that there’s a different kind of energy when you play with us.

“I think this is the best team that we’ve had since we were 8 (years old),” he added. “We compete every pitch and there are a lot less strikeouts in our lineup than we’ve had in our previous years, so we’ve been looking pretty good this year.”

Here this week, the Lonestar Baseball Club 2024 – ranked No. 6 nationally at the 14U level – was grouped in Pool E with the nationally prominent 5 Star National 14U, the FTB Select 14U Resmondo and the Canes American 14U. The numbers among that group as far as how many runs each of the four scored and how many they gave up was uncanny.

Lonestar (3-0-0) outscored its opponents, 18-15; 5 Star (2-1-0) outscored its foes, 10-6; FTB was outscored 17-13; Canes American was outscored 13-10. That’s parity in its purest form, but as Sanders pointed out at a mega-event like the WWBA National Championship, there’s a wider dispersion of talent amongst the participating teams.

The top teams and programs will generally have a gimme here or there during pool play on their way to bracket play whereas here, it’s not uncommon for two or three teams in each pool to be nationally ranked. Sanders, however, wouldn’t trade his collection of top 2024 prospects for any other roster at the 14U World Series.

“This team is just gritty; just tough kids,” Sanders said. “We’ve got kind of a blue-collar, workmanlike mentality, and we come to the park every day and step into the box and compete pitch-by-pitch. … We go up and down the order with guys that just get in there and compete and swing the bat and know their role and know how to play the game.”

He had more ccolades to toss Gillen’s way, as well, saying he could go on and on about the top talent who is still two months short of his 15th birthday:

“He’s a very mature young man both physically and mentally and he’s just a great leader,” Sanders said. “He’s not a big rah-rah guy, he’s just a ballplayer. He’s even-keeled, he’s going to lead by example and he’s what I’m going to call ‘quietly encouraging.’”

Gillen made it clear early during his short conversation with PG on Thursday that he and his Lonestar Baseball Club 2024 Sanders teammates will be disappointed with anything less than taking home a championship banner from the PG 14U World Series.

They’re back in the playoffs at yet another PG national championship tournament for the third time in three weeks, and they’ll have the opportunity to rinse out of their mouths any bad taste that might linger from coming up short at the previous two.

“You have to learn from your disappointments, you learn from your failures, and anybody that’s played this game knows there’s a lot of failure involved in this game,” Sanders concluded. “We talk about it; we’re open about it. It’s not something we harp on from a negative aspect but we talk about it so we can learn and grow.”
Give us your feedback
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
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 | 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
Tournaments | Story | 6/30/2026

Ohio Valley BCS Champ. Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
‘28 C Keegan Sawyer (OH) showcased the toolshed in this one. A top player in the OH ‘28 class. LOUD (Hit & Defense) #OVBCS @KeeganSawyer10 Clip 1: 3-R 💣 to LF Clip 2: 2B to LC Clip 3: SEED, Caught Stealing @ 2B Name for August 1 @MidlandBasebal pic.twitter.com/FvIpEU7Llz — Jordan Gates (@JGatesPG) June 27, 2026 Keegan Sawyer (2028, Cleves, Ohio) The stock continues to go up and up for Keegan Sawyer. Fresh off a state championship for Bading High School, he has picked up where he has left off this spring. It seems that he gets bigger each time I see him, but the frame really works on both sides of the ball at 6-feet, 190-pounds. It’s athletic and the actions on both sides are extremely advanced. Sawyer took home MVP honors after finishing with nine hits, six going for extra bases including two home runs, nine RBIs and eight runs scored. It’s electric at...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 6/30/2026

Texas Region Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Austin Lyons (2028, Cibolo, Texas) put on a display for Canes Southwest Prime 16U. Went 7-14 at the plate with a pair of doubles and triples, while driving in 13 runs. He won Tournament MVP for his efforts. Physical left-handed frame with feel to hit to all fields. Utilizes the middle of the field as well as the opposite field efficiently. Should be a force to be reckoned with as he grows into some more power. Evan Rosales (2027, Houston, Texas) was dominant on the mound for HP 2027 Allen. Went five shutout innings over the weekend, surrendering just one hit and two walks while striking out ten. Fastball lives 83-87 with some carry. Curveball is a heavy 12/6 downer at 69-74. North-south approach with a super steep release. Showed some really good feel for the zone and sequenced effectively to keep hitters off balance. Tristan Wright (2028, Magnolia, Texas) put on a show for Banditos 2028...
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.