THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,631 MLB PLAYERS | 16,402 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,631 MLB PLAYERS | 16,402 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Sign in Create Account
Sign in Create Account
Tournaments  | Story | 10/9/2020

Brewers ST out to enjoy the ride

Jeff Dahn
Photo: Roc Riggio (Perfect Game)

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Craig Counsell seemed quite at ease at the Lee County Player Development 5-Plex Friday afternoon, surrounded by old friends,  like former D’backs teammate Luis Gonzalez, while making a whole lot of new friends as well.

It was also notable that the current manager of the Milwaukee Brewers happened to be in the same former MLB spring training complex as his son, Brady Counsell, who is playing with the Milwaukee Brewers Scout Team at this week’s Perfect Game WWBA World Championship, the most prestigious and heavily scouted amateur tournament for high school-age prospects in the world.



“This is pure enjoyment,” Craig Counsell, who played all or parts of 16 seasons in the major leagues before getting into managing, told PG during an early afternoon break in the action. “I don’t get to see a lot of (amateur) games and I definitely don’t get to see this caliber of competition very often so it’s a thrill for me. The old me is amazed at how good these kids are at this age when I was thinking back to when I was this age.

“It’s really impressive the quality of talent that’s assembled here and that our (Brewers) scouts have put together; it’s fun to watch,” he added. “I was really blown away (Thursday) at the level of competition.”

There are a whole lot of people who are impressed with the high level of play the Milwaukee Brewers Scout Team showed in itheir first two games of the WWBA World on Thursday and Friday, games that ended with a win and a tie. Those results left this Brew Crew Scout Team in position to secure a spot in the playoffs if they can win their pool-play finale on Saturday.

And they boast a young roster to boot, with 18 of the 25 spots filled by underclassmen from the classes of 2022 and 2023. That’s not been totally unheard of at the event known as Jupiter over the years, but the majority of the powerhouse programs are trotting draft-eligible 2021s out on the field.

“This is a good first experience for these guys to kind of get their feet wet,” Brewers Central Florida area scout and MBST head coach Mike Burns told PG on Friday. “ We want to try to get them down here a little bit earlier so their first experience with it isn’t going into their senior year when they’re draft eligible. It’s a good experience for them to see the atmosphere of what’s down here.”

It’s a national roster with players from coast-to-coast and it was built through a complete team effort that involved the Brewers entire amateur scouting department. And, it has to be mentioned, the endeavor has received the unquestioned support from Brewers executives including President-Baseball Operations & General Manager David Sterns, Senior Vice President & Assistant GM Matt Arnold and Vice President-Amateur Scouting Director Tod Johnson.

The area scouts recommend players who they feel will be a good fit on this ballclub and who will be receptive to the messages being relayed from the staff. The goal is to make sure everybody gets enough playing time while also making sure no one is overworked. The players obviously want to come here and compete and play every game to win but it’s not going to be done to the detriment of anyone’s health.

“That’s one of our biggest points when we get guys on the team here is that we’re going to take care of them and make sure they get a good experience out of it,” Burns said. “They’re not going to be just a number on the roster.

“They’re going to get enough playing time, they’re going to spend time out on the field and it’s going to be a worthwhile experience for them to come down here for a couple of days.”

The atmosphere is slightly altered this year with the event being moved from its 20-year home at the Roger Dean Chevrolet Sports Complex in Jupiter, Fla., to multiple venues here in Southwest Florida. Gone are the hundreds of golf carts scurrying from field-to-field at Roger Dean and the almost carnival-like – but also businesslike – atmosphere the event became known for.

But make no mistake, no one is disappointed here this weekend. Fort Myers and Lee County have proven to be, as always, perfect hosts and a young squad like the Brewers Scout Team couldn’t be more appreciative of the opportunity it’s been given.

“It’s been a great experience; everybody’s been very happy once they got the invitation,” Burns said. “We try to pull from all over the country and bring guys down here that haven’t played together necessarily all the time and that way they get to make new friends and meet new people and we get to spend time with them, which is good.”

Charlie Saum is a 2021 catcher/first baseman from Thousand Oaks, Calif., who has committed to Stanford and is ranked No. 107 nationally. This is his first Jupiter experience – seven of these rostered players were with the Brewers Scout Team at last year’s tournament – and he’s settling in nicely.

“It’s really incredible getting to be around just some awesome players from all over the place,” Saum said on Friday. “We’ve got guys from all over the country and it’s a really talented group. There’s a lot of different personalities and it’s fun to be around, for sure.”

One of the more distinct personalities on this team belongs to Roc Riggio, a 2021 second baseman and catcher who has committed to Oklahoma State and is ranked No. 87 nationally; he also hails from Thousand Oaks.

Riggio is an alumnus of the 2017 PG 14u Select Baseball Festival that was held at jetBlue Park in Fort Myers and was with the Brewers Scout Team at the 2019 Jupiter event. The kid is as high-energy as it gets and he doesn’t necessarily feel like having experienced Jupiter once before gives him any advantage because nerves or high expectations have never been a problem.

“For me personally, it’s never really an issue coming in,” Riggio said. “I play to have fun and I play to win and that’s part of my game. I feel like when you have that mentality and you go out there and play your hardest and play to win there’s really no pressure on you at all.”

Maxwell Muncy, is a talented infielder and an Arkansas recruit ranked No. 58 nationally in the class of 2021. He also happens to be a classmate/teammate of Riggio’s at Thousand Oaks High School and is another player who was with the Milwaukee Brewers ST in Jupiter a year ago.

“I’m thankful for the opportunity to be out here,” Muncy said Friday. “I’m glad they selected us and I’m happy to be with these two guys, Roc and Charlie. Just meeting all these guys has been so much fun, learning about where they’re from and how things are different.

“It’s been fun just to talk to them before the game, after the game, in the dugout and just see what’s baseball’s like all over.”

And then there’s Brady Counsell, a 2021 top-500 middle-infielder and Minnesota recruit from Whitefish Bay, Wis., and the son of the Brewers’ skipper. Counsell has played almost exclusively with the Wisconsin-based Hitters Baseball program the last couple of years but is really enjoying being with this team here this weekend.

“Obviously, this tournament is the best competition you’re going to face all year long,” he said. “We’ve seen that so far with some of the top arms we’ve faced and that’s going to help us get a lot better. That’s kind of the best part of the tournament is seeing that good pitching and helping you get better.”

Another top 2021 rostered with the club is righthander/third baseman Luke Holman from Sinking Spring, Pa., an Alabama commit ranked No. 203 nationally.

So now seems like a good time to be introduced to the underclassmen, a group that adds the sizzle to the steak provided by the talented 2021s.

First baseman/right-hander Yoel Tejeda Jr. (No. 69, Florida), right-hander/first baseman Aiden Moffett (No. 132, LSU), right-hander/third baseman Luke Holman (No. 203, Alabama), left-hander/first baseman Michael Kennedy (No. 247, LSU) lead the way from the class of 2022.

The top 2023s include lefties Ervis Solis (No. 92, FIU), Frank Menendez (No. 132, LSU) and David Davila (No. 278, Florida State), who got the start in Friday’s 3-3 tie with MVP United for Change and threw a one-hitter in four innings of work.

“I think it’s important to have a couple of those upperclass guys that (the underclassmen) can kind of lean on and see how things are done and how they’re supposed to act and go about their business,” Burns said. “But also to put those younger guys in more of a ‘pro’ environment with how we run our workouts and everything pregame, as well, so they can kind of see what to expect as they move up and become prospects themselves.”

Having been there himself a year ago, Riggio understands that many of the newcomers are coming into this highly competitive environment where they don’t know any of their new teammates and may have a tendency to tighten-up and maybe even withdraw to an extent.

That’s when it’s time for some senior leadership to take charge and the veterans are more than prepared to take that bull by the horns.

“That’s hard for those guys coming in and being the leader that I am and with Max and Charlie being the leaders they are, we tend to loosen up those guys a little bit,” Riggio said. “They start to see, you know what, we’re here to have fun, we’re here to play some games. Right now we’re just playing games but pretty soon it’s going to be a career. So we can loosen up a little bit.”

Muncy sees it much the same way. Even though the faces of the underclassmen were unfamiliar on Thursday the page is turning into Saturday and games have already been played. The strangers, well they’re teammates now and the only thing these guys know how to do is be good teammates.

“Even though you don’t know a lot of these guys your mindset is just to pull one out for them,” Muncy said. “We’ll do anything to get the win so we can keep moving on. … You learn what it’s like to face the best for four days straight. It’s like a small glimpse of what the MLB season will be like.

“It’s nice to experience it, it’s nice to be out here in Florida where spring training takes place and kind of get a vibe of what it’s really like out here.”

The main point of emphasis with the coaching staff – the thing they stress the most to their players – is that they’re here to compete. As long as they’re running hard 90s down the line and not making mental errors on the base paths or while fielding their position, a lot can be forgiven.

“If we take care of the little things we think that will lead to positive results out on the field,” Burns said. “At the end of the day do we want to win a championship? Absolutely. I think every team down here definitely wants to do that but we have the longer term future in mind, too.”

Saum told PG the coaching staff has been outstanding and very clear with their message:

“They’ve done a great job of explaining to us how this is kind of a job interview; we’re trying to showcase ourselves in the best way we possibly can,” he said. “At the end of the day you write it as a learning experience and we’re all trying to do the best we can to showcase ourselves and our abilities while also winning a tournament.”

The Milwaukee Brewers Scout Team played its opener Thursday at historic Terry Park near downtown Fort Myers, a four-field complex that Hall of Fame manager Connie Mack first started bringing his Philadelphia Athletics teams to for spring training nearly 100 years ago; others followed. Craig Counsell thought it was a perfect time for a little history lesson when he spoke with these teenagers.

“I told them, you guys are about to step on a field that Jackie Robinson and Babe Ruth played on,” he said. “To me, it just tells them what a great thing you guys are being allowed to do. And the kids that are playing in this they’re out in front of the race right now among the baseball kids but there are a lot of kids trying to catch them.

“The game will teach you a lot of lessons about that but it’s a long race that you guys all want to run. Just being here and watching all these kids chase their dreams is a thrill.”

With the WWBA World Championship kicking off on Thursday and with the possibility still alive that the Brewers Scout Team could play into Monday, there’s a chance that Brady Counsell could be slipping on a Milwaukee Brewers jersey and wearing a Brewers cap for five straight days; it’s kind of surreal.

“It’s definitely something that I never thought I’d do,” Brady said. “Putting on a Brewers jersey and being able to play, especially in this kind of event, is definitely a dream.”
Give us your feedback
Tournaments | Story | 11/2/2026

2028: Under-the-Radar Names to Know
Joey Cohen
Article Image
2028 Post-Circuit Dive: Under-the-Radar Names to Know One of my favorite parts of the calendar comes after the summer and fall circuits have wrapped, when I can finally sit down, dig through our tournament performance data and uncover some names that may have slipped through the cracks. With hundreds of events on the schedule and thousands of players coming through them, there's inevitably going to be talent that I or even our collective staff haven't given enough attention to. For this exercise, I wanted to isolate a particular offensive profile. I looked for 2028 bats who produced at a high level while keeping their swing-and-miss numbers in check across a sample of at least 50 plate appearances. On the pitching side, the approach was equally straightforward in terms of identifying arms who consistently filled the strike zone while missing bats at a strong clip. Of course, not all...
Read More
Press Release | Press Release | 11/2/2026

PG Partners Up with Minority Prospects

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
  667 Progress Way | Sanford, FL 32771 | 319-298-2923 www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   PERFECT GAME ANNOUNCES MEDIA RIGHTS PARTNERSHIP WITH MINORITY PROSPECTS   Sanford, Florida (Monday, November 2, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced a media rights partnership with Minority Prospects, the Atlanta-based organization that has become the largest platform in the world for minority baseball and softball prospects. The partnership kicked off last month at the WWBA World Championship in Jupiter, Fla., Perfect Game's premier fall event, where Minority Prospects produced content featuring some of the nation's top amateur players in front of college coaches, professional scouts and MLB legends. Under the agreement, Minority...
Read More
Draft | Story | 10/30/2026

2027 Draft Preview: Prep Middle Infielders

Ryan Miller
Article Image
2027 MLB Draft Profile Preview: Collegiate Right-Handed Pitchers | Collegiate Left-Handed Pitchers The premium profile in each class often are prep middle infielders, a sought-after group with the athletic ability to stick on the dirt or land throughout the diamond long term. This demographic has produced the superstars of today’s game and therefore are selected in prime spots while demanding high-end signing bonuses. This group features a mix of loud tools, high level projection, and impact defenders. Below we break down at the top prep middle infielder in the 2027 cycle.  ‘27 SS Dylan Seward (CA)- liftoff from the No. 1 player in the class. A solo blast to RCF to extend the lead for @TheCanesBB #WWBA @California_PG @Vol_Baseball commit https://t.co/lJjNg6T7PS — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) June 27, 2026 SS Dylan Seward, Norco (CA)  The Southern...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 10/29/2026

WWBA Underclass Prospect Recap

Kyler Peterson
Article Image
WWBA Underclass Scout Notes: Days 1-2 | Day 3 | Day 4 Stars Being Stars These are some of the more well-known names on the national landscape, playing across several big events in which they performed at the highest of levels. Their showings in Fort Myers were simply a continuation of what we've almost come to expect at this point from them!  Kasen Langerhans (2028, Round Rock, Texas) batted leadoff and stuck at the hot corner for Texas Twelve Red Sox 2028 in Fort Myers. The Texas native has the looks a young left-handed power bat and the swing is built for it. Langerhans produces easy bat speed, delivering a fast and leveraged barrel through the zone. He creates backspin and uses the ground well, really getting into the legs. The infielder has excellent power projection and took comfortable, intentful cuts in the box. Langerhans got the job done at the top of the order...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 10/28/2026

WWBA Sophomore Prospect Recap

Kyler Peterson
Article Image
WWBA Sophomore Scout Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 Stars Being Stars These are some of the more well-known names on the national landscape, playing across several big events in which they performed at the highest of levels. Their showings in Fort Myers were simply a continuation of what we've almost come to expect at this point from them!  2029 MIF Easton Housewright (Knoxville, Tenn.) currently stands at 6-foot,175 pounds with strength in the lower half, present above-average athleticism. Continued to shine at the top of the lineup as the left-handed hitter is your prototypical leadoff hitter, consistently finding a way on and scoring. Takes quality at-bats with an above average awareness of the strike zone. Loose hands with easy bat speed that find the barrel often for hard line drives into the gaps that frequently turn into XBHs. Confident and balanced approach. Also...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 10/27/2026

Beyond the Board: SS Malachi Butler

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
As the 2027 draft cycle moves through the fall and into the offseason, we kick off a new series called Beyond The Board. With each installment, we will provide an in-depth scouting report for some of the top players in the class, breaking down their tools, strengths, question marks, and overall projection. This week we take a look at Georgia prep shortstop Malachi Butler. The Georgia Tech put together an outstanding showing on the circuit this summer and has been a significant riser early in the 2027 cycle.  Player: Malachi Butler Position: SS B/T: L/R Height: 6-foot-3 Weight: 190-pounds School: McEachern HS Hometown: Powder Springs, Ga.  Physical Description: 6-2/190. Strong, athletic build. Well-proportioned body. Has strength with room to continue to add more.    High speed BP swing from '27 SS Malachi Butler (GA)... #PGNational @PG_Georgia https://t.co/M9OWUX9rPw...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 10/27/2026

South Fall World Series Scout Notes

Jay Vossler
Article Image
Kason Mead (2029, Spring, Texas) had a great weekend for Premier Baseball Donato 2029. Went 5-9 with a pair of doubles and a home run, driving in five without striking out. Physical frame with a lot more strength on the way. Impressive bat speed that attacks the top of the zone well. Works to all fields consistently and the profile indicates that he’ll be able to build off that with more impact. Lot to like, should be a riser as he goes into his sophomore season. Sterling McCormack (2029, Magnolia, Texas) performed well for Premier Baseball Donato 2029. Reached four times, including a double. Gains ground well on the stride, using his physicality to his advantage as he stays on an uphill plane, geared for slug. Plenty of strength at the point of impact. Landon Hardy (2029, Spring, Texas) had a strong showing for Scorpions Team Easton 2029. Went 4-11 with a double and homer, driving...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 10/27/2026

WWBA Freshman Prospect Recap

Jheremy Brown
Article Image
Stars Being Stars These are some of the more well-known names on the national landscape, playing across several big events in which they performed at the highest of levels. Their showings in West Palm were simply a continuation of what we've almost come to expect at this point from them!  Kolt Hampton (2030, Chandler, AZ) is a left-handed hitting infielder with present barrel speed and twitch in the turn. Turned around an upper 80s heater that plated two runs in the first inning of the quarterfinals and never looked back. Also got it done on the rubber punching out three and topping out at 86. The number one player in Arizona produced all week and took care of business defensively.  Landen Davis (2030, Beaufort, SC) showed up at the dish this event hitting .500 with four doubles and five RBIs. Stays tight in the turn with present strength and the approach plays to all fields....
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 10/24/2026

SBA Takes 14u Title Behind Offense

Jheremy Brown
Article Image
To say there were standouts all over the field for the 14u WWBA World Championship would be an understatement as the matchup of Team Elite 14u Scout and SBA Bolts National 14u saw two of the more loaded rosters going head-to-head with a title on the line. And after weather threw a giant wrench into pool play, both Sunday and Monday were nothing but sunshine and high intensity baseball leading into the final game of the event.  While the game ultimately ended via run rule after five in favor of SBA upon a 9 run inning, it was a tight contest up until that point with Team Elite carrying a 3-2 lead thru four innings.  Team Elite drew first blood as a Ross Logan walk quickly turned into the first run of the game following a well struck single by Cooper Ooten into left field who eventually came around to score following a double steal, scoring before the third out of the inning was...
Read More
Softball | Softball Tournament | 10/22/2026

PG Softball Chesterfield Fall Showcase High School Division

Erica Beach
Article Image
PG Softball Chesterfield Fall Showcase HS Division Oct 17-18, 2026 Chesterfield First Community Athletic Complex CHESTERFIELD, MO — It was a perfect weekend for softball, with 16 teams converging on the Chesterfield First Community Athletic Complex to compete in the High School Division. Teams from Illinois, Minnesota, and Iowa were there to battle it out, and there was only one undefeated team in the tournament: the Southeast Iowa All-Stars 16U Gold Flowerbach, who went a stellar 5-0 on the weekend. We were treated to some stellar performances all weekend and below we highlight some of the standout athletes who caught our eyes.  Lucy Turner (2027, Marion, IA) of the Cedar Rapids Reds was a truly dynamic two-way player this past weekend. Offensively, she batted .444 with 5 RBIs and an impressive 6 stolen bases, which led the tournament. She also scored 6 runs for her team and...
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.