THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,496 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,496 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
High School  | General | 12/22/2020

Year in Review: High School

Photo: Jordan Walker (Perfect Game)
Year in Review: PG Events

California Takes Back WWBA Worlds




While the WWBA World Championship didn’t have the same feel to it given the circumstances of the pandemic, GBG Marucci was able to pull off the win at the crown jewel of the fall, making it the first championship for a California-based team since the ABD Bulldogs in 2008. GBG has long established themselves as one of the premier West Coast travel organizations. 

A strong core of California-based talent led the way, including the up-the-middle duo of Davis Diaz and tournament MVP Carson Williams. Both have established themselves as top-tier prospects after strong showings, as did MV-Pitcher Dennis Colleran, who worked as a fireman reliever coming into games for multiple inning stints while keeping his pitch count low. 

Showdown Takes Center Stage in Quiet Spring

The PG High School Showdown has continued to build its status as one of the top high school events of the spring and 2020 was luckily not an exception. The Showdown was the only major high school tournament that was able to get in before the shutdown as the Boras Classics and the National High School Invitational were both unfortunately canceled. 

Mountain Brook (Ala.), DeSoto Central (Miss.), and Loganville (Ga.) were all crowned champions of the event in their respective brackets and all three winners have participated in the event in previous seasons. Next Level Academy (Ala.) was the champion of the Academies bracket. Mountain Brook and Loganville have established themselves as state powerhouses in Alabama and Georgia, respectively, while DeSoto Central came into 2020 with national title aspirations, as they were the No. 3 team in the Preseason Top 50 Rankings. Next Level always brings talented rosters year in and year out as 2020 was their year to breakthrough and claim the title. 

The star power was as talented as it has ever been at the event, but due to the five round 2020 MLB Draft there were only three selections from the event, all PG All-Americans in Jordan Walker (1st round/Cardinals), Blaze Jordan (3rd round/Red Sox), and Alex Santos (2nd round comp/Astros). The event also offered a preview to the 2021 class as five 2020 PG All-Americans participated in the tournament, led by No. 2 overall prospect Brady House, who had a dominant weekend. 

Tampa Jesuit Locked In Early

Heading into the beginning of the season, Tampa Jesuit (Fla.) was the Preseason No. 1 team in the land and they showed no signs of slowing down all the way until their final game. Jesuit finished the 2020 spring with a 9-0 record that included five run-rule victories and four shutouts, while on paper still looking like one of the deepest and most talented teams in the country. 

It’s a shame we didn’t get to see how the season played out and if Jesuit could have defended their state title and held onto the No. 1 spot for a national title, but there’s no denying the pure talent of the team. They’re a quality program who always has success and should be right back in the thick of things come 2021. 

Shortened Draft and Canceled Seasons

Across the country nearly every major sporting presence was shut down from the beginning of March through the summer, and that was a heartbreaking development for the sport. Many states hadn’t even begun play by the time seasons were being canceled, and that included a number of states that were just beginning to get into the full swing of things. 

The cancellation of seasons coupled with the five-round 2020 MLB Draft led to a lot of prospects, who might have otherwise signed, undrafted and looking at different opportunities heading into the fall. The 2021 MLB Draft is only expected to be 20 rounds and was pushed back to July, so the normal draft schedule and timing dynamic is all of a sudden in flux heading into the new year. 

What Does 2021 Look Like?

Nothing is certain heading into the spring of 2021, as there’s a myriad of variables and extenuating circumstances that don’t offer much clarity. The first thing we need to look at is quite simply where the state of the world is in relation to the pandemic and how that relates to whether or not some parts of the country will even play spring sports. 

The sports decision for fall activities has been pretty different depending on what state you look at, and it appears that will very much be the case next spring. There might be situations where some states allow spring activities and other states don’t, creating a limited pool of how many teams will get a chance to prove their talent. This also creates questions about what the major events will look like, especially given that for a majority of them, they feature teams from separate states competing. 

Another challenge will be how professional teams and scouts operate in terms of getting to see players. Scouts will be on the road to see players, but that could create issues in states where spring activities may not be allowed. The draft being moved back also creates a window in between the end of most high school seasons and the draft date itself, all while the summer circuit is going on. 

Almost everyone will be happily looking forward to turning over the calendar come January, but the future is a bit uncertain in terms of high school baseball. Here’s to hoping that the challenges faced are met swiftly and that we can once again safely resume a sense of normalcy when it comes to spring high school sports. 
 

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...
College | Story | 7/10/2026

Cape Cod Notebook No. 1

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Cape Cod League Scouting Notebook  Maverick Rizy | Ole Miss | RHP | Brewster Whitecaps  The towering 6-foot-9, 250-pound right-hander continues to stand out with one of the more unique looks on the Cape, pairing a massive frame with a low three-quarter slot that creates difficult angles for hitters. While his fastball velocity was down from its typical mid-90s range during this look, working mostly 90-92 mph, it still generated plenty of swing-and-miss. He paired the heater with an 81-83 mph gyro slider featuring tight bullet-spin action and mixed in an 85-mph changeup with quality separation. Rizy battled his command early in the outing I saw, before settling in to strike out five over three innings, showing the ability to adjust as the game progressed. Through 12.2 Cape League innings, he has recorded 18 strikeouts, and his combination of size, deception, and projectability...
Tournaments | Story | 7/10/2026

Windy City Invite & Open Scout Notes: Part 2

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Windy City Invite & Open Scout Notes: Part 1 Braedon Paczocha (2028, Palmyra, Wis.), a 5-foot-11, 180-pound frame catcher for GRB STiKS 16U Black, displayed a quick bat with the ability to do damage. Showed a good feel for the barrel throughout the weekend, hitting .538 (7-for-13) with 3 doubles, 8 RBI, 2 stolen bases, and a 1.376 OPS. Also received well behind the plate with quick, efficient transfers and displayed good instincts.    ’28 1B Brock Hamilton (IL) displays some present strength, driving this ball deep into the LCF gap to leg out a triple. Creates loud contact off the bat and does damage here. #WCInvite @WhitesoxAce pic.twitter.com/6EK81gG9Wi — Perfect Game Illinois (@PG_Illinois) July 5, 2026 Brock Hamilton (2028, Flossmoor, Ill.), one of the top first basemen in Illinois, brings a physical 6-foot-5, 240-pound frame with plenty of present strength...
Draft | Rankings | 7/10/2026

Final 2026 MLB Draft Board: Top 500

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
After months of coverage, evaluations, and discussions, the 2026 MLB Draft is upon us. With that, we present our final Top 500 Draft Board.  The final update features several notable movers, including a handful of late risers who made one final push up the board. While there was movement throughout the board, the top remains unchanged. UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky and Texas prep shortstop Grady Emerson lead the way again, as they have for much of the cycle. With the games complete, reports filed, and the board finalized, the evaluation process is over. Now, we get to sit back and watch the draft unfold. Rk. Name Level Pos. B-T School Hometown State Commitment 1 Roch Cholowsky C SS R-R UCLA Chandler AZ 2 Grady Emerson H SS L-R Fort Worth Christian Argyle TX Texas 3 Vahn Lackey C C R-R Georgia Tech Suwanee GA 4 Jacob Lombard H SS R-R Gulliver Schools Miami FL Miami 5 Jackson Flora C...
Showcase | Story | 7/9/2026

13U National Kicks Off in Fort Myers

Alyssa Golden
Article Image
This Friday through Sunday, many of the nation’s top young prospects from the classes of 2030 and 2031 will head to Fort Myers, Florida, as the 2026 PG 13U National Showcase gets underway at JetBlue Park. The invitation-only event features some of the brightest young stars in the country as they look to make their way onto the national stage. This showcase provides players with an opportunity to compete against elite talent from across the country while also serving as a key evaluation for the 2026 PG 13U Select Baseball Festival. “The 13u National Showcase will be the first showcase for a lot of these guys, but we’ve seen their talents throughout this past fall, spring and the summer circuit, securing their invite to the event,” said Jheremy Brown, Perfect Game’s National Director of 13U & 14U Player Development and Festivals. Among some of the stand...
Tournaments | Story | 7/9/2026

Windy City Invite & Open Scout Notes: Part 1

Donovan May
Article Image
’28 RHP Jack Potsma (IL) went 4.0 IP w/ 4 K, running the FB up to 91 mph. Quick, whippy arm w/ a tall, projectable frame. FB had quality arm-side run, while adding a SL. Good control in the delivery w/ the ability to fill up the zone. FB: 87-91 | SL: 68-73 #WCOpen @RaysIllinois pic.twitter.com/8HfMEeamIC — Perfect Game Illinois (@PG_Illinois) July 6, 2026 Jack Postma (2028, Barrington, Ill.) is a tall, projectable 6-foot-5, 195-pound pitcher with a quick, whippy arm and loose, athletic actions. The GRB Rays 16U Illinois Green right-hander ran his fastball up to 91 mph with heavy arm-side run while filling up the zone and inducing weak contact. Postma complemented the fastball with a slider and mixed in a fading changeup, giving him a quality three-pitch mix to build upon. Over 4.0 innings, Postma struck out 4, allowing 4 hits while throwing 66% strikes.  ’27 RHP...
Press Release | Press Release | 7/9/2026

SHIVERSTICKS NAMED OFFICIAL POPSICLE OF PERFECT GAME

Article Image
  667 Progress Way | Sanford, FL 32771 | 319-298-2923 www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   SHIVERSTICKS NAMED OFFICIAL POPSICLE OF PERFECT GAME   Former MLB All-Star Vernon Wells to Make Select Appearances at Perfect Game Events to Promote the Partnership   Sanford, Florida (Thursday, July 9, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced a new partnership with ShiverSticks, naming the Texas-based company the Official Popsicle of Perfect Game. Throughout the travel baseball season, ShiverSticks products will be featured across Perfect Game’s premier events and facilities, with onsite activations, concession integration, digital promotions and social media content designed to introduce players and fans to the...
Tournaments | Story | 7/9/2026

16u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 3

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
16u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 Carlos Acuna (2028, Sylmar, Cal.) turned in an impressive start on Wednesday, tossing four shutout innings with six strikeouts and just one hit allowed. The 6-foot-1 right-hander filled up all four quadrants of the strike zone with his fastball, which lived in the 86-87 mph range and touched 88 a couple of times. He mixed in a true 12-6 curveball with huge depth down in the zone, and showed comfortability doubling up on the breaking ball. ‘28 Francis Conners-Schmid (NY) was dominant out of the ‘pen, 6 Ks in 2 hitless inn of work. Lived 88-89 & touched 90 multiple times. Sharp horz break to the SL w/ teeth & tight spin (clip). Athletic mover w/ serious 2-way upside. @JKselectBSB #WWBA @PGMidAtlantic pic.twitter.com/z859j3UCEq — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) July 8, 2026 Francis Conners-Schmid (2028, East Chatham, N.Y.)...
Tournaments | Story | 7/9/2026

Future Stars Take Center Stage at 14U BCS

Alyssa Golden
Article Image
The 21st annual 14U BCS National Championship returns to Fort Myers, Florida this Thursday through Monday, bringing many of the nation’s top teams to compete for one of the summer’s premier titles. Seven nationally ranked teams, featuring some of the top prospects in the class of 2030, will take the field looking to prove why they rank among the country’s elite. Headlining the field is No. 25-ranked outfielder James Watson of Canton, Georgia. The No. 9 outfielder in the nation has been one of the most productive hitters in the field this season, posting a 1.227 OPS while batting .394 with eight home runs, 69 RBI and 32 stolen bases over 84 games. Watson has also excelled on the mound, recording a 3.50 ERA with 65 strikeouts in 44 innings while holding opposing hitters to a .181 batting average. The athletic two-way player owns a 94 mph exit velocity, an 88-mph outfield...
Tournaments | Story | 7/8/2026

Premier Invite Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Tripp Merren (‘29 TX) with a pair of missiles off the barrel today including a no-doubt 2-run 💣 and triple later both to RCF. Electric bat speed with easy strength off the barrel. Can really scoot around bases. #PremierInvite pic.twitter.com/VUEHQZ0bmM — Perfect Game Texas (@Texas_PG) July 3, 2026 Tripp Merren (2029, Houston, Texas) took home MVP honors enroute to a big championship win for the Houston Texans Astros Scout Team. Merren stands in at 6-foot-0 from a pretty physical frame at this age. He has the athleticism to go with it and already looks like he has filled out a good bit. Merren fits the mold as a true power hitting corner guy but can play all over on the dirt. He finished the week going 9-15 that included two doubles, a triple, and two homers. He also drove in seven runs and scored nine times. Talk about a complete week and Tripp was simply in the heart of...
Tournaments | Story | 7/8/2026

16u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 2

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
16u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 1 ‘28 Rylan Jenkins (GA) hits the bottom of the CF wall for a 2-RBI double; great rhythm to the stroke w/ lots of easy strength in the barrel. 6.46 runner. @BravesScout16u #WWBA @PG_Georgia pic.twitter.com/oxSt7fvsUw — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) July 7, 2026 Rylan Jenkins (2028, Tennille, Ga.) found a few loud barrels Tuesday morning, sending a pair of hard liners off the outfield wall. He drove in four runs and crossed home three times himself. The 5-foot-9 lefty hitter takes a smooth path to the baseball with excellent rhythm to the operation. He generates lots of easy strength at the point of contact and consistently produces high exit velocities to the pull-side and middle of the field. Jenkins is extremely twitchy and gets down the line in a hurry. He runs a 6.46 sixty and turns doubles into triples often. Tripp Sapp (2028, Loganville,...
Loading more articles...