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High School  | General | 1/1/2021

Finest in the Field: Class of 2021

David Rawnsley
Photo: Jordan Lawlar (Perfect Game)
As we look to acknowledge the top defensive players at each position, starting with the 2021 class, it’s worth noting who the 2020 Rawlings Gold Glove winners were in the pandemic shortened Major League season.  The reason for this is that so many of the big league award winners actually played different positions when they were high school seniors. 
 
Mookie Betts played the middle infield and could probably still be an elite level second baseman. Alex Gordon, who retired with his eighth Gold Glove as an outfielder, was a middle infielder in high school and played his first four MLB seasons as a third baseman. Javier Baez played shortstop at Arlington Country Day but played third base almost exclusively on the summer circuit. Kolton Wong and Isiah Kiner-Falefa were both catchers before moving to the infield as professionals. And there were many scouts who felt that Nolan Arenado’s future position was catcher.
 
So while these awards may not necessarily be predictive, they do provide a snap shot as to who are the best right now.
 
(*denotes Perfect Game Alumni amongst 2020 MLB winners)
 
 
Catcher
 
2020 MLB Winners: Roberto Perez (Cleveland), Tucker Barnhart* (Cincinnati)
 
Rawlings Perfect Game Gold Glove Winner: Rene Lastres (Calvary Christian Academy, Fla.)
 
It’s hard to tell what are the most important tools and skills for a top defensive catcher anymore. With the seemingly inevitable addition of computer called balls and strikes, receiving and framing skills are de-emphasized. With the running game playing less and less a role in creating offense in today’s home run hungry game, arm strength and the ability to control the running game is likewise less important.
 
So we’ll just go to default mode and evaluate catchers as we always have; on a combination of everything.  Rene Lastres gets the nod as the class of 2021 Rawlings Gold Glove catcher over fellow PG All-American Ian Moller (Wahlert HS, Iowa). Lastres is a strong and durable receiver with a very polished game behind the plate to go with a rocket right arm and a quick release. He also has as much experience handling elite level pitchers as any catcher in the class, handling All-American right handers Andrew Painter and Irving Carter at Calvary Christian Academy along working with the Canes National’s deep and talented pitching staff.
 
Another Florida prep receiver, Jayden Melendez (Westminster Christian, Fla.), along with California’s Charlie Saum (Thousand Oaks HS, Calif.) were considered as well.
 

First Base
 
2020 MLB Winners: Evan White* (Seattle), Anthony Rizzo* (Chicago Cubs)
 
Rawlings Perfect Game Gold Glove Winner: Max McGwire (Capistrano Valley HS, Calif.)
 
Gold Glove winners at first base are often athletic left-handers due to their advantage on tag plays at first base but McGwire is simple too athletic as a first baseman not to acknowledge his ability. In fact, it’s often mentioned that with his 7.0 speed and 90 mph arm strength that McGwire could easily be a primary outfielder.  And if you were wondering, his father, Mark, did win one Gold Glove in his career, taking honors as a 26-year-old with Oakland in 1990.
 
 
Middle Infield
 
2020 MLB Winners: John Paul Crawford* (Seattle), Cesar Hernandez (Cleveland), Javier Baez* (Chicago Cubs), Kolten Wong* (St. Louis)
 
Rawlings Perfect Game Gold Glove Winners: Jordan Lawlar (Jesuit College Prep, Texas), Edwin Arroyo (Avecibo Baseball Academy, P.R.)
 
There is never a shortage of talented defensive middle infielders across the country and this year is no exception. Still, the top ranked player in the class, Jordan Lawlar (Jesuit College Prep, Texas) stands out defensively for his all-around tools and his ability to slow the game down. His defensive actions compare to Cubs 2020 first round pick Ed Howard in that they aren’t flashy and accompanied by plus-plus arm strength but they are highly athletic and polished.
 
For pure tools and some flash, our second pick for a class of 2021 middle infield Gold Glove is Puerto Rico’s Edwin Arroyo (Arecibo, P.R.). Despite being one of the youngest players in the class, Arroyo’s polish comes close to matching Lawlar’s, plus he has that 96 mph infield arm strength to back up his glove and athleticism.
 
Among the other top prospects who look like they have the tools and projection to stay in the middle infield for the long term include California’s Marcelo Mayer (Eastlake HS, Calif.) and Cody Schrier (JSerra Catholic, Calif.), Michigan’s Alex Mooney (Orchard Lake Mary’s Prep, Mich.) and Florida’s Justin Colon (Montverde Academy, Fla.) and Alex Ulloa (Calvary Christian Academy, Fla.)
 
 
Third Base
 
2020 MLB Winners: Isiah Kiner-Falefa* (Texas), Nolan Arenado* (Colorado)
 
Rawlings Perfect Game Gold Glove Winner: Brady House (Winder-Barrow HS, Ga.)
 
The top third basemen in the Major Leagues are often high school shortstops who gravitate to the corner as they get bigger and less agile. Of course, evaluators can get too anxious about consigning top prospect shortstops to the hot corner, as many did with Corey Seager and Carlos Correa at this age.
 
Two present middle infielders stand out as potential elite future third basemen, Georgia’s Brady House and Texas’ Izaac Pacheco (Friendswood HS, Texas). Both definitely have the chance to stay in the middle infield despite their size, as House is listed at 6-foot-3, 210 pounds and Pacheco at an even bigger 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, due to their light and quick feet and overall athleticism. House gets the nod for now based on his better arm strength.
 
 
Outfield
 
2020 MLB Winners: Luis Robert (Chicago White Sox), Alex Gordon* (Kansas City), Joey Gallo* (Texas), Tyler O’Neill* (St. Louis), Trenton Grisham* (San Diego), Mookie Betts* (Los Angeles Dodgers)
 
Rawlings Perfect Game Gold Glove Winners: Benny Montgomery (Red Land HS, Penn.), Malakhi Knight (Archbishop Murphy HS, Wash.), Braden Montgomery (Madison Central HS, Miss.)
 
The two Montgomery’s, who are not related, stand out simply for the outstanding physical tools, although both, and especially Braden, have also shown mature route running ability.  Benny Montgomery’s 6.32 speed and long legs will eat up ground in centerfield, while Braden Montgomery’s elite level arm strength paints him as a high-level defensive right fielder.
 
While he doesn’t have the pure speed of Benny Montgomery or the raw arm strength of either of the Montgomerys, probably the best defender of the class and the most likely to stay in center field for the long term is Knight. A superlative athlete who averaged 26 points and 9 rebounds as a D1-caliber point guard last winter in basketball, Knight made the top outfield defensive play at both the PG National Showcase and the PG All-American Classic last year and his range and jumps are outstanding.
 
A second Gold Glove outfield of the speedy Jay Allen (John Carroll Catholic, Fla.), two-way standout Drew Gray (IMG Academy, Fla./Ill.) and switch-hitting Thaddeus Ector (Starrs Mill HS, Ga.) wouldn’t be much of a step down from the first unit.
 
 
Pitcher
 
2020 MLB Winners: Griffin Canning (Los Angeles Angels), Max Fried* (Atlanta)
 
Rawlings Perfect Game Gold Glove Winner: Jackson Jobe (Heritage Hall HS, Okla.)
 
The default for a pitcher’s Gold Glove at this level, since they have relatively few opportunities to actually show their young fielding skills, is simply athleticism. Being an accomplished middle infielder prior to converting a primary pitcher, such as Oklahoma’s Jackson Jobe (Heritage Hall HS, Okla.), certainly stands out as well.
 
It would surprise no one if other pitchers such as right-handers Max Debiec (O’Dea HS, Wash.) and Drew Christo (Elkhorn, Neb.) and left-handers Carter Holton (Benedictine Military, Ga.), Josh Hartle (Reagan HS, N.C.) and Mason Albright (IMG Academy, Fla/Va.) also become first-rate defensive pitchers.

 
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High School | General | 7/1/2026

PG High School All-Americans
Tyler Russo
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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...
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Tournaments | Story | 7/6/2026

16u WWBA Rolls Into Marietta

Will Dembo
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College | Story | 7/6/2026

USA Collegiate National Team: Stars

Craig Cozart
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Quick Hits  Each year at the end of June and beginning of July, top collegiate baseball talent from around the nation arrives in Cary, NC at the USA Baseball National Training Complex.  Typically, the rosters are filled with top underclass, non-draft-eligible talent but this year, we will see a sprinkling of upper-classmen as the coaches evaluate just under 60 players to get to their final 28 roster spots.  For a total of two weeks, the Stars Squad and the Stripes Squad will compete against outside competition in North Carolina as well as Virginia before finishing their slate with 5-games against each other at the NTC Complex.  Once the final roster has been announced the team will depart for Taiwan to compete in the 2026 World Baseball Championships, July 11-15.    CNT Stars Position Players  Anthony Pack Jr.  FR / OF / University of Texas ...
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Draft | Mock Draft | 7/6/2026

MLB Mock Draft: 4.0

Tyler Henninger
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MLB Draft: Top 500 Update Pick Team Name Pos. School 1 Chicago White Sox Roch Cholowsky SS UCLA 2 Tampa Bay Rays Grady Emerson SS Fort Worth Christian 3 Minnesota Twins Vahn Lackey C Georgia Tech 4 San Francisco Giants Jacob Lombard SS Gulliver Schools 5 Pittsburgh Pirates Jackson Flora RHP UC Santa Barbara 6 Kansas City Royals Drew Burress OF Georgia Tech 7 Baltimore Orioles Eric Booth Jr. OF Oak Grove 8 Athletics Chris Hacopian SS Texas A&M 9 Atlanta Braves Ryder Helfrick C Arkansas 10 Colorado Rockies Tyler Bell* SS Kentucky 11 Washington Nationals Jared Grindlinger LHP/OF Huntington Beach 12 Los Angeles Angels Cameron Flukey RHP Coastal Carolina 13 St. Louis Cardinals AJ Gracia OF Virginia 14 Miami Marlins Derek Curiel OF LSU 15 Arizona Diamondbacks Gio Rojas LHP Marjory Stoneman Douglas 16 Texas Rangers Liam Peterson RHP Florida 17 Houston Astros Justin Lebron SS Alabama 18...
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Tournaments | Story | 7/5/2026

13u World Series Notes: Days 1-2

Perfect Game Staff
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Michael Wedgeworth (2030, Flomaton, AL) had put the two way ability on full display so far this week, dominating from both sides. On the mound Wedgeworth ran the fastball up to 84 (81-83) with ease to the delivery. Broke off a couple nasty curveballs that induced swing and miss, as well as freezing hitters for punch outs. Collected six in his four inning complete game. He also would not be denied at the plate going 3-5 in the first two days with two doubles. Very intriguing young player as the body continues to grow.  Tyler Bellush (2031, Summerville, SC) is a sure handed shortstop for the Canes Nation squad. Swings it from the left side of the plate and the barrel accuracy has really stuck out thus far. 3-4 through the first couple days with a double and two triples, Bellush has also walked twice and collected 3 RBI along the way. Yesterday against USA Prime with the bases loaded,...
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Tournaments | Story | 7/4/2026

16u WWBA North Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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Oliver Lindstrom (2028, Green Bay, WI) created some of the loudest offensive moments of the weekend while producing across the board, finishing with six hits, eight RBI, and a home run. The right-handed hitter showed the ability to stay through the baseball and drive it with authority. Creates quality leverage through the lower half while arriving in strong hitting positions early, allowing the barrel to work with intent through the zone. The blend of power, athleticism, and all-fields impact stood out throughout the event.  Dominic Haigh (2028, South Bend, IN) was one of the most productive hitters at the event, collecting 10 hits while consistently creating pressure on opposing defenses. Made life difficult on pitchers with a relentless approach, routinely extending at-bats and forcing them to work deep into counts. The operation remains simple and efficient, featuring an early...
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Tournaments | Story | 7/4/2026

West Region Rankings Risers: Class of 2028

Joey Cohen
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After a heavy stretch of early summer looks, our scouting staff felt confident rolling out an updated ‘28 national ranking a couple weeks ago. The evaluation window was packed whether it was with our Memorial Day and Summer Kickoff tournaments, UBC action, Sunshine Showcases, and of course the Junior National Showcase which all provided a deep and diverse look at the class against strong competition. Between fresh game evaluations and updated showcase data, we were able to get a clearer picture of where players stand and more importantly how they’ve progressed. Improvements in strength, athleticism, and overall skill were evident across the board giving our staff real conviction when it came time to shuffle the board. With that in mind, I wanted to highlight a handful of west region prospects who made a strong impression on me this summer and earned a well-deserved jump in...
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All American Game | Story | 7/3/2026

Initial 2026 All Star Game Roster Reveal

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We are excited to announce the first selections for the 2026 PG All Star Game from both the Perfect Game Junior and Sophomore National Showcases. The PG All Star Game will be held on Friday, August 14th at Citizens Bank Ballpark, the home of the Philadelphia Phillies, and will feature roughly 40 of the top players, predominately from the 2028 class with a few of the very best 2029s also selected. A watchlist has been created from the Junior National Showcase and another group of players will be selected from that showcase towards the end of July as we continue to evaluate players at the major Perfect Game tournaments this summer. The final wave of selections we be made at the PG Underclass All American Games August 5-7 at the UCSD in San Diego, CA. PG Underclass All American Games   Junior National Selections Dexter McCleon Jr. OF Suwanee, GA USA Prime Cullen Scott RHP/3B Melissa,...
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Tournaments | Story | 7/3/2026

13u WWBA Scout Note Recap

Jheremy Brown
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Walter Izquierdo Jr. (2031, Miami, Fla.) showed off the upside on the mound for Beast Baseball 13u. The right-handed pitcher went four innings and collected three strikeouts while spreading two hits and two walks for one run. The fastball topped out at 80 and was consistently in the upper- 70s. Showed feel for a curveball with 12-6 shape and some looser vertical depth that was able to get weak contact. Competes in the zone well and showed some feel to work on the arm-side half of the plate. Intriguing upside on the young arm.   Brett Hamlin (2031, Jupiter, Fla.) showed off the barrel feel for FTB American 13u. The left-handed hitter collected nine hits, including two doubles and a triple, to drive in seven RBI. Strong hands and flips the hips well to create good bat speed. Simple operation that gets on time consistently and impacts the ball well. Worked the pull-side well and...
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Tournaments | Story | 7/2/2026

Freedom Classic Opens Holiday Weekend

Alyssa Golden
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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...
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Tournaments | Story | 7/2/2026

14u West World Series Scout Notes

Quinton Hall
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Asher Contreras (2030 | Las Vegas, NV) The 5-foot-10, 170-pound right-handed hitter and outfielder was one of the most dangerous hitters in the tournament for Wow Factor Nv 2030, stuffing the stat sheet while displaying an impressive combination of power and speed. He finished the weekend with 9 hits, including two doubles and a home run, while driving in seven runs and scoring five more. He also swiped three bases and worked three walks, consistently putting pressure on opposing defenses while showing feel for the zone with just one strikeout all weekend. His ability to hit for extra bases while also creating offense on the bases made him one of the most impactful offensive performers at the event.    Braylen Silva (‘30 | NV) RBI 2B for GBG Vegas 14u Red. Direct path, quick trigger, & barrel feel. Solid 2-hole stick creating offense all day #14UWestWS...
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