THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,578 MLB PLAYERS | 16,376 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,578 MLB PLAYERS | 16,376 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Sign in Create Account
Sign in Create Account
High School  | General | 2/16/2021

Strong Jr. class rocks PGHS Midwest

Jeff Dahn
Photo: Nolan Schubart (Perfect Game)

Nearly two months before the 2020 Michigan high school baseball season was set to begin (spoiler alert: it never happened) Head Coach Matt Petry from nationally-prominent Orchard Lake St. Mary’s let Perfect Game in on what was probably the worst-kept secret in the PG High School Midwest Region.

“Our sophomore class is something that is very special,” Petry told PG during a telephone conversation last February. “There will be five guys that will see significant playing time...and I think there are five guys in that class that have Division-I capabilities.”



The events of the last 11 months remind us that those talented young players who have settled into roster spots at OLSM in West Bloomfield Township northwest of Detroit never had the chance to enjoy their sophomore seasons in 2020, and that was a shame.

It was to be a season in which the Eaglets chased after a second straight Michigan High School Division 2 state championship while building on a 28-game winning streak they had compiled over the latter part of the 2019 season. The COVID-19 pandemic had other plans and those goals couldn’t be reached in 2020, but everyone’s optimistic they’ll be attainable once again in the spring of 2021.

Senior middle infielder Alex Mooney (No. 13-ranked ’21, Duke commit) leads OLSM but he’ll get plenty of help with the return of top juniors in outfielder Nolan Schubart (No. 7 ’22, Michigan), right-hander Brock Porter (No. 18, Clemson), second baseman Jake Dresselhouse (t-500, Michigan State), third baseman Jack Crighton (t-500, Michigan) and shortstop/right-hander Ciaran Caughey (t-500, Kent State).

And in a perfect example of the rich getting richer, the Eaglets added the talents of junior catcher/first baseman Ike Irish (No. 164, Auburn) to their roster after he transferred in over the summer from a school in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Perfect Game National Scouting Supervisor Brian Sakowski is a member of the coaching staff at OLSM and he’s watched first-hand as these underclassmen have established themselves as the backbone of the program.

“The results sort of speak for themselves so far on just how absurdly talented they are,” Sakowski said. “Those are kids who all, for the most part, played big roles on the state championship team in 2019.”

What’s interesting here is that the five juniors at OLSM are representative of a trend of sorts in the PGHS Midwest Region (Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin) which has two teams in the PGHS Preseason National Top 50 Rankings: No. 7 OLSM (Michigan) and No. 44 Brother Rice High School (Illinois).

When PG Vice President of Player Personnel David Rawnsley compiled his 14-player Midwest Region “Dream Team” he included six juniors on the roster: OLSM’s Schubart and Porter; Milton HS (Wis.) shortstop Gavin Kilen (No. 13, Louisville); Oswego East HS (Ill.) left-hander Noah Schultz (No. 14, Vanderbilt); Liberty Union HS (Ohio) right-hander Jacob Miller (No. 29, Louisville) and Brother Rice HS (Ill.) outfielder Jack Lausch (No. 67, uncommitted).

And that’s not the end of it when it comes to highly-ranked class of 2022 national prospects from the region. There’s also Brebauf Jesuit Prep (Ind.) right-hander Andrew Dutkanych IV (No. 35, Vanderbilt), LaSalle-Peru Township HS righty Julius Sanchez (No. 47, Illinois), New Albany Senior HS shortstop Tucker Biven (No. 49, Louisville), LaSalle HS (Ohio) outfielder Devin Taylor (No. 69, Indiana), Whitefish Bay HS (Wis.) outfielder Michael Lippe (No. 86, Louisville), home-schooled Illinois shortstop Logan Wagner (No. 102, Louisville) and Trinity HS (Ind.) outfielder Korbyn Dickerson (No. 130, Louisville).

It’s obvious that Louisville Head Coach Dan McDonnell and his staff has taken note of these prep 2022s who are maximizing their opportunities in what is basically his front yard. Seven of the top 15 juniors in the Midwest Region, all ranked in the top-152 nationally, have committed to the Cardinals.

There’s top talent from the class of 2022 all across the country but it just seems more pronounced in the PGHS Midwest. As Sakowski pointed out, there are cycles to everything in baseball but this seems like it’s more than a cyclical occurrence; it has the feel of something more permanent.

In the country’s cold-weather states like those in the PG Midwest, there’s long been the perception that a player’s development is hindered because he’s not able to get outside and work on his game year-round like the guys who live in warmer-weather states.

From his own observations, Sakowski feels like that knock has become a bone of contention among those cold-weather players and they’re taking it personally. If I can’t go outside to get my work in, the thinking goes, then I’ll just work twice as hard as everyone else indoors.

“It’s kind of starting to resonate nationwide and part of that is kids who are being exposed to high-level coaching and the proliferation of the indoor facility and the training facility,” Sakowski said. “it’s not just coming in to take lessons, it’s player development. I think there’s an element of that at play.

“Guys are getting better than they would have 10 years ago because the coaching is better,” he added. “But that being said, these are still the guys with the talent and they’re still the ones doing the work.”

And, Sakowski believes, that trend promises to continue as coaches, instructors and facility operators gain more access to the wide array of new technologies that are proliferating throughout the game. Coaches will refine their philosophies and techniques to fit and to better understand what the new data is telling them, and that’s to the benefit of the players in all nine PGHS regions.

“There are particulars to that argument, obviously,” Sakowski said. “I’m sure kids in the south on average are better at fielding ground balls off of dirt than the kids in the north are, but everybody plays on turf now so who cares if it’s inside or outside. There are arguments one way or the other but in reality with all things being equal, I don’t see any stop to this at all.”

The cancelation of the 2020 season was heart-breaking for everyone, especially for the graduated seniors who won’t get a do-over. The underclassmen, on the other hand, like this current junior class, got back to work as soon as they were allowed to and funneled their efforts into the 2020 PG tournament and showcase circuits seemingly no worse for the wear.

There are 14 position players and six pitchers ranked in the top-20 of the PGHS Midwest Region’s class of 2022 and Sakowski said you could make the argument that each one of them were a little rusty when they first came into the 2020 summer season.

But once the hitters got acclimated to live pitching again and everyone kind of got their feet back underneath them, they were really ready to turn it on by mid-summer and that carried over into the fall. Players as highly-ranked and as highly-regarded as these guys would never allow themselves to fall behind, not when they’ve already worked so hard to reach the upper level.

Led by Mooney – the MVP at the PG All-American Classic played in Oklahoma City last Labor Day Weekend – and its outstanding junior core, there should be no stopping Orchard Lake St. Mary’s this spring if, in fact, the season is allowed to play out in full.

Sakowski said things are “in a bit of a holding pattern” right now because the winter sports teams only started their seasons recently. The common thought is that the start of the season will be pushed back a week or 10 days and if that scenario does indeed come to be, that will be considered a win for everyone.

In the meantime, don’t fault anyone associated with OLSM for continuing to have fond recollections of the 2019 season.

It is kind of remarkable to look back on what was this current crop of juniors’ freshman year. Schubart, the MVP at the 2019 PG 14u Select Baseball Festival in Fort Myers, Fla., hit in the four-hole in the lineup, Porter started and won the state championship game and was the No. 2 starter the entire season, Crighton was the starter at third base and Dresselhouse played on the varsity but wasn’t yet a starter; Caughey played primarily with the JV team that spring. They may have only been ninth-graders but they were key contributors.

“They all came in and kind of saw the culture that had been created at St. Mary’s by the classes that had gone before them,” Sakowski said. “It all culminated in a big way team-wise, obviously, their freshman year and since then it’s been about personal development; personal work ethic to get better. They’re always honing their crafts.”

And they’re also not afraid to spread it around, either. Dresselhouse, Crighton and Irish are all two-sport athletes with Dresselhouse and Irish mixing it up out on the football field and Crighton doing the same on the basketball court.

They’ve put themselves in position to possibly challenge for a Perfect Game High School national championship, an "on paper" title usually claimed by a school from a warm-weather state.

As an example, the Eaglets are joined in the top-10 of the national rankings by schools from Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Nevada and Texas; that’s telling. It’s certainly been a fun ride and one that doesn’t look to be ending anytime soon - think of those juniors coming back for yet another go-around in 2022.

“Obviously, I get to track their development through PG; even if I wasn’t their coach I’d be watching them play during the summer,” Sakowski said. “It’s been fun to see that and it’s a testament to them, to their families and to the culture at St. Mary’s that even with no high school baseball they took it upon themselves to get as good as possible, to get better, to focus on the things they needed to focus on. The results have spoken for themselves to a degree, for sure.”
Give us your feedback
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 | 7/24/2026

PG East World Series Preview

Will Dembo
Article Image
As the summer travel baseball season comes to an end, over 80 teams will meet in East Cobb, Georgia as they look to end the year with a victory and a trophy at the PG East World Series. The premier event will host 5 age groups of 14u-18u with pool play commencing the tournament on Friday, July 24th, with champions crowned on Monday, July 27th at East Cobb Baseball Complex. The 15u field will feature 26 teams from all over the southeast, including the No. 27 team in the nation from the 14u rankings, Home Plate Chili Dogs 14u Glozier. The Chili Dogs, who also played up in the 15u WWBA last week for increased exposure, have been a very solid team this summer, but are still in search of their first championship win of the season. Another highly touted team looking to challenge them is USA Scout Team Nike, who is another 14u squad who will play against more mature competition for their 15u...
Read More
College | Story | 7/24/2026

Cape Cod League Notebook: July 24

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Luke Costello | INF | South Carolina | Bourne Braves  Costello brings one of the cleaner offensive operations in the Cape, featuring a simple, direct swing that allows him to consistently get the barrel out front and do damage. He minimizes unnecessary movement, stays on time, and shows the strength to impact the baseball with authority. After a very productive spring hitting .302 with 17 home runs during his sophomore season at Wake Forest, Costello heads to South Carolina as an established middle-of-the-order bat. His combination of present power, offensive consistency, and polished approach should translate well against SEC pitching.     A look at Terry Hayes Jr (@OleMissBSB) lived 92-94 on the FB showed a CT at 88-90, SL at 82-84 and a really good CB at 78-81. @ChathamAnglers So./‘26 elig pic.twitter.com/vbsYWF2IcY — PG College Baseball (@PGCollegeBall)...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 7/23/2026

A Look Ahead: 16U PG West WS

Emily Hicks
Article Image
Another exciting week of Perfect Game baseball is on the horizon as the 16U PG West World Series brings together some of the top travel baseball programs for a highly competitive tournament. Taking place July 23 - 26 at Riverview Complex in Mesa, AZ, the event will feature talented teams looking to make a statement as they compete for one of the summer's most prestigious titles. The tournament will welcome clubs from across the West, creating a talented field filled with nationally recognized organizations, rising contenders, and some of the top 16U prospects in the country. Throughout pool play and the championship bracket, every game will provide an opportunity for teams to showcase their talent while pursuing a World Series championship. With high-level competition expected throughout the week, fans can look forward to quality pitching, explosive offenses, and outstanding defensive...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 7/23/2026

Battle For The Midwest Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Gavin Johnson (2029, De Pere, Wisc.) handled the bat pretty well this weekend for his CBT Wolfpack 15u team that made a run into bracket play. Johnson is a left-handed hitting first baseman with a physical 6-foot-1, 200-pound frame, showing good physicality throughout the build. It’s a clean stroke from the left side, with feel to deliver the barrel on time and drive the ball working pull-side. He has a feel to rotate well, loading deep with the hands & turning well through contact to impact the baseball out in front. Johnson tallied four hits on the weekend, including 2 doubles and a triple. He plated 3 runs as well.   Devon Hester (2029, Chicago, Ill.) had a heck of a weekend for Chicago White Sox Ace 2029 Hunt. He showed out on both sides of the ball this past weekend, really getting it done at the plate. He finished the weekend 7-for-15, with a double and 4 RBI to...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 7/23/2026

UBC Midwest X Atlantic Notes: Part 2

Jordan Gates
Article Image
UBC Midwest X Atlantic Notes: Part 1 ‘27 RHP Alexander Kakach (MN) displayed present arm strength and some feel to spin. The #Creighton commit was up to 93 mph with the FB (89-93), while the SL showed two plane break at 79-84 mph. Mixed in CT at 84-86 with tight action in the zone. #UBCMW @MNIcemen @PG_WiscMinn pic.twitter.com/TlrOnNDIcd — Perfect Game Illinois (@PG_Illinois) July 18, 2026 Alexander Kakach (2027, Plymouth, Minn.) of MN Icemen 17U Gominsky displayed intriguing upside on the mound, striking out five over 4.0 innings while running the fastball up to 93 mph with ride. The 6-foot, 180-pound right-hander and Creighton commit paired the fastball with a low-80s slider that flashed two-plane break and a cutter that played well off the mix. Kakach worked with a loose, quick arm from a high three-quarter slot, creating quality movement across his mix while displaying...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 7/23/2026

15u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 6

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
15u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 Brycen Orcutt (‘29, WV) was dominant to open his outing, tossing five innings of shutout ball thus far, striking out nine. Got the FB up to 85 w/ feel to land a tight + sharp two-plane BB. #WWBA @PG_VirginiaWV pic.twitter.com/Yjm2IbufqU — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) July 21, 2026 Brycen Orcutt (’29, South Charleston, WV) has put together a strong event on both sides of the ball, posting a 1.458 OPS at the plate thus far, including a pair of doubles and three driven in. On the mound, Orcutt has logged a pair of starts, totaling 11.1 innings of shutout ball, striking out 15. The West Virginia native operates from a medium right-handed frame with a bit of length and lower half strength. He starts above the belt, working into an over-the-head windup before utilizing a medium direct leg lift, firing down...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 7/22/2026

15u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 5

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
15u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 Noah Rumley (‘29 NC) has been up to 90 so far in this start w/ 8 Ks in 4 innings of work. Really jumps out of the hand at foot strike w/ some ride to it; has also mixed in a SL w/ horizontal action. #WWBA @PG_Coastal pic.twitter.com/OcU57a3Syl — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) July 21, 2026 Noah Rumley (2029, Summerfield, N.C.) got the ball for GBC Lopez 2029 15u in their final game of pool play and dominated, going up against a tough lineup in the East Cobb Astros. The 6-foot-2 left-handed pitcher ended up going five innings, allowing only one hit and one run, while striking out nine. It’s premium stuff at the 15u level as he worked easily in the upper-80s, topping at 90 mph in the first. The breaking ball showed two-plane shape in the upper-70s as well. There’s a ton of things to like already and even...
Read More
Tournaments | Championship | 7/22/2026

Champions Named at Southwest Select

Emily Hicks
Article Image
Another week of Perfect Game baseball concluded as champions were crowned in the 15U, 16U, and 18U divisions of the Southwest Select Championship. After several days of pool play and championship bracket action, three teams rose above the competition to capture tournament titles following a week of high-level baseball. Throughout the tournament, teams from across the Southwest and beyond competed in closely contested matchups, producing standout pitching performances, timely offense, and memorable defensive plays. As the bracket narrowed, each division featured championship-caliber baseball before the final trophies were awarded. 15U Championship The 15U division title was claimed by AZ Prodigy, who defeated Nomadic 14U Premier by a score of 2-1 in the championship game. After putting together a strong tournament run, AZ Prodigy continued its momentum in the title game with contributions...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 7/23/2026

17u BCS Scout Notes: Days 4-5

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Easton Vandyke (’27 RHP, RISE 2027/2028, VA) opened Day 4 by running his fastball up to 84 mph, showing consistent strike-throwing ability throughout the outing. The 6-foot-1, 160-pound right-hander paired the fastball with a low-70s curveball and a 75 mph changeup that he consistently kept at the bottom of the zone. Vandyke worked with a quick, whippy arm action, getting down the mound efficiently while filling up the strike zone with all three pitches. ’27 P Daniel McDevitt, the No. 91 shortstop in Florida and No. 531 overall in the state, has been dominant through four innings, working in the low-to-mid 80s with a quality two-pitch offspeed mix that shows consistent depth. The 5-foot-11, 150-pound right-hander has yet to allow a hit or a run, attacking the corners with confidence and showing strong command throughout the outing. McDevitt continues to fill up the strike...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 7/23/2026

Battle for the Windy City Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Tyler Osmanski (2027, Frankfort, Ill.) a 5-foot-11 160-pound right-handed pitcher worked a 7 inning complete game shutout to start off Chicago Elite’s 6-0 weekend. On top of going the distance he allowed only three base runners and one hit. Osmanski has lots of athleticism in his delivery. He keeps his body under control while still being able to have good arm action and great hip to shoulder separation. He works from the third base side of the rubber with a high ¾ arm slot. His fastball was up to 84mph multiple times and sat 80-83mph. He used two offspeed pitches, a good 12-6 breaking ball 65-68mph, and a changeup in the low 70’s.     ‘27 RHP Brett Alkire (IL) punched out everyone across his 5.2 inning masterful outing. He struck out 13 batters and did it on 66% strikes. Has an active arm action and kept the ball on the corners. FB T92 early w/...
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.