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High School  | General | 2/18/2021

Regional HS Preview: Mid-Atlantic

David Rawnsley
Photo: Kahlil Watson (Perfect Game)
For all of Perfect Game's regional previews as part of the 2021 high school baseball preview content, the Dream Team list is available for free. The Dream Team reports, top tools list and corresponding top tools breakdowns can be viewed with an Insider subscription. To learn more about Perfect Game's subscription packages and to sign up today please visit this link.

2021 High School Baseball Preview



Regional Previews: Florida | Pacific | Southeast | Texahoma | Southwest | Midwest

While Georgia has been the big story over the last decade as a state that has improved tremendously in its baseball talent base, the Mid-Atlantic Region may be the area that really steps forward during the 2020s. Seven juniors are mentioned in the All-Region categories below, with a number of highly-ranked 2022s just missing recognition. And that doesn’t even consider sophomores TayShaun Walton (Virginia) and Walker Jenkins (North Carolina), the top two outfield prospects in the 2023 class.
 
While talented high-ceiling athletes abound in the region, the depth to populate the PG High School Top 50 hasn’t quite happened yet. Two North Carolina teams, Charlotte Christian (33rd) and Reagan (50th), are the region's only representatives.
 
It should be noted that three of the All-Region selections, PG All-Americans outfielder James Wood and left-handed pitcher Mason Albright, along with junior left-hander Jackson Ferris, all attend high school at IMG Academy in Florida but are included in the Mid-Atlantic Region, as that is where all three call home.
 
C – Jacob Cozart (Sr., Wesleyan Christian Academy, N.C.)
Cozart is a well-rounded catcher with polished defensive skills behind the plate and a strong left-handed bat that has both barrel skills and power potential. He hails from one of the top baseball families in the country, with his father, Craig, being the head coach at High Point, his older brother Caleb a right-handed pitcher at North Carolina, and his younger brother, Samuel, another right-handed pitcher, being the top-ranked player in the 2025 class.

1B – Grant Hussey (Sr., Parkersburg South HS, W.V.)
Hussey is a big left-handed hitter with a loose and fluid swing and he doesn’t have to work very hard to get to his power in games and register 100+ mph exit velocities. He’s also a very good athlete with 7.00 speed who will be an asset at first base and has a chance to be a corner outfielder in the future if a team needs him at that position. Hussey is signed to stay in-state at West Virginia.

MIF – Kahlil Watson (Sr., Wake Forest HS, N.C.)
Watson was better known as a cornerback/wide receiver on the football field prior to last summer and had played very little on the baseball travel circuit. That changed quickly when he was named the Most Valuable Player at the 2020 17U BCS National Championships for the Dirtbags and followed that up by hitting .476-0-11 at the WWBA 17U National Championships the next week. Those performances and Watson’s high-level athleticism earned him a late spot in the PG All-American Classic.

MIF – Alvin Keels (Jr., Maury HS, Va.)
Keels is a high-level athlete with 6.6 speed in the sixty and middle-of-the-field tools on defense. His best tool, though, might be his right-handed bat speed, which features very fast hands and plenty of raw pull side power. Keels is committed to Miami.

3B – Tucker Toman (Jr., Hammond HS, S.C.)
Toman is a switch-hitter who has some of the best left-handed bat speed of any high school hitter in the country and is a career .404 hitter in 80 Perfect Game tournament games. The son of long-time college coach Jim Toman, now at Middle Tennessee, Toman is a polished defender at both third base and second base with plenty of arm strength.
 
OF – Will Taylor (Sr., Dutch Fork HS, S.C.)
Taylor is a dynamic fast-twitch athlete who has been recruited to play both baseball and football by Clemson. He hasn’t played as much baseball as many of his peers but the 6-foot, 170-pound Taylor has prototype center field/leadoff tools and a chance to develop more power in his bat as he fills out.

OF – Michael Gupton (Jr., Nolesville HS, N.C.)
Gupton has gotten plenty of attention for his blazing speed but the strongly built 5-foot-9 athlete stands out just as much for his strong right-handed bat and overall offensive potential. He hit .364-2-13 at the 2020 WWBA 16U National Championships playing for Team Elite and is currently the No. 26 player in the 2022 class. Gupton is committed to North Carolina State.

OF – James Wood (Sr., IMG Academy, Fla./Mary.)
The 6-foot-6, 230-pound Wood is the highest-ranked player in the region, checking in at fourth overall in the PG 2021 class rankings. Wood’s left-handed swing is smooth and fluid with huge power potential and he’s a superb athlete for that size, running a 6.70 sixty and able to play an impressive center field on defense.

P – Mason Albright (Sr., IMG Academy, Fla./Mary.)
One of two Perfect Game All-American pitchers on the Mid-Atlantic team along with Josh Hartle, Albright is a 6-foot left-hander with a fastball up to 94 mph to go along with a devastating hard breaking ball from a deceptive arm slot that is one of the best breaking balls in the class. He is signed with Virginia Tech.

P – Daniel Brooks (Sr. Bishop England HS, S.C.)
Brooks is one of the larger top prospect pitchers in the country, measuring it at 6-foot-8, 245 pounds but with plenty of athleticism that could make him a two-way player at College of Charleston if he doesn’t sign professionally. Brooks has been up to 94 mph on his fastball and has good feel for changing the shape of his breaking ball while also turning over a promising changeup.
 
P – Jackson Ferris (Jr., IMG Academy, Fla/N.C.)
Ferris features a very projectable 6-foot-4, 185-pound build and a short and compact arm action that hides the ball very well from hitters and makes his raw stuff, which includes a fastball up to 93 mph and a tight curveball, play up. The No. 15 player in the 2022 class nationally, Ferris absolutely dominated hitters at 2020 PG tournaments, striking out 43 hitters in 24 innings while allowing only five hits.

P – Josh Hartle (Sr., Reagan HS, N.C.)
Hartle is the No. 17 player and second ranked left-handed pitcher in the 2021 class. He’s also one of the most projectable pitchers in the class, with a very athletic 6-foot-5, 195-pound build and lots of strength gains ahead of him. Although he only tops out at 91 mph now, he possesses outstanding pitchability and is a strong bet to continue to add velocity as he gets stronger. The PG All-American is signed with Wake Forest.

P – Tristan Smith (Jr., Boiling Springs HS, S.C.)
Smith has a power pitcher’s approach and arm on a strong 6-foot-2, 200-pound build. He works up to 95 mph on his fastball and compliments his fastball with a big breaking upper-70s slider that has angle to it. Like his fellow junior All-Region southpaw, Jackson Ferris, Smith was dominant in PG tournaments in 2020, striking out 40 hitters in 20 innings while allowing only eight hits.

UT – James Triantos (Sr., Madison HS, Va.)
Triantos has been a highly-ranked two-way prospect since his freshman year but he really stood out this fall at the WWBA World Championships. The North Carolina signee went 10-19 at the plate with two home runs for Stars Baseball and also was up to 92 mph while striking out eight hitters in a five-inning one-hit performance.

Mid-Atlantic Region Top Tools

Best Hitter for Average: Kahlil Watson (Sr., Wake Forest HS, N.C.)
A left-handed hitter with extremely fast hands and surprising power despite a slender 5-foot-10 build, Watson hit .434-2-29 with 18 stolen bases across four high-level PG tournaments last summer and fall. He is signed with North Carolina State but is the ninth-ranked player in the 2021 class rankings and a potential first round pick.
 
Best Hitter for Power: James Wood (Sr., IMG Academy, Fla./Mary.)
Wood’s size gives him huge leverage at the plate and he hit some of the most impressive home runs on the travel circuit last summer. Interestingly, his power extends to more than just home runs, as Wood has hit 11 triples in 46 games the last two years in PG tournaments.

Best Baserunner: Will Taylor (Sr., Dutch Fork HS, S.C.)
Michael Gupton would win this honor in almost any other region, as he is a track and field standout with a 10.52 100 meter and 21.57 200 meter time to his credit. But when Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney says, “He (Taylor) can fly, I mean he can flat-out run. His acceleration makes him special,” that sort of stands out.
 
Best Defensive Catcher: Ethan Anderson (Sr., Frank Cox HS, Va.)
Anderson is a big and strong switch-hitting catcher who recently reclassed to the 2021 group. He is very athletic behind the plate with especially quick lower half actions that give him lateral range and a quick release on his throws.

Best Defensive Infielder: Kahlil Watson (Sr., Wake Forest HS, N.C.)
Watson doesn’t have a cannon infield arm, but then no one in the region really does. What Watson has is excellent first step quickness and a soft and sure glove working through the ball. He could end up as a second baseman professionally.

Best Defensive Outfielder: James Wood (Sr., IMG Academy, Fla./Mary.)
The most obvious tool and size comparison for Wood is likely Jason Heyward and that includes a comparison to Heyward’s Gold Glove defensive abilities, too, although Wood obviously has lots of game work to do to get to that level. The speed, instincts and arm strength are all there to be a superb defender.

Best Defensive Arm: Calvert Clark (Jr., Charlotte Christian HS, N.C.)
North Carolina’s 2022 class is loaded, with six players, including the multi-talented Clark, ranking in the top-50. The 6-foot-4, 195-pound Clark, a Clemson commit, is a two-way standout with a big right-handed bat at the plate, 6.9 speed in the sixty and a 92 mph fastball on the mound.

Best Fastball: Daniel Brooks (Sr. Bishop England HS, S.C.)
Brooks may not have the top radar gun fastball in the region right now but with his huge downhill angle to the plate and big extension out front it probably looks that way to hitters. In addition, Brooks has had an ideal velocity progression over the last three years, gaining 5-6 mph each year, and there is no reason to believe he’s hit his velocity ceiling yet.

Best Off-Speed Stuff: Mason Albright (Sr., IMG Academy, Fla./Mary.)
Albright’s breaking ball could be called either a curveball or a slider, as it has curveball depth and more of a sweeping slider shape at 78-80 mph. He has very good command of the pitch and can spot it to both sides of the plate or locate it outside the zone as a chase pitch to both right-handed and left-handed hitters.

Best Pitchability: Josh Hartle (Sr., Reagan HS, N.C.)
Hartle has already mastered two of the most elusive skills of any pitcher; he is adept at pitching inside to hitters and moving his fastball from side to side and he has the ability to tunnel his release point on his curveball and changeup precisely with his fastball, creating plenty of deception on those secondary pitches.

Best Multi-Sport Athlete: Will Taylor (Sr., Dutch Fork HS, S.C.)
For a player with his speed, Taylor is surprisingly more accomplished as a passing quarterback, having thrown for 2,237 yards and 21 touchdowns in 10 games while only rushing for 448 yards and 11 more scores. Clemson plans on auditioning him at quarterback before transitioning him to wide receiver. Michael Gupton, with his track and field exploits, is again a worthy consideration here.

 
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High School | General | 6/10/2026

Ohio Valley High School Notebook
Jordan Gates
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‘26 RHP Jack Ryan (@StXBall) w/ an absolute masterclass in the region semis. CG/Shutout, 4 BB & 9 Ks & a No Hitter ‼️ FB worked 89-92, flashed a 93 1x. Velo held in the later innings 88-90. SL was plus @ 81-82 (2400+)/tight, while CH flipped in the low 80s, bottom of the zone.… pic.twitter.com/pdYaEqHmx5 — Perfect Game Ohio Valley (@PG_OhioValley) June 3, 2026 Jack Ryan, 2026, RHP, St. Xavier (OH) JR is finishing his senior campaign off in high fashion. Ryan threw a no-hitter in the Region Semifinals and now the bombers find themselves in the D1 State Final Four. The Boston College commit has taken home numerous awards this season, including conference & city player of the year in Cincinnati, OH. One last award left and that is to will the bombers to a state championship. Ryan has impressed all year and with one week to go, he is leaving it all on the field...
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Tournaments | Story | 6/11/2026

PG East WWBA to Get Underway

Kinley Kitchens
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One of the summer’s premier events returns to the Hoover area this week as the 2026 Perfect Game East WWBA Championship gets underway. Now in its seventh year, the event has become a staple on the summer travel baseball calendar, bringing together some of the top organizations and prospects from across the country. A total of 132 teams will compete across three age divisions, including 38 teams in the 15U division, 48 teams in the 16U division, and 46 teams in the 17U division. Past champions include organizations such as Top Gun Team Alabama, EBC, USA Prime Alabama, and defending champion USA Prime Southeast 15U. As always, the tournament field features some of the nation’s top-ranked players. In the 15U division, all eyes will be on Alabama right-hander Tristan Blalock, the No. 23 ranked player nationally in the 2029 class and the top ranked player in Alabama. Blalock...
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Tournaments | Championship | 6/11/2026

Team Elite Takes Another PG Elite

Kinley Kitchens
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After capturing last year’s championship, Team Elite Scout 14U returned to Hoover looking to prove their success was no fluke. Four days later, they accomplished exactly that. Behind strong pitching, timely hitting, and the confidence that has defined the team throughout the tournament, Team Elite Scout 14U defeated SBA Bolts National 14U to claim the 2026 PG 14U National Elite Championship and secure back-to-back titles. “It’s awesome,” Team Elite Coach Blankenship said. “This is our first event of the year, so it’s good to get it to start with them, and they won it last year, so I know they are excited to do that back-to-back, so it’s pretty awesome.” The championship game showcased many of the same qualities that carried Team Elite through the tournament. Ryan Johnson delivered 4.1 scoreless innings on the mound, allowing just two hits...
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Tournaments | Story | 6/11/2026

SE Summer Showdown Preview

Will Dembo
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East Cobb will host some of the top teams from near and far as over 100 different teams spanning the 13-18u age divisions will compete for a championship at the PG Southeast Summer Showdown to help their summer start strong. The highly anticipated premier Perfect Game event will commence with pool play on Thursday, June 11th while champions will be crowned on Monday, July 15th. The 13u Major division will be the youngest age group competing this weekend, but the talent will still be on full display. Doc Baseball American headlines the 11-team tournament, entering the weekend as the top ranked team in the Southeast Region, and the No. 7 team nationally. 14u will play as another major tournament and will feature three nationally ranked teams, including the No. 8 ranked 13u squad, East Cobb Astros 13u, who will compete in an older division for the second time this year. The No. 27 and No....
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Tournaments | Story | 6/11/2026

Midwest Elite Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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Adan Rojas (2027, Streamwood, Ill.) turned in one of the more dominant pitching performances of the weekend, striking out 10 over 5 innings while consistently dictating at-bats. The fastball worked 77–80 mph, topping at 82, and he showed the ability to elevate and miss bats when needed. His slider at 67–70 mph played as a real separator pitch, generating uncomfortable swings and late decisions. Showed strong tempo on the mound and never allowed hitters to settle in rhythm. What stood out most was his ability to maintain attack mode while still showing feel for sequencing.   Cruz Jaramillo (2030, Mount Pleasant, Wisc.) brought consistent energy to the lineup all weekend and was a tough out from start to finish. Finished with 8 hits over the tournament. The swing is compact with a strong intent to impact, and he does a nice job staying on time with his stride. When he...
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Tournaments | Story | 6/10/2026

Top Prospects Set to Shine at Florida WS

Alyssa Golden
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The Florida World Series returns to Fort Myers this weekend, bringing together teams from across the state for one of Florida’s premier summer events. The four-day tournament will feature competition in the 14U through 18U age divisions as teams battle for a World Series championship. From June 11-14, some of Florida’s top prospects will take the field looking to lead their teams to a title. The 18U division features some of the tournament’s top talent, including five players ranked among the top 500 prospects nationally, three of whom play for Swamp Baseball. Outfielders Nicholas Raber and Austin Schoolcraft along with right-hand pitcher Tyler Reeder will play for Swamp Baseball. Raber is a Fort Myers native and is committed to John Melvin Christian College. He has been one of Swamp’s top offensive contributors this season. The outfielder owns a .873 OPS with...
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College | Story | 6/10/2026

Collegiate All-Americans

Vincent Cervino
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Collegiate Postseason Awards First Team Hitters Pos. Name School Class AVG OBP SLG R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB C Vahn Lackey Georgia Tech JR .397 .519 .772 85 87 16 3 20 78 15 1B Tague Davis Louisville SO .355 .443 .848 68 82 10 1 34 98 4 2B Jarren Advincula Georgia Tech JR .434 .503 .629 74 111 16 2 10 66 16 3B Ace Reese Mississippi State JR .336 .432 .721 73 83 23 0 24 74 1 SS Roch Cholowsky UCLA JR .320 .452 .636 73 74 10 0 20 60 1 IF Tyson Leblanc Kansas JR .341 .425 .706 64 87 12 3 25 69 11 OF Drew Burress Georgia Tech JR .358 .473 .657 82 91 22 3 16 60 10 OF Landon Hairston Arizona State SO .400 .509 .860 82 94 20 2 28 81 11 OF Caden Sorrell Texas A&M JR .341 .434 .743 67 77 20 1 23 76 11 UT Quinton Coats Cincinnati SO .339 .430 .738 62 84 13 1 28 79 10 DH Daniel Jackson* Georgia JR .389 .492 .809 86 100 13 1 31 86 29 TWP Evan Dempsey FGCU JR .333 .412 .536 57 79 18 0 10 46 15 First...
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Tournaments | Story | 6/10/2026

PG All Prospects World Series Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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‘27 SS Caleb Hodge (KY) is your #ProspectsWS 17/18U MVP 🏆 ⭐️ 5 G | .692 BA | 11 R | 12 RBI | 5 XBH | 4 BB | 0 K A dominant weekend at the plate. Congrats to @KYPlatinum859 on the championship! 🏅 pic.twitter.com/1atWJAL3nm — Perfect Game Ohio Valley (@PG_OhioValley) June 7, 2026 Caleb Hodge (2027, Burlington, Ky.) posted absurd numbers on his way to winning MVP, leading the tournament in batting average (.692), runs (11), RBI (12), doubles (5) and OPS (1.881), all while playing an impressive shortstop. Hodge's swing is built around exceptional barrel lag, keeping the knob pointed toward the catcher deep into the load before snapping the barrel through the zone as the front foot lands. The result is effortless bat speed and consistent impact, with the ball jumping off the barrel. Even with the late acceleration, he stays remarkably connected throughout, allowing the bat speed...
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College | Rankings | 6/10/2026

Final DII/DIII/NAIA Rankings Update

Nick Herfordt
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NCAA DII Final Preseason NCAA  State Record 1 2 Tampa Spartans FL 51-9 2 West Chester Golden Rams PA 48-12 3 1 Texas Tyler Patriots TX 50-14 4 3 Catawba Indians NC 49-14 5 8 Point Loma Sea Lions CA 50-13 6 11 Colorado Mesa Mavericks CO 53-7 7 19 Francis Marion Patriots SC 46-14 8 7 North Greenville Trailblazers SC 49-12 9 13 Pittsburg State Gorillas KS 45-11 10 12 Central Missouri Mules MO 40-17 11 20 Augustana Vikings SD 45-16 12 West Florida Argos FL 43-16 13 14 Young Harris Mountain Lions GA 41-18 14 16 Angelo State Rams TX 42-19 15 10 Grand Valley State Lakers MI 48-10 16 Millersville Marauders PA 39-18 17 Rollins Tars FL 36-16 18 9 Seton Hill Griffins PA 42-12 19 21 Wingate Bulldogs NC 40-19 20 15 Lenoir-Rhyne Bears NC 37-13-1 21 4 Belmont Abbey Crusaders NC 38-16 22 6 East Stroudsburg Warriors PA 37-16 23 Bentley Falcons MA 44-17 24 North Georgia Nighthawks GA 42-16 25 UIndy...
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Tournaments | Story | 6/9/2026

Desert Classic Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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Ryan Sanchez (‘27, AZ) hammers this ball to deep LCF for a 3-run 💣. Physical 6-5/230 frame. Has some rhythm to the hands. Strength plays at contact #DesertClassic @PG_Uncommitted pic.twitter.com/sGL2vcpwIL — Perfect Game Four Corners (@PG_FourCorners) June 6, 2026 Ryan Sanchez (2027, Chandler, Ariz.) showcased loud two-way ability throughout the event. A physical frame at 6-foot-5, 230-pounds stands out on both sides of the ball. The stuff on the bump was impressive. Sanchez sat 89-92 mph with the heater, topping out at 93 mph. Heavy armside run and the velocity makes the pitch hard to barrel. It was paired with a quality breaking ball at 73-77 mph that showed some bite. At the plate, Sanchez uses his strength efficiently. There is some rhythm to the hands that creates some bat speed. When combined with obvious strength at contact, Sanchez can generate easy power to the...
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