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High School  | General | 4/15/2021

Summer Preview: 2024 Catchers

John McAdams
Photo: Cade Arrambide (Perfect Game)
As high school baseball is starting to get going across the country in most regions, with some states actually heading into the playoffs, it all means the summer circuit is right around the corner. Over the next several weeks we will look at the top-ranked players at each position, in each class, while also taking a look at some gut-feel players that could be big risers. With players having more access to individual development, things will undoubtably change at a rapid pace in the early months of the Perfect Game schedule. This provides a good look at some of the top performers coming into 2021 who look primed to continue dominance or make their mark on a national level. 

Class of 2022: Catchers
Class of 2023: Catchers
Cade Arrambide (Texas)
6-3 190 R/R
Commitment: Florida
PG Events: 2
Key Stats: .338-2-27, .985 OPS



Short Story: Arrambide combines high level catch-and-throw skills and big-time arm strength to set himself apart from other catchers within the class. The two-time PG Select Festival Alum exhibits a strong right-handed swing that translates impressively well into game play.

Big Moment: An impressive two weeks at the 13 and 14U PG World Series in July of 2019 put the Florida commit on the map in a big way, where he hit collected 13 hits over the course of the events and showed off the aforementioned advanced defensive skill sets.

Bold Prediction: The defensive skills have never been in doubt, but another year of maturity and additional strength will only expand his offensive profile. Look for Arrambide to start tapping into the unlocked power potential that many have predicted for a while now.
 

PJ Morlando (S.C)
 6-3/194, L/R
Commitment: Mississippi State
PG Events: 5
Key Stats: .418-2-26, 1.157 OPS

Short Story: Morlando combines outstanding long-term power potential with a keen eye and plate discipline of someone much older. Is still developing defensively but has the attributes and athleticism to continue improving as he matures.

Big Moment: The Mississippi State commit burst onto the scene with an eye-opening performance in the 14U WWBA Championship, hitting .407 for the event with five extra-base hits and 15 RBI.

Bold Prediction: The offensive production has always been the carrying tool. If Morlando can continue to improve on the defensive side of the ball, we may be looking at one of the more impressive left-handed hitting catcher prospects in some time.
 

Nolan Traeger (Texas)
 5-11/160, L/R
Commitment: TCU
PG Events: 10
Key Stats: .417 AVG/.500 OBP/1.083 OPS

Short Story: The defensive acumen coupled with his smooth left-handed stroke really stands out when it comes to the TCU commit. With plenty of room to physical mature, this will be an exciting prospect to continue monitoring.

Big Moment: The 2020 13U Select Festival is where Traeger first showed off his intriguing potential on both sides of the ball. He followed that up by hitting .500 during the WWBA Underclass World Championship, showcasing his skills against the best competition possible successfully.

Bold Prediction: As one of more polished prospects within the class, look for Traeger to continue adding strength and really unlock the long-term power potential we have seen as a scouting staff. As Traeger matures, one would think that his profile only continues to rise.
 

Dylan Fien (Calif.)
 6-2/190, S/R
Commitment: UCLA
PG Events: 3
Key Stats: .414 AVG/.500 OBP/ 1.121 OPS

Short Story: Fien’s offensive profile is one of the more refined within the class. His bat-to-ball skills, advanced feel for the barrel and long-term power potential make this California native one of the more intriguing prospects in the loaded '24 class.

Big Moment: There was some scouting buzz surrounding Fien coming into the 2020 Freshman World Championship and he surely did not disappoint. The UCLA commit hit .308 for the event, while displaying an intriguing offensive profile and catch-and-throw skills to match.

Bold Prediction: While Fien exudes an intriguing offensive profile at present, look for him to continue making strides defensively as he gains more physical strength and fully matures.
 
Brooks Wright (Tenn.)
5-11/185, R/R
Commitment: Tennessee
PG Events: 30
Key Stats: .347-1-15, .940 OPS

Short Story: Wright has been a consistent performer for some time now, showing a run producer's mentality at the plate and versatility as a defender. The wildcard may be his immense potential on the mound, where he has been up to 88 mph in previous looks.

Big Moment: The University of Tennessee commit has been extremely consistent in all facets of his game throughout his career, garnering double-digit all-tournament honors and four PG National Championships. Pinpointing a defining moment is hard to determine as he continually produces at every stop on the circuit.

Bold Prediction: Wright cements his status as one of the best two-way talents within the class, pushing into the upper-echelon of that category. With plenty of growth potential remaining, one would think that is another gear in terms of velocity and power potential for the young '24 prospect.


Burke Mabeus (Nev.)
 6-2/190, S/R
Commitment: TCU
PG Events: 11
Key Stats: .392-1-25, 6 3B’s, 1.294 OPS

Short Story: Mabeus is a legitimate threat from both sides of the plate with natural lift to his path and loads of strength within his hands. Couple that with solid catch-and-throw skills, good present arm strength and high baseball IQ to get one of the more refined prospects within the class.

Big Moment: The TCU commit really stood out at the 2020 14U National Showcase, where he checked numerous boxes when it comes to future projection. The large, physically-framed backstop recorded a 1.89 pop time during the defensive workout before showing immense power potential at the plate. The eye-opening performance garnered him an eventual invitation to the 2020 14U PG Select Baseball Festival.

Bold Prediction: With another year of maturity under his belt, look for Mabeus to turn several of his extra-base hits into homers as he continues to unlock the long-term potential our scouting staff has seen.
 
Aukai (Jaydon) Kea (Hawaii)
 6-0/215, R/R
PG Events: 4
Key Stats: 1.350 OPS in 21’ thus far, 90 mph Exit Velocity at 2020 WWBA Workout Showcase

Short Story: Kea is a physically-mature primary catcher with solid defensive components and immense present power potential. As he starts to refine mechanically, this could one of the more intriguing upsides from a loaded crop of 2024 catchers.

Big Moment: The Hawaii native made the cross-country trip to attend the WWBA Workout showcase prior to participating in the 2020 Freshman World Championship with a talented Meta National squad. The overall physicality is what stands out most as he flashed impressive impact potential for his age and huge power potential during batting practice.

Bold Prediction: With only four PG events on his resume, Kea has shown an intriguing present skill set that will only continue to expand as he gains more experience. Kea possesses a vastly raw power/strength combination that could be unlocked at any moment.

Bo Jonas (Mo.)
5-10/185, R/R
Commitment: Oklahoma
PG Events: 22
Key Stats: .346-2-23 during PG Career

Short Story: Jonas is a physically gifted athlete with well-proportioned strength throughout his projectable frame. Displays immense potential on both sides of the ball with solid catch-and-throw components, impact potential at the plate and legitimate arm strength.

Big Moment: The Oklahoma commit stood out at the 14U National Showcase this past summer, showcasing high-level two-way projection and loud tools across the board. His power display in batting practice was one of the more eye-catching rounds of the event.

Bold Prediction: With a solid foundation in all facets of the game, can Jonas enhance his overall hit tool to match up with vastly large power profile. Look for him to take the next step forward from an offensive standpoint and put together a truly intriguing combination of raw power potential and sound bat-to-ball skills.


Ariston Veasey (GA.)
 6-0/175, R/R
Commitment: Georgia
PG Events: 48
Key Stats: .310-1-36, 12 2Bs, .852 OPS

Short Story: Veasey is an immensely projectable young prospect with long limbs, plenty of room to add strength down the road and intriguing upside on both sides of the ball. The Tyrone, Ga. native has been a consistent performer throughout his PG career, amassing an overall average of .336 to go along with 93 RBI.

Big Moment: The 2020 14U National Showcase is where Veasey first showed off the intriguing projection that we have continued to dream on as a scouting staff. The broad-shouldered, long-levered University of Georgia commit displays good arm strength behind the dish, an immense power ceiling as he continues to mature and legit two-way potential on the mound.

Bold Prediction: The offensive production has never been an issue for Veasey, but the ultimate determination of just how high his ceiling could be rests on the defensive side of the ball. Look for him to display improved defensive acumen, solidifying himself as one of the best in the class.
 
Xavier Rivera (P.R.)
5-9/155, R/R
Commitment: Florida International
PG Events: 35
Key Stats: .400 AVG/.474 OBP/1.043 OPS

Short Story: Rivera is a fundamentally sound receiver with quickness to his release and solid arm strength. At the plate, the Florida International commit uses a simple, repeatable stroke to consistently perform at every stop.

Big Moment: After taking home MVP honors at the 2020 Series Classic, Rivera continued to showcase his outstanding defensive acumen and offensive prowess at the 14U National Showcase. His consistent performances throughout the 2020 season ultimately led to being invited as a part of the East team for the 13u Select Baseball Festival.

Bold Prediction: With another year of physical maturity under his belt, look for Rivera’s power to take the next step forward. The compactly-built young backstop will assuredly be someone to keep monitoring as he continues to add strength.

Gut Feel Risers
Drew Rogers (Minn.)
 Despite being from a cold weather state, Rogers checks in at No. 100 in our Class of '24 overall rankings for good reason. The in-game power is what stands out most at present, as the young backstop continues to develop defensively.

Mark Rutherford (Ohio)
 The switch-hitting Auburn commit showed off impressive bat-to-ball skills and feel for the barrel during his 2020 campaign. Exhibits tons of untapped power potential from both sides of the plate. Fundamentally sound defensive skills that will continue to expand as he adds more strength.

Niko Benestad (Fla.)
It’s not much of a gut feel to say you think Benestad is going to hit as that’s all he has done since the start of his Perfect Game career. With a lifetime average of .450 at PG events, the Florida backstop is off to a blistering start in 2021, looking to build off of his 2020 season in which he was named the 14u Tournament Player of the Year. Benestad took home MVP honors of the ’21 MLK East after hitting .500 and is a pivotal piece to one of the top travel clubs in the country.

Aidan Paradine (N.J.)
 Paradine brings to the table a good mix of solid defensive skills with upside and power at the plate that has continued to improve each chance we get to see him. Couple that with handling some high-level arms at Combine Academy in S.C. and you have all the ingredients for a potential riser.

Matt Conte (Mass.)
 Conte has steadily improved in every facet of his game over his PG career. The Andover, Mass. native really stood out at our recent New England Indoor showcase, after showing marked improvements both physically and skills-wise. The well-proportioned backstop incorporates solid receiving skills with athleticism and present arm strength behind the dish, while exhibiting a simple, repeatable stroke with power potential at the plate.

Joshua Agriesti (Fla.)
 The physically-built primary backstop possesses significant present bat speed and some of the more impressive “now” power within the class. Solid catch-and-throw skills with quick release and good receiving skills bode well for the future as he continues to mature.
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High School | General | 11/20/2025

Regional Superlatives: Florida
Vincent Cervino
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Tournaments | Story | 12/17/2025

15u Tourney All-American Team

Jason Phillips
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Hitter of the Year: Landon Bonner The 2028 class saw many players from across the country take the next step in their development as they entered the High School ranks. There were huge performances from highly ranked players on the PG circuit as well as some under-the-radar guys who burst onto the scene. Landon Bonner came into Sophomore National as a Top 500 ranked player and after an impressive showing, left with all eyes on him as a rankings riser in the class. The left-handed hitting shortstop from The Colony, Texas, had a summer to remember with All-Tournament Team selections in three of his next four events culminating with a historic performance at the 2025 PG 15U WWBA National Championship. The Hebron High School prep went 20-for-24 in nine games for 5 Star Mafia 15U Black with four homeruns and 12 runs batted in. He also scored 17 runs and finished with a mind-boggling 2.500...
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Tournaments | Story | 12/16/2025

16u Tourney All-American Team

AJ Denny
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Hitter of the Year: Koa Romero is the Hitter of the Year for the 16u group, as he would come to every premier event of the summer and earn All-Tournament honors (Beast of the East, 16/17u WWBA, Jupiter) in every single one. Over 82 plate appearances, Romero would pump ten homeruns with forty two RBI and sixteen walks, good for a .378 average and 1.339 OPS. The performance on volume at the best events of the year pushed Romero over the edge here, as he’d hit a pair of homeruns in Jupiter (one of them at 112 EV) as an underclassmen and collect double digit hits in BOTH WWBA events with a combined six jacks over the two tournaments. It was a summer that combined performance and winning on the biggest stages for Romero. It’s a quiet left-handed swing that packs a punch. He would reap the benefits of his performances, earning a commitment to LSU and jumping to the #74 prospect in...
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College | Recruiting | 12/15/2025

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John McAdams
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Tournaments | Story | 12/15/2025

17u Tourney All-American Team

Vincent Cervino
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There’s a lot of talent throughout this 2026 class, filled with the big-name stars, to talent that spreads across the nation. It’s been a lot of fun seeing these prospects grow and develop over the years, from the days of watching some of these guys at the 13/14u days at events on the circuit, to now where they are all graduating seniors in 2026. There’s been new faces who have popped along the way over the years, even in 2026, where some players who were relatively undiscovered, have come out and made a name for themselves with a statement performance. Between the familiar and the new, there’s a lot of names on this list that are going to be quite regularly talked about on the circuit, and for good reason.  Whether it’s PG All-Americans or not, there’s a lot of names with superstar potential at the next level. We’ve got 14 PG All-Americans...
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Tournaments | Story | 12/13/2025

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Tyler Russo
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Finest in the Field: Class of 2026 | Class of 2027 | Class of 2028 These guys might just be entering high school, but they've certainly already made a name for themselves on the national circuit, especially with their abilities on the defensive side of things.  C: Xavier Rodriguez (Logansville, GA) Rodriguez is a polished defender with real arm strength behind the dish, while showcasing the ability to impact the baseball with authority to all fields evident by thirty of his sixty-five hits going for extra-bases including seven bombs. He handles high-level pitching extremely well, commands his staff and his offensive prowess makes him a true two-way asset. 1B: Cooper Knight (Buda, TX) Knight is a smooth operator at first base with plenty of range, fluidity and agility in his footwork around the bag. Add-in a rocket for an arm, the ability to change slots and to...
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Tournaments | Story | 12/12/2025

Scout Stories: Part 5

AJ Denny
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Best Game I Saw: The Dream NTL 18U vs. MBA Scout Team Murphy Jupiter always brings out the best, and we got fireworks from the jump. Turner Marshall gave The Dream an outstanding 4+ innings of work on the mound, holding a lethal MBA team at bay with Chance Dixon, Derrick Carter, and Ellis Appling providing an offensive spark out of the gate for the Georgia based boys. However, it was only a matter of time before the talent on the other side got going, as MBA erased a 3-run deficit in the 5th to take a 4-3 lead led by a Parker Loew HR. The Dream then took command again in the Top of the 6th, before MBA punched right back with a huge 5-run inning in the bottom half capped off by a clutch RBI single from Matthew Kerrigan, ending a wild sequence with tons of notable performances from two very competitive rosters. Best Tournament Performance I Saw: Surely someone has already brought this...
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College | Story | 12/12/2025

College Notebook: December 12

Craig Cozart
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Nebraska Cornhuskers 2025 Highlights: The Cornhuskers were a difficult team to figure in ’25 as they finished with 33 wins, played just .500 (15-15) in the Big Ten but had some big wins at various times during the season and got hot at the right time. They knocked off then #16 Vanderbilt in the second game of the year, beat #5 Oregon State 2-out-of-3 at home in late March and then got hot at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha to win the Big Ten Tournament. They beat Michigan State in a 10-inning thriller before taking care of #4 Oregon, knocking off Penn State and then shutout #13 UCLA to punch their ticket to the Chapel Hill Regional. Head coach Will Bolt has now led his alma mater to three conference titles and three NCAA Regional appearances during his six years in Lincoln. No different than when he was a player, Bolt’s teams play with passion and toughness, this was never more...
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Tournaments | Story | 12/12/2025

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Finest in the Field: Class of 2026 | Class of 2027 You like athletes? You like defenders who can impact a game at any given point? Look not further than this class as it's loaded from coast-to-coast with elite defenders all over the diamond.  C: Brogan Witcher, Bakersfield, CA Our scouting staff got several strong looks at Witcher whether that was at the Summer Kickoff, Sophomore National or the Underclass All American Games where he showcased his strong overall skillset and especially his advanced ability behind the plate. His 6-foot-3,180 pound build looks like one that will fill in quite nicely and be that big and physical catcher’s frame. His arm talent is undeniable where he gets it out quick and runs it up to 79 mph on throwdowns to 2nd (1.84 pop). Besides the standout catch/throw ability, we’ve seen him frame/receive strong arms and block it well during...
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Softball | Softball Tournament | 12/11/2025

PG Softball "Toys 4 Tots" Fundraiser 18U division

Dave Durbala
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Tournaments | Story | 12/11/2025

Scout Stories: Part 4

Tyler Henninger
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Scout Notes: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 Best Game I Saw: Hudson Reed (‘26, GA) torches this ball to deep CF for a solo 💣. Generates easy power that plays to the big part of the yard. Middle of the order traits #UBCWest @PG_Georgia @PG_Uncommitted pic.twitter.com/UXqDVFmUBx — Perfect Game California (@California_PG) June 18, 2025 I was fortunate enough to see a lot of highly competitive games with loads of talent on the field, the game that sticks out to me the most was Alpha Prime 2026 vs. ZT National Prospects at the UBC West. The game was an efficiently played affair with arms dominating on both sides. Graham Schlicht was masterful for Alpha, striking out 12 hitters over 5 dominant innings. PG All-American Julian Cazares came out of the pen blowing smoke, touching 97 mph with the fastball. On the other side, Jake Carbaugh surrendered just one hit and...
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