THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,614 MLB PLAYERS | 16,397 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,614 MLB PLAYERS | 16,397 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Sign in Create Account
Sign in Create Account
High School  | General | 4/23/2021

Summer Preview: 2025 Corner Infield

Jheremy Brown
Photo: Kelvyn Paulino Jr (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 | Corner Infield
Class of 2023: Catchers | Corner Infield
Class of 2024: Catchers | Corner Infield
Class of 2025: Catchers


Vaughn Neckar, 3B, (Calif.)
6-2/205, R-R
PG Events: 7
Key Stats: .321-1-11/12 K in 8.2 IP in ‘21



Short Story: Already physically imposing for a 14-year-old at 6-foot-2, 205 pounds, Neckar is one of the more impressive two-ways to pop already on the national circuit, climbing up to No. 20 in the latest ’25 rankings update. Right now it’s a flip of the coin depending who you ask as to where his future home may ultimately be as Neckar is already running his fastball up to 86 mph, but also shows a quick and powerful right-handed swing that has helped him collect eight extra-base hits already this spring. 

Big Moment: Prior to his showing at the California Workout Camp, Neckar had done just two PG events in his career, though his name was already circulating as one of the tops on the West Coast. Jump to the end of his performance in Irvine and the talent was readily clear as he was up to 84 mph with his fastball as part of a three-pitch mix while showing some of the aforementioned power in his round of BP as well. 

Bold Prediction: The 2025 class has some legitimate two-way players who college coaches will be honing in on over the next couple of years and Neckar is quickly establishing himself as one to know. His fastball velocity is already up from that showing in Irvine, bumping 86 mph in each of his last two outings, already punching out 12 in 8 2/3 innings of work. 


Dayson Griffis, 3B, (Ga.)
5-11/180, R-R
PG Events: 17
Key Stats: .460/.562/1.375 PG career slash

Short Story: Griffis is similar to Neckar above, in that time will tell where he ultimately calls home, already excelling with the bat as his career slash suggests, but also brings an eye-opening arsenal to the bump. Currently ranked No. 26 in the country, Griffis is comfortable in the dirt, moving around with balance while possessing obvious arm strength, working in the mid- to upper-80s, both across the diamond as well as on the mound. Offensively he remains short to the ball and incorporates his physical strength well, generating some pop off the bat with even more to unlock. 

Big Moment: Griffis has continued to build off each subsequent appearance at PG events, his most recent a four-inning performance at the 14u Florida Elite in which he punched out eight and worked comfortably in the 82-85 mph range with sinking life. Despite his age, Griffis is already showing three pitches for strikes as he lands his breaking ball for strikes and turns over a quality changeup with mimicked arm speed. 

Bold Prediction: His career numbers across the board, on both sides of the ball, stand out and given his success early this circuit season, there’s little reason to believe things are going to change. Playing for one of the top 14u clubs in the country once again this summer, the young Georgia native will have plenty of opportunities to showcase his talents on the big tournament stages. 

Kaemyn Franklin, 3B, (Okla.)
6-2/155, R-R
College Commitment: Oklahoma
PG Events: 3
Key Stats: .500/.538/1.205 slash to open 2021

Short Story: Franklin was one of the first players in the 2025 class to give his verbal commitment to a collegiate program, deciding to stay close to home with the University of Oklahoma, who has done an excellent job recruiting young talent as of late. At 6-foot-2, 155 pounds, Franklin has near limitless projection and looks to be one of the next big talents from a storied high school program in Broken Arrow. 

Big Moment: Franklin may not have that one big moment just yet in his PG career per say, given his relatively short track record in PG events, but he’s rostered for several this tournament and has already taken advantage of the ones we’ve seen him in early this spring. He earned All-Tournament Team honors from the 14u Florida Select for both pitching and hitting, putting his quick right arm on display as he was up to 83 mph before hitting an impressive .667 at last month’s Super Regional NIT event. 

Bold Prediction: There’s not much to be bold about as the talent is evident, given he has already committed to a major Power 5 program. But like some of the others we’ve talked about both last week and in this article, Franklin will look to leave his mark on the national scene this upcoming summer and reaffirm his lofty No. 37 ranking in the country. 


Donavan Jeffrey, 1B, (Va.)
6-2/200, R-R
PG Events: 13
Key Stats: .417/.516/1.099 slash in 2021

Short Story: Just in case you miss Jeffrey out on the field with his physical 6-foot-2, 200-pound frame, you’ll quickly notice him after a single swing or two in the middle of the order, and he knows how to utilizes his physicality and whip the barrel through the zone. Power is the name of his game, but don’t think he can’t handle the barrel either, driving the ball with regularity to all parts of the field. He also moves around the bag well, playing either corner infield spot with balanced and under control actions. 

Big Moment: It’s still early, but it looks like Jeffrey has upped the ante with his offensive performance early this spring, already going two-for-two in all-tournament team nods, hitting .364 and .462, respectively. Perhaps it was the Fall Atlantic Coast Showcase where he was able to truly break out, connecting for consistent loud contact, both in BP and live action. 

Bold Prediction: Jeffrey, currently the top-ranked first baseman in the country, will only further tap into his power potential at the plate. Last season he connected for two long balls and if the barrel accuracy he has shown thus far in 2021 remains a constant, he should be depositing a couple more souvenirs over the fence. 


Evan Hankins, 1B, (Va.)
6-4/200, L-L
PG Events: 11
Key Stats: .383-3-41, 1.210 OPS in ‘20

Short Story: There’s nothing short about Hankins, who already stands at a hulking 6-foot-4, 200 pounds and he’ll only get stronger by the time he graduates high school. Offensively, he looks the part of a middle-of-the-order threat, and he has the production to back it up as the young Virginia native is coming off a big 2020 circuit. Despite his size, he moves around the first base bag well with athleticism and has also been up to 82 mph on the bump. 

Big Moment: His entire 2020 summer season. Rather than pick one moment, we’ll lump the whole summer together as he hit an impressive .383 with three home runs and 41 RBI en route to earning 13u First Team All-Tournament honors. The big left-handed stick looks to impact the baseball with every pass through the zone and when he connects, the ball jumps off his barrel as hard as anybody in the class. 

Bold Prediction: Hankins’ swing is geared to hitting for power and given that he’s 15 pounds stronger than he was at last summer’s inaugural 13u National Showcase, you should expect to see the ball jump even harder this circuit. 

Kelvyn Paulino Jr, 3B, (N.C.)
6-0/175, R-R
PG Events: 22
Key Stats: .450-4-54, 17 stolen bases in ‘20

Short Story: Just look at the stats. Paulino is a career .438 hitter in Perfect Game events and that’s not an inflated number due to a minuscule number of at-bats as it’s quite the opposite, logging 131 of them last summer/fall alone. He gets the barrel through the zone well and there’s obvious hand-eye coordination as well as sound actions on the other side of the ball, manning the hot corner with clean hands and carry on his throws.

Big Moment: There was rarely a tournament where Paulino wasn’t on the all-tournament team, picking up eight such honors last summer, which speaks to his summer as a whole. He showed well with the stick at last year’s 13u National Showcase, putting an extended and leveraged path on display, already showing some impact strength to his pull side with wood, perhaps a precursor to this summer’s action. 

Bold Prediction: Paulino is now listed at 6-foot, 175 pounds, up an inch or two and some 15-20 pounds from the 13u National, and that added strength and length should show up in his offensive firepower as we already know he can handle the barrel. 


Ethan Porter, 3B, (Calif.)
6-1/185, S-R
PG Events: 13
Key Stats: .323 career hitter, 20 K in 11.2 IP in ‘21

Short Story: Porter has showed off some two-way potential both last season and early this spring, already striking out 20 in just over 11 innings of work while running his fastball up to 84 mph, sporting cut action to it. It’s with the bat however that Porter has made perhaps his loudest impression, showing intriguing strength off of the barrel from both sides, with the left-handed swing quickly catching up to the right side, something he just brought into action within the last year. 

Big Moment: The 14u Vegas Super Regional NIT event at the beginning of the month possessed a talented field but that didn’t slow Porter down by any means on either side of the ball. Logging five innings on the mound for the Canes West, Porter punched out nine and allowed just two hits while topping out at 84 mph. Offensively the Californian hit a robust .636 with a pair of triples while driving in 11 runs, setting the stage for what could be an impressive summer season.

Bold Prediction: The left-handed swing will continue to make big strides for Porter, especially given that a majority of his reps this year will come from that side of the plate as dictated by the opposing arm. Both the offense and his abilities on the mound will continue to play at a high level, especially if the velocity keeps climbing like it has early this spring. 


Kade Kisz, 3B, (Ga.)
6-0/170, R-R
PG Events: 25
Key Stats: .399 career hitter, .378 to open ‘21

Short Story: Since 2018, .348 is Kisz’s lowest career batting average over his Perfect Game career, a span that covers over 200 at-bats at a high level while serving as one of the top hitters on a loaded East Cobb Astros club. Kisz, a strongly built 6-foot, 170 pounds, picks up hits by the handful in a tournament setting, showing a refined and balanced approach at the plate with solid bat-to-ball skills as he works the ball around to all fields while living on a linear plane. 
 
Big Moment: Kisz took home MVP honors from the Spring Season Opener this past February, slashing an impressive .545/.643/1.643 in the tournament en route to finding himself atop the Top Performers leaderboard as well. With two doubles, a triple and seven RBI, Kisz will look to use that performance as a spring board into a loud and productive summer. 

Bold Prediction: Kisz already shows the type of feel for finding the barrel you don’t always find at the 14u level and it’s only a matter of time before those doubles start carrying over the fence. Already rostered for several high level events, we’ll be seeing plenty of Kisz as he’s a pivotal piece on a talented East Cobb roster. 


Zach Strickland, 3B, (Calif.)
6-0/145, S-R
PG Events: 7
Key Stats: 17 IP/31 K in ‘21

Short Story: Listed as a primary switching-hitting third baseman who has already connected for a few doubles this spring, the athletic Strickland brings athleticism and ample arm speed to the mound, showing big upside on the mound. Strickland has already logged 17 innings this spring, a span in which he has struck out 31, walked just eight and scattered seven base hits while running his fastball up to 88 mph, one of the better heaters in the class at this point. In his last five tournament appearances dating back to June of 2020, Strickland has seen a consistent spike in velocity each appearance: 78 mph to 82, 83, 86 and most recently 88 mph.

Big Moment: It’s hard to ignore what the ultra-projectable 6-foot, 145-pound Strickland did in Irvine at the SoCal Showdown as the right-hander went five innings of one-hit ball, striking out 12 while issuing a pair of walks. He was in complete control from the first pitch of the game, firing fastballs in the 83-88 mph range with running life to his arm side while mixing in both a changeup and curveball throughout. 

Bold Prediction: Strickland will continue to swing it at the plate and let his athleticism play in the infield, but he’ll continue to establish himself as one of the top arms in the country throughout the summer. With the low-effort release and overall simplicity of his operation, Strickland is nowhere near reaching his ceiling. 

Names to Know


Fabian Gomez, 1B, (Calif.)
A long, lean, and loose left-handed stick, Gomez really opened some eyes during his round of batting practice at the NorCal Workout Camp, providing a glimpse of what’s to come as he continues to fill out his 6-foot-1, 155-pound frame. He does a nice job of getting the barrel extended out front, shifting his weight through with balance while working to the gaps with back spun line drives, showing the starting blocks of a potential big-time power bat. 

Max Murray, 3B, (Fla.)
Murray plays for the storied Orlando Scorpions program, meaning we’ll have plenty of chances to watch him develop over the next handful of years. Already physically built at 6-foot-2, 195 pounds, Murray shows intriguing juice from the left side of the plate, but maybe even more potential on the mound given the looseness and ease of which he operates, generating nice life on his fastball which currently works in the low-80s. 

Luke Craddock, 1B, (Va.)
Craddock made the trip down to Fort Myers for the 14u Main Event Showcase and quickly put his right-handed strength on display, both during his round of BP as well as with his in-game swings. Listed at 6-foot-1, 200 pounds, the young Virginia native swings with plenty of intent, staying short and direct to the ball with intriguing jump off the barrel to the middle and pull-side parts of the field. 

Bleau Kennedy, 3B, (Tenn.)
Kennedy is another strongly built, physical corner bat, already listed at 5-foot-11, 185 pounds and he shows the ability to unlock that strength on both sides of the ball. A right-handed hitter, Kennedy generates plenty of bat speed through the zone, showing jump off the barrel while working to all fields. There's also arm strength to his profile as Kennedy was up to 84 mph this past December at the 14u Main Event Showcase. 
Give us your feedback
High School | General | 8/17/2026

Scott Wins MVP Two Ways
Jim Salisbury
Article Image
PHILADELPHIA – When the folks at Perfect Game reached out to invite him to pitch in the 2026 PG All-Star Game for rising sophomores and juniors, Cullen Scott had one request. “You mind if I get a couple of at-bats, too?” Along with his dad, Scott traveled from the family’s home in Texas to Citizens Bank Park. The trip proved to be a huge success as he starred on the mound and at the plate and was named the game’s Most Valuable Player. Scott, 16, pitched a scoreless first inning and struck out two. In the fourth inning, he belted a grand slam six rows up into the left-field seats to lead the National team’s 6-1 win over the American team. “He showed us why he’s here as a pitcher and a hitter,” said Greg Sabers, PG’s vice president of scouting and showcases. "He’s one of the top pitchers here, but he’s too good a...
Read More
Press Release | Press Release | 9/1/2026

PG Hires Nuovo-Golden in South Carolina

Article Image
  667 Progress Way | Sanford, FL 32771 | 319-298-2923 www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   PERFECT GAME SOFTBALL EXPANDS REGIONAL TOURNAMENT OPERATIONS WITH KEY HIRE IN SOUTH CAROLINA   Greenville, South Carolina (Monday, August 31, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced an addition to its Southeast tournament operations team with the hiring of Michelle Nuovo-Golden as Operations Director.   In her role, Nuovo-Golden will oversee regional venue management, team relations and event logistics across South Carolina focusing on expanding Perfect Game’s fastpitch footprint within the core markets which include Columbia, Lexington, Greenville, Anderson and the surrounding regions.   Nuovo-Golden transitions to...
Read More
Draft | Rankings | 8/28/2026

2027 MLB Draft Board

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
The 2026 MLB Draft is official in the books as those players have been signed and have begun their pro career. That means it is time to turn the page and dive into the 2027 class. This class features an intriguing mix of arms both from the prep and college ranks, along with an enticing position player pool. Today, we unveil our first 2027 MLB Draft Board, ranking the Top-100 prospects in the class. There is still plenty of time for new names to emerge and established ones to rise or fall, but here is where things stand as we begin this cycle.  Rk. Name Level Pos. B-T School Hometown State Commitment 1 Dylan Seward H SS S-R Norco Eastvale CA Tennessee 2 Brendan Lawson C SS L-R Florida Toronto ON 3 Dax Whitney C RHP R-R Oregon State Blackfoot ID 4 Gavin Kelly C C/UTL R-R West Virginia Presto PA 5 Tomas Valincius C LHP L-L Mississippi State Lockport IL 6 Malachi Butler H SS L-R...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 8/26/2026

Underclass Area Codes: Standout Arms

Joey Cohen
Article Image
Year in and year out when the best young talent from across the country is packed into one national-level event the arms tend to win the week. That feels especially true in today’s amateur game where velocity, pitch design and high-level training in general are being introduced earlier than ever, allowing young pitchers to develop impactful stuff at a faster rate than younger hitters can consistently catch up to it. The Underclass Area Code Games are no exception and this year there was no shortage of arms that made you stop and take notice. Narrowing it down to 10 was difficult, but I focused on the pitchers who either displayed starter-type traits, brought something genuinely different from a delivery standpoint whether it was slot, height, crossfire or deception or simply possessed an outlier element of stuff that separated them from the pack. These are the 10 arms that stood...
Read More
Draft | Story | 8/23/2026

2026 MLB Draft Report Cards: NL East

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
With the 2026 MLB Draft officially in the books, it’s time to evaluate how each team performed. Every draft class was graded using the standard 20-80 scouting scale with risk factor assigned. While these grades won’t be proven right or wrong for years, they reflect the overall talent, value, and upside each organization added to its system. NL East Atlanta Braves  Grade: 55 Risk: High Notable Selections: OF AJ Gracia (1st rd) | OF Carter Beck (PPI) | RHP Kaiden McCarthy (2nd rd) | RHP Jensen Hirschkorn (3rd rd)   OF AJ Gracia (@UVABaseball) is seeing the ball really well & picked up a couple of hits, including a 2B into RCF. Smooth LH stroke & easy impact. Showed + pwr in BP, 46 BB: 36 K. Jr./'26 elig. @PG_Draft pic.twitter.com/C4rSc0ZNIc — PG College Baseball (@PGCollegeBall) May 30, 2026 Atlanta had $15,870,800 to spend in this year’s draft,...
Read More
Draft | Story | 8/22/2026

2026 MLB Draft Report Cards: AL East

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
With the 2026 MLB Draft officially in the books, it’s time to evaluate how each team performed. Every draft class was graded using the standard 20-80 scouting scale with risk factor assigned. While these grades won’t be proven right or wrong for years, they reflect the overall talent, value, and upside each organization added to its system. AL East Baltimore Orioles Grade: 50 Risk: High Notable Selections: OF Eric Booth Jr. (1st rd) | OF Ty Head (2nd rd) | OF Kevin Roberts Jr (4th rd)  Eric Booth Jr. (26 MS) goes big fly 💣 that carried out oppo. Explosive athlete w/ huge LH juice & tools. Big time in several facets. #NatElite #Vandy commit. @PG_DeepSouth pic.twitter.com/kXl7ZVyD9G — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) July 12, 2025 Baltimore was about middle of the pack in terms of money available this year, having $13.1m to spend on their class. Booth Jr. is a...
Read More
Draft | Story | 8/24/2026

Area Code Gams: Prospect Recap

Steve Fiorindo
Article Image
Pitchers George Ferguson, RHP, Abilene HS  Ferguson toed the slab for the Rangers squad in game one of the Codes, setting the tone early with some loud stuff.  Ferguson attacked hitters with a verty fastball up to 96 that played well up in the zone with up to 24 inches of induced vertical break.  He showed more than just a power arsenal, going to the changeup often, using the pitch to put away hitters.  Kills the spin to the 1600’s, regularly getting 13-15 inches of horizontal break.  The slider rounded out the arsenal, working 82/83.  Struck out four over his three innings of work, two on the fastball, two on the change.  2026 PG All American committed to Texas.  Quinn Fitzpatrick, RHP, Stratford HS  Another 2026 PG All American out of Texas, the LSU commit punched out three over his two innings of work, allowing just one hit. ...
Read More
Draft | Story | 8/21/2026

2027 Draft Preview: Collegiate RHP

Ryan Miller
Article Image
2027 MLB Draft Profile Preview: College Right-Handed Pitchers  Throughout the 2027 draft cycle, I’ll be breaking down different demographics in the class. Today we begin with collegiate right-handed pitching, a strong group that is headlined by a legitimate 1-1 candidate in Dax Whitney. Most of the group is made up of high-quality power four arms, with a handful of mid-major arms mixed in. Below are the top college right-handers in the 2027 class:  Dax Whitney (@BeaverBaseball) showed LOUD stuff. FB up to 100, cruised at 95-98. Pair of plus secondaries. CB at 77-79 (2923) with sharp, 12-6 action. Firm SL at 89-91 (2714) with bite. Flashed fading CH at 87-88 (1425). Ranked No. 1 on the ‘27 board @PG_Draft So./‘27 elig. pic.twitter.com/9PNbjJ53Zo — PG College Baseball (@PGCollegeBall) February 13, 2026 Dax Whitney, Oregon State  Whitney has maintained...
Read More
All American Game | Story | 8/21/2026

Brotherly Love Inspires Carter Hadnot

Jim Salisbury
Article Image
PHILADELPHIA – Perfect Game has been a big part of Carter Hadnot’s life since he was 12. He participated in more than a dozen tournaments and showcases, including prestigious Select Festivals as a 13U and 14U player, as well as last summer’s PG All-Star Game for underclassmen in San Diego.   The PG event that Hadnot always wanted to be part of was the DICK’s All-American Classic. Now, that’s on his resume, too. He played in the 24th annual Classic earlier this week at Citizens Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies. “This means a lot to me,” he said during the event. “I always wanted to make it to Select Fest when I was younger. So, every time I get invited to an event it’s an honor and it’s fun. I don’t take it for granted. “This is definitely the one I always wanted to make it to. A lot of big names have...
Read More
Press Release | Press Release | 8/18/2026

Perfect Game & Delano Partner Up

Article Image
  667 Progress Way | Sanford, FL 32771 | 319-298-2923 www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   PERFECT GAME NAMES DELANO BAT COMPANY OFFICIAL WOOD COMPOSITE BAT PARTNER, LAUNCHES LIMITED-EDITION BAT SERIES   Delano Bats will serve as the Official Game Bat of the 13U Select Festival, taking place this coming weekend in East Cobb, Georgia   Sanford, Florida (Tuesday, August 18, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced a new partnership with Delano Bat Company, LLC, naming the company an Official Wood Composite Bat Partner of Perfect Game. The partnership will feature three exclusive limited-edition bat releases, which began with the Original Glory American Flag Bat in celebration of the United States' 250th birthday, that...
Read More
Draft | Story | 8/17/2026

2026 MLB Draft Report Cards: NL Central

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
2026 MLB Draft Report Cards: AL West | NL West | AL Central With the 2026 MLB Draft officially in the books, it’s time to evaluate how each team performed. Every draft class was graded using the standard 20-80 scouting scale with risk factor assigned. While these grades won’t be proven right or wrong for years, they reflect the overall talent, value, and upside each organization added to its system. NL Central Chicago Cubs  Grade: 40 Risk: Medium Notable Selections: RHP Cade Townsend (1st rd) | OF Caden Sorrell (2nd rd) | 1B Myles Bailey (2C)   RHP Cade Townsend (@OleMissBSB) sat 95-96 T97 w/ riding FB from fast arm. Nasty cutter at 88-91 is the go-to, showed biting 2 pln SL. Low-80s top to bottom CB & CH ~ 1300 RPM to round out mix. Has had a great spring & risen up boards. Soph./'26 elig. @PG_Draft pic.twitter.com/TAFbM37f5j — PG College...
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.