THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,452 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,452 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Sign in Create Account
Sign in Create Account
Tournaments  | Story | 6/14/2021

SWFL 2022 Grinding Out Florida Select

Sam Warren
Photo: Logan Waldschmidt (Perfect Game)
FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The game of baseball is always easier when your team can put up a lot of runs. It’s even easier when your pitching and defense can shut down your opposition between the lines.
 
For SWFL 2022 Nation, neither have been an issue this summer. In their first three games of the 2021 Perfect Game 17u Florida Select Championship, the local squad from Fort Myers has posted a +25 run differential, the highest in the tournament, en route to three dominant victories to begin pool play. 
 
SWFL kicked off their first Perfect Game tournament of the summer on Saturday by defeating Victus Elite Fl 17u 16-1. Jonathan Negron led the way for SWFL’s offense, picking up two hits and five RBI on the day. Nolan Shamoun carried his weight on the mound as well, striking out three and allowing just two hits through three innings in SWFL’s shortened mercy-rule victory. Heading into their first game on Sunday against South Florida Bullsharks Grey, SWFL coach Greg Dombrowski knew his players were ready from their composed demeanor.
 
“Our guys have done a great job preparing before the game being locked in mentally,” Dombrowski said. “It’s a high-energy group that likes to play together, and that’s helped us put together a great output.”
 
SWFL opened up scoring on Sunday with an eruption of offensive production in the bottom of the second against the Bullsharks. After Negron singled on the first pitch he saw, starting pitcher CJ Bussell provided some run support for himself, smashing a triple to the center field wall on the next pitch and plating the game’s first run. Jake D’Altrui promptly scored Bussell with a sacrifice fly to center, giving SWFL a two-run lead.
 
Bussell said that he finds his job on the mound working advantageously for him at the plate.
 
“I feel like I hit better when I pitch,” Bussell said. “I feel like I’m more into the game, watching the other pitcher. I feel like my game is better when I’m adding on both sides.”
 
The SWFL bats continued to mash as William Wiltshire lined a single and quickly scored after Logan Smith drove a double to left field. After Marcos Torres walked and Smith scored on a wild pitch, Shamoun drove another single to center field but was thrown out trying to get to second. By the end of the second, SWFL had already built a 5-0 lead.
 
The SWFL onslaught continued in the third, as the squad strung together a series of base hits for another big inning. Aiden Nolasco and Kevin RisCassi began the inning with back-to-back singles. Negron then smacked a single to score Nolasco, and Bussell then shot another single over second base to score RisCassi. Wiltshire then continued the pattern as he poked a single up the middle, scoring Negron. As the inning came to a close, SWFL had mounted an 8-0 lead.
 
While the SWFL bats were hot, Bussell needed little room to work with on the mound. The top-1000 ranked player in the class of 2022 made short order of the Bullsharks hitters to begin the game, striking out the side in 15 pitches in the bottom of the first. Bussell then added two more Ks in the second and one more in the third while not allowing a single baserunner. Through his own contributions and help from his teammates, Bussell believes that his team’s offensive performance was vital in allowing him to shove on the mound.
 
“We’re all having fun, getting into the game and putting up a lot of runs,” Bussell said. “I just have a smile on my face the whole time. Then I get into the game, I’m relaxed and can do my thing.”
 
Rhett Raymer relieved Bussell after the third inning and picked up right where he left off. Racking up two strikeouts, Raymer also allowed no baserunners through his two dominant innings. In the last of the fifth, Raymer put a bow on his performance, striking out the final batter for SWFL to take an 8-0 mercy-rule victory over the Bullsharks. Together, Bussell and Raymer combined for a five-inning perfect game. 
 
While his team has shown out offensively, Dombrowski believes that his team’s pitching and defense have been critical in their dominance.
 
“Our pitchers have done a tremendous job setting the tone early on, and that’s allowed us to play good defense as well,” Dombrowski said. “Any time your pitcher shoves the ball in the zone and keeps your fielders in position, good things happen.”
 
Opportunistic baserunning allowed SWFL to jump out to an early lead yet again in their second game of the day against the FTB Expos. After they reached on a hit-by-pitch and an error, Smith and Logan Waldschmidt each crossed home in the top of the second on passed balls, giving SWFL a 2-0 lead to begin the game.
 
However, the SWFL bats ran abnormally cold through the next few innings, and FTB took advantage. After scoring a run in the second and third, FTB took away the SWFL lead for the first time this weekend. However, Luke Pike rose to the occasion in the top of the sixth, plating Nolasco to break the stalemate. SWFL was aggressive again on the basepaths in the seventh, as Wiltshire scored on an errant throw to second and increased their lead to two.
 
The new situation didn’t faze the SWFL arms either. Stepping in as relief in the third, Torres embraced the close circumstances and shut down the FTB batters. Through 3 2/3 innings, Torres fanned five batters, allowing two hits and one walk. After SWFL gave Torres some support, Smith stepped in to get the squad over the hump in the seventh, striking out two while closing the game out for a 4-2 SWFL victory.
 
Through the first two days of their first Perfect Game event of the summer, Dombrowski believes he and his team have gotten a better sense of what their roster is capable of.
 
“We’re building confidence with guys and figuring out what we’ve got now,” Dombrowski said. “Allowing this group to play together and get to know each other in a competitive tournament, we’re learning our strengths and weaknesses. We’ve got a good plan of attack now and looking forward to the summer.”
 
After cruising through the first two days of pool play, SWFL will look to secure a first-round bye on Monday for the Championship’s playoffs. If the squad comes out victorious in their final pool play game against the Miami Stingrays on Monday, SWFL will lock down a top-two seed and have their eye on the Championship crown come Tuesday.
 
As the tournament inches towards title day, Dombrowski said the team is focused on winning, but also enjoying themselves.
 
“This group of kids is really looking forward to just playing hard and grinding it out,” Dombrowski said. “It’s a fun group to be around, and guys are just out there having a good time.”
Give us your feedback
Tournaments | Story | 5/27/2026

East Memorial Day Scout Notes: Days 3-4
Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
East Memorial Day Scout Notes: Days 1-2 Trigg Listerman (28, Tampa, FL) had a great showing on the mound Sunday, throwing 4 inning while allowing only 2 hits and no earned runs. Listerman is a quick, athletic righty arm with a fastball that ran up to 90 with some run to it and a sharp breaking ball with sharp, late break to it. Kept hitters guessing at the plate all game and struck out 7 batters. Brody Root (28, Saint James City, FL) had a good start on the mound in the first round of the playoffs, throwing 5 innings allowing only 3 runs and sitting 6 batters down on strikes. pounded the zone with the fastball that ran up to 86 and complimented it nicely with a late breaking slider with tight spin to it. Drives hard down the mound and has an explosive, quick arm. Hayden Pelegrin (27, Miami, FL) had a great day at the plate today going 2-2 with 2 doubles and bringing in 2 RBIs. Smooth...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 5/27/2026

Southeast Memorial Day Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
‘27 SS Malachi Butler doesn’t miss a stitch of this one, hitting it out to the PS for a 2-run HR. Profile littered with tools & performs at an elite level. @GTBaseball commit. #SEMemorialDay https://t.co/WOCXkOZmiL pic.twitter.com/lSHadfcfKZ — Perfect Game Georgia (@PG_Georgia) May 22, 2026 Georgia Tech commit Malachi Butler (2027, Powder Springs, Ga.) hasn’t missed a beat since the summer began, putting up gaudy numbers through the first two tournaments. A week ago, he hit .500 while taking home MVP honors, well he almost replicated those numbers over the weekend, hitting .412 across six games with three doubles and a homer. He showed elite strike zone awareness throughout, finishing with six walks to zero strikeouts and the impact has ticked up in a big way. Butler recently took over the top spot in the state and it’s easy to see why. He checks a ton...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 5/27/2026

USA Prime Claims 17U Title in Thriller

Alyssa Golden
Article Image
USA Prime Tampa Scout 2027 edged VSA Scout 17U 4-3 Monday afternoon, using strong defense and a walk-off RBI from Bryce Flemming to secure the title. A light breeze helped cool down an otherwise warm afternoon at JetBlue Park during the championship game. USA Prime jumped out to an early lead, scoring two runs in the first inning to apply early pressure on VSA. VSA responded behind relief pitcher Finlee Crowder, who settled the game down after entering in the second inning and helped keep his team within reach as the game turned into a back-and-forth battle. VSA eventually battled back to tie the game at 3-3, but several momentum-shifting defensive plays from USA Prime catcher Marcello Fraccola helped preserve the tie throughout the middle innings. “I feel like a huge motivator on the team,” Fraccola said. “The catcher is a big position on the field. You have to make...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 5/27/2026

West Memorial Day Scout Notes: Days 3-5

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
West Memorial Day Scout Notes: Days 1-2 Hawk Licari (‘27,AZ) lambastes this one to the LCF gap for a triple. Finished the day 1-for-3 with an RBI. This kid can swing it. He’s a legit @PG_Uncommitted 2WP and the #1 ranked LHP in the state. Get in to see this one. #MDWest pic.twitter.com/9gKjZdkcLq — Perfect Game Four Corners (@PG_FourCorners) May 23, 2026 Hawk Licari, LHP/1B, Scottsdale, AZ. Canes West National (2027) Licari is a high-upside uncommitted 2027 who can really swing it from the left side. The combination of hit tool, athleticism, and left-handed pitching projection makes him a priority follow for college programs. Continued strength gains and refinement on the mound will only elevate his stock. Colin Murphy (‘27,CA) Stands 6’1/190 and shows athletic actions and promising offensive traits. Stays inside this one and shoots it to the back side for a...
Read More
College | Story | 5/25/2026

Field of 64 Projections

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
The 2026 season was one of the most exciting and unpredictable editions of college baseball in recent memory, and as quickly as it flew by, we are ready to start the “Road to Omaha”.  After hours of deliberation, we are ready to release our projected region field and “Field of 64” as we see it.  The UCLA Bruins (51-6) start us off as the anticipated No. 1 National Seed as they put the finishing touches on a historic season, including a 27-game win streak, a Big 10 Regular Season title and Big 10 Tournament championship.  The Big 10 looks like they will have (4) teams in the field, with (3) host sights, representing the West Coast well.  The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (48-9) should secure the No. 2 Nation Seed and lead the charge for (8) teams from the ACC in the field with (3) of them securing host opportunities.  Meanwhile, the Georgia...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 5/24/2026

East Memorial Day Scout Notes: Days 1-2

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
‘27 IF Braylon Sheffield (FL) with an absolute 🚀 here, launching high off the RCF wall for a 3B. Super polished LH stick; hit over .400 last year on the circuit. #GoHoos commit. #EastMemorial pic.twitter.com/mdehqpR5v5 — Perfect Game Florida (@Florida_PG) May 23, 2026 Braylon Sheffield (2027, Fort Myers, Fla.) got the event started with the loudest swing of the night on Friday at Terry Park, rocketing a triple off the wall in the stadium. Sheffield, ranked 121 and committed to Virginia, is a super polished left-handed hitter with left side of the infield projection long term. The swing is tension-free with loose wrists and he generates easy bat speed with already present power to the pull side. This blast came inches away from being a home run and hitting a ball that far at Terry Park stadium is a significant shot. Sheffield also tripled in his second game of the weekend at...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 5/24/2026

West Memorial Day Scout Notes: Days 1-2

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
Colton Floyd (‘27,AZ) just misses a HR here. Can really impact the baseball & shows over the fence power potential. Took 3 QAB’s today. He’s the #1 ranked 3B in the state and #4 in the country. #MDWest https://t.co/ReMh7D0v4y pic.twitter.com/w1dzssSy8N — Perfect Game Four Corners (@PG_FourCorners) May 23, 2026 Colton Floyd, 3B, Chandler, AZ. Canes West National (2027) Floyd is a high-upside prospect with physical tools and burgeoning power. His combination of size, bat speed, and raw strength makes him one of the top power-hitting third basemen in the country. Currently ranked the #1 third baseman in Arizona and #4 nationally in his class. With continued refinement of his approach and defensive consistency, he has all the ingredients to be a middle-of-the-order bat at Texas A&M and a legitimate MLB Draft prospect JJ Utash (‘27,AZ) with a triple here....
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 5/21/2026

Memorial Day Classics Set to Kick Off

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Southeast Memorial Day East Cobb Baseball will welcome more than 100 teams spanning the 13-17u age groups this weekend as summer baseball gets underway with the highly anticipated PG Southeast Memorial Day Classic, commencing on Thursday, May 21st. This weekend’s annual premier event will feature 11 nationally ranked teams across the five age groups with the No. 9 16u East Cobb Astros headlining the 17u division alongside top prospects such as No. 11 ranked Bryan Johnson Jr. And No. 22 ranked Georgia Tech commit, Malachi Butler. The No. 34 17u ranked 643 DP Cougars will also be a squad to watch as they will look to challenge the Astros for the championship amongst the other 14 17u division teams. While the oldest division will draw lots of attention with highly touted prospects, the 16u field is stacked with 29 total teams including three nationally ranked clubs. Over 30 top 1000...
Read More
High School | General | 5/22/2026

Northeast High School Notebook: May 22

Anthony Gambardella
Article Image
‘26 RHP Hunter Brown (@NHLionsBaseball - NJ) struck out 1️⃣5️⃣ thru 6 IP w/ 0 BB & 2 H allowed. FB lived 90-92, T93 w/ ASR & late life. Froze bats with his 11/5 CB both early/late in counts (2600rpm). Mixed in fading CH & short/tight SL. #WeAre commit. @PG_Draft#PGHS @PG_Scouting pic.twitter.com/NbSSOmCyD0 — Perfect Game Mid-Atlantic (@PGMidAtlantic) April 23, 2026 Hunter Brown - 2026 RHP, North Hunterdon Reg (N.J.) was utterly dominant in his start against Franklin last month, tossing six shutout innings with 15 strikeouts, zero walks and just two hits allowed. The 6-foot-5 215-pound right-hander has pitched to a 0.97 ERA this spring with 78 punchouts over 36 innings of work. Brown has been one of the many northeast arms receiving increasingly more buzz ahead of the MLB Draft this July. Brown’s heater lived in the low-90s throughout the duration of his...
Read More
Press Release | Press Release | 5/22/2026

Wolforth Throwing Mentorship: Article 65

Ron Wolforth
Article Image
The Insidious Lie That Hurts Pitchers Thep Most How many of you have ever had a terrible outing and afterward couldn’t really explain what went wrong? And how many of you have ever had a great outing and couldn’t explain what you did differently either? That gap between what is happening and your awareness of what is happening may be one of the most important gaps in player development. Closing that gap has a name. It is called metacognition. In simple terms, metacognition means thinking about your thinking. It is the ability to understand how you learn, how you perform, how you respond under pressure, and how you make adjustments when things are not going your way. For a pitcher, that matters because no matter how good your coach is, he cannot stand on the mound with you. Your coach cannot take the ball with the bases loaded, two outs, and the best hitter in the league...
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.