THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,459 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,459 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Sign in Create Account
Sign in Create Account
Tournaments  | Story | 7/6/2021

Freedom Classic Champs Crowned

Sam Warren
Photo: Gainesville Naturals 16u Navy (Perfect Game)
FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Gainesville Naturals 16u Navy took home the 2021 PG 16u Freedom Classic championship Tuesday morning, defeating the JCS Sluggers, 9-1. While the game ended in a five-inning mercy rule, the two teams looked evenly matched until the fifth inning, where the Naturals offense exploded for seven runs, culminating in a Braden Garcia walk-off two-RBI double.
 
In their first Perfect Game event of the summer, the Naturals were dominant, going undefeated throughout pool and bracket play on their way to a title. The Gainesville, Fla.-based squad posted an incredible +43 run differential through five games. Head Coach Denver Ripley said that his team found faith in themselves this weekend, which pushed them towards victory.
 
"Our boys are a bunch of grinders," Ripley said. "We challenged our kids the past two weeks in practice, telling them that we're good, but we have to believe that we're good. They finally bought into it this tournament, and all it took was them believing in themselves to win it."
 
That Naturals belief was challenged in the top of the first, though, as the Sluggers turned some misguided baserunning into some offensive production. With two outs, Jerandy Carballosa reached on an error and advanced to second base. The aggressive Carballosa then attempted to steal third but found himself in a rundown. However, Carballosa stuck in the pickle long enough to induce a Naturals throwing error, allowing him to come around third and score the game's first run. While his team made some mistakes in the first, Ripley was confident his squad would bounce back.
 
"Defense struggled at points here and there, but it's all about picking yourself up when you're down," Ripley said. "Sometimes, they just need a little bit of a spark in them after a rough stretch, and they get going."
 
The Naturals did get going, answering back in the bottom of the second as Alexander Kastensmidt lined a leadoff double to left. Garcia then grounded out to first, advancing Kastensmidt 90 feet closer. With Seth Campbell at the plate, Kastensmidt took advantage of a passed ball, sprinting home and evening the game at 1.
 
In the fourth, the Naturals used some savvy baserunning of their own to put them on top. With two outs, Campbell and Cedaris Smith hit back-to-back singles. Campbell promptly stole third, giving the Naturals a first and third situation. Smith extended his lead at first, goading the Sluggers pitcher into a throw-over and rundown, allowing Campbell to score before Smith was tagged out and giving their team a 2-1 lead. Ripley believed that the move's success came down to his players' baseball IQ on the basepaths.
 
"Ceddie plays real hard, and Seth's a grinder," Ripley said. "They're real students of the game. They practice hard, do all the little things right and it takes care of itself out here on the field."
 
The Naturals weren't happy with their one-run advantage, however, as they poured on production in the fifth. After three walks loaded the bases, an aggressive Omanuel Covey reached home on a passed ball. One pitch later, Tre'Von Lee shot a two-RBI double over the Slugger's center fielder, extending their lead to four. Ayden Elixson then returned the favor, scoring Lee on another RBI double to center. After Colton Kelly walked, Elixson scored on another passed ball and Karstensmidt walked, putting the championship-winning run on base. Garcia then delivered for his squad, lining the walk-off double into right to bring around Kelly and Kastensmidt to win the game. While their prolific bats showed up in the fifth, Ripley believes their work on the basepaths was key in their big rally.
 
"We pride ourselves on baserunning," Ripley said. "With that being able to translate to get runners in scoring position and our bats able to get them in, that's something we're really proud of."
 
While the Naturals' bats shined in the end, starting pitcher Elixson excelled on the mound as well. After giving up the one run in the first, the 2023 player out of Lake Butler, Fla. settled in, striking out three and allowing just one more baserunner through the next four innings. Despite the rough start, Elixson felt he was firing on all cylinders.
 
"I just had to focus in," Elixson said. "Every pitch was working for me, so I was able to get through easily."
 
For his performance on the mound and at the plate, the lefty received MVP honors for the tournament. Elixson threw six innings over two games on the weekend, allowing no earned runs and striking out six. He also showed out at the dish, going 8-for-15 on the tournament with two triples and nine RBIs. Elixson felt that the honor was a big step for him and his young club.
 
"It feels great, especially for our organization," Elixson said. "We're kind of new, and this is the first MVP we've brought home this summer. It's really special, and it always feels good to be recognized."
 
Despite the losing effort, Wyatt Tesar grabbed some hardware for JCS, taking home the MV-Pitcher award for the weekend. In his performance against Next Level Baseball 16u Green on Independence Day, the righty tossed 4 1/3 shutout innings, striking out seven while allowing just two hits.
 
In their first PG event of the summer, Ripley believed that it was special for his team to come home with a W.
 
"When you think of Perfect Game, you think of the best of the best," Ripley said. "It's definitely a great feeling, but this one's in the past. It's cool to win, but it's about what are we doing to get better from here on out."
 




2021 PG 14u Freedom Classic

Despite a late comeback, the Florida Legends topped The Mayhem 14u for the 2021 PG 14u Freedom Classic title.
 
The Legends quickly jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first, as RBI doubles from Magdiel Estevez and Alejandro Gallo-Rodriguez gave the Legends an early advantage. The Mayhem knocked one run off the Legend lead in the second behind an RBI double from Jonathan Maassen but couldn't do much more.
 
However, The Mayhem fought back to even the score in the fourth, as a series of Legend errors and Mayhem crafty baserunning plays equaled the game at four. The stalemate didn't last long, though, as three hits, including an RBI single from Christian Miranda, retook the lead for the Legends and secured the victory.
 
Juan Diego Lopez Faria added hardware for the Legends, as he received MVP honors for the tournament. The 2025 prospect was a scorching nine for 12 on the weekend, bringing around six runners as well.
 
Erick Torres also showed out for the Legends, taking home the MV-Pitcher award for the 25th-ranked team in the nation. The righty was lights out all tournament, tossing six no-hit innings over two games, including a five-inning no-hitter in the quarterfinals where he fanned 11 Gainesville Naturals 14u batters.
 



2021 PG 15u Freedom Classic

In a tightly contested battle, The Royals edged out Team Francisco Notorious 9 15u Select 3-2 for the 2021 PG 15u Freedom Classic.
 
Team Francisco jumped out to an early lead in the second, as Jace Alvino smacked a double to left field and later scored on a passed ball for the game's first run. The Farmingdale, N.Y.-based team added on in the third, as a Sam Leonard RBI single scored Ryan Adams.
 
The Royals rallied in the fifth, however, overcoming the deficit with a three-run outburst. Behind some tremendous situational hitting by Alexandro Forte and Frank Avila, as well as an RBI single from Jadyn Nunez, the Miami, Florida-based squad grabbed their first lead of the game and didn't look back, riding the run advantage to victory.
 


2021 PG 17u Freedom Classic

In a heated matchup, the 2021 PG 17u Freedom Classic came down to the wire as Scorpions Miami 2022 Victus took home a 6-5 title win over 5 Star NPR on a Jake Santos walk-off sacrifice fly to score Christopher King.
 
After 5 Star scored first on a Tyler Renew RBI single in the top of the first, Scorpions retaliated in the bottom of the inning. Behind an Anthony Fimiano RBI single, Santos groundout and Erick Delgado double, Scorpions took over with a 3-1 lead. Gunner Gulla then added for his team in the second, scoring Riley Bambino on an RBI single to extend the lead to three.
 
Fimiano added an RBI single in the fifth, and 5 Star had a foyer run deficit to erase in the final inning. The Port Richey, Fla.-based team succeeded in the seventh, as with two outs, an RBI single from Owen Andress and a bases-clearing three-RBI double from Jake Mummau evened the game at five. Yet, Scorpions refused to send it to extras, as with the bases loaded, Santos shot a ball deep enough into center field to score King and give his team a Freedom classic title.
 
Despite the loss, Renew took home MVP honors for the tournament, as he went an impressive 11-for-15 at the plate with seven RBI and seven stolen bags.
 
Joey Schietromo received the MV-Pitcher award for the Scorpions, as the righty dealt 6 1/3 innings in the championship game, striking out three and allowing just four hits.
 



2021 PG 18u Freedom Classic

In a back and forth bout, Zion Torres won the South Florida Braves the 2021 PG 18u Freedom Classic title with a walk-off RBI single, beating SWFL 18u, 6-5.
 
After Austin Douglas scored in the top of the first to give SWFL a one-run lead, the Braves bounced back in the second and third, as an RBI single from Giann Michael Dominguez, RBI triple from Juan Aracena and a sac fly from Daniel Verez put them on top 3-1.
 
SWFL battled back in the sixth, as RBI singles from Jace Jones and Demetrius McCants gave the local Fort Myers squad a 4-3 lead. The Braves promptly deadlocked the game again, however, as a Dominguez RBI double equaled the game in the bottom of the inning. 
 
SWFL wouldn't go away, however, as a Douglas RBI single put SWFL up yet again heading into the last of the seventh. The Braves then continued to show the fight they had all game, as a Rafael Flores sacrifice fly tied the matchup before the Torres single to end it all.
 
After his stellar performance in the title game, Torres received MVP honors for the tournament. The outfielder went a solid 6-for-12 on the weekend, compiling nine RBI and three extra-base hits.
 
Douglas took home the MV-Pitcher award for his performance in the quarterfinals against GT Clowns National, tossing a complete-game shutout while striking out 13 and allowing four hits.
Give us your feedback
Tournaments | Story | 6/2/2026

Southeast Elite Scout Notes: Days 3-5
Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Southeast Elite Scout Notes: Days 1-2 Auburn commit Brennan Neal (2027, Columbus, Ga.) had a good showing on Sunday on the mound, putting the clean, athletic delivery on display in an inning of work. Neal worked in the 90-93 range with the fastball with plenty of life, and showed some run to it when working to the arm side. Neal also worked in a tight slider in the upper 70s, but also showed confidence in a fading changeup in the mid 80s. Neal also has room to add strength to his lanky frame, which could be big for him to continue to add velocity. South Florida commit Taylor Casson (2026, Atlanta, Ga.) had an impressive showing on the hill with the stuff and results, going 5 innings of no-hit baseball with 10 strikeouts. The fastball worked in the 89-92 range with downhill angle and tail, and was in the zone often. He worked a 3-pitch mix, showing some impressive swing and miss stuff...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 6/2/2026

WWBA South Invite Notes: Days 3-5

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
WWBA Scout Scout Notes: Days 1-2 Raylen Hunter (‘30 TX) stays living on the barrel; this one burning the CFer for a double. Just an electric ballplayer. #WWBASouth https://t.co/1LThRBqN80 pic.twitter.com/z5RF5dy47o — Perfect Game Texas (@Texas_PG) May 30, 2026 Raylen Hunter (2030, Cypress, Texas) took home MVP honors for the tournament and helped lead his team to a big championship win. Was a big standout on a loaded Banditos team that steamrolled their way to the championship. He ended the week going 10-16 with a pair of doubles while scoring ten runs atop the lineup. Hunter is a true spark plug who makes consistently hard contact line to line. The swing is short and works to all fields with plenty of twitch and bat speed. Bat to ball plays at an extremely high level as he rarely gets cheated never taking an at-bat off. Once on base, Hunter causes havoc on the base-paths, a...
Read More
High School | Rankings | 6/2/2026

High School Top 50 Update: June 2

Tyler Russo
Article Image
With another few weeks in the book of the high school season, we’ve already had state champions crowned with playoffs happening in some northern states. There have been some upsets so there has been a good amount of movement in the National High School Top-50. We have a new number-one this update with Tomball (TX) taking over the top spot and will be playing for a state championship this week. They sport a 42-1 record heading into the title game and have been one of the best teams from start to finish this year. St. John Bosco (CA) has now gone back-to-back with Trinity League and CIF Southern Section titles and take over the No. 2 spot. No. 3 Aledo (TX) continues to win, No. 4 Trinity (KY) has been dominant in Kentucky play and No. 5 Norco (CA) lost the Southern Section title game and had a great year. Magnolia Heights (MS) moves up a few spots to No. 8 after winning their 8th...
Read More
Tournaments | Championship | 6/2/2026

EC Astros Win Back-And-Forth Thriller

Will Dembo
Article Image
In a highly anticipated matchup between two of the nation’s top 17u teams, the East Cobb Astros defeated eXposure National 9-8 in a thrilling extra-inning battle to claim the PG Southeast Elite Championship. The Astros completed the weekend undefeated, opening their summer season with a hard-fought, statement victory. “I mean, it's fun, it's been a grind today,” said Astros Head Coach, Josh Burress. “Been out here a long day, but our guys are competitors, they come out compete, they want to compete and win, so it's just fun to watch them come out here and not quitting playing to the end... so the guys did very well today, and they competed all the way through.” eXposure began the opening frame by taking the early lead on an error but quickly gave their lead away as the Astros came out of the gates hot, plating six runs in just the first inning. Mason Peek,...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 6/2/2026

Central Florida Invite Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Leanderson Argueta (2027, Panamá) absolutely outmatched every arm he faced this weekend ending up with seven hits, five of which were doubles and also hit a three run home run in game three. In the fifth inning against Freshwater Storm National Argueta got his pitch and deposited it over the wall for a go ahead three run home run. Showed real comfort in the box and was able to repeat the stroke well. Fires his hips with intent and the direct bat path plays to all parts of the park.  Jayden Pagan (2028, St. Cloud, Fla.) would not be denied this weekend slashing .500/.684/1.434. The championship game was no different for Pagan getting a first pitch heater and scorched it into left for an rbi triple. He would later add a double in the seventh inning that carried over the center fielders head. The bat to ball skills paired with his up the middle approach translate. The 2028...
Read More
Tournaments | Championship | 6/2/2026

Biscuits Elite Go Perfect at Kick-Off

Emily Hicks
Article Image
After several days of competitive baseball, the Summer Kick-Off came down to one final matchup between Biscuts Elite and BTA 18U. In the end, Biscuits Elite came away with the championship, earning a 26-13 victory at Goodyear Ballpark. “We're a hardworking group; we never give up," said JJ Utash. Biscuits Elite set the tone early, scoring 7 runs in the 1st inning and never looked back. “We just worked together as a team the whole time; we scored runs, and running the ball offensively was good,” said Utash. Nikolas Ramirez led the offense, finishing 3-4 with 2 doubles, 1 triple, and 2 runs scored. Kyle Wisniewski added a 3-4 day at the plate which included a triple, and a run scored to help fuel the attack. Wisniewski hit .444 through 4 games. On the mound, Sean McDaniels got the start, throwing 2.2 innings while allowing 1 hit and striking out 3 batters. The pitching...
Read More
Tournaments | Championship | 6/1/2026

Turn 2 Comes Back to Take BCS

Alyssa Golden
Article Image
A mostly clear day at Lee Health Sports Complex in Fort Myers, Florida set the stage for a tightly contested championship matchup between Florida Burn 2028 Myrback and Turn 2 Garcia. Behind two triples from Quinn Seglem, Turn 2 rallied for a 5-4 victory to claim the BCS Qualifier title. Left-hander Carter Brunco started on the mound for Turn 2, allowing six hits and four walks while striking out two over 3.2 innings. Burn jumped out to an early lead in the first inning. Luke Straw singled and later advanced to third on a wild pitch before Joe O’Brien delivered an RBI single to score the game’s first run. Blake Dubiel followed with another RBI single to give Burn a 2-0 advantage. Right-hander Straw carried the momentum onto the mound for Burn, holding Turn 2 hitless through the first two innings while recording a strikeout in each. In the top of the second, Spencer Meachum...
Read More
College | Story | 5/29/2026

Cali Mid-Major Draft Notes

Joey Cohen
Article Image
California annually produces its share of high-profile prep and college draft talent, but this spring also offered quality depth especially on the mid-major side. I wanted to highlight a group of semi under-the-radar prospects who have quietly put together strong seasons and caught the attention of our staff whether it was with in-person looks or just by some performance/data metrics that popped. The bulk of this group comes out of the Big West, with additional names from the WCC, WAC, and Mountain West mixed in. Matthew Thomas - OF - CSUN  Few hitters in the Big West have matched Thomas’ offensive impact this spring, as he slashed a strong .335/.411/.679 with 15 home runs. Long and still mostly viewed as a power-first profile, he’s taken a meaningful step forward in the hit tool, cutting down a bit on significant swing-and-miss concerns while increasing his on-base...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 6/1/2026

EBC 17U-Griggs Making a Run in Hoover

Kinley Kitchens
Article Image
Talent may have helped EBC 17U-Griggs arrive at the 2026 Perfect Game Hoover Invitational as one of the tournament favorites, but team chemistry is what has carried them to Championship Monday. After a dominant weekend that included multiple shutout victories, and a dramatic comeback win, EBC 17U-Griggs earned its place in the championship round and sits just two wins away from bringing home the title. The roster is loaded with college commits and nationally ranked prospects, but throughout the tournament, EBC’s success has come from contributions across the lineup rather than relying on a single star. After an opening 5-12 victory setting the tone, followed by a huge 17-0 victory where nine different players recorded at least one RBI, highlighted the depth that has made this club one of the most dangerous teams in the field. Throughout the weekend, players such as Clayton Tolbert,...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 5/31/2026

Blalock's Consistency Shines in Hoover

Kinley Kitchens
Article Image
Blalock’s Consistency Continues to Shine at Hoover Invitational While many players his age are still learning how to handle the spotlight, Tristan Blalock has already become accustomed to it. The Madison, Alabama Native entered the 2026 Perfect Game Hoover Invitational as one of the most highly regarded players in the country, carrying a national ranking of No. 23 overall in the 2029 class and the distinction of being Alabama’s top ranked player. Yet despite the attention and high approval, Blalock’s approach remains remarkably simple.  “Just 100% effort,” Blalock said when asked about his defensive mindset. “Going out there every single time and giving it my all, do or die, no matter what the play is.” That mentality was on display Saturday as Blalock helped lead East Coast Sox Prime to a 14-0 victory over EBC 15U-Bell. Although the...
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.