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Draft  | Story | 7/8/2021

The Accuracy of Perfect Game's Rankings

Photo: Brady House (Perfect Game)
Rawlings - Perfect Game Preseason All-Americans | Perfect Game Top 500 Draft Prospects

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- For fans of amateur baseball, and additionally, the MLB Draft, there is a lot of information out there the days, weeks, and months leading up to the draft.
 
There is a list for everyone, with those lists including different names and different orders of prospects waiting to hear their name called. It’s information overload for a process that is decidedly an inexact science.
 
However, if you want as close to a definitive list of top MLB Draft talent all in one place, historically speaking, Perfect Game’s Preseason All-American list is your one-stop shop at the beginning of the spring, and the Perfect Game Top 500 list should be the book of record.
 
Each year, Perfect Game, along with Rawlings, creates the Preseason All-American lists with the help of Perfect Game scouts who have seen these prospects play more than anyone else on the circuit. With knowledge dating back to when these prospects were 13 or 14 years old, PG designates First, Second, and Third Team lists, as well as Honorable Mention before these players even step on the field for their final prep season. These lists mostly mirror the Perfect Game High School Player Rankings, which are meticulously produced with updates throughout each year.
 
The proof that these lists are the closest thing you’ll find to definitive is in the comparison between them and the results of the MLB Draft.
 
In the 2020 draft, every single high school first round pick was a PG Preseason All-American. Eleven of those 13 first round selections were Preseason First-Team All-Americans. Those names include Robert Hassell III, Zac Veen, and Pete Crow-Armstrong, just to name a few.
 
It gets more conclusive the more you look.
 
In 2019, all but two of the high school players drafted in the first round were Preseason First Teamers. In 2018, the first eight high school selections were all on the First Team, the year before that, in 2017, the first 10 high school prospects drafted were earlier named Preseason First Team All-American by Perfect Game, and in 2016 that number was 12.
 
On average, since 2007, there are 15 Perfect Game Preseason First-Teamers drafted in the first round each year.
 
There have been 214 total in that time frame, with recent names like Bobby Witt Jr (2019), Jarred Kelenic (2018), Royce Lewis (2017), and Ian Anderson (2016), as well as older names like Javier Baez and Francisco Lindor (2011), Manny Machado and Christian Yelich (2010), Mike Trout (2009), Eric Hosmer (2008), and Madison Bumgarner (2007).
 
All of those averages and names thrown out just now are only Preseason First-Teamers drafted in the first round. If you expand a bit and take a look at the second round of the MLB Draft, there have been 118 Preseason First-Team All-Americans selected since 2007, averaging more than eight per year.
 
If you include First, Second, Third Team, and Honorable Mention selections in your query, there are roughly 23 first round picks each year who were selected by Perfect Game as a Preseason All-American.
 
A number of the players selected for the Preseason All-American teams ahead of their senior year choose to go to college instead of signing a pro contract, of course, and a large amount of those players turn into first round picks down the road. Guys like Garrett Mitchell in last year’s draft, Nick Lodolo in 2019, and Jonathan India in 2018, just to name a recent few.
 
This year, prep shortstop prospects like Brady House, Jordan Lawlar, Marcelo Mayer, Kahlil Watson, and Alex Mooney graced the First-Team list, as did pitchers Jackson Jobe, Chase Petty, Andrew Painter, and two-way Bubba Chandler. Prep outfielders Will Taylor and Benny Montgomery were also named Preseason First-Team All-Americans. Fast-forward to the release of Perfect Game’s Top 500 list just ahead of the draft, and all 10 of these prep players are top-25 overall draft prospects and likely to become first round picks.
 
House has played in 40 Perfect Game events, dating all the way back to the 2015 12u Invitational. Prep catcher Harry Ford, another Preseason First-Teamer, has played in 49 Perfect Game events, his first coming in 2015 like House. Ford is currently the No. 11 overall draft prospect. Benny Montgomery has played in 22 PG events since 2015, and Joe Mack, the No. 34 prospect on the Top 500, has been to 38 events since his first in 2017.
 
Perfect Game scouts have typically had eyes on these players for a longer period of time than anyone else, and have followed their progression as closely as possible. That’s why it’s possible to produce the Preseason All-American lists before these players step on the field for their senior seasons and have them stand up when it comes draft time later that summer.
 
Although many looks at a player is obviously not a bad thing, it’s also not a requirement to be put on any of these Perfect Game lists. One good look at any of Perfect Game’s events, and a prospect can find himself on the Preseason All-American list. Carson Williams, the No. 29 overall prospect for the upcoming MLB Draft, was named a First-Team Preseason All-American having only attended four PG events in his career. Colson Montgomery, the No. 31 prospect for the draft, was a Preseason All-American having only attended six PG events. If you have the necessary talent, Perfect Game scouts will find you.
 
You can view the lists of Perfect Game Preseason All-Americans dating back to 2007, as well as the 2021 Perfect Game Top 500 Draft Prospects.

Draft | Rankings | 1/12/2026

Top 100 Collegiate Freshmen

Vincent Cervino
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As we creep toward opening day here in a month or so, the draft team has put together the Top 100 freshmen on campus this spring.  Three high-end arms lead the way, starting with Jack Bauer. The Mississippi State left-hander reached triple digits as a prep and is sure to make an immediate impact this spring. UCLA right-hander Angel Cervantes was selected in the 2nd round of last year’s draft but held firm on his commitment and should be an impact arm for the Bruins. Following the arms, a collection of bats rounds out the Top 10. There is loads of upside to the group with the potential and they should draw considerable playing time as freshman.  As the list gets deeper, there are plenty of players that should pop up and make significant contributions both this year and years down the line. The class has both depth and talent, making for a very intriguing group of...
High School | General | 2/5/2026

Georgia Region Top Teams

Tyler Russo
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Georgia All Region Team & Top Tools Rk School Record 1 Etowah 34-4 2 Blessed Trinity 34-9 3 Parkview 26-11 4 Houston County 33-7 5 Lowndes 28-13 6 Walton 34-8 7 Buford 25-9 8 Pope 31-5 9 North Cobb Christian 24-11-1 10 Harrison 23-14 11 Newnan 32-5 12 North Paulding 28-10 13 Marist 30-7 14 Cartersville 32-10 15 Denmark 19-14 16 North Oconee 27-8 17 Loganville 29-8 18 Morgan County 32-10 19 North Gwinnett 35-5 20 Carrollton 23-12 21 Troup County 32-9 22 Hillgrove 21-13 23 River Ridge 25-15 24 Pickens 32-7 25 McEachern 24-8
High School | General | 2/5/2026

Georgia HS All Region & Top Tools

David Rawnsley
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Georgia has its usual depth of high-level athletes and Perfect Game All-Americans, although three 2027 players did make the All-Region team.  There are an unusual number of two-way prospects among the All-Region players, a testament to the big arms that the state has right now. Two Georgia high schools are ranked in the top 10 of the PG Pre-Season High School Top 50 rankings and the Georgia high school ranks are annually among the most competitive in the country.  Etowah is the highest ranked team at 5th overall, while Blessed Trinity Catholic checks in at 8th.  Parkview is the only other Georgia team in the top 50, holding down the 34th spot.   OF-RHP Dexter McCleon Jr will be fixture on the Georgia All-Region team for the next two years but the top ranked prospect in the 2028 class will have to take a back seat to his elders this year.  McCleon’s absurd...
High School | Rankings | 2/4/2026

Florida Region Top Teams

Tyler Russo
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Florida All Region Team & Top Tools   Rk School Record 1 Stoneman Douglas 31-2 2 Tampa Jesuit 25-10 3 Trinity Christian Academy 30-5 4 South Walton 31-4 5 IMG Academy 24-1 6 Venice 29-5 7 Bishop Verot 32-3 8 American Heritage (Plantation) 29-6 9 St. Thomas Aquinas 29-6-1 10 Doral Academy Charter 27-8-1 11 North Broward Prep 23-8 12 Lincoln 24-11 13 Mater Academy 25-9-1 14 The First Academy 30-4 15 Alonso 21-13 16 St. John's Country Day 26-9 17 Bishop Snyder 23-8 18 Spruce Creek 30-4 19 Buchholz 33-3 20 Lake Mary 15-15 21 Miami Springs 28-3 22 Jupiter 25-10 23 Plant City 16-12 24 Berkeley Prep 25-10 25 Winter Park 25-6
College | Story | 2/4/2026

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Jason Phillips
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2026 College Preview Index | Preseason Top 25 | Preseason Collegiate All-Americans For all of Perfect Game's conference previews as part of the 2026 college baseball preview content, the 2025 records and all-conference teams are available for free. The conference top prospects and individual team breakdowns can be viewed with a subscription. 2025 Records Teams are listed in alphabetical order* Team W L W L CCSU 23 7 31 17 Coppin State 13 17 15 34 Delaware State 6 24 7 34 FDU 16 14 16 37 LeMoyne 17 13 20 28 LIU 24 6 35 23 UMES 6 24 7 41 Mercyhurst 15 15 17 35 New Haven* 12 12 24 20 Norfolk State 4 26 4 38 Stonehill 18 12 20 32 Wagner 23 7 31 22 *Member Northeast-10 DII Preseason All Conference Team Pos. Name School Stats/Notes C Frankie Ferrentino CCSU .281-13-35, 9 2Bs, (Merrimack), Double digit HR all 3 years at Merrimack 1B Jayden Walker Mercyhurst .314-12-40, 10...
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Jim Salisbury
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BASEBALL MEETS HOLLYWOOD FOR A GREAT CAUSE    There’s no crying in baseball, but there is laughing, and there was lots and lots of it -- for a great cause -- last Saturday night in Hollywood, California. Perfect Game and its Believe in Baseball Foundation assembled a star-studded cast of comics and guests for the inaugural “In the Spirit of the Game” dinner and auction. The event was held at the iconic Laugh Factory, a historic venue that, in baseball terms, would be equivalent to Dodger Stadium or Wrigley Field. Late-night superstar Jay Leno took a turn on stage. So did comedic aces Tiffany Haddish, Nikki Glaser, Dustin Ybarra and Gary Cannon. “It was 4 ½ hours of straight laughter,” said PG commissioner Dennis Gilbert, still beaming a couple of days later. “It was a really nice success.” No one kept score at the event, but...
College | Story | 2/5/2026

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Scott Rankin
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2026 College Preview Index | Preseason Top 25 | Preseason Collegiate All-Americans For all of Perfect Game's conference previews as part of the 2026 college baseball preview content, the 2025 records and all-conference teams are available for free. The conference top prospects and individual team breakdowns can be viewed with a subscription. 2025 Records Teams are listed in alphabetical order* Team W L W L Abilene Christian 34 23 15 9 Cal Baptist 30 27 12 12 Sacramento State 32 26 15 9 Tarleton State 24 32 12 12 UT Arlington 21 33 11 13 Utah Tech 24 31  9 15 Utah Valley 29 29 13 11 Preseason All-Conference Team Pos. Name School Stats/Notes C Mason Strong Utah Valley 1st team All-WAC in ‘25 hitting .366 and leading the conference in hits.  Also hit 11 Home Runs 1B Grant Watkins Abilene Christian .292 with 14 Home Runs and drove in 48 runs in...
High School | General | 2/4/2026

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Joey Cohen
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Talking and debating sleeper prospects might be my favorite part of scouting. It’s where context, projection, and conviction matter most—whether it’s an underrated performer who keeps producing on the circuit, a raw but explosive athlete you can dream on, or an arm with starter traits that hasn’t quite made the stuff jump yet. These are the players who tend to separate evaluators, reward patience, and make the spring HS season really fascinating. Below are several West Region prospects outside the T100 who fit that mold and deserve serious attention as the spring unfolds. Jet Berry, Queen Creek HS, Arizona There’s a lot to like with Berry. He’s one of the more explosive, twitchy athletes in the country, and it shows consistently in all facets of his game. From a tools perspective his easy plus run and bat-to-ball ability stand out. He’s been a...
College | Rankings | 2/4/2026

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Nick Herfordt
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The 2026 NAIA Baseball Rankings arrive with the familiar weight of expectations and a few fresh storylines that make the new season feel electric from top to bottom. At the very front of the pack, perennial power Tennessee Wesleyan stands tall once again, a program that has turned sustained excellence into something bordering on routine. The Bulldogs are not just ranked highly, they set the tone. Year after year, they combine elite talent, veteran leadership, and a culture that refuses to blink under pressure. It says everything about the depth of this year’s field that it was genuinely difficult not to slide LSU Shreveport back into the top spot yet again. After all, how in the world does a team stay that good after losing so many impact players? The answer is simple and timeless. Success breeds success. Programs that live in championship air know how to reload, not reset, and...
College | Story | 2/6/2026

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Blaine Peterson
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2026 College Preview Index | Preseason Top 25 | Preseason Collegiate All-Americans For all of Perfect Game's conference previews as part of the 2026 college baseball preview content, the 2025 records and all-conference teams are available for free. The conference top prospects and individual team breakdowns can be viewed with a subscription. 2025 Records Teams are listed in alphabetical order* School W L W L Belmont 26 34 13 14 Bradley 16 35 12 15 Evansville 17 37 10 17 Illinois-Chicago 22 33 16 11 Illinois State 28 28 15 12 Indiana State 24 31 12 15 Murray State 44 17 17 8 Southern Illinois 37 20 16 11 Valparaiso 10 40 5 22 Preseason All-Conference Team  Pos. Name School Stats/Notes C Ryan Bakes Illinois State Talented transfer to the MVC this season. Standout performer in the Northwoods League over the summer hitting .313 with 4 HR, 8 XBH and 24/18 BB/K. 1B...
College | Story | 2/3/2026

Conference Preview: Patriot

Anthony Gambardella
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2026 College Preview Index | Preseason Top 25 | Preseason Collegiate All-Americans For all of Perfect Game's conference previews as part of the 2026 college baseball preview content, the 2025 records and all-conference teams are available for free. The conference top prospects and individual team breakdowns can be viewed with a subscription. 2025 Records Teams are listed in alphabetical order*  Team W L W L Army West Point 25 25 14 11 Bucknell 18 27 10 15 Holy Cross 31 27 17 8 Lafayette 14 35 9 16 Lehigh 24 26 11 14 Navy 26 25 14 11 Preseason All Conference Team Pos.  Name  School  Stats/Notes  C  Ty Deperno  Navy  Named PL Rookie of the Year & to 2nd Team All-PL in ‘25; batted .307 w/ 33 runs & 32 RBI  IF  Thomas Schreck  Army West Point  Named to 1st Team All-PL in ‘25; batted .335 w/ 40...
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