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| 2,489 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,489 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Tournaments  | Story | 7/15/2021

Gaeckle Coming Back Stronger Than Ever

Photo: Gabe Gaeckle (Gaeckle family)
Heading into the summer of 2020, Gabe Gaeckle was looking forward to competing at the highest stages of competitive travel baseball and making a name for himself on the national level. However, in his first start of his summer season, the right-handed pitcher felt something was off.
 
“I first noticed that it took a little longer than usual to warm my arm up,” Gaeckle said. “In the first inning, I was pretty happy with where my velocity was at. But, after the third batter, I dropped down 10 mph, and my elbow hurt real bad.”
 
The No. 177 player in the class of 2023 went to the doctor the next day and was diagnosed with a torn Ulnar Collateral Ligament (UCL), and was destined for Tommy John surgery at the age of 15. While Gaeckle just started to feel the pain in summer ball, his father Peter said the surgery might have been a long time coming.
 
“We saw four different orthopedic surgeons before we decided to do the surgery, and they all thought the injury was pretty old,” Peter said. “He might have been throwing with a messed up arm before, so we weren’t sure if we’d ever seen him throw fully healthy.”
 
After an arduous rehab process, Gabe made his first competitive pitching appearance at the 2021 PG 17u West Elite Championship in late June, 11 months after his surgery. Facing his first opposing batters in almost a year, Gaeckle showed off the hard work he’d put in on his road back to the mound. The Aptos, Calif. native reached 92 mph on his fastball, 7 mph faster than his Perfect Game personal best, and sat in the low-90s all day long. The young arm believed that he’d reached a new standard of performance for his play in his first appearance.
 
“I felt probably the strongest I’ve ever felt,” Gaeckle said. “Physical therapy and working on my arm has made me 10 times stronger than I was before.”
 
While Gaeckle feels fully recovered from his surgery, the righty’s doctors have still yet to clear him to make full starts or not require pitch count limits. For those reasons, Gaeckle may still not be performing at 100 percent, and his arm may have yet to reach its total capacity, leaving room for the pitcher to get even higher numbers in the near future. Despite his enthusiasm to break free from physical limitations, Gaeckle knows that he needs to take things slow to complete his full rehabilitation.
 
“My coaches told me from the get-go that I was going to feel amazing five to six months after surgery, but I just had to wait it out,” Gaeckle said. “It’s been really tough as my velocity, control and arm strength have been where I’ve wanted them to be. I want to progress faster, but my doctors keep telling me not yet.”
 
Gaeckle can now see the light at the end of his rehabilitation tunnel, but that has not made the process any easier. The 8th-ranked right-handed pitcher in California plays for the star-studded Alpha Prime 2023, who has a roster chock full of the best arms his home state has to offer. For a whole year, Gaeckle struggled with not being able to contribute for his squad.
 
“I wouldn’t say I was depressed, but it was really hard just to watch all my teammates compete that whole summer after surgery,” Gaeckle said. “Missing a whole year of summer ball and high school baseball was definitely rough, but I got through it and got ready for this summer.”
 
To get ready for the summer, the pitcher put himself through a rigorous training regimen to continue the road back to full strength. Gaeckle said he lifts six times a week, training his legs, chest, back, shoulders and overall mobility. While under unfortunate circumstances, Gaeckle believed that his rehabilitation taught him a lot about working out and strength training.
 
“I took a lot of the lifts from the physical therapy I was doing at home,” Gaeckle said. “I was doing physical therapy for over seven months, so I learned a lot from that, and it helped me understand what I needed to train to get better.”
 
Now, nearing the end of his recovery, Gaeckle’s strong work ethic has begun to show through in his recent performances, and people have been taking notice. After an intrasquad appearance and his debut at the West Elite Championship, the pitcher has gained more and more interest after his year away from the game.
 
“I’ve been keeping up conversations weekly with college coaches,” Gaeckle said. “After the start, programs have become more interested and have been wanting me to come out to their schools and have been checking in on me. It’s been pretty cool.”
 
The top California arm holds offers from a few Pac-12 schools and is looking forward to continuing his recruitment into 11th grade. Throughout his recovery, Gaeckle used his collegiate aspirations as an incentive to get back onto the field.
 
“I think what motivated me was wanting to play at the next level,” Gaeckle said. “Going into my junior year, things are starting to heat up, so I started working out and focusing on my rehab, and things are now starting to come together.”
 
As Gaeckle’s dreams come within grasp, the pitcher is itching to get back out on the mound. With hopes of showing what he can do at this week's 2021 WWBA 16u National Championship, Gaeckle continues to fight to perform at a full capacity.
 
“I just have to get cleared by my doctors and work my way up to a full start,” Gaeckle said. “Once I do that, I can really show what I can do.”

Tournaments | Story | 7/1/2026

Performance Baseball Rolls On

Kinley Kitchens
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Championship teams often reveal themselves when the game isn’t going their way. Performance Baseball 2028/Milwaukee Brewers Scout Team did exactly that. Trailing Florida Burn 2028 Scout through four innings, the Brewers refused to panic. Instead, they relied on timely hitting, consistent pitching, and an unselfish approach at the plate, rallying a five-run fifth inning before pulling away for a 9-5 victory to clinch their spot in the semifinals. The comeback was fueled by contributions throughout the lineup. Six different players drove in runs, including two RBIs each from Aiden Capobianco and Cameron Massey, while Matthew Heredia, Parker Weston, Ethan Smith, and Aj Bonnette each added an RBI of their own. On the mound, Derek Wenzel set the tone with 3.2 solid innings before Ethan Smith shut the door in relief, helping preserve the comeback victory. Although the Brewers have had a...
High School | General | 7/1/2026

PG High School All-Americans

Tyler Russo
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High School Top 50: Final Update With the High School season all wrapped up, today we take a look at our First, Second and Third Team All-Americans from around the country. Below you'll find three teams with stats that seem otherworldly from players who'll likely hear their names called in the coming week's MLB Draft. Within the "Notable Stats" section you'll see the individual award winners as well. First Team All-American Pos.  Name Class School State Commitment Notable Stats C Cole Prosek 2026 Magnolia Heights MS Ole Miss .595 BA, 18 HR, 79 RBI 1B Will Adams 2026 Hoover AL LSU .489, 13 HR, 52 RBI IF James Tronstein 2026 Harvard-Westlake CA Vanderbilt .531, 10 HR, 29 RBI, 21 XBH IF Grady Emerson 2026 Fort Worth Christian TX Texas .508, 8 HR, 56 RBI, 34/35 SB, National POY IF Jacob Lombard 2026 Gulliver Schools FL Miami .477, 10 HR, 52 R, 42 H, 14 SB OF Martin Shelar 2026 Marist GA...
Tournaments | Championship | 7/1/2026

JK Select Hawaii Tackles 14u West WS

Emily Hicks
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JK Select Hawaii capped off an impressive tournament run by defeating GBG Vegas 14u Red14-4 in the championship game on Sunday at Goodyear Ballpark, claiming the 14u West World Series title. From the opening pitch, JK Select controlled the pace of the game. The offense jumped out early, scoring 6 runs in the 1st inning after timely hits from MVP Sean Shindo and Kade Manarpaac. The early lead gave the pitching staff confidence as they worked efficiently through the opposing lineup. “I've worked hard to get better at my game for the past few months; it means a lot that I did well and performed in a tournament like this” said Shindo. Starting pitcher Maddox Prones turned in a strong performance, allowing 3 runs while striking out 5 batters over 3 innings. The defense backed the effort with great plays in the middle infield, preventing GBG Vegas from building momentum....
Tournaments | Story | 7/1/2026

"Wow" Swings Catch Eyes at 16u Elite

Kinley Kitchens
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On the second day of the 2026 Perfect Game National Elite Championship, one swing turned heads across the ballpark. The next one brought everyone to a stop. With Wow Factor Nation 16U trailing midway through its matchup against Sandlot Scout Team 2028, Micheal O'Connor launched a solo home run to spark the offense. Just one batter later, Aaron Frink stepped into the box and sent another ball over the fence, delivering back-to-back home runs that quickly became one of the most talked about moments of the tournament’s opening days. Parents gathered along the nets, players from previous games stopped to watch, and college scouts turned their attention toward the action as the two towering swings energized the crowd and brought new life to the game. Although Wow Factor Nation ultimately lost 5-3 after a hard-fought performance, the back-to-back home runs served as a reminder of the...
Tournaments | Story | 6/30/2026

Stacked Runs the Table at 17u WWBA

Will Dembo
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Following a jam-packed week of entertainment at the 17u WWBA Championships, the top nationally ranked program, USA Prime 17u National/Detroit Tigers Scout Team, faced off against Stacked Baseball 17u (No. 80 nationally) in the highly anticipated championship matchup as both teams looked to earn one of the most prestigious titles in all of travel baseball. Each talented squad entered the finale undefeated, but Stacked Baseball continued their dominance throughout the tournament, defeating the Detroit Tigers Scout Team 10-2 in mercy rule fashion to become national champions behind explosive bats and impressive pitching. Stacked Baseball was the overwhelming top team throughout the week as the WWBA Champions outscored opponents by an absurd 117-12 during their 11-0 run. “We got some talented kids, but we played against a little bit of Goliath over there,” Stacked Head Coach Mike...
Tournaments | Story | 6/30/2026

17u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 7

Perfect Game Staff
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17u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4  Day 5 | Day 6 Shea Corona (2027, Brooklyn, N.Y.) showcased some loud stuff out of the bullpen for MLB Breakthrough Series 2027. The New York native and primary shortstop topped out at 93 with the fastball, sitting comfortable in the 90-92 range. Corona paired it with a sharp and tight slider at 81-83, staying on the same plane until late. The pitch plays well already and the delivery is very athletic. The uncommitted right-hander went three scoreless and was in the zone plenty, striking out two while not allowing a walk. '27 SS Moises Gudino (FL) continues to stay red hot, working a long AB & cracking an oppo 2B on the 8th pitch. Really seeing ing well. #WWBA @Florida_PG https://t.co/OjNJ8Bmzao pic.twitter.com/WoDDp35EI1 — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) June 30, 2026 Moises Gudino (2027, Tampa, Fla.)...
Tournaments | Story | 6/30/2026

Texas Twelve Firing On Full Cylinders

Kinley Kitchens
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Every team hopes to start a tournament with momentum, but few make a statement quite like Texas Twelve Maroon 2028. Matched up against defending champion Excel Blue Wave National to kick off their debut in the 2026 Perfect Game National Elite Championship, Texas Twelve Maroon delivered a complete team performance, earning a hard-fought 3-2 victory and immediately establishing themselves as one of the top teams to watch this week. The win showcased the balance that has made Texas Twelve Maroon a powerful team. Strong pitching, timely hitting, and steady defense all played a role as the team held off one of the tournament’s premier programs. Right-hander Ty Antley turned in an outstanding performance on the mound, throwing a complete game while allowing only five hits and two walks over seven innings. The High Follow prospect worked consistently between 85-89 mph and mixed in a sharp...
Tournaments | Championship | 6/30/2026

Flames Capture 18U BCS Title

Alyssa Golden
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Flames Natty used timely hitting and a dominant start from Beau Collier to defeat NLB American 7-3 and capture the 18U BCS National Championship on Monday at Lee Health Sports Complex. Despite being assembled just hours before the tournament began, the Flames quickly developed chemistry throughout the tournament. “This team was put together 12 hours before this tournament, and they went on a crazy run,” head coach Adam Vasquez said. “These kids know each other locally, but they don’t play together. For them to come together last minute like that, it’s crazy. I’m proud of them for that.” The game opened as a pitchers’ duel, with David Acevedo recording the lone hit through the first two innings. NLB American starter Hayden Graham kept the Flames in check early, allowing just one hit while striking out one over 2.0 innings. The right-hander...
Tournaments | Story | 6/30/2026

Ohio Valley BCS Champ. Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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‘28 C Keegan Sawyer (OH) showcased the toolshed in this one. A top player in the OH ‘28 class. LOUD (Hit & Defense) #OVBCS @KeeganSawyer10 Clip 1: 3-R 💣 to LF Clip 2: 2B to LC Clip 3: SEED, Caught Stealing @ 2B Name for August 1 @MidlandBasebal pic.twitter.com/FvIpEU7Llz — Jordan Gates (@JGatesPG) June 27, 2026 Keegan Sawyer (2028, Cleves, Ohio) The stock continues to go up and up for Keegan Sawyer. Fresh off a state championship for Bading High School, he has picked up where he has left off this spring. It seems that he gets bigger each time I see him, but the frame really works on both sides of the ball at 6-feet, 190-pounds. It’s athletic and the actions on both sides are extremely advanced. Sawyer took home MVP honors after finishing with nine hits, six going for extra bases including two home runs, nine RBIs and eight runs scored. It’s electric at...
Tournaments | Story | 6/30/2026

Texas Region Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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Austin Lyons (2028, Cibolo, Texas) put on a display for Canes Southwest Prime 16U. Went 7-14 at the plate with a pair of doubles and triples, while driving in 13 runs. He won Tournament MVP for his efforts. Physical left-handed frame with feel to hit to all fields. Utilizes the middle of the field as well as the opposite field efficiently. Should be a force to be reckoned with as he grows into some more power. Evan Rosales (2027, Houston, Texas) was dominant on the mound for HP 2027 Allen. Went five shutout innings over the weekend, surrendering just one hit and two walks while striking out ten. Fastball lives 83-87 with some carry. Curveball is a heavy 12/6 downer at 69-74. North-south approach with a super steep release. Showed some really good feel for the zone and sequenced effectively to keep hitters off balance. Tristan Wright (2028, Magnolia, Texas) put on a show for Banditos 2028...
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