THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION

| 2,631 MLB PLAYERS | 16,402 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS

2,631 MLB PLAYERS | 16,402 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS

All American Game | Story | 8/10/2021

A Classic culmination for Barriera

Jeff Dahn

Photo: Brandon Barriera (Perfect Game)

It’s been a summer of wonder for stellar top 2022 prospect Brandon Barriera, one which bore the fruits of the labors he put in during previous summers and falls of play on the Perfect Game tournament circuit and through his involvement with USA Baseball at the 12u, 14u, 15u and 17u levels.

An athletic 6-foot-1, 170-pound left-hander and Vanderbilt commit out of Hollywood, Fla., who is set to begin his senior year at prep power American Heritage School in a matter of weeks, Barriera spent a busy summer establishing himself as a legitimate early round prospect in the 2022 MLB Draft.

He got the job done here, there and everywhere, it seemed, most recently during outings at the MLB/USA Baseball Prospect Development Pipeline in Cary, N.C., in late July and then at the East Coast Pro Showcase in Hoover, Ala., just last week,

But there’s still a big crowning jewel to come for the kid from South Florida by the way of New York City. He’ll soon make his way to the Pacific Coast to take part in all the festivities surrounding the 19th annual PG All-American Classic, which will be played Aug. 22 at the Padres’ Petco Park in downtown San Diego.

But first, how about a little R&R? How about a little downtime before heading out to an event that is ultra-competitive but with a little more emphasis put on the fun side of the game?

“I’m kind of just taking some time here at home right now,” Barriera told PG during an enjoyable telephone conversation over the weekend before he quickly added that he’ll be ready to get back after it while enjoying the comforts that a late summer weekend spent in Southern California provides.

“Ever since playing in Perfect Game events and starting to play travel ball, being a Perfect Game All-American is one of the greatest accolades to have as a travel ball player; it’s something you strive to be,” he said. “Honestly it’s something that I’ve wanted to do for so long and something that I’ve always wanted to become...To go out and play in San Diego is going to be amazing and to be around all my boys and to finally play with them and not play against them is going to be a lot of fun.”

The son of Sergio Barriera and Melissa Rivera, Brandon Barriera has certainly put in the work that is required to climb to the No. 9 position overall in the class of 2022 national rankings. He is ranked the No. 3 left-hander nationally behind only North Carolina’s Jackson Ferris and South Carolina’s Tristan Smith; those two lefties will join Barriera on the East Team roster at the All-American Classic.

Barriera has been rostered at 30 PG events over the last five years but surprisingly, perhaps, his lights-out performance at the PG National Showcase in St. Petersburg, Fla., last month marked his only PG showcase appearance.

He has, however, been named to a PG all-tournament team 15 times while playing with Pompano Beach-based Cannons Baseball University (previously Cannons Baseball Academy). His head coach at CBU is Nick James, who also was his head coach at Westminster Academy during his freshman year and at American Heritage as a sophomore.

“He’s paved the way for me, pretty much,” Barriera said of James. “He and my parents have told me of all the sacrifices I need to make in order to become successful and that I’m not going to be living a normal teenage life. No teenager is going to be trying to work out twice a day and going to the field to work on his craft and just doing the little things. They were the ones who implemented this plan and have just been pushing me the whole time...

“I love baseball and nothing or anybody will ever take that (love) away from me. I just enjoy it as much as I can.”

While pitching for CBU this summer, Barriera allowed only seven hits and six walks while striking out 24 in 19 1/3 shutout innings, flashing a fastball that repeatedly reached 95 mph.

Over his past two PG seasons, he’s thrown 54 1/3 innings without allowing an earned run on 15 hits while striking out 76 and walking 15. The CBU 2022 Scout Team went 26-6-3 this summer, including a 7-1-0, third round of the playoffs performance at the WWBA 17u National Championship in Marietta, Ga.

Barriera didn’t beat around the bush when he declared that he really did enjoy a great summer, even knowing going in that it was going to be two months of having to produce a top performance every time he stepped on the mound.

He made sure he was always on top of his game. He tried to stay relaxed and just sit back and enjoy himself, intent on having fun and meeting as many new friends as possible while playing against the best competition that was out there.

“It was just being able to enjoy the game one last time before I either go to college or go to the pros,” Barriera said.

Sergio Barriera, also speaking with PG over the phone this past weekend, was effusive in his praise of the Perfect Game model, noting that PG has been great to his family while helping Brandon achieve his long-term goals. If you want your kid to succeed in baseball, Sergio said, PG provides the barometer that can help gauge where he stands amongst his peers.

The reason for that is a simple one: all the best kids are right there on the same fields competing with or against one another. There are the scouting reports, the write-ups, the rankings, the personal accounts like this one and any number of other data points that can help determine who really should be invited to the PG All-American Classic.

“For me as a dad it’s awesome, right,” Sergio said. “You know that all of his friends and his peers are reading Perfect Game articles and your son’s out there; everything that’s ever written is never biased and straight to the point [so] it’s been great.

“The relationships he’s had with his teammates is amazing. Brandon has so many followers and any event we go to it seems like he knows everybody. From a social dynamic you can’t replace that because networking is the basis of life.”

Brandon Barriera spent his early years in New York City where, according to Sergio, his great grandmother was a huge Yankees fan. And possibly through simple osmosis, the rest of the family became Yankees fans, as well. She was Brandon’s primary care-giver during his early childhood while his parents worked at their jobs so Brandon would spend many of his summer days watching the boys from the Bronx on TV as often as time allowed.

Sergio considered himself an avid fan but more specifically he was and a fan of Andy Pettitte, the Yanks’ three-time All-Star left-hander and four-time World Series champion.

“When Brandon was about 5 [years old] he came up to me and said, Dad, I want to be the next Andy Pettitte; that was pretty much the start of it,” Sergio told PG. “We moved down to South Florida [in 2010 when Brandon was 6] and we got him started on one of those rec ball teams for one year and then we started playing travel baseball the year after that.”

Sergio called the journey with his son to this point “a long but rewarding one.” Sergio, whose high school athletic background was with basketball and not baseball, remembered thinking that Brandon just really wasn’t all that good. He spent nearly the first six years of his involvement with travel ball riding the bench and Sergio just didn’t understand what all the hype surrounding his son was all about.

But the kid was now in the company of James, who kept telling Sergio that hey, no worries, one day your kid is going to be a stud. That was difficult for Brandon’s dad to understand because he just didn’t see the potential other talent evaluators were seeing. What Sergio was seeing was a youngster who struggled to throw strikes and was giving up runs in bunches.

“And then one day Nick James said, 'Hey, you guys should do the USA Baseball trials in California,' and that was for the top kids in the nation,” Sergio said. “He convinced us to go and that was the first time Brandon put it all together on that [big] stage. He went out and he made the 12u USA [National] Team and from then on not only did his confidence change but his work ethic changed.

“Being a 12-year-old and putting in the work he had to learn his craft...and wanting to be better, from then on it’s been the most rewarding experience,” he added. “You’ve kind of seen something...grow into what it is today; it’s been a hell of ride.”

Because of everything he’s already experienced through baseball, Brandon Barriera will be surrounded by dozens of old friends once he arrives in San Diego, even though he’s eager to make even more. There are 12 Florida preps on the Classic’s East Team roster, including No. 1 overall outfielder Elijah Green, No. 18 outfielder Roman Anthony and fellow pitchers Jurrangelo Cijntje, Luis Rujano and Jordan Vera.

“If you’re talking about any of the Florida guys I’ve literally grown-up playing against them,” Barriera said through a laugh. “Especially Sal Stewart and Jordan Vera, literally I’ve grown up playing these guys. Every week or every weekend we’re playing in the same league against each other so after a while it’s just like it’s the same people.”

Brandon Barriera’s commitment to Vanderbilt is a source of pride to the entire family, which also includes 14-year-old sister Laila. Sergio said that Vandy has long been his son’s favorite school and that early on Brandon set his sights on developing into a top pitching prospect with the dream of one day pitching for the Commodores.

It makes him proud as a dad to think there really isn’t much the kid can’t accomplish if he really puts the work in, and that applies to the academic side of the ledger, as well. Brandon is proud of the commitment, as well.

“It’s definitely the work ethic; just the way they want to win and want to succeed that made me fall in love with it even more,” he said of the Vanderbilt program. “Obviously growing up when I started watching college baseball I grew toward Vanderbilt watching Walker Buehler pitch and Dansby Swanson play.

“Just the way they take the field and playing together and having this camaraderie and becoming a family on and off the field...And you can’t go wrong academically, too, so it’s a blessing both ways.”

It’s likely to be many months before Brandon Barriera steps foot on Vanderbilt’s Nashville campus and that’s only if the 2022 MLB Amateur Draft doesn’t come into play. Next up for the talented left-hander is the PG All-American Classic, a place where he can go and have fun with all his friends while any outside pressures melt away like ice cream on Pacific Beach boardwalk.

“The one thing you live for as a parent is seeing your kid just smile and enjoy the moment,” Sergio Barriera said. “There hasn’t been a moment yet that’s been too big for him because all he does is smile...For me that’s worth everything in the world, more than the accolades, it’s just seeing your kid have fun pursuing what he loves. That’s worth it just being in the stands.”

PERFECTGAME.TV

Give us your feedback

All American Game | Story | 8/21/2026

Brotherly Love Inspires Carter Hadnot

Jim Salisbury

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...

Tournaments | Story | 10/19/2026

PG Draft: Jupiter Draft Movers

Tyler Henninger

The WWBA World Championship remains one of the premier events on the draft calendar as all 30 major league organizations descend on Jupiter to evaluate some of the top talent in amateur baseball. The event serves as a pivotal checkpoint in the scouting process, giving established prospects an opportunity to further elevate their stock while lesser-known names have a chance to put themselves on the radar of various organizations. This year was no exception, as several players made strong impressions and positioned themselves for increased attention heading into the spring. With that being said, let’s dive into a few draft risers and sleepers who stood out in Jupiter. Calum Andersen (‘27,CAN) had his A stuff working today running the FB to 96 mph with a devastating horizontal SL at 85 mph that can break bats. Mixed in a late breaking 12/6 curveball at 78 mph that induces weak...

Tournaments | Story | 10/20/2026

Jupiter Recap: Stars Being Stars

Vincent Cervino

WWBA World Championship Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 PG Draft: Jupiter Draft Movers With the 2026 WWBA World Championship in the rearview mirror, we're going to begin our breakdowns of 4 different subcategories, beginning today with the Stars Being Stars category. Most of the players below are household names or were teetering on the edge of such recognition, using Jupiter as their launching pad. From Perfect Game All-Americans to some serious helium names for the MLB Draft, the PG crew breaks them all down below. ‘27 Samir Mohammed (FL) racked up 11 Ks thru 5 IP on 75% strikes. FB lived 98-99, T100 w/ tons of ASR & life thru the zone. Hit 99 mph 10+ times incl his final pitch of the outing. Had his sharp vert CB on a string & faded the CHG effectively vs LHHs (clip). #LSU commit. @PG_Draft #WWBAWorlds @Florida_PG — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting)...

Draft | Prospect Scouting Reports | 10/15/2026

Beyond the Board: C/UTL Gavin Kelly

Tyler Henninger

Beyond the Board: SS Dylan Seward As the 2027 draft cycle moves through the fall and into the offseason, we kick off a new series called Beyond The Board. With each installment, we will provide an in-depth scouting report for some of the top players in the class, breaking down their tools, strengths, question marks, and overall projection. This week we are diving in West Virginia’s Gavin Kelly. The Mountaineer backstop posted a .382/.477/.725 slash line with 19 home runs, 44 extra-base hits, and helped lead WVU to Omaha in ‘26. Let’s dive in. Player: Gavin Kelly Position: C/UTL B/T: R/R Height: 6-foot-0 Weight: 175-pounds School: West Virginia Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pen. Physical Description: 6-0/175. Lean, athletic build. Sneaky strength throughout. Frame has room to fill out and get stronger. Slo-mo look at the HR by Gavin Kelly (@WVUBaseball)....

Tournaments | Story | 10/15/2026

Big Offense Propels TBT/FTB to Title

Hannah Jo Groves

Big Offense Wins TBT/FTB Phillies Scout WWBA Freshman Title Runs scoring in every inning led to the TBT/FTB Phillies Scout Team taking home the 2026 PG WWBA Freshman World Championship - winning over Canes National 15U 10-5. It had been a long week in West Palm Beach for the freshmen coming in from around the country to go up against the best of the best. While they had gotten to play on the backfields during the whole tournament, the players who made it to the championship game got to play it in the CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches Stadium. TBT/FTB showed their defensive strength right away - executing quickly to retire each of the first three batters. With the bats in their hands, they also showed speed to deliver - with Luca Briggs batting Trey Vandergriff in for the first run of the game and Kingston George quickly plating Briggs with a double in the next at-bat. In the first at-bat of...

Tournaments | Story | 10/14/2026

Beast of the East Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff

‘31 Ryan Spann (GA) obliterates this ball for a solo HR 💣. Ball jumps off barrel & shows the juice and & PS impact. 3x @PGSelectFest alum. #BeastOfTheEast @PG_Georgia https://t.co/TgVGPfDRYc — Perfect Game Youth (@PGYouthBB) October 10, 2026 Ryan Spann (2031, Warner Robins, Ga.) took home MVP honors after a standout weekend and finishing as the number one player on the top performers list. The top player from Georgia and number two player in the country led all performers in home runs (2) and tallied 7 RBIs on his way to a .400 average. The overall profile on Spann is super advanced for the age with electric offensive upside and one of if not the prettiest swing in the class. This will be a fun follow for years to come and I am all in. Carlo Rivero (2031, Apopka, Fla.) checks in as the number one overall player in the class and it’s easy to see why at...

Press Release | Press Release | 10/14/2026

Perfect Game Extends Turtlebox Deal

667 Progress Way | Sanford, FL 32771 | 319-298-2923 www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PERFECT GAME EXTENDS PARTNERSHIP WITH TURTLEBOX AS OFFICIAL BLUETOOTH SPEAKER AND AUDIO PROVIDER Sanford, Florida (Wednesday, October 14, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced that Turtlebox has extended its partnership as the Official Bluetooth Speaker and Audio Provider of Perfect Game. The relationship, which began in 2023, expands to include original content, player recognition and a larger presence at Perfect Game's marquee events. At the center of the extension is "Turtlebox Cage Sessions," a new series produced and distributed by Perfect Game across all its social media platforms. The 12 short-form episodes will feature...

Tournaments | Story | 10/13/2026

East Cobb/Padres Explode Late for Jupiter Win

Hannah Jo Groves

East Cobb/SD Padres ST Explode Late for WWBA Worlds Win A hard-fought, crazy ending resulted in the East Cobb/SD Padres scout team coming back and winning the 2026 PG WWBA World Championship over the SBA/Marlins Scout Team 2028. The score was 8-7 after the championship was won with a walk-off balk. After going against some of the most talented, highly-ranked players in the country for the past couple days, it was finally time for the championship game at Roger Dean Complex Stadium in Jupiter, FL. The WWBA World Championship, or, as it’s more commonly and lovingly referred to as, “Jupiter,” has become a favorite for all who have been part of its iconic, golf-cart infested, electric atmosphere. This championship game was sure to entertain. The first two innings were scoreless for both teams as they got settled. Both defenses were making plays - SBA/Marlins executed a...

Tournaments | Story | 10/12/2026

WWBA Freshman Scout Notes: Day 4

Marcus Thomas

WWBA Freshman Scout Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 James Watson (2030, Canton, Ga.) showed the two-way upside to start bracket play for East Cobb Astros 15u. On the mound the right-handed pitcher went three innings and with three strikeouts and spread five hits and two walks for three runs. Watson works from a hybrid windup from the middle-of-the-rubber into a small heel-turn and an around-the-belt leg lift before using drop-and-drive back leg mechanics into a longer, in-line stride down the mound. Showed some feel to get extension down the mound. The hands separate into a moderate arm action before accelerating through from an over-the-top arm angle. The fastball ran up to 86 with arm-side run and life. Paired it with a curveball with 11-5 shape and solid two-plane break. Mixed in a change-up in the upper- 70s with some vertical depth. Competed at the top of the zone well. Athletic...

Tournaments | Story | 10/12/2026

WWBA World Champ. Scout Notes: Day 4

AJ Denny

WWBA World Championship Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 ‘27 Mark Susa (WI) picked up 3 Ks thru 2 inn of work. 4SFB topped at 90 mph early on; 2S lived 85-86 w/ good run & sink down in the zone. Spun a 2600 rpm SLV w/ sharp traits (clip). Got up to 7’1” of extension. 6’4/200lb frame w/ more to come. #IUBase #WWBAWorlds @PG_WiscMinn https://t.co/uXfjVSSSZF — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) October 11, 2026 Mark Susa (2027, Hudson, Wisc.) put together a quality outing on Sunday, striking out three batters over 2.1 innings of work. The 6-foot-4 200-pound left-hander ran his fastball up to 90 mph, pairing it with a two-seamer that lived in the 85-86 mph range with heavy sink and arm-side run. He also showed great feel for spinning and locating his slurvy breaking ball, which read spin up to 2600 rpm. Susa utilizes his length to his advantage, creating...

Tournaments | Story | 10/11/2026

WWBA World Champ. Scout Notes: Day 3

Kyler Peterson

WWBA World Championship Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 ‘28 Alan Zimmerman (FL) racked up 5 Ks w/ just 1 H allowed thru 3 shutout frames. Lived 89-90 T91 w/ lots of life thru the zone & some ASR. Dropped in a 12/6 breaker for Ks (clip). Projectable 6’3” mold. #Uncommitted @PG_Uncommitted #WWBAWorlds @Florida_PG https://t.co/KTDFpGK49y — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) October 10, 2026 Alan Zimmerman (2028, Winter Garden, Fla.) was dominant in his start on Saturday, collecting five strikeouts through three shutout innings while allowing just one hit. The uncommitted 6-foot-3 right-hander showed out in front of a lot of scouts, running his fastball up to 91 mph. The heater plays up with lots of life through the zone and short arm-side run. Zimmerman sat comfortably in the 88-90 mph range, pairing his fastball with a late-acting 12/6 curveball that was landed...

Loading more articles...

PERFECTGAME.TV

SPEND MORE. SAVE MORE.

Event Types

Special Events

Featured

Baseball Showcases

Player Rankings

DRAFT BOARD

Team Rankings

Travel Team Rankings

College Rankings

Softball Player Rankings

Top Ranked Players

PG Rawlings Preseason All American

Top Ranked Teams

Recruiting Menu

Event Results

PG EVENT CONTENT

HIGH SCHOOL CONTENT

MLB DRAFT CONTENT

COLLEGE CONTENT

RECENT ARTICLES

PG Alumni

NOTABLE MLB PLAYERS

About Perfect Game