THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,397 MLB PLAYERS | 15,805 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,397 MLB PLAYERS | 15,805 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Sign in Create Account
Sign in Create Account
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.”
Give us your feedback
All American Game | Story | 4/2/2026

All American Classic Heading to Citizens Bank
Article Image
  667 Progress Way | Sanford, FL 32771 | 319-298-2923 www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   PERFECT GAME DICK’S ALL-AMERICAN CLASSIC HEADED TO CITIZENS BANK PARK IN 2026   Perfect Game makes debut at iconic Phillies venue during America’s 250th birthday celebration   Former Phillies Manager Charlie Manuel named Honorary Chairman of All-American Classic   Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Thursday, April 2, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced that the 2026 Perfect Game DICK’S All-American Classic will be played at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, marking the first time a Perfect Game event has ever been held at the iconic home of the Philadelphia Phillies.   The game will take place on...
Read More
Draft | Mock Draft | 4/3/2026

PG Staff Mock Draft

Jheremy Brown
Article Image
Welcome to another Perfect Game Mock Draft. This is not your typical mock draft as it features 15 different GMs drafting the first two rounds of the draft. Each member of the mock draft was assigned two teams and as such will be drafting all of the picks in the first two rounds for each responsible team. The actual draft order will be presented below and we will dive into how teams made their selections and how they feel about the players drafted. It is important to note that this is not how we think the draft will play out in almost any capacity. This is simply an exercise 4 months ahead of time with a large portion of the scouting staff and some picks fall under personal favorites, best available, and a multitude of other factors. Chicago White Sox 1:1 Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA | 1:41 Jack Radel, RHP, Notre Dame The White Sox don’t overthink here and select Roch Cholowsky, who has...
Read More
High School | General | 4/2/2026

High School Notebook: April 2

Steve Fiorindo
Article Image
Lennex Minor (‘28 CA) absolutely destroys this offering to the PS for a 2-run shot. 2-4 on the day w/ 4 driven in. Athletic in the box w/ a quick stroke and strength throughout the frame. Also closed out the game running the FB up to 88 in a St. Bernard win #PGHS @PG_Scouting pic.twitter.com/KF7BsKGcm7 — Perfect Game California (@California_PG) March 29, 2026 Lennex Minor, MIF/P, St. Bernard (2028) Minor had a massive day in my look this past Saturday in a game being played at the University of San Diego.  The sophomore had a pair of hits, one which was a no-doubt homer, and drove in four.  Minor’s athleticism jumps out on the field with twitchy actions both at the dish and in the dirt.  He features a 6-foot, 170-pound frame with room to add and generates from a strong lower half and exceptionally quick hands.  Showing two-way potential, he made an...
Read More
High School | General | 4/2/2026

NHSI Scout Notebook

Cam McElwaney
Article Image
An extended look at ‘26 RHP Wilson Andersen… 6 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 6 K. @HailStateBB signee. #NHSI26 @JesuitBaseball @Florida_PG @PG_Draft @PGAllAmerican https://t.co/VLwECd2qZ8 pic.twitter.com/JbTFR3Gd2l — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) March 30, 2026 Wilson Andersen, RHP, Tampa Jesuit  Andersen got the ball on day two of the event and showed a quick tempo, pounding the zone with a power mix. He ran the fastball up to 97 mph, working comfortably in the mid-90s, with a power curveball/changeup mix he showed confidence in. He’s one of the top right-handers in the class that saw his stock rise in Cary. Andersen is signed with Mississippi State.    An extended look at ‘26 RHP Cooper Sides… 5 IP, 6 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K. @LSUbaseball signee. #NHSI26 @olubaseball @PG_Draft @California_PG https://t.co/Ag1MfBAR5a pic.twitter.com/5wSszVjBn8...
Read More
College | Rankings | 4/1/2026

DII/DIII/NAIA Rankings Update: April 1

Nick Herfordt
Article Image
Welcome to another week of Perfect Game Small School baseball — and if you're looking for clarity at the top, you've come to the wrong place. Across all three classifications, the No. 1 spot is very much an open question, and nobody is sleeping comfortably right now. In NCAA Division II, Pittsburg State is stumbling at precisely the wrong moment, leaving the door cracked wide open for hungry challengers to come knocking. In the NAIA, defending national champion LSU Shreveport has dropped four straight and suddenly looks far more vulnerable than a program of their pedigree ever expects to be. And in NCAA Division III, the race for the top ranking is less a competition and more a ten-car pileup of elite programs, none of whom have done enough to pull away — and all of whom have done plenty to deserve it. Three classifications, three vacancies at the top, and a whole lot of...
Read More
Juco | Story | 4/1/2026

JUCO Top 25: April 1

Troy Sutherland
Article Image
Another week of JUCO baseball and another week full of wins for No. 1 ranked Johnson County . The Cavaliers have won 18 games in a row and have swept through the Jayhawk Conference to this point, setting a new school home run record along the way. Walters State returns to the top 5 this week on the strength of a 12-game winning streak. Both McLennan and Pearl River are coming off of undefeated weeks and look like strong top 10 caliber teams, while Midland (now 30-3) continues to climb in the rankings for the third consecutive week. For the first time all year this ranking will feature 4 California schools as Palomar joins Ohlone, Fresno City and Santa Ana in the JUCO rankings. Check back in next week for an update as most of JUCO baseball is now past its halfway point in the 2026 season. RK School Week Overall 1 Johnson County (KS) 4-0 34-2 2 Gaston (NC) 2-1 35-3 3 Walters State (TN) 3-0...
Read More
College | Story | 4/1/2026

Collegiate Midseason All-Americans

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
Collegiate Midseason Awards * denotes Midseason Award Winner - All-Americans chosen based on statistics, prospect status, future projection, among other factors - Only true freshmen considered for Freshmen All-American teams - All Statistics as of Monday, March 30th First Team Hitters Pos. Name School Class AVG OBP SLG R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB C Vahn Lackey Georgia Tech JR .423 .541 .845 36 41 9 1 10 36 7 1B Quinton Coats Cincinnati SO .360 .441 .896 38 45 8 1 19 46 7 2B Jarren Advincula Georgia Tech JR .411 .489 .563 31 46 2 0 5 30 5 3B Ace Reese Mississippi State JR .330 .417 .661 32 36 12 0 8 37 1 SS Roch Cholowsky UCLA JR .350 .493 .730 39 35 8 0 10 32 1 IF Dee Kennedy Kansas State JR .430 .549 .910 44 43 10 1 12 43 15 OF Will Gasparino UCLA JR .351 .468 .794 31 34 5 1 12 38 1 OF AJ Gracia Virginia JR .350 .504 .650 37 36 7 0 8 24 1 OF Landon Hairston* Arizona State SO .469 .551 1.027 44...
Read More
High School | Rankings | 3/31/2026

High School Top 50: March 31

Tyler Russo
Article Image
Another pair of weeks has gone by this high school season and with that we have another High School Top-50 Update. Southern states are within a few weeks of the end of the season while some northern states are just getting started this week. Through the end of the spring, we will be bringing you updates to the Top-50 along with state rankings updates coming soon. For the first time in 2026, we have a new #1 in the country as Orange Lutheran (CA) takes over the top spot after winning the NHSI. Venice (FL) came in second place at the NHSI after a thrilling game against Orange Lutheran and comes in at #2. Previous #1 team in the country St. John Bosco (CA) rounds out the top-3 and will have a big showdown against Orange Lutheran starting tonight. Barbe (LA) boasts a 26-1 record and comes in at #4 while Corona (CA) continues to string together wins and holds down the #5 spot in this update....
Read More
College | Story | 3/31/2026

PG Collegiate Midseason Awards

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
Midseason Awards  Perfect Game Midseason Player of the Year:  Landon Hairston, OF, Arizona State  The season sophomore outfielder Landon Hairston is putting together is generational, even amongst the Hall of Fame talent Arizona State has fielded over the years.  Hairston, the 5-11/195 sophomore outfielder from Queen City, AZ has his club on track for another postseason appearance and they will make plenty of noise in the Big 12 regular season.  To put things in perspective on Hairston’s season, he is currently 5th in the nation in batting average, 3rd in hits, 8th in hits per game, tied for 2nd in home runs, tied for 5th in runs scored and is 4th in runs batted in so far.  He holds a batting average of .469 while slugging 1.027 and reaching base over half the time with an OBP of .551.  Hairston walks more than he strikes out and has 12 doubles, 17...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 3/31/2026

14u East Spring Opener Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Roman Keister (2030, Dade City, FL) Could not miss the barrel this weekend tallying 6 hits including 2 triples and 4 RBI. Starts the load early and controls his body well, the up the middle approach really plays in game. Also worked from off the mound for an inning and picked up a punch out.  Colton Russo (2030, Coral Springs, FL) Showed off the power burning outfielders all weekend. 5 hits including two triples that carried over the CF and RF heads. Has a good understanding about using the lower half in the swing and the bat to ball skills really impressed.  Karson Blakney (2030, St. Augustine, FL) Made his impact in a big way this week, collecting the win in the quarterfinals. In his outing he went 5 shutout innings and struck out 5 while only allowing 2 hits. Worked in the mid 70s with the FB and topped out at 78. Also produced on offense driving in 5 RBI on 4 hits. ...
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.