THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,401 MLB PLAYERS | 15,805 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,401 MLB PLAYERS | 15,805 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Sign in Create Account
Sign in Create Account
All American Game  | Story | 8/20/2021

Henry Set to Rep South Dakota at Classic

Blake Dowson
Photo: Austin Henry (Perfect Game)
The town of Dell Rapids, South Dakota is about 30 minutes straight north of Sioux Falls, has just about 4,000 people living in town, around 300 students at its high school, and one Perfect Game All-American.
 
Austin Henry, the No. 48 overall prospect in the 2022 class and No. 9 right-handed pitcher, will head to San Diego this weekend as the state’s first-ever participant in the All-American Classic.
 
“I’m just honored to represent South Dakota and be the first guy to ever do it,” Henry said. “There’s been great baseball players that have come out of South Dakota, and for me to be the only one to represent the state at the All-American Classic, it’s an unbelievable honor.”
 
Henry doesn’t see his home state as any sort of impediment or excuse to pout about recruitment or prospect rankings.
 
It is true that there isn’t as much visibility in a state like South Dakota as there is in Georgia, Florida, Texas, or any of the other MLB Draft pipeline states. But it’s also true that if you put the work in, talent is talent and the right people will find you.
 
That’s what Henry has figured out through the years.
 
“I thought being from South Dakota might hold me back a lot more than it really has,” he said. “I feel like people in the past have used it as an excuse for not getting recruited and not getting exposure. I know there’s not a ton up here, but you just have to work a little harder. It’s not an excuse when you don’t get the exposure you want or don’t get offered by the right school.”
 
Henry’s story is an example of what he talks about.
 
His first Perfect Game event was the 2020 West MLK Championship at Camelback Ranch out in Phoenix, Ariz. He pitched well – he was named to the all-tournament team in the upperclass division playing against older competition – but topped out at 85 mph with his fastball.
 
He spent the next year working on his craft, and showed up to the 2021 Pitcher/Catcher Indoor Showcase in Cedar Rapids, Iowa ready to show off his new arsenal. In the back of his head, he also knew a strong performance at Pitcher/Catcher could lead to an invite to PG National.
 
“My goal going into [Pitcher/Catcher Indoor] was to get my Perfect Game profile up to date, because before that, the only other PG event I had been at was the West MLK in 2020,” Henry said. “I wanted to show some of the progress I had been working on. Really my main motivation going into that event…was to get that PG National invite.”
 
The reviews were glowing from the scouting staff at that event for Henry, who showed off his 6-foot-5 frame and explosive delivery in a showcase setting for the first time.
 
He worked an 89 mph at the top of the zone consistently, and paired it with a hammer curveball below the zone to garner a ton of swing-and-miss. The dominant outing showed the potential Henry provides, as well as the right-now production he brings.
 
The invite to PG National did come because of his performance at Pitcher/Catcher, and that’s when things changed for Henry, according to him.
 
He became rather famous at Tropicana Field in mid-July.
 
“I knew I had been on a climb up this summer, but when stuff really started to get real was at Perfect Game National,” Henry said. “I went out there and threw, and it opened a lot of eyes, and stuff started to get real. My ranking went up, I was getting all this national publicity, social media and all this other stuff. Ever since that day, I’ve had the idea that this could really be where my future is.”
 
He threw two innings at National, striking out five, allowing just one hit, and ran his fastball up to 92 mph, all while throwing strikes at a 66 percent rate. Henry also proved to be one of this class’ spin rate darlings, with his hammer curveball registering rates above 3,200 RPM.
 
For reference, the MLB average on a 12-6 curveball like Henry’s is somewhere between 2,500-2,600 RPM. Henry’s curve would be among the hardest-spinning in MLB.
 




The newfound spin comes from a change in Henry’s grip. A minor league teammate of Henry’s pitching coach really spun his curveball, and he is now borrowing that grip. It seems to be working.
 
He didn’t surprise himself at National, although he did have that effect on pretty much everyone else who watched him at the Trop. He just wanted to compete, and competing against the best players in the country wasn’t something that up to that point he had had a ton of opportunities to do.

“I’m trying to beat whoever it is who’s trying to hit off me,” Henry said. “They’re trying to beat me. It’s that competitiveness that I feel like keeps me in the running with all these other kids from the Floridas and Georgias and other big states.”
 
Now, thanks to his performance against those kids from Florida and Georgia, he will see them again out in San Diego for the Perfect Game All-American Classic.
 
It’s been a rapid rise for Henry, and the Classic wasn’t really on his radar, even immediately after his performance at National.
 
August is typically reserved for two-a-day football practices – Henry is a quarterback at Dell Rapids – but this year has involved two trips out to San Diego for Area Codes and the All-American Classic.
 
Post routes and pre-snap reads will have to take a backseat to that hammer curveball this weekend.
 
“When I first [found out] I had been selected, it was unlike anything ever,” Henry said. “You read it, ‘Austin Henry, you have been selected for the All-American Classic’ and I just went, ‘Wow.’”
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
College | Rankings | 4/6/2026

College Top 25: April 6

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
With another week in the books, some teams at the top continue to prove they are elite, and others continue to fall by the wayside.  Meanwhile, there were several teams that had been lingering outside the Top 25 that had huge weekends to put themselves in the thick of things as every weekend has significant consequences for good or for bad.  The No. 1 UCLA Bruins (29-2) have now pushed their win streak to an incredible 23-games as they swept USC (27-6) who was previously ranked No. 7 in the poll.  The Bruins are off to a perfect (15-0) start in Big Ten play and are without a doubt the most complete team in the country right now.  The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (26-5) move up to No. 2 this week after they dismantled now No. 12 Auburn (22-9) in the midweek and then swept Cal on the West Coast last weekend.  Texas (26-5) moves down one spot to No. 3 this week after...
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
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.