THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,384 MLB PLAYERS | 15,801 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,384 MLB PLAYERS | 15,801 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Create Account
Sign in Create Account
All American Game  | Story | 8/20/2021

Henry Set to Rep South Dakota at Classic

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.’”

All American Game | Story | 9/15/2025

PG Athletes Raise Money For Charity

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
    667 Progress Way | Sanford, FL 32771 | 319-298-2923  www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA      FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE    PERFECT GAME ATHLETES RAISE MORE THAN $130,000   FOR CHILDREN’S CHARITIES THROUGHOUT AUGUST    Sanford, Florida (Monday, September 15, 2025) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced that its athletes raised a combined $130,195 for children’s charities during its August 2025 showcase events throughout the country.    The fundraising efforts took place at Perfect Game’s Select Festivals and the DICK’S All-American Classic, with each age group rallying behind a cause that supports children in need. The 11U and 12U Select Fests each benefited Elite Development Academy out...
Tournaments | Story | 12/17/2025

15u Tourney All-American Team

Jason Phillips
Article Image
Hitter of the Year: Landon Bonner The 2028 class saw many players from across the country take the next step in their development as they entered the High School ranks. There were huge performances from highly ranked players on the PG circuit as well as some under-the-radar guys who burst onto the scene. Landon Bonner came into Sophomore National as a Top 500 ranked player and after an impressive showing, left with all eyes on him as a rankings riser in the class. The left-handed hitting shortstop from The Colony, Texas, had a summer to remember with All-Tournament Team selections in three of his next four events culminating with a historic performance at the 2025 PG 15U WWBA National Championship. The Hebron High School prep went 20-for-24 in nine games for 5 Star Mafia 15U Black with four homeruns and 12 runs batted in. He also scored 17 runs and finished with a mind-boggling 2.500...
Tournaments | Story | 12/16/2025

16u Tourney All-American Team

AJ Denny
Article Image
Hitter of the Year: Koa Romero is the Hitter of the Year for the 16u group, as he would come to every premier event of the summer and earn All-Tournament honors (Beast of the East, 16/17u WWBA, Jupiter) in every single one. Over 82 plate appearances, Romero would pump ten homeruns with forty two RBI and sixteen walks, good for a .378 average and 1.339 OPS. The performance on volume at the best events of the year pushed Romero over the edge here, as he’d hit a pair of homeruns in Jupiter (one of them at 112 EV) as an underclassmen and collect double digit hits in BOTH WWBA events with a combined six jacks over the two tournaments. It was a summer that combined performance and winning on the biggest stages for Romero. It’s a quiet left-handed swing that packs a punch. He would reap the benefits of his performances, earning a commitment to LSU and jumping to the #74 prospect in...
College | Recruiting | 12/15/2025

Recruiting Notebook: December 15

John McAdams
Article Image
Tucker Rice (27 MS) bumping up to 91; living hi-80s from real fast arm. Good SL @ 77-79 w/ depth & sold w/ intent. Loads of traits & strikes. #WWBA @PG_Uncommitted @PG_DeepSouth pic.twitter.com/DEjFqRcsIY — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) July 6, 2025 Tucker Rice, RHP, Class of 2027 Commitment: Alabama Alabama has continued to stay red hot in the recruiting trail ever since August 1st rolled around on the calendar and have continued to stack major pieces in their ’27 class. They dip into Mississippi to land one of the premier arms and one that’s stood out on the circuit for quite some time. It’s a fast arm and the athleticism certainly shines working down the slope. The velocity has continued to tick up over the last calendar year and reached into the low-90s towards the end of the summer. He’s confident in his changeup and the breaking ball is...
Tournaments | Story | 12/15/2025

17u Tourney All-American Team

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
There’s a lot of talent throughout this 2026 class, filled with the big-name stars, to talent that spreads across the nation. It’s been a lot of fun seeing these prospects grow and develop over the years, from the days of watching some of these guys at the 13/14u days at events on the circuit, to now where they are all graduating seniors in 2026. There’s been new faces who have popped along the way over the years, even in 2026, where some players who were relatively undiscovered, have come out and made a name for themselves with a statement performance. Between the familiar and the new, there’s a lot of names on this list that are going to be quite regularly talked about on the circuit, and for good reason.  Whether it’s PG All-Americans or not, there’s a lot of names with superstar potential at the next level. We’ve got 14 PG All-Americans...
Tournaments | Story | 12/13/2025

Finest in the Field: Class of 2029

Tyler Russo
Article Image
Finest in the Field: Class of 2026 | Class of 2027 | Class of 2028 These guys might just be entering high school, but they've certainly already made a name for themselves on the national circuit, especially with their abilities on the defensive side of things.  C: Xavier Rodriguez (Logansville, GA) Rodriguez is a polished defender with real arm strength behind the dish, while showcasing the ability to impact the baseball with authority to all fields evident by thirty of his sixty-five hits going for extra-bases including seven bombs. He handles high-level pitching extremely well, commands his staff and his offensive prowess makes him a true two-way asset. 1B: Cooper Knight (Buda, TX) Knight is a smooth operator at first base with plenty of range, fluidity and agility in his footwork around the bag. Add-in a rocket for an arm, the ability to change slots and to...
Tournaments | Story | 12/12/2025

Scout Stories: Part 5

AJ Denny
Article Image
Best Game I Saw: The Dream NTL 18U vs. MBA Scout Team Murphy Jupiter always brings out the best, and we got fireworks from the jump. Turner Marshall gave The Dream an outstanding 4+ innings of work on the mound, holding a lethal MBA team at bay with Chance Dixon, Derrick Carter, and Ellis Appling providing an offensive spark out of the gate for the Georgia based boys. However, it was only a matter of time before the talent on the other side got going, as MBA erased a 3-run deficit in the 5th to take a 4-3 lead led by a Parker Loew HR. The Dream then took command again in the Top of the 6th, before MBA punched right back with a huge 5-run inning in the bottom half capped off by a clutch RBI single from Matthew Kerrigan, ending a wild sequence with tons of notable performances from two very competitive rosters. Best Tournament Performance I Saw: Surely someone has already brought this...
College | Story | 12/12/2025

College Notebook: December 12

Craig Cozart
Article Image
Nebraska Cornhuskers 2025 Highlights: The Cornhuskers were a difficult team to figure in ’25 as they finished with 33 wins, played just .500 (15-15) in the Big Ten but had some big wins at various times during the season and got hot at the right time. They knocked off then #16 Vanderbilt in the second game of the year, beat #5 Oregon State 2-out-of-3 at home in late March and then got hot at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha to win the Big Ten Tournament. They beat Michigan State in a 10-inning thriller before taking care of #4 Oregon, knocking off Penn State and then shutout #13 UCLA to punch their ticket to the Chapel Hill Regional. Head coach Will Bolt has now led his alma mater to three conference titles and three NCAA Regional appearances during his six years in Lincoln. No different than when he was a player, Bolt’s teams play with passion and toughness, this was never more...
Tournaments | Story | 12/12/2025

Finest in the Field: Class of 2028

Troy Sutherland
Article Image
Finest in the Field: Class of 2026 | Class of 2027 You like athletes? You like defenders who can impact a game at any given point? Look not further than this class as it's loaded from coast-to-coast with elite defenders all over the diamond.  C: Brogan Witcher, Bakersfield, CA Our scouting staff got several strong looks at Witcher whether that was at the Summer Kickoff, Sophomore National or the Underclass All American Games where he showcased his strong overall skillset and especially his advanced ability behind the plate. His 6-foot-3,180 pound build looks like one that will fill in quite nicely and be that big and physical catcher’s frame. His arm talent is undeniable where he gets it out quick and runs it up to 79 mph on throwdowns to 2nd (1.84 pop). Besides the standout catch/throw ability, we’ve seen him frame/receive strong arms and block it well during...
Softball | Softball Tournament | 12/11/2025

PG Softball "Toys 4 Tots" Fundraiser 18U division

Dave Durbala
Article Image
BURLINGTON, IA - 2025 Perfect Game Softball Toys 4 Tots Fundraiser One Day, December 7, 2025. Kicking off the holiday season, six teams participated in this one day, 3 game guarantee tournament in the 18u Division. We would like to thank those that donated a toy, and know that they will be distributed to area underprivileged children through a local charity organization. Following are some of the top performers from the weekend. Earning Tournament MV-Pitcher was Jolee Strohmeyer (2026 Dubuque, IA), a RHP/UTIL with tournament champion Lady Expos Blue. Strohmeyer shows hitters a consistent and repeatable motion and delivery with good use of the legs in the drive phase, and a quick and aggressive arm whip. Working with a six pitch mix of fastball, change-up, rise, drop, curve and screw, Strohmeyer topped out at 60 mph, and showed good movement  as she worked her rise and curve just out...
Tournaments | Story | 12/11/2025

Scout Stories: Part 4

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
Scout Notes: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 Best Game I Saw: Hudson Reed (‘26, GA) torches this ball to deep CF for a solo 💣. Generates easy power that plays to the big part of the yard. Middle of the order traits #UBCWest @PG_Georgia @PG_Uncommitted pic.twitter.com/UXqDVFmUBx — Perfect Game California (@California_PG) June 18, 2025 I was fortunate enough to see a lot of highly competitive games with loads of talent on the field, the game that sticks out to me the most was Alpha Prime 2026 vs. ZT National Prospects at the UBC West. The game was an efficiently played affair with arms dominating on both sides. Graham Schlicht was masterful for Alpha, striking out 12 hitters over 5 dominant innings. PG All-American Julian Cazares came out of the pen blowing smoke, touching 97 mph with the fastball. On the other side, Jake Carbaugh surrendered just one hit and...
Loading more articles...