THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,630 MLB PLAYERS | 16,400 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,630 MLB PLAYERS | 16,400 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Sign in Create Account
Sign in Create Account
College  | Story | 10/28/2021

The PG Path: Max Carlson

Craig Cozart
Photo: Max Carlson (UNC Athletics)
“Baseball is a lot like life. It’s a day-to-day existence, full of ups and downs. You make the most of your opportunities in baseball as you do in life.” - Ernie Harwell 

Perfect Game had the opportunity to catch up with former Perfect Game All-American and current University of North Carolina pitcher, Maxwell Carlson, to ask him about his experiences that have led him to where he is today. We appreciate him taking the time out of his busy schedule and hope we can all learn a few things from his path thus far in baseball and in life. 



PG: What is your first memory involving the game of baseball? 

Carlson: It was my first season of coach pitch, and I was so excited because our team was the Dodgers. We had Big League replica jerseys, and in the team picture I was wearing a pair of my older brother's hand-me-down baseball pants. They had to have been five or six sizes too big and it was all I could do just to get them to stay up. But it did not matter to me because I was just excited to get the chance to play the game...that is the perspective I try to keep to this day. 


PG:  How old were you when you first started playing “travel” baseball? 

MC: When I was 9 years old, I made the Burnsville 10u Double A team and we traveled around the state of Minnesota on the weekends playing tournaments. Because I was from a fairly small town, most of us on that team played together all the way through high school. So, we made lifelong friends and had tremendous loyalty and camaraderie.  
  

PG: Who were a couple of the most influential people in your baseball career as you were growing up? 

MC: The first person that comes to mind is my older brother, Samuel Carlson. He is currently pitching in the Seattle Mariners organization and watching him go through the recruiting process and navigate professional baseball has given me the blueprint to success. Also, Adam Barta, the head coach of the Minnesota Blizzard, the travel ball organization I played for most of my career had a significant impact. He started working with me as a pitcher when I was 9 years old and really developed my foundation on the mound to where I am today. 


PG: Growing up in a cold weather region like Minnesota, what were some things you did to develop yourself into one of the elite pitchers in the nation? 

MC: Well, the first thing was that from a mentality standpoint, I never allowed myself to look at living up north as a disadvantage. Sure, it brought certain challenges but playing in the cold demanded that I have a tougher mentality and not allow weather conditions to be a deterrent to peak performance. Pitching wise, I had to do most of my throwing program indoors, so I had to teach myself the angles and intensities I should work at while throwing into a net rather than being out on a field where I could see the flight of the ball. 

 
PG: When you hear the words, Perfect Game Baseball, what is the first thing that comes to mind? 

MC: Petco Park! I had such an amazing experience as a Perfect Game All-American! Other than that, just the most competitive baseball events around. 

 
PG: How old were you when you played in your first Perfect Game event and where was it? 

MC: I was 13 years old and playing up with one of the older Minnesota Blizzard teams in Phoenix, Ariz. I can distinctly remember walking into the venue and looking around and just being amazed at how big all the players on the other teams seemed to be. Having that opportunity at an early age and knowing I had to step up to the plate and perform was very impactful for me and the rest of my career. 

 
PG: What is your all-time favorite PG venue and why? 

MC: Without a doubt, it was Petco Park, not only because it was a Big League stadium, and I was an All-American, but because of the crowd size. Being from Minnesota I was never exposed to playing in front of such a large crowd and that was important exposure for me to learn to control my emotions in a big-time situation. 


PG: What was your favorite memory from a team standpoint in a Perfect Game event? 

MC: In the fall of my senior year, I played some events with the Evoshield Canes organization, and we won one of the main WWBA events in Phoenix, Ariz. that fall. It is so difficult at that level to win a PG event because the competition is so intense. I just remember the last out of the championship game; us dogpiling on the field and what a rush of adrenaline that moment was for the team. 

 
PG: From an individual standpoint, what was your best performance or fondest memory on the mound? 

MC: It has to be when I was in high school, and we were in the sectional semifinals. We had to win twice in a row against the same team in order to advance. I started the first game and my brother, Sam, closed it for the victory in game 1. Sam then proceeded to start game 2 and we went on to win that game as well and play for the state championship. 

 
PG: Do you feel like Perfect Game as organization had an impact on your career, your opportunity to be recruited and be considered for the MLB Draft? 

MC: Without a doubt, coming from a small town in Minnesota, without the platform that Perfect Game creates for us to compete in the game, I am not sure where I would have ended up in my career. The credibility that PG events carry draws so many college and professional scouts that it gives prospects from anywhere to get valuable exposure. 

 
PG:  Being a Perfect Game All-American, what does that mean to you to this day? 

MC: It is a very fond memory in my mind, but it does not define me as a person or a player. I am still just Max Carlson from Minnesota, and I will never lose that perspective. It was a great honor and nice to be recognized for my talent to that point but that does not mean success is guaranteed in the future. If anything, it means you must work that much harder and continue the journey of becoming the best player and person I can possibly be going forward. 

 
PG: Based on all you have been through, what advice would you have for younger players who are getting ready to or are in the middle of the recruiting process? 

MC: I would say, do not get too far ahead of yourself and be realistic. In other words, make the process happen on your timeline and do not let things speed up if you are not comfortable with it. Also, when I say be realistic, I mean explore all options. Even if you are determined to be a Division-I baseball player, see what the JUCO or D-II schools have to offer and have to say. You will be happiest where you are seeing the field and getting in the lineup. 

 
PG: Playing collegiately at the University of North Carolina, why did you choose to become a Tarheel? 

MC: An important thing in my recruiting process was finding a place where I could live, and it would feel like home to me. That is what I feel here in Chapel Hill, and I love it here and if I could go back, I would not change a thing. 


PG: What is the best part about being a member of the UNC baseball team and how have you grown as an individual? 

MC: First and foremost, I would say I have learned to manage my time more effectively and being punctual. I have learned to have my priorities in order, and I feel like I have become much more of a well-rounded person. From a team standpoint, the best part is the chemistry of the team and the lifelong friendships I have already developed. 

 
PG: What has been the biggest challenge in your career thus far and what could young players learn from your experience? 

MC: DO YOUR ARM CARE! I was always dedicated to my arm care, but I did have to have elbow surgery in May of 2021. I did get my toes wet early last spring with the Tarheels but that ended abruptly with the elbow injury. So, that has been a real challenge, but I am well taken care of here and I know I will be back and full-go shortly. Take care of your bodies and work hard in all aspects of strength and conditioning and arm maintenance. 


PG: Most baseball players are very routine oriented and have superstitions. Do you have any interesting routines, go-to pregame meals or superstitions? 

MC: I do not necessarily have any superstitions, that’s kind of lame but that is just the way it is. Pregame meals, they feed us really well here and I just take whatever they have out for the pregame spread. However, my favorite would be when they give us Tropical Smoothie, so that could be my go-to meal. 


PG: Last question here, now that you have had a wide array of baseball experience, what do you know now that you wish you would have known back when you were a younger player? 

MC: Do not take it too seriously, you need to have fun playing the game. Not that you do not care if you win or lose but I wish I had reminded myself to enjoy the moments a little more. This game provides us with so many unique sights and sounds that you have to be able to step back and genuinely appreciate the moments. Hopefully, I will be fortunate enough to make a career out of playing this great game, so we will see what is in store for me down the road. 
         
Give us your feedback
College | Recruiting | 9/18/2026

Top DII/DIII/NAIA Incoming Freshmen
Article Image
Top Incoming DII Freshmen Rank Name Pos School HS City ST 1 Isaiah Fernandez C Barry Chaminade Madonna College Prep Fort Lauderdale FL 2 Jaiden Palmer SS Newberry University High School Deland FL 3 Mills Carrillo RHP Saint Leo Wesley Chapel Wesley Chapel FL 4 Reuben Vasquez OF Barry Strawberry Crest Dover FL 5 Andrew Petrock SS West Alabama Pelham Pelham AL 6 Jonathan Duffy OF Bentley Walt Whitman Huntington Station NY 7 Tyson McFarlin SS Texas A&M-Kingsville Elgin Elgin TX 8 Chip Glogorski C Georgia College & State Kings Ridge Christian Cumming GA 9 Tanner Pope 1B Francis Marion Garner Magnet Garner NC 10 Brice Gillis 1B University of North Georgia Wesleyan Johns Creek GA 11 Dillon O'Connor RHP Ferrum College The Miller School of Albemarle Charlottesville VA 12 Cooper Obst C Lander Pine Crest Fort Lauderdale FL 13 Brent Sollars OF Colorado Mesa Sandra Day O'Connor Phoenix AZ 14...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 9/24/2026

South Jupiter Qualifier Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Joshua Digulio (2027, Mont Belvieu, Texas) was a breakout performer for Texas Brigade 2027 - Gafford. Went 10-18 with a pair of doubles and a home run, while plating nine runs. Also showed some serious flashes defensively behind the plate. Physical frame with plenty of bat speed. Flatter bat path with a pull-side approach, geared towards backspinning with authority. Athletic backstop with tons of offensive upside. Dylan Buck (2027, Friendswood, Texas) put on a show for Up Top Prospects. Drove in 11 runs while going 5-11 with a pair of triples and a multi home run game on Saturday. Loose actions with a strong lower half. Adjusts well and generates plenty of torque as he works uphill. Serious power upside on display this weekend with more in that physical frame. Clyde Votaw (2027, Texas City, Texas) had a quality outing on the bump for Up Top Prospects. The Angelina College commit threw a...
Read More
Softball | Softball Tournament | 9/23/2026

PG Softball Twin Cities Elite Scouting Showcase

Ashley Mears
Article Image
2026 PG Softball Twin Cities Elite Scouting Showcase September 19th, 2026 Ashley Mears BLAINE, MN- Rain may have shortened the weekend but it didn’t shorten the competition. The tournament was STACKED with some of the top teams from South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin. The 16u division came down to Midwest Speed 16U Nat’l Chell taking home the trophy and shutting out a tough MN Sting National-Makela team. The 18U division came down to Midwest Speed 18u Nat’l Koltes loaded team out slugging Mission 18u National. 16U Taitum Kostecka (2028 Princeton, MN) of Midwest Speed 16U Nat’l Chell was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player for the second consecutive year. Kostecka is a speedy left-handed power hitter who is one of the toughest outs around, as she did not strike out a single time throughout the weekend. Starting in an open stance, she uses a...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 9/21/2026

BCS Fall Battle of the Carolinas Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
William Woody (2031, Charlotte, NC) stands at 5-foot-8, 106 pounds with an athletic build and a lean, developing frame. Shows good quickness and body control with room to add strength and size as he matures. Bats and throws right-handed and plays shortstop. Shows good feel for the barrel and consistently squares up the baseball. Shows good balance and timing throughout the swing. Woody went 2-for-3 with 2 RBIs for a solid day at the plate. Wade Alphin (2032, La Grange, NC) stands at 5-foot-7, 140 pounds, with a compact, athletic build. Shows good body control and coordination with a solid frame and room to add strength and size. Bats and throws right-handed and is a versatile utility player. Shows a line-drive approach with a strong base in the box and developing power. Makes consistent contact and stays disciplined at the plate. Alphin went 2-for-3 with 3 RBIs, putting together a great...
Read More
General | Blog | 9/21/2026

Wolforth Throwing Mentorship: Article 68

Ron Wolforth
Article Image
Are You Fixated on the Wrong Variable? Why Pitch Count Alone Was Never Going to Prevent Arm Injuries   You know a family this happened to. You might be one. They did everything right. They followed the pitch count. They honored the rest days. They tracked innings. They sat him when the chart said sit. They were the parents who spoke up when a coach wanted one more inning in a bracket game. And he got hurt anyway. I've been working with throwers for a long time, and that conversation is the one I have quite often… A parent sitting across from me genuinely bewildered because they followed the rules and the rules did not work. They usually assume they missed something. Most of the time they didn't. They managed exactly what they were told to manage. The problem is that what they were told to manage is one variable out of four.   The Uncomfortable Part First   Throwing...
Read More
Draft | Story | 9/19/2026

2027 Draft: Prep Demographic Breakdown

Ryan Miller
Article Image
The 2027 MLB Draft cycle is still in its early stages, but the overall makeup of the class is beginning to come into focus. With the first version of our Top-100 board out, we took a closer look at positional demographics from both college and prep players within the class.  Let’s kick things off with a deep dive into the prep class.  Prep Right-Handed Pitchers  Top Ranked Players: George Ferguson, Abilene (TX) | Brogan Witcher, Liberty (CA) | Ethan Gustus, Roseville (CA) | Cullen Scott, Melissa (TX) | Striker Pence, Corona (CA) | Samir Mohammed, Tampa Jesuit (FL) Potential Sleepers: Brennan Neal, Brookstone (GA) | Andrew Carlson, Trinity Classical Academy (CA) | Calum Andersen, Vauxhall Academy of Baseball (CAN) | Gavin Henderson, Boiling Springs (SC)    High speed look at the FF-CH from '27 RHP George Ferguson (TX)... #PGAAC @Texas_PG...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 9/18/2026

Northeast Qualifier Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Another day, another Gavin Greene (‘28 GA) barrel as the @AuburnBaseball commit is now hitting well over .500 on the event #NEQ<ahref="https: pg_scouting?ref_src="twsrc%5Etfw'">@PG_Scouting @PG_Georgia https://t.co/Lf6G8AExjB pic.twitter.com/LFMueYHMxB</ahref="https:> — Perfect Game Mid-Atlantic (@PGMidAtlantic) September 14, 2026 Gavin Greene (2028 Alpharetta, GA) played a major factor in AZ Diamondbacks Scout’s Championship run, finishing his weekend with a .528 AVG and 7 RBI. The 5-foot-11, 175 pound Auburn commit was simply a hit machine regardless of who was on the mound, showcasing the ability to handle velo with ease and repeat the stroke at a high level. Starting from a narrow and upright, slightly open base, Greene does a great job of working directly to the point of impact with consistent hard line drive impact to the pull side of the field. He...
Read More
Juco | Rankings | 9/18/2026

JUCO Impact: Top 100 D1 Transfers

Troy Sutherland
Article Image
With the season upon us, let's take a minute to look at 100 of the biggest impact players who played at the JUCO level last year and have since transferred to a D1 program for the upcoming spring.  RK Name JUCO in 2025 DI in 2026 1 Ryan Bradford Johnson County TCU 2 Carson Bailey McLennan Texas Tech 3 Kameron Yearsley John A. Logan  Oklahoma 4 Holden Pantier Walters State Georgia Tech 5 Caden Davidson Gaston Florida 6 Anthony Quigley Northwest Florida Oklahoma 7 Walt Jones Weatherford Kansas 8 Colin Coonradt Johnson County West Virginia 9 Collin Smith Cochise Kansas 10 Ned Frutchey Sac City Arkansas 11 Hayden Blair Walters State Georgia 12 Parker Ishee Co-Lin Oklahoma 13 Coy Clements Pearl River Florida State 14 Griffin Rardin Shelton State Alabama 15 Jordan Martinez Gulf Coast State Florida State 16 Noah Bentley Weatherford Oklahoma 17 Kole Fenton Walters State North Carolina...
Read More
Softball | Softball Tournament | 9/17/2026

PG Softball Des Moines Elite Scouting Showcase

Ashley Mears
Article Image
Perfect Game Des Moines Elite Scouting Showcase 2026 Indianola. IA Ashley Mears What started off a perfect weather weekend, unfortunately was cut short due to thunderstorms mid-morning on Sunday. In the 18u Division, the Iowa Gold Prospects and the Midwest Speed National Kotzmacher were undefeated. In the 16U Division, 515 Fastpitch Twogood and Iowa Premier Gold- Brower. The tournament featured a ton of solid hitters and pitchers from across the state and Minnesota. Even with the poor weather on Sunday, there was still plenty to see and write about! 18u Division Lexi Adams (2028 Ankeny, IA), a catcher for Iowa Gold Prospects, had a stellar weekend at the plate. Behind the plate, Adams shows strong command of the game and does an excellent job working the zone, using her framing ability to consistently give her pitchers a chance to earn borderline calls. At the plate, Adams starts from a...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 9/17/2026

South Underclass Qualifier Scout Notes

Geoff Billock
Article Image
Cole Marquardt (2029, Montgomery, Texas) left no doubt this weekend as he came home with Tournament MVP honors for his work with Banditos 2028 Black. Went 7-10 with a double, a home run, a pair of triples, and the walk off single in the championship game. Projectable left-handed swing with plenty of tools to dream on. Bat to ball was on point all weekend and he had plenty of chances to show off an advanced run tool. Plenty to dream on moving forward. Callen Corley (2028, Houston, Texas) put together a stellar two-way performance for Houston Wildcatters Navy 2028. At the plate, he went 5-10 with a double, triple, and home run, driving in seven runs. Sinks into his lower half well and creates strong angles for leverage. Plenty of power upside remaining in that frame, to go along with the twitch already present. On the mound, Corley went four shutout innings, surrendering just one hit while...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 9/16/2026

Midwest Labor Day Classic Scout Notes

Brayden Powell
Article Image
Ryan Jones (2027, Tinley Park, IL) was one of the most productive hitters of the weekend, collecting six hits, including three doubles and a home run, while driving in nine runs. The left-handed hitter consistently got the barrel out front and created hard contact throughout the event. Working from an open setup with high hands, he features a compact swing that allows him to get to the ball quickly. His hand speed stood out and helped him drive the baseball to multiple parts of the field. Jones showed a strong understanding of pitches he could handle and rarely missed opportunities to do damage. The swing remains efficient through the zone and produces carry off the barrel. His combination of consistent contact and extra-base impact made him a key offensive contributor all weekend. Uncommitted  JP Elbert (2027, Dubuque, IA) put together an impressive tournament, finishing with five...
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.