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Tournaments  | Story | 12/23/2021

Regional Review: Texas

Billy Cruz
Photo: Jordan Lawlar (Perfect Game)
With the Perfect Game scouting staff spread throughout the country and another action-packed season in the books, we'll take a look back at some highlights from individual states over the next couple of weeks, from the 13u level all the way up through the collegiate ranks and the MLB Draft.


Biggest 13u Moment/Breakout Player
Texas is well represented in the 2026 class with an exciting up-and-coming pool of talent. Among notable performances in the 2021 circuit, the biggest moments of the year came from the state’s top two ranks. Grady Emerson and CJ Sampson were exceptional at 13u National and 13u Select Festival. Sampson was named 13u Pitcher of the Year while Emerson, the No. 4 overall 2026 prospect, helped lead a dominant championship run at the 14u Worlds with his talent at the plate. Plenty still to come from this class, but the most intriguing breakout player was Miles Young, a physical 6-foot-2, 175-pound shortstop who seamlessly impacted games on both sides with a deep tool set on display at the South Elite Championships in the 16u group no less. 


Biggest 14u Moment/Breakout Player
The 2025s in Texas competed very well on some of the biggest 14u stages of 2021. A lot of anticipation lies ahead of these prospects' prep careers after finishing the season with several enticing early verbal commitments to the country’s top programs. There were a handful of notable big moments, but few compared to Vanderbilt commit Minjae Seo tossing a hitless eight-punchout outing at the Freshman Worlds and holding his own in a short appearance in the Upperclass World Championship, striking out two more in the same week. From the start of the spring, Jack McKernan was the clear biggest breakout player, who took leaps in the rankings with dominant performances and power stuff from the left side with more to come, the recent Texas commit really molded his craft on the mound posting strong starts week to week.


Biggest College Moments
Texas had an exciting 2021 campaign, making another College World Series appearance. Though the Longhorns fell one game short of the CWS Championship to the eventual national champions, their 50-17 season highlighted having no holes in their loaded lineup with some of college baseball’s top prospects leading the way and young talent making early impact. Dallas Baptist was also a fun watch in 2021, seeking their first CWS appearance and putting together a Top 25 stature to their 41-18 season that ended after winning the series opener against Virginia in the Super Regional.


Biggest Summer Moment
The 2021 Texas summer circuit provided some fun to watch next-level baseball. Standing out immediately is the power arm from 2023’s No. 10 prospect and 2023 draft eligible prospect, Travis Sykora. The 6-foot-5 athletic and physical presence on the mound still does not prepare you for 97 mph fastballs with life downhill, and not often are rising juniors prepared to make the adjustment at the plate against it. His first start of the summer at the South Invitational was a short two-inning stint with six strikeouts and not much hope to find the barrel against him.


Biggest Breakout Player
Jett Williams was a very fun to watch two-way talent all summer who made leaps in his big summer. He plays with excellent feel for the middle infield and a plus run tool he transfers to the field effectively. He put his five-tool potential on full display week-in and week-out, consistently productive with impact in every phase of the game. Williams is an athletic, compact 5-foot-8 frame with explosive tools and advanced strength heading in the right direction, bringing some excitement to the 2022 Mississippi State recruiting class.


Biggest Draft Moment
In the 2021 MLB Draft, Colton Cowser and Jordan Lawlar exemplified Texas amateur talent at the highest level with back-to-back early first round selections. The Baltimore Orioles put their trust in Southland’s Player of the Year, Cowser, with the No. 5 overall pick out of Sam Houston providing one of the most polished bats making it easy to jump his rank after an incredible college career, piecing together quite the track record alongside a pure hit tool we should see in the Big Leagues soon. Vanderbilt recruit and five-tool shortstop Lawler was the top prep position player in the draft selected at No. 6 overall by the Arizona Diamondbacks out of Jesuit in Dallas. 

Top Texas Travel Teams

2022 Grads: USA Prime 2022 National
National Rank: 10

2023 Grads: Lonestar Baseball 2023 National
National Rank: 17

2024 Grads: USA Prime 16u National
National Rank: 1

2025 Grads: 2025 Texas Twelve Black 
National Rank: 3

2026 Grads: USA Prime 14u National
National Rank: 1

A Look Ahead

High School: The 2022 Texas high school season is getting ready for another spring of some of the nation’s best teams and players across the state. Picking up where the 2021 season left off with Rockwall-Heath, Friendswood and Lake Travis as the top-three in Texas, I look forward to Lake Travis’s season and another year with an exciting pitching rotation, including the power arm duo from two-way player and Texas signee Pierce George and Texas A&M signee Luke Jackson bringing a difficult pair of low-90s arms both with feel to spin, alongside Rhode Island signee Cole Carroll and 2023 Alabama commit Jackson Baker to go to.

College: Texas is bringing back important players to the 2022 season with some exciting transfers and freshman talent in the mix. This program has looked spring ready since the start of fall, especially their unfair pitching depth, including 2023 draft eligible RHP Tanner Witt generating buzz and looking sharp on the mound in the fall, and there will be plenty of big moments to watch for from him. And after a dominant 2021 season, the experience returns with quality depth shaped for another highly-anticipated CWS run from the Longhorns. 
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Tournaments | Story | 8/7/2026

Tournament of Champion Notes: Part 2
Perfect Game Staff
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Tournament of Champions Scout Notes: Part 1 ‘27 LHP Jaylan Hortenbury (KY) @JHortenbury X @PG_Uncommitted FB 85-89/ touched 90. Arm-side life w/ some ride. SL in mid 70s (depth). CH showed as a weapon in the upper 7s. Some sweep to BB in low 7s. Athletic w/ two-way capabilities as well. #TOC šŸ‘€ @USAPrimeScout27 pic.twitter.com/vyj1Tb9nBN — Jordan Gates (@JGatesPG) July 30, 2026 Jaylan Hortenbury (2027, New Castle, Ky.) Hortenbury was probably one of my personal favorites, as this was my first time seeing it in action. It’s an athletic two-way profile that has a chance to do both at the next level. But what stood out to me, was his potential on the mound. The left-handed pitcher moves very well and is comfortable there. Has the mound presence Supplemented with a free-flowing and loose arm from a higher ¾ slot, he pounded the zone in his lone appearance. He went...
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12U Game Time: 8/9/2026 1PM Eastern

Perfect Game Staff
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Sunday August 9th, 2026 1:00PM Eastern DICK'S Sporting Goods Park at East Cobb West vs. East Follow and watch the game
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11U Game Time: 8/8/2026 Noon Eastern

Perfect Game Staff
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Saturday August 8th, 2026 12:00PM Eastern DICK'S Sporting Goods Park at East Cobb West vs. East Follow and watch the game
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Draft | Story | 8/7/2026

2026 MLB Draft Team Reports: NL West

Tyler Henninger
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College | Story | 8/7/2026

Cape Cod League Notebook: August 7

Perfect Game Staff
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RHP Jason Flores (@BaseballUGA) Showed some electric stuff, up to 98 several times CT, SL, CH to round out the arsenal in his 5IP 9K performance. @HarwichMariners So./‘27 elig pic.twitter.com/p2nTvkFnWh — PG College Baseball (@PGCollegeBall) August 5, 2026 Jason Flores | RHP | University of Georgia | Harwich Mariners  Flores heads to Georgia this fall looking to reestablish himself as one of the premier arms in the 2027 draft class after showing significant promise during his freshman season at Texas. Flores posted a 2.78 ERA over 32.1 innings as a freshman before a limited sophomore campaign in which he logged just 12 innings. The stuff was on full display this summer, highlighted by a dominant five-inning, nine-strikeout playoff performance in which he touched 98 mph five different times. His fastball averaged nearly 96 mph throughout his time on the Cape, pairing the...
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Tournaments | Championship | 8/6/2026

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Will Dembo
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Press Release | Press Release | 8/6/2026

PG Extends Partnership With Yeti

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  667 Progress Way | Sanford, FL 32771 | 319-298-2923 www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   PERFECT GAME EXTENDS PARTNERSHIP WITH YETI   Sanford, Florida (Thursday, August 6, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced an extension of its existing partnership with YETI, the premium outdoor gear brand and the Official Cooler and Drinkware Provider of Perfect Game Baseball and Softball. The partnership between Perfect Game and YETI began in 2021.   The expanded partnership will bring YETI’s products and brand to Perfect Game athletes, families and fans through a variety of activations across Perfect Game’s events and digital platforms. YETI will have a prominent presence both on-site and online, including exposure...
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Tournaments | Story | 8/6/2026

Tournament of Champions Notes: Part 1

Perfect Game Staff
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‘27 RHP/SS Carson Hailey (KY) Dominant 5.1 IP + 14 K’sā€¼ļø 2 ER on 3 H + 1BB. 69% strikes. FB lived 88-89 T92 w/ ASR + maintained velo. SL 77-80 w/ late sharp break. Throws downhill w/ good extension. Pitches tunnel well out of 3/4 slot. #TOC @carsonhailey_8 @2027TTKY @JGatesPG pic.twitter.com/UoL7newgi6 — Perfect Game Ohio Valley (@PG_OhioValley) July 29, 2026 Carson Hailey (2027, Louisville, Ky..) turned in a dominant outing, striking out 14 across 5.1 innings while allowing two earned runs on three hits and one walk. The 5-foot-11, 175-pound right-hander owns an athletic frame and worked with a controlled tempo on the mound. Hailey used a big leg kick and long stride with an easy lower half, creating downhill action and good extension toward the plate. He finished through his pitches well and maintained his velocity deep into the outing. The fastball lived at 88-89 mph...
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Tournaments | Story | 8/6/2026

East Coast Pro All Prospect Teams

Troy Sutherland
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1st Team C: Quincy Pratt (‘27 MS)-Max EV: 92- Put together a strong showing with multiple knocks; exits of 92/88/88. In-game pops right around 2 flat, 2.01 on a caught stealing and a 1.97. Swing plays and still a bunch of room to add muscle mass. Trending really nicely. 1B: Teagan Leach (‘27 VA)-60-yard: 7.02 Max EV: 105-On the barrel throughout ECP. Everything comes off hard and doesn't whiff much for a power led profile. 101 F8, 99 double left on left with a 4.72 turn, 105 double through the gap, and a 96 exit knock to his credit. Certified hitter that has plus strength now. IF: Isaiah Snavely (‘27 IN)-60-yard:6.71 Max EV: 96-Early attendance for the draft cycle rocket ship is always appreciated and Snavely is on it. 96/366 shot on a breaking ball to go with an 89 exit double and his other couple of hits on the week. 4.26 down the line and a 4.47 turn. Should stick in...
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Tournaments | Championship | 8/6/2026

Canes Walk Off In Florida Elite Champ.

Alyssa Golden
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A tightly contested battle between Canes Florida 2029 and Florida Flames 16u capped the 16U Florida Elite Championship, with the Canes earning a 6-5 walk-off win on Monday at JetBlue Park Stadium. “It means a lot to this team specifically because this is their first win as a group,” Canes head coach Alec Bettinger said. “We’ve come up short a couple times, so seeing one go through the hoop here is really nice for the boys.” The Canes defense came out hot, led by Cannon Tyler who started on the mound for the Canes. Tyler set the tone from the start, opening the game with a strikeout. He allowed no hits while striking out three over five innings. His fastball sat 77-82 mph. Another strikeout and a pickoff at second base ended the inning. Race McDaniel started on the mound for the Flames. The left-hander pitched six innings, striking out seven batters. The...
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