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Tournaments  | Story | 12/29/2021

Regional Review: Pacific Northwest

Photo: Dominic Hellman (Perfect Game)
Regional Review: Texas | California | Georgia

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

A recent 12u Select Festival player, Zayne Hookala strung together dominant performances on both sides at the 13u level. He is the top arm and lone player inside the 2026 top-100 from Hawaii following an impressive 2021 season. On the hill, he shows an advanced feel for spin in the form of a potent 12-6 curveball with tight shape and depth. The fastball consistently sits in the high-70s with more in the tank as he physically matures. At the plate, Hookala swings with intent and shows good amounts of pull-side pop. He is a name to watch closely moving forward.



Biggest 14u Moment/Breakout Player

It was hard to find a more impressive performer in the region than LHP/1B Kruz Schoolcraft this year. He features advanced feel for all three pitches in his arsenal, sporting a fastball already up to the low-80s with two distinct off-speeds in a curveball and changeup that force plenty of swing-and-miss. He continues to rise up the rankings following a dominant showing at the WWBA 14u World Championship. At 6-foot-2, 150 pounds, his pitchability from the left side makes him one of the most intriguing products in the class with the upside and projection to match as he physically develops. Meanwhile, a pair of Oregon State commits in Xavier Neyens and Mason Pike each had breakout moments at this year’s 14u Select Festival. Neyens is a physical left-handed backstop with loud tools on both sides. Pike is a fluid infielder with quick hands from both sides of the plate, generating easy bat speed and loft in the path that projects well at the next level. Both players rank inside the top-20 of the 2025 class.



Biggest Summer Moment

To have a round of batting practice as a nominee for the biggest moment of the summer, it must be loud. That’s exactly what took place when University of Oregon commit Dominic Hellman stepped up to the plate at PG National. In one of the most impressive displays of raw power ever seen at the event, Hellman peppered the left field bleachers seemingly with every pitch he saw. Scouts simply sat back and enjoyed the show. Standing a towering 6-foot-6, 245 pounds, Hellman’s physical two-way skill set makes him an intriguing product for the upcoming 2022 MLB Draft. The ball explodes off the barrel to the pull side with endless power projection, and he also runs his fastball up to 90 mph off the mound. Hellman was already a well-known product before his display at PG National, but it made quite a buzz for the months that followed.



Biggest Breakout Player

University of Arkansas commit Nolan Souza put his talents on the map after a loud summer. The ability on both sides has catapulted him as one of the best prospects to come out of Hawaii in many years. You can break Souza down in a multitude of ways, but it starts with the hands. Defensively, his quick transfers and clean movements at shortstop compliment good amounts of arm strength from different slots. The feet and hands are in-sync and work well off one another. At the plate, Souza employs a loose and easy left-handed swing with feel for the barrel to all fields. He loads into the backside, but the hands get deep and really extend through the zone for loud contact. Souza has begun to tap into loud pull-side power geared for such a compact swing, and more is in store as he fills out his lean frame. The hit tool, athleticism and skill set helps Souza make the game look easy at times. He broke out in a big way in 2021.
 
Biggest College Moment

Led by Head Coach Mark Wasikowski at the helm, the Oregon Ducks had a breakthrough 2021 season and are well on the rise heading into 2022. The Ducks were in contention for a PAC-12 title and played in its first Regional final since 2014, finishing the year 39-16 overall and 20-10 in conference play. Aaron Zavala was named PAC-12 Player of the Year, batting .398 with seven homers and 58 runs scored. He led the conference in on-base percentage (.538) and walks (49) on the season. Several other Ducks filled out the All-Conference team list in what was quite an impressive turnaround of a year. 
 
Biggest Draft Moment 

The University of Oregon also fared well at the 2021 MLB Draft, as three Duck alums were taken on day two. Coming off his impressive 2021 campaign, Zavala was selected No. 38 overall in the second round by the Texas Rangers. Zavala showed glimpses of a plus hit tool since his prep days at South Salem High School, and it truly came to form at the college level. Right-handed pitchers Robert Ahlstrom and Cullen Kafka followed in Round 7 and Round 9, helping Oregon finish the year on a strong note. Washington State University also made an appearance, as Cougars first baseman Kyle Manzardo went No. 63 overall in the second round to the Tampa Bay Rays. Washington State pitcher Zane Mills was also a fourth-round selection by the St. Louis Cardinals. As a whole, the Pacific Northwest showed out with a pair of high draftees. 
 
Top Pacific Northwest Travel Teams

2022 Grads: Hawaii Elite 2G
National Rank: 27

2022 Grads: Baseball Northwest National (WA)
National Rank: 95
 
2024 Grads: NL Diamond Jaxx (WA)
National Rank: Honorable Mention
 
2025 Grads: New Level Baseball 14u-Cowan (WA)
National Rank: No. 47
 
A Look Ahead




High School: There is a bevy of prep talent still scattered around the region. USC commit Tate Shimao is one of the top bats from the Aloha State with an innate feel for the barrel and strength/loft to the pull side. Zachary Justice is sound defensively at catcher with a quick transfer and plenty of arm strength. The Oregon commit can also hop on the bump and throw a mid-80s fastball and subtle changeup. Ian Ritchie Jr. will be getting plenty of draft buzz this spring, and for good reason. The UCLA commit has explosive traits that stand out amongst the loaded arms in the class, featuring plus arm speed consistently in the low- to mid-90s and improved feel for a tight slider that has the signs of a prominent swing-and-miss secondary at the next level. The physical projection and profile is hard to ignore. 
 
College: After a disappointing 2021, Washington baseball could be in store for a bounce-back 2022 season. The Huskies added Assistant Coach Andy Jenkins to the staff, who can bring a veteran presence to the entire operation, including the development of catchers following his successful stint at Oregon State. Head Coach Lindsay Meggs enters his 13th season with the Huskies to go along with an enticing lineup full of underclassmen ready to take the next step. 

Tournaments | Story | 1/27/2026

MLK East Scout Notes Recap

Perfect Game Staff
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‘28 OF Jakob Groeschel (OH) continues to impress with the bat on the circuit, picked up 2 2Bs in the first game today. Really athletic, went 4.4 on turn; easy to dream on all the traits. #MLKEast @PG_OhioValley pic.twitter.com/wOIwnGKnkg — Perfect Game Florida (@Florida_PG) January 17, 2026 2028 OF Jakob Groeschel (Springfield, Ohio) broke out at this event last year hitting a casual .909, and although he didn’t turn in quite the same performance, he hit a strong .462 with 4 extra-base hits, 5 walks, 5 bags and only struck out once. He’s a pretty dynamic athlete who can do a lot of things well, but the bat is the calling card as he just lives on the barrel and has no problem handling all kinds of pitching. It’s a simple swing, but he’s got fast hands and he can really impact the ball without being overly physical yet.  2030 RHP Michael Vazquez...
College | Story | 2/24/2026

College Players of the Week: Feb. 24

Vincent Cervino
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February 24 Perfect Game/Player of the Week: Will Gasparino, OF, UCLA After playing 117 games, launching 27 doubles and 25 home runs in Austin, TX for the University of Texas, Will Gasparino decided it was time to head back to his hometown of Los Angeles, CA. Based on his performance in the first two weeks of the season for the Bruins, he looks very comfortable and ready to push his name up the Draft Board. UCLA (6-1) enters 2026 with incredibly high expectations, jumped to No. 3 in our Top 25 poll with their 3-game sweep of previously ranked TCU and Gasparino provided much of the offensive firepower. For the week, the 6-6/220 outfielder went 7 for 13 good for a .538 BA, with a double, 5 home runs and 13 RBI. That brings his slash line through 7-games to .391/1.304/.548 with a double, a triple, 6 home runs and he has driven in a total of 15 runs. The scary thing is that Gasparino is just...
High School | General | 2/23/2026

Northwest Region Top Teams

Tyler Russo
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Northwest All Region & Top Tools Rk Pacific NW (+ Hawaii) 2025 Record 1 Puyallup (WA) 28-1 2 Kamehameha Kapalama (HI) 19-5 3 South Salem (OR) 30-2 4 Lake Washington (WA) 21-11 5 Bainbridge (WA) 24-4 6 St. Louis (HI) 15-6 7 Iolani (HI) 11-11-1. 8 Eastlake (WA) 23-9 9 Summit (OR) 24-6 10 Sumner (WA) 18-8 11 Sunset (OR) 23-9 12 Punahou (HI) 7-10-1. 13 Mount Vernon (WA) 28-4 14 Jesuit (OR) 26-8 15 Tahoma Senior (WA) 13-9-1 16 Blanchet Catholic (OR) 31-2 17 West Linn (OR) 22-8 18 Woodinville (WA) 13-12 19 Eagle (ID) 15-13 20 Central Catholic (OR) 23-6-1 21 Service (AK) 20-6 22 Meadowdale (WA) 14-Oct 23 Waiakea (HI) 10-4-1. 24 Liberty Christian (WA) 24-3 25 Madison Senior (ID) 19-11
Press Release | Press Release | 2/23/2026

PG Salutes Chet Brewer, a Youth Baseball Pillar

Jim Salisbury
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PG Salutes Chet Brewer, a Youth Baseball Pillar A few weeks ago, Perfect Game and its Believe in Baseball foundation held a fundraising event in Los Angeles. The “In the Spirit of the Game” dinner and auction brought in thousands of dollars, all of which will go toward providing deserving youngsters an opportunity to play and grow in the game. Chet Brewer was not at the event – the former Negro Leagues star died at age 83 in 1990 – but his spirit was. Big time. “That night was all about Chet,” PG commissioner Dennis Gilbert said. “He was all about giving kids chances to play the game, especially kids from underprivileged backgrounds. “When you’re 15, 16, 17 years old – those years are the basis of your life. Chet helped put a lot of kids on the right path through the game of baseball.” Brewer’s impactful life has...
College | Rankings | 2/23/2026

College Top 25: February 23

Vincent Cervino
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College Player Report Database In Week 1, the Top 15 teams in the poll remained unchanged but the college baseball landscape had a different narrative in mind for Week 2. With plenty of upsets and teams at the top establishing their dominance, there was quite a bit of upheaval across the country. While there were some special performances on the mound, runs continue to be scored in bunches and high drama extra-inning games seem to be the norm. There is no time to relax or take the foot off the gas in the college game today; we are in for another wild season it appears. The LSU Tigers (8-0) made the trip across the panhandle to Jacksonville, FL, swept through the Live Like Lou Jax Classic by outscoring their opponents 33-11 and remain No. 1 this week. The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (8-0) secure their spot at No. 2 and are off to a program record breaking run scoring spree, averaging...
General | Blog | 2/20/2026

Wolforth Throwing Mentorship: Article 63

Ron Wolforth
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Wolforth Throwing Mentorship: Article 62, Part 1 | Part 2 Demystifying the Curveball, Pitch Counts, and Weighted Balls - Part 3  We've made it to Part 3…the final installment of our series on baseball's most misunderstood and debated topics.   In Part 1, we tackled the curveball. The takeaway: the pitch itself isn't what’s dangerous. Decades of awful and ineffective coaching cues, ”snap your wrist," "turn the doorknob”…exacerbated and even in many causes caused some of the problems. Teach it correctly, when the athlete is ready, and it's no riskier than a fastball.  In Part 2, we examined pitch counts. The takeaway: they're a useful tool, but a limited one. Treating a single number as a universal measure of safety ignores everything...
Softball | Softball Tournament | 2/20/2026

18U PG Winter Elite Showcase Indoor

Dave Durbala
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SPRINGFIELD, IL - 2026 Perfect Game Softball Winter Elite Showcase, February 6 - 8, 2026.  Twenty teams rolled into Springfield to showcase their talents in this 18u, four-game guarantee, pool-into-bracket play,  at the newly opened 170,000-square-foot domed facility at Scheels Sports Park at Legacy Pointe. In the Silver Bracket, it was the 09 Midwest Sluggers taking home the championship over the CR Blue Devils 18u National. In the Gold Bracket, a championship game that featured the tournament's top two pitchers, it was the Iowa Dynamite 18u with the win over GTS 15u Elite-Herrick, by a score of  2-1. The tournament, with a mix of committed players, and those young ladies striving for the next level,  was loaded with talent.  Below are some of the players that excelled on the field and made their way onto the tournament’s Top Performers list. Earning...
Softball | Softball Tournament | 2/19/2026

14U PG Winter Elite Showcase Indoor

Erica Beach
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PG Winter Elite Showcase Indoor 14U January 17-18, 2026 Springfield, IL   SPRINGFIELD, IL- It may be cold outside, but there was some hot competition going on at the PG Winter Elite Showcase Indoor tournament. Six team converged on the Scheels Sports Park at Legacy Pointe and the Texas Glory IL 29 walked away with the hardware after a close 7-6 ballgame. Below we highlight some of the impressive athletes who competed on the weekend.     Lila Rafferty (2029, Leroy, IL) of the Texas Glory IL 29 was an unstoppable force at the plate over the weekend. She showed great tenacity in the box, proving to be one of the most consistent hitters in the tournament. She finished her weekend batting an incredible .750, tallying nine hits and scoring five times. She flashed her speed on multiple occasions, stealing two bases and legging out two doubles and two triples. She came in clutch,...
High School | General | 2/19/2026

Pacific Northwest All Region & Top Tools

David Rawnsley
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NORTHWEST REGION (WA, OR, ID, WY, AK, MT, HI)    The biggest change in the Northwest Region for 2026 is the addition of Hawaii, which has always been overlooked due to being lumped with California in the former Pacific Region.  This also coincides with an increased Perfect Game presence in the islands in the form of additional events and scouting.  And Hawaii certainly contributed in it’s first year, placing four players on the All-Region team, including slugging 2026 outfielder Judah Ota. The powerhouse Puyallup HS team is the only Northwest Region team to be represented in the PG Pre-Season Top 50 National HS Rankings, beginning the year ranked 26th.  C – Teagan Scott (Sr., South Salem HS, Ore.) Scott has been on the prospect map since he played in the 2023 PG 14U Select Festival and is signed with Oregon State.  A right-handed hitter with lots...
Showcase | Story | 2/20/2026

PG ID Camps Help Build Baseball Resume

Jim Salisbury
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PG ID Camps Help Youngsters Build a Baseball Resume There was still snow on the ground in a lot of places last weekend, but that didn’t stop more than 200 young players from going indoors to participate in the first round of Perfect Game Select Fest ID Camps for the 2026 season. John McAdams, PG’s national crosschecker and Northeast scouting director, ran the event in Farmingdale, New Jersey, and was impressed with his group’s energy and desire to improve at the game. “We’re giving young players the opportunity to build their baseball resumes and chart their growth and progress over a span of years,” he said. In addition to New Jersey, Select Fest ID Camps were held in Lake St. Louis, Missouri; Rossford, Ohio; Marietta, Georgia; and Kent, Washington. The ID camps debuted in 2025. Twenty-two of them were held around the country with nearly 700 young...
Draft | Story | 2/19/2026

Then vs. Now: '26 Class Look Back

Tyler Henninger
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One constant across our scouting staff is the volume of in-person looks we get at prospects during their high school years. With assignments at national tournaments and showcases throughout the calendar, we’ve built a deep library of reports and video on many of today’s top college prospects dating back to their prep days. This week, we took a step back to revisit what those players looked like as high school prospects. Which tools stood out? What was missing from the profile at the time? And what, if anything, did we overlook that ultimately helped shape the player they’ve become? Below, we break down 10 players in a “Then and Now” reflection. Justin Lebron (23 FL) finishes off the tournament getting in on the hit parade with a single to the pullside. #PGShowdown #Bama commit pic.twitter.com/C4Irym2ZTR — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) March 4, 2023...
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