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2,416 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
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 | 4/21/2026

Southeast Super NIT #2 Scout Notes

Jason Phillips
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Chase Jelks (‘30 GA)- with a long double to deep CF. Huge day from the primary SS, 5-for-6 w/ 4 doubles & 6 RBI. #SESuperNIT @TheDreamBall @PG_Georgia https://t.co/biFSzXCrUt pic.twitter.com/HCQMduedb5 — Perfect Game Youth (@PGYouthBB) April 20, 2026 Chase Jelks (’30, Atlanta, Ga.)- the left-handed hitting Jelks was all over the barrel on Sunday in a pair of games for The Dream 14U Black. He finished the day with five hits in six at-bats which included four doubles and six runs batted in. His two doubles and four runs batted in played a big part in the Gold Playoffs Round 1 victory over the talented BPA squad out of California. He backed up that performance with three more hits in a quarterfinal’s loss to the East Cobb Astros 14U Orange to finish the tournament with a .600 batting average and 1.636 on-base plus slugging percentage. A primary utility infielder,...
College | Rankings | 4/26/2026

College Top 25: April 27

Vincent Cervino
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It was another weekend of upsets, upheaval and consequential series victories across the nation.  After the dust settled, the UCLA Bruins (39-4) remain the No. 1 team in the nation after their (3-1) week stepping outside Big Ten play, taking a series against Sacramento State.  Their perfect (21-0) start in conference play is still intact with three weekend series to go.  UNC (36-8) sticks at No. 2 this week after they went across town to take on archrival Duke, winning that series and finishing the week with a (3-1) record.  The No. 3 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (36-7) showed their moxie by coming back from large deficits multiple times and swept conference foe Wake Forest, extending their lead in the ACC standings to 2-games.  The Texas Longhorns (32-9) are No. 4 in the poll this week after winning a tightly contested series on the road against Vanderbilt. ...
Draft | Prospect Scouting Reports | 4/24/2026

2026 MLB Draft Reports: Top 100

Vincent Cervino
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PG Draft: Top-100 Reports (April Update) 1. Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA R-R, 6-2/202, Chandler, AZ Previously Drafted: Never Drafted Roch Cholowsky has consistently ranked at the top of the class throughout the cycle due to the safety and upside of the profile. Defensively, he is a plus defender at shortstop with soft hands, consistent actions, and quality range. Not only should he stick at the position long term, he should excel there at the next level. Offensively, there is a strong mix of hit and power potential from the right side of the plate. The swing is a bit unorthodox with a shorter finish, but Cholowsky consistently finds the barrel and drives the ball with authority to all fields. He has strong bat to ball skills with impact. He has walked more than stuck out during his collegiate career, giving him a high on-base ability. The run tool is the only tool that doesn’t jump...
Draft | Rankings | 4/24/2026

2026 MLB Draft Board: Top 400

Tyler Henninger
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Rk. Name Level Pos. B-T School Hometown State Commitment 1 Roch Cholowsky C SS R-R UCLA Chandler AZ 2 Grady Emerson H SS L-R Fort Worth Christian Argyle TX Texas 3 Vahn Lackey C C R-R Georgia Tech Suwanee GA 4 Jackson Flora C RHP R-R UC Santa Barbara Pleasanton CA 5 Jacob Lombard H SS R-R Gulliver Schools Miami FL Miami 6 AJ Gracia C OF L-L Virginia Monroe NJ 7 Ace Reese C 3B L-R Mississippi State Canton TX 8 Eric Booth Jr. H OF L-L Oak Grove Bassfield MS Vanderbilt 9 Justin Lebron C SS R-R Alabama Miramar FL 10 Drew Burress C OF R-R Georgia Tech Perry GA 11 Gio Rojas H LHP L-R Marjory Stoneman Douglas Coral Springs FL Miami 12 Ryder Helfrick C C R-R Arkansas Discovery Bay CA 13 Chris Hacopian C SS R-R Texas A&M Potomac MD 14 Cameron Flukey C RHP R-R Coastal Carolina Egg Harbor Township NJ 15 Cole Carlon C LHP L-L Arizona State Tempe AZ 16 Jared Grindlinger H LHP/OF L-L Huntington...
Press Release | Press Release | 4/23/2026

Kash Shaikh Named Perfect Game CMO

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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 NAMES KASH SHAIKH CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER AND HEAD OF INTERNATIONAL   Sanford, Florida (Thursday, April 23, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced that Kash Shaikh has been named the company’s new Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and Head of International. In this role, Shaikh will serve on Perfect Game’s executive leadership team, overseeing global marketing, brand strategy, creative, partnerships and sponsorships, while leading the company’s international P&L and expansion. Shaikh brings more than two decades of experience building brands, businesses and communities across sports, media and consumer...
Softball | Softball Tournament | 4/22/2026

PG Softball Battle for the Belt

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Perfect Game Softball Battle for the Belt April 18-19, 2026 Des Moines, Iowa It was a cold and very windy weekend, but the girls still came out and put in their best efforts. If you wanted the place to see some of the state’s top talent, this was the tournament to be at. The 18u division was quite the slugfest! The Ankeny Centennial 18U -Kennedy team took down a tough Iowa Alliance Select-Benge team in the championship. Both teams had double digit homeruns on the weekend. In the 16u division the Iowa Aries CE Fire Black took control of the game from the start and never let up on the gas, taking down a solid Alliance Select- Harper team. 18U Division Kori Lincicum (2026 Ankeny, IA) of the Centennial Jaguars- Kennedy and Drake Bulldog softball commit was the weekends MVP Pitcher. Lincicum defeated a tough Alliance team in the championship game finishing with that game with 11...
High School | General | 4/23/2026

Northeast High School Notebook

Jheremy Brown
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In a season that has already had many exciting matchups across various events, we as a staff would like to highlight or “Shout-Out” notable performers along with an Uncommitted Spotlight and Team Spotlight.  Uncommitted Spotlight: Mason Rosenberg, 1B, 2027, Bishop Eustace Prep  Uncommitted Mason Rosenberg (2027, NJ) has been an absolute force within the Bishop Eustace lineup, as the left-handed hitting slugger is hitting .481 through eleven games including six homers. The strength has vastly improved, allowing for Rosenberg to impact the baseball with authority to all fields. Couple that with improved speed and athleticism, this uncommitted 2027 can be a welcomed addition to a class looking for offense.  Team Spotlight: Northern Burlington (9-0) Northern Burlington is once again off to a hot start, as the Greyhounds sit at 9-0 thus far and have continued to...
Juco | Rankings | 4/22/2026

JUCO Top 25: April 22

Blaine Peterson
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Another week down and Johnson County continues their torrid run to remain at number 1. They're 46-2 on the season with multiple hitters over 25 bombs which is astonishing for the level as the Cavs have announced themselves as title favorites. Just a couple of weeks left heading down the stretch and our field remains mostly the same with the two additions of midwest powerhouse Iowa Western and the Warriors of East Central who will have a tough test Wednesday in Poplarville against fellow Mississippi adversary Pearl River in a mid-week double header.   Rk. School Record 1 Johnson County (KS) 46-2 2 Gaston (NC) 47-3 3 Walters State (TN) 42-10 4 McLennan (TX) 38-8 5 Southern Nevada (NV) 33-9 6 Chipola (FL) 39-9 7 Blinn (TX) 33-12 8 Florida Southwestern (FL) 32-13 9 Florence-Darlington (SC) 42-10 10 Pearl River (MS) 39-9 11 Cloud County (KS) 40-4 12 Cochise (AZ) 39-11 13 Midland (TX)...
College | Story | 4/23/2026

Coppy's Corner: April 23 POY Deep Dive

John Coppolella
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Each week I huddle with Vinnie Cervino and Craig Cozart  to discuss Top-25 rankings and Players of the Week. In Coppy’s Corner, I dive deeper into these Players of the Week, providing analysis from 20+ years working in baseball front offices at the highest level.     Player of the Week: Tague Davis – University of Louisville  Between 2016-2022, the University of Louisville produced 14 players taken in the Top 5 Rounds of the MLB Draft, seven of whom were taken in the 1st Round. The Cardinals haven’t produced a Top 5 Rounds pick since 2022, but that will change soon with Davis. Still only 20 years old and not draft-eligible until 2027, Davis continued his assault on college baseball this weekend with a 7-for-12 performance that included 5 HR. On the 2026 season, Davis is hitting .389 AVG / .489 OBP / .911 SLG / 1.392 OPS. That’s a 400+...
College | Rankings | 4/22/2026

DII/DIII/NAIA Rankings Update: April 22

Nick Herfordt
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The final weeks of the college baseball regular season have a way of separating programs that are genuinely postseason-ready from those that have simply been good enough for long enough. Conference tournaments loom, selection committees are paying close attention, and every game on the schedule carries weight that it simply didn't in February. This week's action, combined with the latest Perfect Game Top 25, paints a picture of a college baseball landscape where the top is clearly defined — and where the middle is a genuine battle. What follows is a cross-level look at teams across the NAIA, NCAA Division II, and NCAA Division III ranks who find themselves in that uncomfortable space: not safely in, not clearly out, but firmly on the bubble. Some have built compelling résumés that should hold up under scrutiny. Others have excellent records against soft competition...
High School | Rankings | 4/21/2026

High School Top 50 Update: April 21

Tyler Russo
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Another few weeks have wrapped up this high school season as we’re flying through the spring and most southern states are starting playoffs right around the corner. With the end of the regular season, we have another National Top 50 update to bring to you, along with this will be the start of the weekly editions of our National Top 50. We have a change at the top of the rankings as Venice (FL) takes over the top spot after just dominating their competition in the state of Florida this year. Orange Lutheran (CA) drops one spot to No. 2 after dropping a series but still holds firm at No. 2 in the country. Barbe (LA) has continued to dominate and holds onto the No. 3 spot while Tomball (TX) skyrockets in this update to No. 4 in the country, currently holding an incredible 30-0-1 record. The rest of the top-10 is names we’ve become accustomed to see with Aledo (TX) at No. 5, IMG...
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