THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,497 MLB PLAYERS | 15,833 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,497 MLB PLAYERS | 15,833 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Draft  | Story | 1/21/2022

KC Area Prospects Flourishing with Royals

Photo: Ben Kudrna (left), Carter Jensen (right)
The Kansas City area had two prep prospects who were head and shoulders above the pack going into the 2021 draft. The hometown Royals walked away with both.

Right-handed pitcher Ben Kudrna was selected in the second round (43rd overall) and catcher Carter Jensen was selected in the third round (78th overall). COVID-19 limited looks on all high school prospects in 2020, but fortunately for the Royals, they had plenty of history watching and getting to know both prospects throughout their prep careers as they both played on the Royals Scout Team during the summer throughout their high school careers.



In a recent discussion with a Royals front office executive, Perfect Game got an update on both players’ development since making the leap to the professional ranks.
 
Kudrna, who in his senior year at Blue Valley Southwest High School had one of the most projectable frames in the country - 6-foot-3, 195 pounds - was also sitting 91-93 mph with his fastball and would occasionally touch 96 mph. Most scouts who saw him projected future plus velocity on his heater (you can read Kudrna's report from the 2020 PG National Showcase on his PG profile here), and according to the Royals official we spoke with, Kudrna has already put on 20-30 pounds of “good weight” and he’s regularly touching 99 mph with his fastball these days.



On an even more positive note for both Kudrna and the Royals, the secondary pitch drawing the highest future grades is his changeup, a pitch he didn’t have to utilize very often against prep hitters last spring. Part of the reason the changeup has blossomed so quickly is because the Royals regularly have him throw sessions just using his fastball-changeup combination. His slider, which tends to sit in the mid-80s, has always shown tightness and late break. In PG looks during his prep career, Kudrna tended to rely on chases out of the zone with the pitch, but the Royals have been very encouraged by how far along the command for his secondary arsenal has come in just a short time in their system.

Jensen was more of a known commodity in the Perfect Game universe heading into the draft. The Park Hill High School product played in 24 PG events in his prep career, announcing himself with a walkoff home run in Jupiter during the 2019 WWBA World Championship, and later capping his prep career with a trip to Oklahoma City for the 2020 Perfect Game All-American Classic.



Jensen has always been carried by his big left-handed power and advanced approach at the plate. Many evaluators, including this one, saw some risk of him moving off the catcher position once he entered the professional ranks. That doesn't seem to be the case, however, in speaking with the Royals. Since getting Jensen in the door, they have been more than pleased with how he’s taken to professional development and how committed he’s been to staying behind the plate.

The huge hurdle for a lot of catcher’s development-wise is how much time and energy they must dedicate to the defensive side of the ball and working with the pitching staff. It often bleeds into their development time for their bat. That hasn’t happened with Jensen, though, as his approach continues to get rave reviews from Major League evaluators, and it helped him post a .281/.388/.404 slash line in the Arizona Complex League where he was almost three years younger than average player in the league.

There’s not a single Major League team that wouldn’t want a power-hitting backstop on their roster, and if Jensen’s catching abilities can continue to evolve, that’s exactly the ceiling a player like him has.



The Royals have always done their due diligence with scouting their own backyard, and the 2021 MLB Draft was no exception. Perfect Game got looks at Kudrna and Jensen at least a half dozen times during the high school season and there wasn't a single game where there wasn’t at least one Royals evaluator in attendance. Considering both played on the Royals Scout Team as amateurs, there likely wasn’t a team with more background or in-person looks on these two.

In an age where data is so prevalent on players, being able to have an accurate gauge on player attributes that can’t be quantified, such as makeup, will sometimes prove to be a separator in finding future Major League players.

2022 summer homes for Kudrna and Jensen haven't been set just yet. The Royals find it best to let that situation stay fluid and organic based on their development and Spring Training performance. With the consolidated Minor League alignment leaving organizations with fewer low-level affiliates, it's more difficult to make the jump from Complex League to Low-A.

However, the Royals won’t hesitate to hand either of the local products an aggressive assignment if the club feels that’s most appropriate for their long-term development. Both players are already proving to live up to their high ceilings many evaluators saw in their futures as amateurs, and if the two end up making it to the Major League level, their friends and family won’t have to travel far to watch their home games.



Draft | Mock Draft | 7/13/2026

2027 Mock Draft: Way Too Early Ediition

Vincent Cervino
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With the 2026 MLB Draft officially complete, let's quickly turn our eyes to the 2027 group and do a way too early mock draft. Leading the way is shortstop Brendan Lawson out of the University of Florida, setting the trend as three of the top four names all call shortstop home with Dylan Seward and Carter Hadnot. If shortstops aren't your thing for any which reason, maybe hard throwing left-handers tickle your fancy whether it be prep Connor Salerno, Tomas Valincius from Mississippi State or Dylan Volantis, a dominant arm from the University of Texas.  Pick Team Name Pos. School 1 Los Angeles Angels Brendan Lawson SS Florida 2 Kansas City Royals Dylan Seward SS Norco (Calif.) 3 Colorado Rockies Landon Hairston OF Arizona State 4 New York Mets Carter Hadnot SS Aquinas (Calif.) 5 Athletics Connor Salerno LHP Sun Valley (N.C.) 6 Cincinnati Reds Tomas Valincius LHP Mississippi State 7...
Tournaments | Story | 7/13/2026

17u Elite Scout Notes: Days 1-2

Perfect Game Staff
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High speed look at the FF-SL-CH from '27 RHP Liam McGeady (OH)... #NatElite @PG_OhioValley @Cincy_Legends https://t.co/hhoDL7DBbi pic.twitter.com/Ts79GLPGoU — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) July 12, 2026 Liam McGeady (2027, Liberty Township, Ohio) had the stuff working on Saturday morning, getting the start for Legends Scout 2027. The uncommitted right-hander ran it up to 91 and sat 88-90 with a full starter’s mix. All three of the secondaries played well and project moving forward. The curveball worked in the mid-70s with good depth and healthy shape. The slider operated in the 79-82 range with gyro spin and short break. McGeady rounded out the repertoire with a changeup that showed big fade and depth, proving effective versus lefties. He ended the outing going five ⅔ innings, allowing no earned runs on four hits, striking out six total. The tall and long 6-foot-5,...
Draft | Story | 7/12/2026

2027 MLB Draft: Initial Follow List

Vincent Cervino
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With the 2026 MLB Draft in the books, our focus now shifts to a new group of players ready to take center stage as the 2027 draft cycle begins. Our initial 2027 Follow List serves as an early snapshot of the players who should draw plenty of attention over the next year. This new crop of talent features collegiate players coming off loud spring seasons, alongside prep prospects who have already flashed big upside as underclassman.  As always, this list will evolve throughout the year. Some players will continue to elevate their stock, while others will jump onto the radar and force their way into the conversation. So, without further ado, let the fun begin.  The road to the 2027 MLB Draft starts now. Name Level Pos. B-T School Hometown State Commitment Adrian Rodriguez C 3B/OF S-R Texas Flower Mound TX Aidan King C RHP L-R Florida Bryceville FL Bino Watters C OF L-L LSU...
Tournaments | Story | 7/12/2026

14u BCS Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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Austin Way (2030, Yulee, FL) was 2-3 in game four, driving in a run and scoring once himself. Picked it well defensively at shortstop but really showed out in the box today. Works the barrel path to the middle of the field and whips the barrel through the zone. The RHH creates lift in the turn, and the ball jumps off the bat hot.  Sutton Walling (2029, Ponte Vedra, FL) is an athletic 5’11/160lb infielder who gets it done on both sides of the ball. Dominated at the plate right behind his teammate Way in the batting order going 3-3 with two doubles. He does a really good job with the barrel accuracy and works through contact with heavy hands. Lots of project-ability in the profile and is having a sneaky great week at the plate. Banks Kennedy (2030, Arcadia, FL) received it well behind the dish and was the leading force in this one driving in three rbis. He ended up going 2-3...
Draft | Story | 7/12/2026

2026 MLB Draft: Best Available

Tyler Henninger
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2026 MLB Draft: Best Available for Day Two  A total of 135 players heard their name called on Saturday. As always, signability, bonus pool strategy, and organizational preferences play a major role in how the board unfolds. With that being said, we saw a majority of the top half off the board get selected, but there are a number of players ranked inside our Top 150 that remain available. From high-upside prep talent to polished college performers, these are the top names still available according to our Final Top 500 Draft Board.  Top Prep Bats Available (with Top-500 Board Rankings) 38. Archer Horn, SS/RHP, St. Ignatius College Prep (CA) 58. Blake Bowen, OF, JSerra Catholic (CA) 64. James Tronstein, SS/OF, Harvard-Westlake (CA) 66. Noah Wilson, OF, McCallie School (TN) 71. Cole Koeninger, SS/RHP, Keller (TX) 77. Sean Dunlap, C, Crown Point (IN) 82. Alex Weingartner, OF//RHP,...
Tournaments | Story | 7/11/2026

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Kinley Kitchens
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Another week, another big tournament makes its way to Hoover.  This week, 104 of the nation’s top 17U teams will make their way to Hoover for the 2026 Perfect Game 17U National Elite Championship.  Featuring nationally ranked teams, Division I commits, and many of the country’s top 2027 players, the tournament promises another week of elite competition as teams battle for one of the biggest championships of the summer.  With many players already committed to some of the nation’s top college programs, every game in Hoover this week offers a glimpse into the future of college baseball.  Now entering its eighth year, the National Elite Championship continues to bring in the nation’s best. Past champions include Team Elite Scout Team, Canes National, USA Prime National, Scorpions/Giants Scout Team, 5 Star Performance National, Knights Knation Scout...
Draft | Story | 7/12/2026

2026 MLB Draft: Day One Recap

Tyler Henninger
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Storylines Heavy College Run Early We came into the day knowing that there were a lot of talented college players at the top of the board, more specifically college bats. That came to light very early in the day, as we saw just two prep players selected within the first ten picks. The college preference lasted throughout most of the entire first round. Nearly 75% of the first 40 selections were college players. It is clear teams want players at the top of the draft that can quickly get through the system and help the big league club as soon as possible. Underslot Strategy Throughout this cycle, we knew that once you get past the first handful of picks the difference in value you were getting for let say pick ten was not that difference compared to pick 30. Because there was a large collection of players that are relatively close in value, teams were looking to get creative. We saw this...
Draft | Mock Draft | 7/11/2026

Final 2026 MLB Mock Draft

Vincent Cervino
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It's draft day and that means it's time for our final Mock Draft with the 2026 group. 1. Chicago White Sox | Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA It’s between Roch and Grady Emerson at this pick, though there have been heavy rumors of a very late deal potentially with another top 5 pick. This boils down to negotiations and we think that they will get there.  2. Tampa Bay Rays | Grady Emerson, SS, Fort Worth Christian (Tex.) If Grady isn’t the first pick then he is almost certain to be the second pick. The Rays like to get creative but Emerson is a well worth prospect in his own right.  3.  Minnesota Twins | Vahn Lackey, C, Georgia Tech This is likely the floor for Roch Cholowsky, though the Twins might prefer Lackey to Roch outright. They are thought to be in on the top college players with Emerson a distant third.  4. San Francisco Giants | Jackson Flora, RHP, UC...
Tournaments | Story | 7/10/2026

Ohio Valley Regional Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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‘28 INF Christian Ramirez (OH) WALKS IT OFF for @CincyDBulls2028 to win the chip! Has shown impressive tools throughout the weekend and in this AB showed the ability to adjust to the offspeed and win the game. #OVElite pic.twitter.com/J3MXJXFnbM — Perfect Game Ohio Valley (@PG_OhioValley) July 5, 2026 Christian Ramirez (2028, Mason, Ohio) helped his team win the championship batting out of the two-hole. Though he didn’t win tournament MVP, Ramirez was my favorite player to watch take a plate appearance. He has an advanced feel for the zone and sees the ball out of the pitcher’s hand quicker than most. Ramirez led the tournament with eight walks, batting .375 with a .583 on-base percentage. Much more than just the approach, the swing is efficient with little wasted movement, creates quality separation, and puts him in an excellent position at contact. With such an...
College | Story | 7/10/2026

Cape Cod Notebook No. 1

Perfect Game Staff
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Cape Cod League Scouting Notebook  Maverick Rizy | Ole Miss | RHP | Brewster Whitecaps  The towering 6-foot-9, 250-pound right-hander continues to stand out with one of the more unique looks on the Cape, pairing a massive frame with a low three-quarter slot that creates difficult angles for hitters. While his fastball velocity was down from its typical mid-90s range during this look, working mostly 90-92 mph, it still generated plenty of swing-and-miss. He paired the heater with an 81-83 mph gyro slider featuring tight bullet-spin action and mixed in an 85-mph changeup with quality separation. Rizy battled his command early in the outing I saw, before settling in to strike out five over three innings, showing the ability to adjust as the game progressed. Through 12.2 Cape League innings, he has recorded 18 strikeouts, and his combination of size, deception, and projectability...
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