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High School  | General | 1/31/2022

Next Level Environment Brings IMG Together

Photo: Jackson Ferris (Perfect Game)
High School Baseball Preview Index

As an independent school, IMG Academy doesn’t get to play for a state championship in Florida.
 
What it does instead is put together one of the most daunting schedules in the country, playing the best teams across Florida and the Southeast, and getting everyone’s best shot in the process.



A big part of that is the Perfect Game High School Showdown, which IMG won in 2021, and wants to defend in March.
 
“It’s a really good part of the development, playing for a brand,” IMG head coach Dave Turgeon said. “It really drives the preparation, because our kids know it. They know that teams are ready to play us and would like nothing more than to put a ‘W’ against IMG on their resume. I think that’s a great thing. I think it’s great for the teams we play and it’s great for us.”
 
IMG brings in some of the best prospects from across the country to play together in one of the most competitive environments possible.
 
Elijah Green (Windermere, Fla.) is the No. 2 overall prospect in the 2022 class, an outfielder who has a real chance to go 1:1 in the 2022 MLB Draft. Green, a Perfect Game All-American who is built like an NFL linebacker, has an unrivaled speed/power combo. He ran a 6.16 60-yard dash at PG National last summer, and it’s best to wear ear plugs during his batting practice rounds, it gets that loud.
 
Turgeon has spent a lot of time around Big Leaguers and first round picks. In talking about Green, he brought up Deon Sanders and Bernie Williams. Green is that level of athlete.
 
“With Elijah, I can honestly say I have never seen someone that is 6-foot-4, 240 pounds move with such an ease of operation,” Turgeon said. “It’s not 6-foot-2, 180 pounds. He’s an elite runner and he’s a big man that moves at world class speed…He’s a rare type of athlete because of the size and the raw power and the quickness, and when you watch it, it’s very easy.”
 
Brady Neal (Bradenton, Fla.) is another Perfect Game All-American on the roster. Neal reclassed up to the 2022 class from 2023, and hasn’t missed a beat. He’s the No. 32 overall prospect in his new class (No. 2 catcher), and is committed to play at LSU, although his athleticism behind the plate and smooth left-handed stroke suggest he’ll be highly sought-after in the MLB Draft.
 
The top-ranked pitcher on the roster is Jackson Ferris (Mount Airy, N.C.), the No. 1 left-handed pitcher in the country in the 2022 class and No. 6 overall prospect. Ferris is another PG All-American, sitting in the mid-90s with his fastball and complementing that offering with a power curveball and a nice changeup.
 
The PG All-Americans are joined by top-100 shortstops Alvin Keels (Portsmouth, Va.), the No. 66 overall prospect in the 2022 class, and JeanPierre Ortiz (Carolina, Puerto Rico), the No. 76 overall prospect. There’s also Nathan Fink (Charlottesville, Va.) and Davion Hickson (Bradenton, Fla.), an outfielder and right-handed pitcher, respectively, checking in as top-200 prospects in the class.
 
TayShaun Walton (Emporia, Va.) and Stone Russell (Bradenton, Fla.) are top-100 athletes in the 2023 class. Walton, an outfielder built somewhat similarly to Green, is the No. 15 prospect, and the shortstop Russell sits at No. 68 overall in PG’s most recent update.
 
Beyond that, IMG has players committed to Arkansas (RHP Jaewoo Cho), Indiana (LHP Ryan Rushing), Oregon (OF McCabe Moyer), Fresno State (SS Aidan Cremarosa), and Valparaiso (C Will Radich).
 
There’s a transition period when these players get to the IMG campus, Turgeon said. They no longer are surrounded by their normal support system. It’s closer to college baseball than the high school system their peers are in day-to-day.
 
“It’s a major transition because you go from a high school environment to what’s more like a big-time college environment,” he said. “The resources we have for them to take advantage of and tap into, it’s like a college program in terms of nutrition, weight room, mental skills, and the baseball aspect. They’re being coached up by a lot of ex-pros that have a lot of knowledge and wisdom…I don’t take that lightly because there is that transition where they are now away from home and away from their anchor.”
 
Turgeon knows the transition, but he made it the more traditional way, moving from Connecticut to North Carolina to play his college baseball at Davidson in the 1980s.
 
In his eyes, the move to IMG a year or two ahead of college or pro ball puts his players in an advantageous position. For one, there’s less of a transition period once you step on your college campus when it comes to time management and the other challenges of being away from home for the first time.
 
Secondly, he explained, it’s a good opportunity for his players to experience competition on their own roster. In their hometowns, these guys all hit third in the order. Now, it’s more of a battle to get on the lineup card.
 
None of that makes the transition to college or pro ball easy, just easier.
 
“They get a dose of reality here, knowing that this is how it’s going to be at the next level,” Turgeon said. “The expectation for us is to develop our players, but there’s also an expectation to win.”

High School | General | 11/20/2025

Regional Superlatives: Florida

Vincent Cervino
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Most Likely To Make a Huge Jump in the Rankings in 2026 RJ Shields (2027, Venice, Fl.) Shields took some significant strides throughout 2025, especially on the mound. The fastball reached 95 mph in recent months and he projects well with great athleticism and a sharp breaking ball. Shields is also a left-handed bat with good thump in the stick. The Mississippi State commit shot up the rankings following a loud fall and looks poised to continue to climb. -KP High speed BP swing from '27 OF Gavin Ruvalcaba (FL)... #JrNational @Florida_PG https://t.co/OwU9I0u6eY pic.twitter.com/gjYZbmCPGE — PG Showcases (@PGShowcases) June 12, 2025 Gavin Ruvalcaba (2027, Hialeah, Fl.) Ruvalcaba had a very strong 2025 and looks to be continuing on that path. The Duke commit has plenty of athleticism and is very well rounded with good tools across the board. The stroke is smooth and produces...
Tournaments | Story | 12/18/2025

14u Tourney All-American Team

Tyler Russo
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Player of the Year: Asher Williams It was an incredible year for Williams that was rewarded with a trip to the 14U Select Fest, before some more impressive play in the fall. He came to the plate almost 250 times in PG tournaments throughout 2025 and reached base in well over half of them, hitting to a .500 AVG while slugging a 14U circuit best 12 bombs and driving in 113 runs. The numbers on the surface are ridiculous, but when you look at the high-level events he put them up in, it makes it even more impressive. Pitcher of the Year: Tristan Blalock Blalock earns this honor after a dominant 2025 where he struck out 85 batters in just 48.2 innings of work with a minuscule 1.58 ERA. This included several strong performances at many national level tournaments and showcases where he was able to bully some of the best hitters in the country. It’s hard not to fall in love with...
Tournaments | Story | 12/17/2025

15u Tourney All-American Team

Jason Phillips
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Hitter of the Year: Landon Bonner The 2028 class saw many players from across the country take the next step in their development as they entered the High School ranks. There were huge performances from highly ranked players on the PG circuit as well as some under-the-radar guys who burst onto the scene. Landon Bonner came into Sophomore National as a Top 500 ranked player and after an impressive showing, left with all eyes on him as a rankings riser in the class. The left-handed hitting shortstop from The Colony, Texas, had a summer to remember with All-Tournament Team selections in three of his next four events culminating with a historic performance at the 2025 PG 15U WWBA National Championship. The Hebron High School prep went 20-for-24 in nine games for 5 Star Mafia 15U Black with four homeruns and 12 runs batted in. He also scored 17 runs and finished with a mind-boggling 2.500...
Tournaments | Story | 12/16/2025

16u Tourney All-American Team

AJ Denny
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Hitter of the Year: Koa Romero is the Hitter of the Year for the 16u group, as he would come to every premier event of the summer and earn All-Tournament honors (Beast of the East, 16/17u WWBA, Jupiter) in every single one. Over 82 plate appearances, Romero would pump ten homeruns with forty two RBI and sixteen walks, good for a .378 average and 1.339 OPS. The performance on volume at the best events of the year pushed Romero over the edge here, as he’d hit a pair of homeruns in Jupiter (one of them at 112 EV) as an underclassmen and collect double digit hits in BOTH WWBA events with a combined six jacks over the two tournaments. It was a summer that combined performance and winning on the biggest stages for Romero. It’s a quiet left-handed swing that packs a punch. He would reap the benefits of his performances, earning a commitment to LSU and jumping to the #74 prospect in...
College | Recruiting | 12/15/2025

Recruiting Notebook: December 15

John McAdams
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Tucker Rice (27 MS) bumping up to 91; living hi-80s from real fast arm. Good SL @ 77-79 w/ depth & sold w/ intent. Loads of traits & strikes. #WWBA @PG_Uncommitted @PG_DeepSouth pic.twitter.com/DEjFqRcsIY — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) July 6, 2025 Tucker Rice, RHP, Class of 2027 Commitment: Alabama Alabama has continued to stay red hot in the recruiting trail ever since August 1st rolled around on the calendar and have continued to stack major pieces in their ’27 class. They dip into Mississippi to land one of the premier arms and one that’s stood out on the circuit for quite some time. It’s a fast arm and the athleticism certainly shines working down the slope. The velocity has continued to tick up over the last calendar year and reached into the low-90s towards the end of the summer. He’s confident in his changeup and the breaking ball is...
Tournaments | Story | 12/15/2025

17u Tourney All-American Team

Vincent Cervino
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There’s a lot of talent throughout this 2026 class, filled with the big-name stars, to talent that spreads across the nation. It’s been a lot of fun seeing these prospects grow and develop over the years, from the days of watching some of these guys at the 13/14u days at events on the circuit, to now where they are all graduating seniors in 2026. There’s been new faces who have popped along the way over the years, even in 2026, where some players who were relatively undiscovered, have come out and made a name for themselves with a statement performance. Between the familiar and the new, there’s a lot of names on this list that are going to be quite regularly talked about on the circuit, and for good reason.  Whether it’s PG All-Americans or not, there’s a lot of names with superstar potential at the next level. We’ve got 14 PG All-Americans...
Tournaments | Story | 12/13/2025

Finest in the Field: Class of 2029

Tyler Russo
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Finest in the Field: Class of 2026 | Class of 2027 | Class of 2028 These guys might just be entering high school, but they've certainly already made a name for themselves on the national circuit, especially with their abilities on the defensive side of things.  C: Xavier Rodriguez (Logansville, GA) Rodriguez is a polished defender with real arm strength behind the dish, while showcasing the ability to impact the baseball with authority to all fields evident by thirty of his sixty-five hits going for extra-bases including seven bombs. He handles high-level pitching extremely well, commands his staff and his offensive prowess makes him a true two-way asset. 1B: Cooper Knight (Buda, TX) Knight is a smooth operator at first base with plenty of range, fluidity and agility in his footwork around the bag. Add-in a rocket for an arm, the ability to change slots and to...
Tournaments | Story | 12/12/2025

Scout Stories: Part 5

AJ Denny
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Best Game I Saw: The Dream NTL 18U vs. MBA Scout Team Murphy Jupiter always brings out the best, and we got fireworks from the jump. Turner Marshall gave The Dream an outstanding 4+ innings of work on the mound, holding a lethal MBA team at bay with Chance Dixon, Derrick Carter, and Ellis Appling providing an offensive spark out of the gate for the Georgia based boys. However, it was only a matter of time before the talent on the other side got going, as MBA erased a 3-run deficit in the 5th to take a 4-3 lead led by a Parker Loew HR. The Dream then took command again in the Top of the 6th, before MBA punched right back with a huge 5-run inning in the bottom half capped off by a clutch RBI single from Matthew Kerrigan, ending a wild sequence with tons of notable performances from two very competitive rosters. Best Tournament Performance I Saw: Surely someone has already brought this...
College | Story | 12/12/2025

College Notebook: December 12

Craig Cozart
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Nebraska Cornhuskers 2025 Highlights: The Cornhuskers were a difficult team to figure in ’25 as they finished with 33 wins, played just .500 (15-15) in the Big Ten but had some big wins at various times during the season and got hot at the right time. They knocked off then #16 Vanderbilt in the second game of the year, beat #5 Oregon State 2-out-of-3 at home in late March and then got hot at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha to win the Big Ten Tournament. They beat Michigan State in a 10-inning thriller before taking care of #4 Oregon, knocking off Penn State and then shutout #13 UCLA to punch their ticket to the Chapel Hill Regional. Head coach Will Bolt has now led his alma mater to three conference titles and three NCAA Regional appearances during his six years in Lincoln. No different than when he was a player, Bolt’s teams play with passion and toughness, this was never more...
Tournaments | Story | 12/12/2025

Finest in the Field: Class of 2028

Troy Sutherland
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Finest in the Field: Class of 2026 | Class of 2027 You like athletes? You like defenders who can impact a game at any given point? Look not further than this class as it's loaded from coast-to-coast with elite defenders all over the diamond.  C: Brogan Witcher, Bakersfield, CA Our scouting staff got several strong looks at Witcher whether that was at the Summer Kickoff, Sophomore National or the Underclass All American Games where he showcased his strong overall skillset and especially his advanced ability behind the plate. His 6-foot-3,180 pound build looks like one that will fill in quite nicely and be that big and physical catcher’s frame. His arm talent is undeniable where he gets it out quick and runs it up to 79 mph on throwdowns to 2nd (1.84 pop). Besides the standout catch/throw ability, we’ve seen him frame/receive strong arms and block it well during...
Softball | Softball Tournament | 12/11/2025

PG Softball "Toys 4 Tots" Fundraiser 18U division

Dave Durbala
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BURLINGTON, IA - 2025 Perfect Game Softball Toys 4 Tots Fundraiser One Day, December 7, 2025. Kicking off the holiday season, six teams participated in this one day, 3 game guarantee tournament in the 18u Division. We would like to thank those that donated a toy, and know that they will be distributed to area underprivileged children through a local charity organization. Following are some of the top performers from the weekend. Earning Tournament MV-Pitcher was Jolee Strohmeyer (2026 Dubuque, IA), a RHP/UTIL with tournament champion Lady Expos Blue. Strohmeyer shows hitters a consistent and repeatable motion and delivery with good use of the legs in the drive phase, and a quick and aggressive arm whip. Working with a six pitch mix of fastball, change-up, rise, drop, curve and screw, Strohmeyer topped out at 60 mph, and showed good movement  as she worked her rise and curve just out...
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