THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,384 MLB PLAYERS | 15,804 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,384 MLB PLAYERS | 15,804 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Create Account
Sign in Create Account
General  | Blog | 3/16/2022

PG International Rankings

Perfect Game Staff
Photo: Michael Kovala (Perfect Game)
Perfect Game is growing and expanding their reach on amateur baseball once again, providing yet another platform for players across the world to realize and fulfill their baseball goals and aspirations. After a few successful events in Europe, we at Perfect Game are upping the ante with the first-ever iteration of European rankings, going 50 players deep, while identifying plenty more who can be found within the rankings portal. With the help of the PG International Scouting Committee, which includes Zach Graefser, Bill Bavasi and Bob Fontaine, the initial Top 50 rankings are certain to expand with even more depth following every in person look. Each of the three showcases linked below, all of which will follow a 12u, 15u and 18u tournament, will ultimately lead to the Euro Select in Italy, which is the European equivalent of the Perfect Game National Showcase. Each event is certain to be filled with talent, some of whom the PG staff will lay eyes on for the first time and thus will join the rankings in the next update and expansion. 

While some players in the rankings have been in negotiations with MLB clubs, others have their sights set on playing in the NCAA stateside, joining the likes of right-hander Matteo Bochi of Parma, Italy who threw for the University of Texas or the powerful bat of Vojtek Mensik, who was a stalwart in the NC State lineup and a native of Brno, Czech Republic. 



Three additional names were set to factor into the rankings when we first began putting them together in left-hander Peter Bonilla (Spain/Los Angeles Dodgers), right-hander Enrique Sevilla Milanes (Russia/Los Angeles Dodgers) and infielder/right-hander Lou Helmig (Germany/Philadelphia Phillies), but ultimately signed professional contracts during the January signing period. 

Questions about an event? Comments about the rankings? Want to recommend a prospect?
Contact Vice President of International Development Ben Ford via his email, benford@perfectgame.org. 

2022 European East Showcase | May 8 | Brno, Czech Republic
2022 European Central Showcase | July 15-16 | Haarlem, Netherlands
2022 European West Showcase | October TBA | Barcelona, Spain
2022 Euro Select | November TBA | Messina, Italy

Top 50 Breakdown by Country

Czech Republic: 9
Italy: 9
Netherlands: 9
Germany: 8
France: 5
Spain: 4
Austria: 2
Belarus: 1
Bulgaria: 1
Sweden: 1
Switzerland: 1

To view the complete Top 50 rankings, click HERE. 
 
Top 10 at a Glance 

Rank Name Position Country Rank Name Position Country
1 Michal Kovala RHP Czech Republic 6 Amarensio Franka MIF Netherlands
2 Raydley Legito MIF Netherlands 7 Dominic Scheffler LHP Switzerland
3 Tobias Kiefer RHP Austria 8 Yoanis Aleksandrov C/1B/OF/RHP Bulgaria
4 Diego Jiminez RHP Spain 9 Jesus Montano OF Spain
5 Dorian Lippens RHP Netherlands 10 Boris Vecerka RHP Czech Republic


Top 10 Prospect Breakdown


1. Michal Kovala, RHP, Czech Republic

Kovala burst onto the scene last summer and quickly cemented himself as a name to know with a strong showing at various Perfect Game tournaments, as well as an eye opening performance at the Junior National Showcase. A native of the Czech who currently attends the Combine Academy in North Carolina and has aspirations of playing collegiate baseball should he not get drafted or sign, the 5-foot-10, 163-pound Kovala certainly has the stuff to compete at the next level and he showed it while squaring off against some of the best, posting two scoreless frames with 5 strikeouts at the Junior National. Throughout the summer his fastball velocity continued to climb from the upper-80s to a peak of 93 mph at the 16u WWBA World Championship, setting the stage for what should be an impressive outing during the 2022 High School Showdown-Academies at the start of March. While the heaters possesses some heavy life through the zone, the changeup is a true difference maker as he turns it over with confidence, generating late tumble while pairing it with a late biting slider to the bottom of the zone. To learn more about Kavala and his story, read his feature article from the Junior National Showcase here. 

2. Raydley Legito, MIF, Netherlands

Easily the best player on the field every time he’s out there, what Legito lacks in size he makes up for in athleticism. Defensively he has quick feet and excellent range to both sides and he does a great job syncing his hands and feet with a quick release. His arm grades out as average but it's very accurate and shows excellent footwork around the bag with great reads off the bat. His baseball IQ is above average, always looking for the play ahead and knowing what to do with the baseball before he gets it. Offensively Legito is a prototypical leadoff type hitter with plus speed. In the 2021 European Championships he hit .348 and lead the team with 4 stolen bases, helping to deliver the Netherlands the championship. He plays situational baseball with the bat, working counts as the leadoff hitter, moving runners over as needed and he's never afraid to bunt when the situation warrants. He has a short, controlled swing with quick hands and excellent barrel manipulation. While he needs to get stronger to advance his game to the next level, there's no doubting he has an extremely bright future ahead of him.

3. Tobias Kiefer, RHP, Austria

There hasn’t been a much more dominant pitcher in Austria than Kiefer. At 6-foot-3, 180 pounds, Kiefer has a very athletic delivery to the plate and uses his size to his advantage. He has a very clean arm action and great whip with extension to finish. All of his pitches are downhill, and he gets a lot of run on his fastball and change-up. All four pitches can be thrown for strikes and he isn’t afraid to pitch inside. His delivery is direct to the plate and he likes to work quickly, keeping hitters off balance. He needs to work on his endurance as he seems to run out of gas quickly, however he is also the starting shortstop for his team in Austria which is a statement to his athleticism. He's still young and projects well physically, all of which plays in his favor as there's a ridiculous amount of room for growth moving forward.

4. Diego Jiminez, RHP, Spain

Jiminez made a big splash in the 2021 European Championships shutting out the Czech Republic in his first game with Spain. In total he threw 7 2/3, striking out 14 in 3 appearances, showing an extremely quick arm with a very easy delivery to match. He hides the ball well and it really jumps on hitters at release as a results. He steps across his body and could get into his lower half just a little better, but the arm quickness and pitchability are there. He throws 3 pitches for strikes with the slider being his go-to in any count. Jiminez has been up to 92 with his fastball and consistently sits between 86-91 mph with a 78 mph slider to match. He isn’t done growing yet and there's definitely more in the tank.


5. Dorian Lippens, RHP, Netherlands
College Commitment: Cisco Community College

Dorian is a huge upside pitcher with a very bright future ahead of him. While his numbers at the 2021 Euros weren’t the greatest, he showed flashes of something very special. He sits at a very sneaky 88-91 with a lot more there in the future. He is tall off the post with a little hip curl that takes the top side with. He steps across his body a little and has a difficult time duplicating the delivery. Dorian has an extremely fast arm at a high ¾ arm slot that is effortless from start to finish. He really gets into his legs well and the body syncs up timing wise. The curveball is a swing and miss pitch, very tight and late breaking. As he works on the command improving, the velocity will no doubt jump even more and he’s going to be a dangerous pitcher when it all comes together.

6. Amarensio Franka, MIF, Netherlands

Franka is by far the youngest player in the top-10 at 15 years old but he may have the highest upside. He hit .400 at the U15 European Championships this year and showed next level tools throughout the tournament. He’s very physically advanced for his age and extremely smooth with his actions as his hands are very sure and smooth up the middle, showing aggressiveness to the ball and he isn’t afraid to make a mistake. His feet sync up well with his hands and he has a short, quick arm action with a quick release. He has a tendency to get around the ball a little too much but will get better as the speed of the game increases. Offensively he has very fast hands and a quick swing with some pop. While he'll get a little off balance on the stride, it's an easy fix once he gets into his lower half better. He is a plus runner for his age and got great jumps stealing bases. The talent is impressive for his age and he’s going to be a very exciting player to watch in the future.


7. Dominic Scheffler, LHP, Switzerland
College Commitment: Seattle University 

Of all the players ranked within the top 50, none come with a bigger mystery than the 6-foot-3 left-handed Scheffler as he continues to make a name for himself on the international scene as well as in the states as he committed to Seattle University at the start of the year. Though a member of the Switzerland National Team, Scheffler hasn't been seen nearly as much as some of the other top guys, though the stuff speaks for itself as he already possesses a heater that works in the upper-80s with plenty more in the tank as he continues to physically develop. Pro scouts are aware of the Swiss southpaw and as he continues to get more reps, you can expect his stock to continue to rise at an exponential rate. 

8. Yoanis Aleksandrov, C/OF, Bulgaria

A native of Bulgaria, Aleksandrov already has two Perfect Game showcases under his belt as he first attended the 2021 Miami Prospect Showcase before earning an invite to the World Showcase at the start of the 2022 calendar. In terms of physicality, you'll have a difficult time finding anybody on the list more impressive than the 6-foot-3, 229-pound Aleksandrov who knows how to implement that strength into his right-handed swing while retaining looseness and athleticism to his overall game. The power in his right-handed swing will immediately catch one's attention, driving the ball with authority to both the middle and pull side parts of the field with plenty of bat speed and strength in his hands. He posted a 6.77 in the 60-yard which speaks to his athleticism despite the strength on his frame and he maintains mobility behind the plate, showing clean actions with big arm strength (77 mph), all of which he repeats well. He could ultimately find himself in the outfield at the next level however, where once again, his athleticism and arm strength will suit him well as he profiles as a power hitting corner outfielder with some serious thump in his bat. 

9. Jesus Montano, OF, Spain

Like Jiminez, Montano turned heads very quickly at the U18 Euros this summer where the 17-year-old hit .563 with 5 RBI during the tournament with a home run and 16 total bases in just 5 games. He's a very toolsy, physical player with raw strength and speed. Offensively he does a great job recognizing pitches and staying back, utilizing a slight leg kick with great balance to get into his lower half nicely. Montano possesses a very strong top hand and keeps his back elbow tight for a compact, powerful swing and though he's a bit of a pull hitter, showing solid power in batting practice. As he gets stronger, there is room for improvement with a little more linear movement in his stride. Defensively the center fielder does a great job of directing traffic and is a leader on the field. He gets great jumps on the ball and has a plus arm, showing excellent accuracy to the intended bag. He is a smooth runner with an easy stride and tracks very well.

10. Boris Vecerka, RHP, Czech Republic

Of all the players in the initial Top 50 European rankings release, Vecerka may have been the first to appear in a Perfect Game event, with his PG debut coming in 2017 during Freshman PG Series Classic Challenge in Fort Myers, Florida. He looks a little different now in terms of physicality from when we saw him standing at 5-foot-10, 180 pounds as he’s now listed at 6-foot-3, 210 pounds and that fastball we saw bumping 70 mph back is 2017 is now topping out at 96 mph via reports of his latest bullpen. There’s no doubting the upside as the frame and outstanding arm speed stand out, though he’ll have to continue to streamline his delivery and overall direction towards the plate. Along with the big fastball, Vecerka shows some present feel for a slider which he can rip into the upper-70s, but like the heater, will need to refine his overall command. All that said, the overall combination of stuff, athleticism and arm speed, as well as bloodlines as his older brother was signed by the Royals, Vecerka is a must-see arm out of the Czech.
Give us your feedback
General | Blog | 2/3/2026

Wolforth Throwing Mentorship: Article 62
Ron Wolforth
Article Image
Wolforth Throwing Mentorship: Article 62, Part 1 Demystifying the Curveball, Pitch Counts, and Weighted Balls - Part 2  Now, on to Part 2 of our three-part series on baseball's most misunderstood topics. We tackled the curveball. Next up: pitch counts. And in Part 3, we'll address weighted balls, another subject where fear has outpaced reason.   Why these three? Because they share something in common: each has been reduced to a simplistic, one-size-fits-all rule that ignores the complexity of human performance. And in each case, well-meaning people have latched onto these rules as if they're gospel, while the arm injury epidemic continues unabated.  It's time to think more clearly.   Part II: Demystifying Pitch Counts   Let me be clear from the start: I am not anti-pitch count.   Pitch counts are a valuable tool. We use them at...
Read More
High School | General | 2/5/2026

Georgia Region Top Teams

Tyler Russo
Article Image
Georgia All Region Team & Top Tools Rk School Record 1 Etowah 34-4 2 Blessed Trinity 34-9 3 Parkview 26-11 4 Houston County 33-7 5 Lowndes 28-13 6 Walton 34-8 7 Buford 25-9 8 Pope 31-5 9 North Cobb Christian 24-11-1 10 Harrison 23-14 11 Newnan 32-5 12 North Paulding 28-10 13 Marist 30-7 14 Cartersville 32-10 15 Denmark 19-14 16 North Oconee 27-8 17 Loganville 29-8 18 Morgan County 32-10 19 North Gwinnett 35-5 20 Carrollton 23-12 21 Troup County 32-9 22 Hillgrove 21-13 23 River Ridge 25-15 24 Pickens 32-7 25 McEachern 24-8
Read More
High School | General | 2/5/2026

Georgia HS All Region & Top Tools

David Rawnsley
Article Image
Georgia has its usual depth of high-level athletes and Perfect Game All-Americans, although three 2027 players did make the All-Region team.  There are an unusual number of two-way prospects among the All-Region players, a testament to the big arms that the state has right now. Two Georgia high schools are ranked in the top 10 of the PG Pre-Season High School Top 50 rankings and the Georgia high school ranks are annually among the most competitive in the country.  Etowah is the highest ranked team at 5th overall, while Blessed Trinity Catholic checks in at 8th.  Parkview is the only other Georgia team in the top 50, holding down the 34th spot.   OF-RHP Dexter McCleon Jr will be fixture on the Georgia All-Region team for the next two years but the top ranked prospect in the 2028 class will have to take a back seat to his elders this year.  McCleon’s absurd...
Read More
High School | Rankings | 2/4/2026

Florida Region Top Teams

Tyler Russo
Article Image
Florida All Region Team & Top Tools   Rk School Record 1 Stoneman Douglas 31-2 2 Tampa Jesuit 25-10 3 Trinity Christian Academy 30-5 4 South Walton 31-4 5 IMG Academy 24-1 6 Venice 29-5 7 Bishop Verot 32-3 8 American Heritage (Plantation) 29-6 9 St. Thomas Aquinas 29-6-1 10 Doral Academy Charter 27-8-1 11 North Broward Prep 23-8 12 Lincoln 24-11 13 Mater Academy 25-9-1 14 The First Academy 30-4 15 Alonso 21-13 16 St. John's Country Day 26-9 17 Bishop Snyder 23-8 18 Spruce Creek 30-4 19 Buchholz 33-3 20 Lake Mary 15-15 21 Miami Springs 28-3 22 Jupiter 25-10 23 Plant City 16-12 24 Berkeley Prep 25-10 25 Winter Park 25-6
Read More
College | Story | 2/4/2026

Conference Preview: Northeast

Jason Phillips
Article Image
2026 College Preview Index | Preseason Top 25 | Preseason Collegiate All-Americans For all of Perfect Game's conference previews as part of the 2026 college baseball preview content, the 2025 records and all-conference teams are available for free. The conference top prospects and individual team breakdowns can be viewed with a subscription. 2025 Records Teams are listed in alphabetical order* Team W L W L CCSU 23 7 31 17 Coppin State 13 17 15 34 Delaware State 6 24 7 34 FDU 16 14 16 37 LeMoyne 17 13 20 28 LIU 24 6 35 23 UMES 6 24 7 41 Mercyhurst 15 15 17 35 New Haven* 12 12 24 20 Norfolk State 4 26 4 38 Stonehill 18 12 20 32 Wagner 23 7 31 22 *Member Northeast-10 DII Preseason All Conference Team Pos. Name School Stats/Notes C Frankie Ferrentino CCSU .281-13-35, 9 2Bs, (Merrimack), Double digit HR all 3 years at Merrimack 1B Jayden Walker Mercyhurst .314-12-40, 10...
Read More
Press Release | Press Release | 2/4/2026

Baseball Meets Hollywood For Great Cause

Jim Salisbury
Article Image
BASEBALL MEETS HOLLYWOOD FOR A GREAT CAUSE    There’s no crying in baseball, but there is laughing, and there was lots and lots of it -- for a great cause -- last Saturday night in Hollywood, California. Perfect Game and its Believe in Baseball Foundation assembled a star-studded cast of comics and guests for the inaugural “In the Spirit of the Game” dinner and auction. The event was held at the iconic Laugh Factory, a historic venue that, in baseball terms, would be equivalent to Dodger Stadium or Wrigley Field. Late-night superstar Jay Leno took a turn on stage. So did comedic aces Tiffany Haddish, Nikki Glaser, Dustin Ybarra and Gary Cannon. “It was 4 ½ hours of straight laughter,” said PG commissioner Dennis Gilbert, still beaming a couple of days later. “It was a really nice success.” No one kept score at the event, but...
Read More
College | Story | 2/5/2026

Conference Preview: Western Athletic

Scott Rankin
Article Image
2026 College Preview Index | Preseason Top 25 | Preseason Collegiate All-Americans For all of Perfect Game's conference previews as part of the 2026 college baseball preview content, the 2025 records and all-conference teams are available for free. The conference top prospects and individual team breakdowns can be viewed with a subscription. 2025 Records Teams are listed in alphabetical order* Team W L W L Abilene Christian 34 23 15 9 Cal Baptist 30 27 12 12 Sacramento State 32 26 15 9 Tarleton State 24 32 12 12 UT Arlington 21 33 11 13 Utah Tech 24 31  9 15 Utah Valley 29 29 13 11 Preseason All-Conference Team Pos. Name School Stats/Notes C Mason Strong Utah Valley 1st team All-WAC in ‘25 hitting .366 and leading the conference in hits.  Also hit 11 Home Runs 1B Grant Watkins Abilene Christian .292 with 14 Home Runs and drove in 48 runs in...
Read More
High School | General | 2/4/2026

West Region High School Sleepers

Joey Cohen
Article Image
Talking and debating sleeper prospects might be my favorite part of scouting. It’s where context, projection, and conviction matter most—whether it’s an underrated performer who keeps producing on the circuit, a raw but explosive athlete you can dream on, or an arm with starter traits that hasn’t quite made the stuff jump yet. These are the players who tend to separate evaluators, reward patience, and make the spring HS season really fascinating. Below are several West Region prospects outside the T100 who fit that mold and deserve serious attention as the spring unfolds. Jet Berry, Queen Creek HS, Arizona There’s a lot to like with Berry. He’s one of the more explosive, twitchy athletes in the country, and it shows consistently in all facets of his game. From a tools perspective his easy plus run and bat-to-ball ability stand out. He’s been a...
Read More
College | Rankings | 2/4/2026

Preseason NAIA Top 25

Nick Herfordt
Article Image
The 2026 NAIA Baseball Rankings arrive with the familiar weight of expectations and a few fresh storylines that make the new season feel electric from top to bottom. At the very front of the pack, perennial power Tennessee Wesleyan stands tall once again, a program that has turned sustained excellence into something bordering on routine. The Bulldogs are not just ranked highly, they set the tone. Year after year, they combine elite talent, veteran leadership, and a culture that refuses to blink under pressure. It says everything about the depth of this year’s field that it was genuinely difficult not to slide LSU Shreveport back into the top spot yet again. After all, how in the world does a team stay that good after losing so many impact players? The answer is simple and timeless. Success breeds success. Programs that live in championship air know how to reload, not reset, and...
Read More
College | Story | 2/6/2026

Conference Preview: Missouri Valley

Blaine Peterson
Article Image
2026 College Preview Index | Preseason Top 25 | Preseason Collegiate All-Americans For all of Perfect Game's conference previews as part of the 2026 college baseball preview content, the 2025 records and all-conference teams are available for free. The conference top prospects and individual team breakdowns can be viewed with a subscription. 2025 Records Teams are listed in alphabetical order* School W L W L Belmont 26 34 13 14 Bradley 16 35 12 15 Evansville 17 37 10 17 Illinois-Chicago 22 33 16 11 Illinois State 28 28 15 12 Indiana State 24 31 12 15 Murray State 44 17 17 8 Southern Illinois 37 20 16 11 Valparaiso 10 40 5 22 Preseason All-Conference Team  Pos. Name School Stats/Notes C Ryan Bakes Illinois State Talented transfer to the MVC this season. Standout performer in the Northwoods League over the summer hitting .313 with 4 HR, 8 XBH and 24/18 BB/K. 1B...
Read More
College | Story | 2/3/2026

Conference Preview: Patriot

Anthony Gambardella
Article Image
2026 College Preview Index | Preseason Top 25 | Preseason Collegiate All-Americans For all of Perfect Game's conference previews as part of the 2026 college baseball preview content, the 2025 records and all-conference teams are available for free. The conference top prospects and individual team breakdowns can be viewed with a subscription. 2025 Records Teams are listed in alphabetical order*  Team W L W L Army West Point 25 25 14 11 Bucknell 18 27 10 15 Holy Cross 31 27 17 8 Lafayette 14 35 9 16 Lehigh 24 26 11 14 Navy 26 25 14 11 Preseason All Conference Team Pos.  Name  School  Stats/Notes  C  Ty Deperno  Navy  Named PL Rookie of the Year & to 2nd Team All-PL in ‘25; batted .307 w/ 33 runs & 32 RBI  IF  Thomas Schreck  Army West Point  Named to 1st Team All-PL in ‘25; batted .335 w/ 40...
Read More
Loading more articles...
About Perfect Game :: Contact us :: Terms of Use :: Privacy Policy :: Testimonials :: Job Opportunities
Copyright 1994-2026 by Perfect Game. All rights reserved. No portion of this information may be reprinted or reproduced without the written consent of Perfect Game.