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General  | General | 8/17/2022

Ponger, Thurman Assume Leadership of PG

Photo: Perfect Game
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – Veteran sport industry executives, Rob Ponger and Rick Thurman, today announced that they have assumed senior leadership of Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service.

Ponger, former CFO of IMG Media, and Thurman, co-founder and former co-owner of athlete representation agency, Beverly Hills Sports Council, will serve as Perfect Game’s CEO and president/chairman, respectively.





In making the announcement, Ponger and Thurman also shared that Perfect Game Founder, Jerry Ford, will stay on as Perfect Game commissioner, while Brad Clement, the current CEO, will assume the newly created role of executive vice president/general manager.

Moving forward, both Ponger and Thurman will take on more visible roles with Perfect Game, after spending time working behind the scenes to usher in a new era for the organization. Under Ponger’s and Thurman’s recent guidance and leadership, Perfect Game has evolved into a multi-tiered sport enterprise that has added a proprietary tech platform (PG Tech), a multi-media platform (PerfectGame.TV), launched an apparel line and expanded internationally. Additionally, Ponger and Thurman have steered Perfect Game’s recent growth domestically in the amateur baseball and softball space through athletic and multi-use facility development, ownership and management.

“I’m excited to formally announce that my partner, Rick Thurman, and I have assumed senior leadership control of Perfect Game,” stated Ponger. “We view Perfect Game as the industry leader in the youth sports and event space, and, as we’ve already witnessed, we see tremendous growth opportunities for the brand. Jerry Ford, the Ford family, and all those involved with Perfect Game have done a tremendous job in establishing the organization as the best in the world at what it does, and I look forward to working with Rick and the entire Perfect Game family to help the organization reach new heights.”

Thurman added: “I echo Rob’s sentiments. Perfect Game has the potential to further establish its leadership position as the premier, multi-faceted youth and amateur sport organization providing best-in-class events, services, products and experiences to athletes, their families, industry executives and fans on a global scale. This is a great opportunity to build upon the outstanding efforts of Jerry Ford and grow Perfect Game into a truly global brand.”

“I look forward to supporting Rob and Rick as they lend their sport industry expertise to the Perfect Game business model and make it bigger and better than I could have ever imagined when we began this journey in the mid-1990s to provide playing opportunities for Iowa high school baseball players,” said Ford. “I know Perfect Game is in good hands, and I look forward to doing whatever I can to help Rob and Rick usher in this new and exciting era for Perfect Game.”

Ponger spent nearly 20 years at IMG where, serving as CFO of IMG Media, he provided financial and investment oversight, led mergers and acquisitions, directed corporate restructuring, and drove business development through the creation and implementation of strategic and tactical initiatives that helped position IMG as one of the world’s most successful entertainment and sports agencies.

Thurman co-founded the prestigious athlete representation agency, Beverly Hills Sports Council (BHSC) in 1984. In less than two years, BHSC became the largest and one of the most influential baseball player representation firms in the country. Thurman influenced the evolution of the contemporary sports agency over the last 40 years, by providing BHSC clients with an array of full-service management services that expanded beyond traditional contract negotiations and into outside business management guidance, personal marketing and promotion, legal counsel, and personal management all under one roof.




General | General | 2/9/2026

Nash Embraces All Things Perfect Game

Jim Salisbury
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CARTER NASH EMBRACES ALL THINGS PG By Jim Salisbury  COLUMBUS, Ohio – It’s cold outside. The wind is whipping. Is that sleet? Ugh. Think spring. Think baseball. Carter Nash surely is. Nash looked right at home during a visit to the American Baseball Coaches Association annual convention last month. Outside, the weather was frightful. Inside, it was baseball season. Nash lit up radar guns with his smile as he made his way through the convention hall and the event’s bustling trade show. He checked out all the new equipment, all the cutting-edge technologies and even met a few former major leaguers. “It’s like a baseball heaven to me right now,” the wide-eyed 15-year-old said. Nash is one of the bright young talents of Perfect Game. You’ll be hearing a lot about him in the coming years, if you haven’t already. He’s played in...
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...
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...
High School | General | 2/18/2026

High School Notebook: Feb. 18

Cam McElwaney
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Grady Emerson (‘26 TX) laces this ball to right for a walk off single. Clean lefty stroke. Looks the part both sides of the ball. Checks all the boxes. Will be scouted heavily this Spring. #PGHS #HookEm commit. #PGDraft pic.twitter.com/wXvdHdgqME — Perfect Game Texas (@Texas_PG) February 6, 2026 Grady Emerson (2026, Argyle, Texas) had a strong showing throughout the opening week of high school baseball out here in Texas. Works good at-bats and is always a tough out in general. Makes all the plays at short and just has the look of a future big leaguer. He does all the little things right. Bat to ball will play at a high level and there is still a lot more power to project on here. There is a reason why Emerson is one of, if not the most highly coveted high school prospect in the 2026 class and it’s easy to see why. Currently committed to Texas, but has the potential to...
High School | Rankings | 2/18/2026

Midwest Region Top Teams

Tyler Russo
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Midwest All Region & Top Tools Rk Midwest 2025 Record 1 St. Thomas Aquinas (KS) 27-4 2 Edmond Memorial (OK) 30-8 3 Muskego (WI) 27-10 4 Lawrence Free State (KS) 28-2 5 Mill Valley (KS) 22-6 6 Valley View (AR) 29-5 7 Platte County (MO) 29-8 8 Liberty North (MO) 19-14 9 Millard North (NE) 23-13 10 St. John Vianney (MO) 38-2 11 Owasso (OK) 40-3 12 Olathe East (KS) 22-6 13 Staley (MO) 38-4 14 Shawnee Mission South (KS) 10-11-4 15 Blue Springs South (MO) 27-7 16 Blue Valley (KS) 21-10 17 Edmond Santa Fe (OK) 37-7 18 Skutt Catholic (NE) 24-7 19 Howell (MO) 35-4 20 Olathe West (KS) 25-3 21 Creighton Prep (NE) 16-15 22 Rogers (AR) 26-4 23 Fayetteville (AR) 26-7 24 Blue Valley West (KS) 17-10 25 Cretin Derham Hall (MN) 19-5-1
Softball | Softball Tournament | 2/18/2026

PG Softball Winter One Day Tournament

Dave Durbala
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BURLINGTON, IA - Perfect Game Softball Winter One Day Tournament, February 15, 2026. Twelve teams, split between the 16u and 18u divisions, participated in this event.  With two pool games, and then a move into single elimination bracket play,  some players used this tournament as  their last warm-up before kicking off their high school seasons, while others were tuning up for the busy Spring and Summer travel season. In the 16u division, it was the Iowa Aries 16u Ce Fire Red taking the championship, with Southeast Iowa Allstars 18u Gold Miller earning the crown in the 18u division. Below are write-ups from observations made during the day, as due to a software glitch, there were no stats available to complete a Top Performers list. 16U Division  Earning the MV-Pitcher Award, as selected by her coaches, was Aurora Widlund (2029 Altoona, IA) of tournament champion Iowa...
College | Rankings | 2/18/2026

DIII Rankings: February 18

Nick Herfordt
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Every spring, Division III baseball begins as a wide-open map. Cold mornings turn into long bus rides, non-conference gauntlets test resolve, and by the time the dust settles, only a few teams are still standing with a clear line to the NCAA Division III baseball tournament. The 2026 Perfect Game Division III Baseball Rankings capture that moment before the stretch run, highlighting the programs that have separated themselves through depth, durability, and an ability to win in a variety of ways. These eight teams are not simply piling up wins; they are shaping identities built to survive the grind and thrive when the margins narrow.  The destination is familiar, even if the journey never is. Once again, the final chapter will be written at Classic Park, where timing, composure, and roster balance matter as much as raw talent. The teams ranked here enter 2026 with more than ambition....
Juco | Rankings | 2/18/2026

JUCO Rankings Update: February 18

Blaine Peterson
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Just a couple of weeks into the 2026 season, several teams have already hit the ground running, namely Walters State, Florida Southwestern, Chipola, Johnson County, Florence-Darlington, and Pearl River. A little further down the rankings, we’ve seen some significant movement. The College of Southern Nevada surged up several spots after a strong 12-2 start, while Gaston has turned heads with an unblemished 14-0 record. We also welcome a few new additions in the 20s: Fresno City and Panola. Neither program debuted inside our top 50, but both have certainly earned their place in this week’s rankings. We’re looking forward to another exciting week of early spring baseball, as teams across the country continue to find their rhythm before conference play begins. Rk. School Record 1 Walters State (TN) 11-2 2 Florida Southwestern (FL) 11-3 3 McLennan (TX) 5-1 4 Chipola (FL)...
Showcase | Story | 2/18/2026

PG National Heading to Miami

Perfect Game Staff
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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 NATIONAL SHOWCASE TO MAKE HISTORIC  DEBUT AT LOANDEPOT PARK, HOME OF THE MIAMI MARLINS    Prestigious event brings nation’s top amateur talent to a Major League venue July 1–5    Miami, Florida (Wednesday, February 18, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced that the annual Perfect Game National Showcase will be held for the first time at LoanDepot Park, home of the Miami Marlins, from July 1-5.    This milestone event marks Perfect Game’s...
High School | Rankings | 2/17/2026

Ohio Valley Top Teams

Tyler Russo
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Ohio Valley All Region & Top Tools Rk Ohio Valley 2025 Record 1 Trinity (KY) 38-3 2 Archbishop Moeller (OH) 25-4-1 3 St. Laurence (IL) 37-5 4 Center Grove (IN) 27-5 5 Brother Rice (IL) 36-5 6 Chicago Mount Carmel (IL) 23-14 7 Crown Point (IN) 27-5 8 Libertyville (IL) 37-4 9 Brother Rice (MI) 23-12-1 10 Orchard Lake St. Mary's (MI) 26-13 11 Normal Community (IL) 37-6 12 Detroit Catholic Central (MI) 20-10 13 Nazareth Academy (IL) 31-7 14 Lyons Township (IL) 22-11-1 15 Zionsville (IN) 19-9 16 St. Xavier (KY) 30-7 17 Noblesville (IN) 16-11 18 Jackson (OH) 27-4 19 Mason (OH) 22-7 20 Fishers (IN) 25-6 21 McHenry (IL) 34-5-1 22 McCracken County (KY) 24-7 23 Westfield (IN) 22-10 24 Olentangy Liberty (OH) 27-7 25 McCutcheon (IN) 16-12
High School | General | 2/17/2026

Ohio Valley All Region & Top Tools

David Rawnsley
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OHIO VALLEY REGION (IL, IN, KY, MI, OH) The Ohio Valley Region has a healthy amount of top-level talent, as it features five Perfect Game All-Americans in shortstop Ethan Bass, third baseman TJ McQuillan, two-way stand out Matt Ponatoski and right-handed pitchers Shawn Sullivan and Grayson Willoughby.  The 2027 class looks very strong as well, especially in Illinois. A couple of things are missing from the Ohio Valley All-Region team, though.  The first is the two best outfielders in the region, as 2027 Illinois outfielder Sebastian Wilson is attending IMG Academy in Florida and fellow 2027 outfielder Noah Goettke from Ohio is attending P27 Academy in South Carolina.  Also missing are any players from Michigan, which enjoyed a dominant run of top prospects in recent years largely behind the Lake Orchard St. Mary’s HS program.  2027 catcher Broder Katke (Brother...
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