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| 2,475 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,475 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
College  | Story | 1/6/2023

Geaux-ing Up; LSU Opens at #1

Photo: LSU Baseball (LSU Athletics)
Heading into Year 2 in Baton Rouge, LSU Coach Jay Johnson has his Tigers in as good of a spot as they’ve been in years as they earned the preseason No. 1 ranking heading into the 2023 season. The Tigers have assembled what looks to be one of the more fearsome rosters in college baseball, returning SEC stars like Dylan Crews and Tre’ Morgan but also loading up on new transfer like 2022 Freshman of the Year Tommy White and 2022 John Olerud Award Winner Paul Skenes.

What does Jay Johnson think of the prestigious ranking? He tries not to put the wagon before the horse. “I don’t get too ahead of myself,” Johnson said in an interview with PG’s Vinnie Cervino, “we obviously play great competition.” He’s right too. The SEC had a nation-leading eight teams ranked in the Preseason Top 25 with seven of those eight ranked in the top 11.



LSU lost the highest drafted college player in the country last season in Jacob Berry (7th overall to the Marlins) but it looks like centerfielder Dylan Crews has a chance to surpass that mark. Crews has a chance to be only the third No. 1 overall pick out of LSU following Eric Hetzel in 1985 and Ben McDonald in 1989, along with being the highest drafted Tiger since Alex Bregman went second overall in 2015.

“It’s just the total package: elite talent and an elite person in terms of character, makeup, (and) competitiveness,” Johnson said, “Rarely do you see a guy that has that much ability and is in tune to get that ability out on a consistent basis.”

Crews is an example of the ripple effects felt across the baseball landscape because of the COVID-shortened 2020 draft. With only five rounds, plenty of high school kids fulfilled their commitment to school that otherwise would have signed, or as Johnson puts it, “Guys like him don’t show up on campus often.”

LSU certainly had the merits to be a top 10 team entering the season but there’s never a good reason not to get better when you have the opportunity, so it added the two biggest names in the transfer portal: Tommy White, formerly of NC State, and Paul Skenes, formerly of Air Force. “We’re replacing Jacob Berry and Cade Doughty (2nd round, Blue Jays),” Johnson said, “and there’s no better way to fill that than with a known commodity like Tommy White.”

White took the nation by storm last year, earning the moniker ‘Tommy Tanks’ en route to winning Perfect Game Freshman of the Year. White immediately became not only a sensation but one of the best hitters in the sport, slugging over .750 with 27 jacks. Johnson has been very impressed with White, but everyone knows about the power; what’s stood out to Johnson has been the glove work and pure hit tool.

“People are going to be very surprised at the defensive player that he is,” Johnson said, “the pure hitting ability gets overlooked because the power is special…he’ll help us fill that void in losing two of the best players in the country.”

The rest of the roster is surrounded by a supporting cast of returners led by Crews and first baseman Tre’ Morgan. “(With) Dylan Crews, Tre’ Morgan, Jordan Thompson, Ty Floyd, Josh Pearson, you have a really good core of returning players.”

Floyd is a name expected to compete in the starting rotation and that weekend staff could look very different from a year ago. Gone is Ma’Khail Hilliard, who made 16 starts, but a trio of transfers led by Skenes enter as highly touted prospects. “We’re excited to add Paul (Skenes), one of the best pitchers in the country,” Johnson said. “Thatcher (Hurd) has an incredibly high ceiling and Christian (Little) does as well.”

Floyd is one of two names on the mound, along with Cape Cod League star Grant Taylor, who Johnson seems most excited by in terms of their development this fall. “(There was a) real emergence on the mound with Floyd and Grant Taylor,” he said. The reason for the developmental gains of the pitching staff this fall? Johnson credits the addition of new pitching coach Wes Johnson, who LSU was able to lure back to the SEC from the Minnesota Twins.

Jay Johnson had to replace his two full time assistants this offseason as recruiting coordinator Dan Fitzgerald left to become the head coach at Kansas and pitching coach Jason Kelly left to become the head coach at Washington - both Power 5 head coaching jobs. If you’re sensing a theme you’d be right because as it is with the roster, LSU doesn’t rebuild, they reload.

Jay Johnson was able to lure one of the best recruiting coordinators in the country Josh Jordan away from Duke then made the big splash of grabbing Wes Johnson from the Twins. Jordan generally is regarded as a top recruiter, instrumental in the development of Duke’s program under Chris Pollard, and Wes Johnson was poached from Arkansas to the MLB ranks and is regarded by his peers as one of the brightest pitching minds in the country.

“I want to find the people that are the best at what they do,” Jay Johnson said. “Josh (Jordan) on the recruiting and catching side is outstanding; Wes is elite, might very well be the best pitching coach in all of baseball not just college baseball”

Even as the players change the goal stays the same: winning games and development. “We’re just trying to put all the pieces in place to help players live out their dream of being MLB players and go to Omaha and compete for national championships,” Johnson said. But just because the Tigers have earned the Preseason No. 1 ranking, the job isn’t finished. The SEC is still a vaunted gauntlet of stacked teams and Johnson knows he and his players are going to have to fight to finish the season at No. 1. “Nothing is going to be given to us,” he said. “We’re going to have to earn it.”

College | Story | 6/11/2026

Collegiate Freshman All-Americans

Vincent Cervino
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Collegiate Postseason Awards | Collegiate All Americans First Team Hitters Pos. Name School Class AVG OBP SLG R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB C Alonzo Alvarez Miami FR 0.341 0.439 0.551 40 57 13 2 6 32 3 1B Ethin Bingaman Auburn FR 0.330 0.415 0.581 60 71 9 0 15 50 4 2B Ethan Ball Virginia Tech FR 0.310 0.420 0.660 43 63 18 1 17 52 3 3B Nico Partida Texas A&M FR 0.306 0.408 0.550 45 55 8 0 12 43 4 SS Jett Kenady California FR 0.320 0.350 0.573 36 66 17 1 11 34 1 IF Linkin Garcia Texas Tech FR 0.338 0.387 0.489 53 78 21 1 4 59 1 OF Angel Laya Oregon FR 0.296 0.396 0.538 49 66 10 1 14 47 5 OF Anthony Pack Jr. Texas FR 0.359 0.485 0.597 58 74 16 0 11 52 20 OF Jacob Parker* Mississippi State FR 0.339 0.449 0.732 51 57 10 1 18 62 7 OF Teddy Tokheim Stanford FR 0.352 0.414 0.704 40 70 19 0 17 47 0 UT Drew Grego Nebraska FR 0.326 0.417 0.531 33 57 13 1 7 44 5 DH Enzo Infelise Cincinnati FR 0.374...
Tournaments | Story | 6/17/2026

UBC South Scout Notes: Days 3-5

Perfect Game Staff
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Jonell Rodriguez (2027, Spring, Texas) continued his absolute tear this weekend with Banditos 2027 Scout. The Houston commit finished the weekend 7-12 with three triples and two doubles, reaching base a staggering eleven times over the course of the tournament. Super twitchy athlete who is starting to tap into more power this summer. Has always been extremely productive but seems to have leveled up. He has an argument for being the most dynamic player in the state with his 2026 performances. William Bishop (2028, San Antonio, Texas) was a breakout star this weekend for Texas Angels 2028 Lisbon. Was an impossible out this weekend, going 10-14 with five doubles, a triple, and a home run, while driving in eight runs. Uber physical lower half that rotates easily, not a ton of wasted movement in the swing process. Was such a tough matchup for every single arm he faced at UBC. Will Rainer...
Tournaments | Championship | 6/17/2026

Braves Capture WWBA East Title

Kinley Kitchens
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By the end of championship Monday, the Atlanta Braves Scout Team had done much more than win a title. They had validated everything they believed they could become. After an undefeated run through the 2026 PG East WWBA Championship, the Braves captured the 15U championship with an 8-2 victory, finishing off a dominant weekend that featured elite pitching, explosive offense, and contributions throughout the roster. For coach Jed Douglas, the championship represented the results of months of practice, preparation, and a vision that finally came together. “This is our first championship with this group,” Douglas said. “We finally brought it together and for the first time, everything seemed to work just as we designed it when we were building the team, and it was just beautiful this way.” The Braves backed up that vision with one of the most impressive offensive...
Tournaments | Story | 6/16/2026

PG Summer Showdown Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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Mason Kennerly (2028, Decatur, Ga.) hit .429 with a .667 OBP, five walks and three RBI in four games last week. He’s already showing the tools to be a big-time power bat in his class, and standing at 6’2 with an athletic frame, he’s one of the more projectable players we saw this weekend. His mechanics play into his size well, creating good hand separation from body on his load, using a medium-high leg kick, and getting a wide base when going into his launch. He uses every bit of his size and natural strength to create a violent swing. He’s got the makings of a really solid prospect, and as he develops and his approach matures, he’ll become a guy that college coaches keep at the top of their radar.  ‘27 Grant Barden (GA) up to 90 mph on the hill. Loose on the mound, whippy arm action. Four pitch mix; FB 87-90, CB 71-72, SL 76-78, CH 79-81. Mixed...
General | Blog | 6/16/2026

Wolforth Throwing Mentorship: Article 66

Ron Wolforth
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  The Number That Just Killed MLB Expansion: 1,217   USA Today's Bob Nightengale dropped a bomb shell recently that the baseball world is still digesting. Major League Baseball wants to expand to 32 teams. Team executives are quietly opposing it and the reason has nothing to do with cities or money.   They cannot find enough healthy pitchers.   Between 2020 and 2024, professional baseball performed 1,026 Tommy John surgeries at the minor-league level alone. Another 191 at the Major League level. More than twelve hundred elbow reconstructions in five years on the best young pitchers in the world.   That is not bad luck. That is a system reporting a verdict on itself.   For fifteen years, the youth-baseball industry has chased one number: velocity significantly more than projectability and arm care.    Recruiters scout by it.    Social...
Tournaments | Story | 6/17/2026

Ohio Valley Select Invite Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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‘27 OF Bryson Rhodes (NE) continues to swing a hot bat in the week. Hammers this single UTM. Bat speed really plays & displays a direct barrel path. #OVSelect @PGMidwestBB @brysonrhodes_ pic.twitter.com/TyK8QI3a70 — Perfect Game Ohio Valley (@PG_OhioValley) June 13, 2026 Bryson Rhodes (2027, Lincoln, Neb.) Rhodes found himself on a tear over the four days, finishing inside the top five in batting top performers. In four games, the uncommitted junior tallied seven hits in twelve at-bats. Of those seven hits, three went for extra bases, including a home run. Short direct stride to impact that displayed well above average bat speed. Worked the middle of the field to pull side. Hard, impactful barrels throughout and was a catalyst as a top of the order bat.     ‘28 RHP Asher Visconti (OH) struck out 7 in his five innings of work. Only allowed one hit...
Tournaments | Story | 6/16/2026

PG Ascendant Classic Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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‘27 MIF Kyler Claunch (KY) took home MVP honors in the #Ascendant26 @claunch_kyler Set the tone out of the leadoff spot for @CincySpikes & showed + bat-to-ball .538 AVG/.714 OBP | 7 H/7 RS | 6 BB | 5 SB @EKUBaseball is getting a guy. https://t.co/wGL9E0XmQ6 pic.twitter.com/kvZQwxEXup — Jordan Gates (@JGatesPG) June 14, 2026 Kyler Claunch (2027, Harrodsburg, Ky.) The Eastern Kentucky commit took home the MVP honors after an excellent performance throughout the weekend. Claunch tied for the lead in hits on the weekend with seven. Finished as the second top performer in batting but probably would have been higher if he wasn’t the leadoff hitter. Despite the low RBI’s, Claunch delivered a six-game sample size that included a .538 average and .714 on base. It’s a contact-oriented swing that showed plus ability when it came to bat-to-ball skills. Swiped five...
Tournaments | Story | 6/16/2026

UBC West Scout Notes: Days 3-4

Perfect Game Staff
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UBC West Scout Notes: Days 1-2 Lucca Bacigalupi (‘30,CA) helps himself out at the plate racking up 2 hits & 2 RBI including a HR. Have a day young man. #UBCWest https://t.co/z2wAGXgavZ pic.twitter.com/Ilh7kU8K10 — Perfect Game California (@California_PG) June 13, 2026 Lucca Bacigalupi, C/RHP, Petaluma, Calif. Alpha Prime (2030) Bacigalupi is a versatile two-way prospect who continues to stand out with his size, arm strength and offensive ability. On the mound, the right-hander threw three solid innings, allowing three hits while striking out three over 69 pitches. His fastball touched 83 mph with decent life and he mixed in a serviceable breaking ball that he threw for strikes. The delivery looks clean, repeatable, and athletic. The combination of mound presence and bat production makes him an intriguing follow in the 2030 class. Ethan Duffy (‘30,CA) posted 4 strong...
Tournaments | Story | 6/16/2026

UBC East Scout Notes: Days 1-2

Perfect Game Staff
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2030 SS/RHP Brooks Minarik (Fort Mill, S.C.) showed nice things on both sides of the ball in the first day, getting some work on the mound where he was mid-80s for the most part and showed real feel for spin, while offensively he had a triple later in the day where he showed the easy bat speed he generates, and the power upside that’s in the profile long-term. It’s easy to like what the upside could be here. 2029 C/OF Finn Friesz-Fraley (New York, N.Y.) had one of the biggest swings of the day in the 14s as he launched a go-ahead 3-run home run that ended up pushing Ghost to 2-0 on the day. He’s a good pure hitter with a solid foundation of tools, showing some feel to hit with impact, including the fact that there’s athleticism to the profile to build on at a couple different positions. 2030 OF Aahrion Hermosura (Las Vegas, Nev.) had a couple knocks on the first...
Tournaments | Story | 6/15/2026

Braves Scout Team Keep Winning In Hoover

Kinley Kitchens
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Through big wins and making their way into the championship bracket, the Atlanta Braves Scout Team has done exactly what every team hopes to do at a major Perfect Game event: keep winning.  Now undefeated and preparing for the semifinals, the Braves have established themselves as one of the top teams remaining in the 15U division. Dominant pitching performances, timely hitting, and a lineup full of contributors have powered the team through a strong weekend in Hoover.  The Braves opened the tournament with a statement performance behind right-hander Daylen Woods, who tossed a five-inning no-hitter while striking out six. Woods also helped his own cause offensively with three hits and two runs scored as the Atlanta Braves Scout Team rolled to victory. The momentum continued with a 10-3 win over Wow Factor Nation 15U, as Sam Ridley allowed just one hit across four innings while...
Tournaments | Story | 6/16/2026

WWBA East Scout Notes: Days 3-4

Perfect Game Staff
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WWBA East Scout Notes: Days 1-2 William Satinoff (‘28 TN) has been a treat to watch all game, this good for a 1B up the middle. Finished 4-for-4 at the plate with smooth actions defensively on the dirt. @PG_Tennessee #WWBAEast pic.twitter.com/uQJ7AYqFY1 — PG Deep South (@PG_DeepSouth) June 13, 2026 William Satinoff (‘28 Ten..) has been on a tear to kick off his summer. On day three, he collected four base knocks while driving in a couple. Most of Satinoff’s batted balls went backside while keeping fluid rhythm in the box with a flat barrel path. Worked well at shortstop too, looking comfortable at the position making a handful of plays to his glove-side. Finished up the weekend hitting .769 overall with five stolen bags for FTB, a name to know for the ‘28 class. Will Platz (‘28 Tenn.) had a really nice tournament from start-to-finish. Producing some...
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