General | Blog | 6/16/2026
Wolforth Throwing Mentorship: Article 66
Ron Wolforth
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...
PG Select Baseball Festival |
General |
7/21/2026
13u Select Festival Roster Reveal
Jheremy Brown
With the completion of the 2026 13u National Showcase, an event that featured some of the best talent the age group has to offer, 42 players came out with the label of "Festivaler" as they received a phone call shortly after the event concluded. Moving back to the University of Tennessee after a two year stay at the University of Virginia, Ole Rocky Top will see a mixed bag of returners; three-timers, new faces and a couple who bridged the gap from the 11u game into the 13u iteration. Of the 42 players, 9 players call Florida their home base which is the most of any state while Texas (8), California (7) and Georgia (5) are all close behind nearly three-quarters of the players selected. In total 17 different states are represented, from Hawaii to Arkansas, Washington to Maryland and everywhere in between. Quick roster breakdown: Three-time Select Festival: 13 players ...
Tournaments |
Story |
7/21/2026
16U BCS Rolls into Fort Myers
Alyssa Golden
The 21st annual 16U BCS National Championship returns to Fort Myers, Florida from July 23-27, bringing together many of the nation’s top 2028 graduates. The tournament features 44 teams, including six nationally ranked clubs, competing for a national title across five days of high-level competition. Year after year, the event has served as a proving ground for elite talent. Defending champion Showtime Select National 16U returns after capturing last year’s championship, while a talented field from across the country will look to add its name to the event’s prestigious history. One of the premier prospects in the field, shortstop Gabriel Coupet enters as the highest-ranked player in attendance, checking in at No. 49 overall in the Class of 2028 and No. 8 player in Florida. The Boynton Beach, Fla., native has established himself as one of the country’s most talented...
College |
Story |
7/21/2026
Coppy's Corner: July 21 Summer Edition
John Coppolella
The amateur players in the Cape Cod Baseball League are the future stars of the 2027 MLB Draft. The league runs from June 13th through August 2nd. Games are played at historic stadiums in Old New England towns. It’s beautiful and charming. Hollywood even made a movie about the Cape Cod League ~25 years ago called Summer Catch. It scored an 8% (!) on Rotten Tomatoes, but, on the plus side, it featured 2001 Jessica Biel in a starring role. It was so much fun writing Coppy’s Column this spring. My hope is to highlight a pitcher and position player each week from the Cape. And, who knows, maybe somewhere out there Jessica Biel is reading it. Player of the Week: Coen Niclai – Wareham Gatemen The Internet tells me that 12 MLB players have come from Alaska, 10 of whom were from Anchorage, and the best of which is Curt Schilling. Niclai, who is also...
Tournaments |
Championship |
7/20/2026
FTB National Completes Elite Run
Kinley Kitchens
Championships are never won in a single game. For FTB National 2027, this one has been in the making for years. An 8-0 victory over Team Elite 17U Scout capped off an unforgettable week at the 2026 Perfect Game 17U National Elite Championship, but according to those inside the dugout, the championship was a product of friendships formed long before the tournament ever began. FTB took their first national elite win in team history, giving one of the nation’s top 2027 teams an elite ending to their 17U summer. “This is a homegrown group,” head coach Will Haynie said. “This team has been together for the last four or five years, and I think a lot of them have been together since the Little League World Series when they were 12. It’s been fun, and a nice little cap off to their 17U summer, especially after winning a big event like this.” That chemistry...
Tournaments |
Story |
7/20/2026
16u World Series Scout Notes: Days 3-4
Perfect Game Staff
16u World Series Scout Notes: Days 1-2 Lucas Sullivan (2027, Winder, GA) absolutely shoved in the first round of the playoffs. He racked up a total of 13 strikeouts across his seven inning, complete game shutout performance. Sullivan worked three pitches for strikes with lots of comfort and only allowed two hits. Ran the fastball up to 86 and he got lots of swing and miss on the 11-5 curveball. Mixes speeds well and was electric to watch. Landon King (2028, San Mateo, CA) was just one of the best players on the field the first two rounds of the playoffs. Totaled four hits, two of those were for extra bases and scored three times. Has lightning quick hands in the left-handed batter's box and produced loud contact constantly. Top of the class barrel skills with twitch in the turn. Jacob Piles (2028, Cape Coral, FL) is hitting an astounding .615 with a pair of doubles in the...
Tournaments |
Story |
7/20/2026
15u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 3
Perfect Game Staff
15u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 ‘29 RHP Bryson Auten (NJ) comes out throwing absolute flames to get out of a jam. Sitting 92-94 & does it with ease. Comes out of the hand well & challenging hitters with the FB. #WWBA @PGMidAtlantic pic.twitter.com/Tf18Rdk4mx — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) July 19, 2026 Bryson Auten (2029, Flemington, N.J.) came in out of the bullpen in a brutal spot and recorded back-to-back strikeouts to get out of it. He would then register another pair of strikeouts in his second inning of work, ending the game going 1 2/3 innings with four strikeouts. The fastball was electric, working at 92-94 and does it super easy, coming out of the hand great. Command was excellent in this outing as well, throwing 70% strikes. It’s a power type arm with advanced arm talent for the age and any time you see 92-94 at a 15u event, it’s notable...
Tournaments |
Championship |
7/20/2026
Legion Captures 16u WWBA West
Emily Hicks
After five days of competitive baseball, Legion Baseball emerged as champions at the Perfect Game WWBA Championship, completing an impressive tournament run with a victory over ‘28 San DIego Ghost 10-3 in the championship game at Surprise Stadium. The tournament brought together talented programs from across the West and beyond, with teams competing in the 15U and 16U divisions. Throughout the week, players showcased their skills in front of coaches, teammates, and families while battling through pool play and the championship bracket for the opportunity to hoist the trophy. From the opening day of competition, Legion established itself as one of the tournament's top contenders. The club relied on hitting, quality pitching, and consistent defense to navigate a challenging field and earn its place in the championship game. In the title matchup, Legion received key...
Draft |
Story |
7/20/2026
2026 MLB Draft: Roster Challenge
Tyler Henninger
With the 2026 MLB Draft complete, our own draft team put together a fun exercise. Using a snake style draft format, we each had to build a roster using players selected in the 2026 MLB Draft. There was one catch. Each team could select only one player from each of the first 10 rounds, plus one player from Rounds 11-20. You did not have to go in order of each round, meaning you could jump between rounds and pick which players you thought had the most value. Each team installed a different strategy, balancing between star power, positional value, and depth. You tell us, which team do you think has the most talent? Team Albee C: Vahn Lackey, Georgia Tech (1st rd) 1B: Will Adams, Hoover HS (11th rd) MIF: Cole Prosek, Magnolia Heights HS (2nd rd) MIF: Eric Guevara, Auburn (7th rd) 3B: Robert Omidi, Fieldhouse Pirates (8th rd) OF: Kevin Roberts Jr, Jackson Prep HS (4th rd) OF: Alex...
Press Release |
Press Release |
7/20/2026
LGND Becomes Official Glove of PG
667 Progress Way | Sanford, FL 32771 | 319-298-2923 www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PERFECT GAME PARTNERS WITH MLB SUPERSTAR MOOKIE BETTS, NAMING LGND OFFICIAL GLOVE OF PERFECT GAME Partnership Officially Kicks Off with LGND Block Party on July 27 in Fullerton, California Los Angeles, California (Monday, July 20, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced a landmark partnership with Los Angeles Dodgers All-Star and 6-time Gold Glove Award winner Mookie Betts, naming recently-announced LGND Glove the Official Glove of Perfect Game. The collaboration establishes a first-of-its-kind relationship between baseball’s most influential amateur ecosystem and an active MLB superstar at the height of his career. The...
Tournaments |
Story |
7/19/2026
17u WWBA North Champ. Scout Notes
Perfect Game Staff
Ty Teske (2027, Merrill, WI) worked a complete-game seven-inning shutout while striking out 12 and never allowed the game to speed up on him. The fastball sat 79-81 and touched 83, consistently working to both sides of the plate and getting him into favorable counts. Repeats the delivery exceptionally well and maintained command throughout all seven innings. Mixed in a 69-71 curveball with depth that he showed confidence landing for strikes early or using to finish at-bats. Did an excellent job changing eye levels and preventing hitters from sitting on one pitch. Landon Sanderson (2027, Lake Crystal, MN) attacked hitters with an 85-87 fastball that reached 89 and showed quality arm-side movement through the zone. The ball comes out with some jump and continued to play throughout the outing. Stayed on the attack from the first inning, consistently getting ahead and forcing...