Softball  | Softball Tournament | 7/24/2023

2023 16U PG Elite 40 St. Louis Showcase

2023 16U PG Elite 40 St. Louis Showcase

Chesterfield, MO.

July 14 – 16

 

The weekend in the middle of July was a hot one with consistent days with a heat index of 106 degrees but that did not stop upset we had with our Champions Espirit Metro 06 grinding their way to winning it all. Grace Presley name MV-Pitcher for the weekend was a key player into guiding her team to the big win.

 

Reece Barnett (2026, Macon, MO) with Havoc Premier was named Most Valuable Player and rightfully so, as her impressive potential stood out game after game. The two-way player was a definite one you could count on no matter the ball hit or pitched her way. In the field she didn’t mis a beat, though being one of the youngest in the 16U division you could not tell with the obstacles she tackled. At the plate with a wide stance, she throws her hands at the ball while driving her hips with great pop-up to get the power behind her hits. It was often that she was ending her runs at second or third. Great potential for this two-way player at the next level.

 

RHP Olivia Hemmerle (2025, Belleville, IL) with St. Louis Heat 16U – Acheson averaging 62 mph for the weekend and a wicked curve ball gained her countless strikes. She keeps her pitches in the zone well, hitting spots 1-9 making it different to predict where she would hit next. With the added impressive spin, she was a challenge to put bat to ball. Second in the lineup as a lefty slapper she did well of placing the ball in the field to her advantage and ended swiftly and safe to first base. 

 

Bryleigh Ward (2024, Cottage Hills, IL) with Espirit Metro 06 presented as a two-way player strong behind the plate with her glove out in front to frame for strikes and no fear to throw down, keeping the opponents in fear of stealing. At the plate she glued her bat to the ball with steady line drive hits to the gaps, her athletic nature and quick stride gained her extra bases with the opportunity would arise. 

 

Layne Hopper (2026) with Shockwaves Beres stood out as a naturally nimble batter driving her bat through the zone with a determined level swing. Her hard hits were often gliding over outfield gloves, to then proceed in using her speed to gain extra bases.   

 

RHP Callie Kilgo (2026, Battlefield, MO) with Tri-lakes United 07 was averaging the mid-50s for the weekend but with excellent command of the ball to combine in a competitive fight at the plate. Her rise, drop and screw balls were reliable to hit spots. Her most impressive ability was her pitches cutting the corners tight, tailing just as the were passing over the plate, often leaving the opposing team in ups as to swing or not. This truly gave her a winning advantage on the mound.

 

The tall and powerful RHP Madison Seymour (2024, Brighton, IL) with Black Widows 16u Strohbeck was averaging 62 mph for the weekend hitting the north and south regions of the zone quite well and varying enough to provide some surprise. Her leg power behind it all with a slice of control to her pitch was great combo in earning swinging strikes and ended innings.

 

Kitt Bryant (2025, Chatham, IL) with Texas Glory STL Metro 25/26 behind the plate was a wall, not letting much past her for the weekend. She carried herself well in a confident and upbeat leadership mode that shined trough to guide her team onto staying on top. At the plate she presented a quick swing with middle of the ball hits.


Softball | Softball Tournament | 6/25/2026

PG Stars Over Florida Showcase 18U Division

Erica Beach
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PG Stars Over Florida Showcase 18U Division Clearwater, FL June 13-14, 2026   CLEARWATER, FLORIDA- Perfect Game Softball made its official debut in the state of Florida this past weekend at Eddie C. Moore sports complex. The weather was perfect, and the atmosphere was right for some great softball. We had many college coaches of all levels attend and our National Scouting Director was on hand to evaluate and highlight the athletes. We are excited for future events and the ability to promote and highlight the great athletes in the southeast! Below we highlight the 18U division where multiple athletes stood out.     18UDivision   Oakley Riley (2027, SS/UTL, Dade City, FL) of the Lady Bombers- Bowling was a standout player all weekend. She is an athletic and versatile athlete who is a great combination of speed and power. Offensively, this right-handed hitter has an...
College | Story | 8/5/2026

Coppy's Corner: August 5 Summer Edition

John Coppolella
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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: Armani Guzman – Chatham Anglers  Guzman went 8-for-20 this week with 9 Stolen Bases. If that seems like a lot for one week, it is. Guzman has 18 Stolen Bases in the Cape, so half that total came this...
Tournaments | Story | 8/5/2026

17u South World Series Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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Alex Hernandez (‘27 TX) sends a rocket to the gap for a double. Now 6-7 on the week with 4 XBH’s. Certainly looks the part out at short; has made it look easy. #SouthWS @PG_Uncommitted https://t.co/xPXL42Y3WU pic.twitter.com/xKmJS9u01l — Perfect Game Texas (@Texas_PG) July 31, 2026 Alex Hernandez (2027, Cypress, Texas) closed out the Summer with a bang and looked like one of the best players out there on the week. Hernandez put on a clinic on both sides of the ball throughout the week. A mainstay out at short, Hernandez made every play look easy moving to his left and right. Lateral range was on full display paired with footwork, arm strength, and a clean slot. He can really do it all on the dirt and made a statement this week making a plethora of ridiculous plays. There is no doubt that Hernandez can play short at the next level and should be getting a ton of interest....
Press Release | Press Release | 8/4/2026

PG & Dick's Expand Partnership

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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 AND DICK’S EXPAND PARTNERSHIP, INCLUDE NAMING RIGHTS AT EAST COBB COMPLEX   Marietta, Georgia (Tuesday, August 4, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced the renewal and expansion of its longstanding partnership with DICK’S Sporting Goods.   As part of the expanded agreement, the iconic East Cobb Complex in Georgia will officially be renamed DICK’S Sporting Goods Park at East Cobb, reinforcing the retailer’s long-term investment in youth sports and enhancing one of the most recognized destinations in all of amateur baseball. The announcement comes ahead of this weekend’s Perfect Game 11U...
College | Story | 8/3/2026

Cape Cod League Notebook: August 3

Perfect Game Staff
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Angel Cervantes | RHP | UCLA | Chatham Anglers  Angel Cervantes has lived up to the hype since arriving at UCLA after turning down a second-round selection (50th overall) by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2025 MLB Draft. Following a strong freshman campaign that helped power the Bruins to the No. 1 ranking in the country for much of the season, Cervantes has taken another step forward this summer, emerging as arguably the Cape Cod League's top arm. Through 23.2 innings with the Chatham Anglers, he owns a 1.14 ERA with 24 strikeouts and just five walks. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound right-hander attacks hitters with a polished five-pitch mix featuring a low-90s fastball, an 86-88 mph cutter, a low-80s slider and changeup, and a 78-80 mph curveball. He pounds the strike zone, sequences his arsenal with advanced feel, and consistently keeps hitters off balance, giving him the profile of a...
Tournaments | Story | 8/2/2026

Battle For The Midwest Scout Notes

Brayden Powell
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Bryce Urban (2027, Kaukauna, Wis.) An athletic 5-foot-9, 175-pound right-handed hitter, who handled the bat well throughout the weekend while showing feel for the barrel and quality bat speed. Stays balanced throughout the operation while showing direct hands to the baseball. There is feel to rotate through the zone and keep the barrel working for an extended period, helping him consistently produce hard-hit contact. He showed the ability to impact the baseball to all fields and remained productive throughout the event. Urban finished the weekend with five extra-base hits and continued to be a reliable offensive contributor whenever his club needed him. He is currently uncommitted.  Landon Clements (2027, McHenry, Ill.) University of Illinois-Chicago commit put together an outstanding weekend at the plate, finishing 10-for-15 while drawing five walks and consistently finding ways to...
Tournaments | Story | 7/30/2026

16u South World Series Scout Notes

Jay Vossler
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Kai Anderson (2028, Missouri City, Texas) continued his breakout stretch over the past couple of weeks with 2028 South Texas Sliders 16U Pierce. Compiled a 7-15 week with two doubles, a triple, and two home runs, driving in nine runs. Parlayed that into winning Tournament MVP. Physical presence in the box that is starting to tap into a ton of juice offensively. Tight rotation on an uphill plane with loose actions in the barrel. Doing all of this with very little swing and miss while holding it down in center field. One of the louder stretches of the summer. Trent Costales (2028, San Antonio, Texas) was excellent this week for Texas Angels 2028 Libson. Went 4-11 with two doubles and a home run. Was one of the best run creators in the tournament, driving in ten. Extremely physical frame, projecting as a big time power bat. Coils the hips effectively and creates an uphill plane to maximize...
Draft | Story | 7/30/2026

2023 Draft: Late Round Georgia Look Back

Michael Albee
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I have a soft spot for the under the radar high school preps that go in the 11th-20th rounds and sign. It’s not only a nice story, but it’s a show of faith from an organization in their area scout who put the time in, scouted the player and got a feel for the makeup on a guy that wasn’t a consensus “dude”. 2023 was my first year going out to high school games for Perfect Game in Georgia, so I wanted to go back and highlight the late round guys from the ‘23 class that were popped and signed to pursue their dreams of becoming a professional baseball player right away. Here’s a review of those four players from what they were in high school, and where they are at currently in their careers.  Andrew Dunford (‘23 GA) throwing some gas, up to 95 & sitting 92-93 with heavy life (clip), shown comfort going to big sweeping SL; big...
Draft | Story | 7/30/2026

2026 MLB Draft Signing Deadline Recap

Tyler Henninger
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As of Monday at 5 p.m. ET, the 2026 MLB Draft is officially complete. The signing deadline has passed, meaning we now know every team’s finalized draft class and exactly how much each player signed for. Entering the draft, it was clear there was a distinct top tier consisting of Roch Cholowsky, Grady Emerson, and Vahn Lackey. That separation became even more evident once contracts were signed. Cholowsky became the first player in draft history to sign for more than $10 million, agreeing to a record-setting $10,347,500 bonus with the White Sox. Emerson set a new high school signing bonus record at $9,747,500, the second-largest bonus ever awarded to a draft pick. Lackey rounded out the trio with a $9,497,500 bonus, the third-largest signing bonus in MLB Draft history. Those weren’t the only records set. Teams combined to spend $402,481,143 in signing bonuses, surpassing last...
Tournaments | Championship | 7/30/2026

Blue Wave Battle & Prevail at 14u Classic

Kinley Kitchens
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For Excel Blue Wave, the summer was never about being perfect. It was about getting better. After a season filled with challenges, growth, and plenty of learning along the way, Excel Blue Wave put everything together when it mattered most, defeating SBG Sox Prime, Al 9-3 to capture the 2026 14U Perfect Game Hoover Classic championship. For Excel Blue Wave Coach Forrest Heacock, watching the group celebrate with a championship trophy was especially meaningful because of everything it took to get there.  “It hasn’t been the easiest summer, and have battled a lot,” Coach Heacock said. “The kids have improved so much over the summer, and that is really what it’s all about at this age. It’s really just about improving at this age, and to see them be able to put it together, and just really compete together and play as a team, I couldn’t be...
Tournaments | Championship | 7/30/2026

Excel Leaves No Doubt at 15u Hoover Classic

Kinley Kitchens
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Excel Blue Wave National wasn’t leaving Hoover empty-handed.  At least, that was the message head coach Wes Henderson gave his team.  After a summer filled with strong performances but without a tournament title to show for them, Excel Blue Wave National entered the 2026 15U Perfect Game Hoover Classic with one more opportunity to finish the season the way they wanted.  This time, they left no doubt.  Excel Blue Wave National defeated East Coast Sox 2029 Victus, 12-0 in the championship game, combining a balanced offensive attack with a strong performance on the mound to secure their first tournament title of the summer.  “It’s been a special group,” Coach Henderson said. “They fought really hard, and they played really well this summer, and this is the first championship that we’ve been able to bring home. We typically...
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