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High School  | General | 12/4/2023

Finest in the Field: Class of 2024

This time of the year, every year, out staff looks back at some of the defensive standouts, from their showings both in a showcase setting and live action, and assemble the Finest in the Field beginning today with the Class of 2024. 





P - Cam Caminiti, Saguaro HS (Ariz.)

Caminiti possess quality athleticism in general as well as legitimate two-way talents that include defensive chops as he's still seeing time in the outfield. He has good fielding actions with natural athleticism and inherent balance, allowing him to be defensive assets from the mound. The LSU signee also won the PG Two-Way Player of the Year this past summer at the Perfect Game All-American Classic.

C - Drew Rogers, Hamilton HS (Arizona)

Rogers has been a known player on the circuit for a few years now, but really sort of blew the top off of PG National with his performance throwing out runners throughout his portion of the event. It’s an above-average arm with a quick release and good accuracy, showing pop times below 2.00 consistently in-game and continuing to throw well throughout the summer. 

1B - Noah Franco, IMG Academy (Fla.)

Franco is a two-way guy who could have fit in the Pitcher category of this list as well, but we’ll keep him on the positional side for this exercise. He’s a talented athlete who could likely play an outfield corner long-term were he to ever stop pitching. His hands are quick and clean with good footwork and lateral agility, making him a defensive asset at 1B. 

MIF - Ty Southisene, Basic HS (Nev.)

Southisene has maybe the quickest feet on the defensive side of any of the prep infielders in this class, with wheels that never seem to stop churning. He has excellent balance as a result along with above-average range and solid hand actions, showing a very quick release that is accurate from multiple slots as well as off-platform throws. He’s seemingly a lock to stay at second base should he ever move off of shortstop in the future. 

MIF - Charlie Bates, Palo Alto HS (Calif.)

Widely considered to be the best pure prep shortstop defender in the class, Bates is extremely smooth and a fun defender to watch play. He glides with range and clean footwork in any direction, has the makings of plus hands and shows quality arm strength with accuracy and release repeatability. The makings of a big league defender at the shortstop position are here. 

3B - Carter Johnson, Oxford HS (Ala.)

Johnson has every chance to play shortstop into the long-term future but we needed a spot for him on this list, so third base it is. A longer-bodied and rangy defender in the middle infield, Johnson has a good combination of smoothness and quick-twitch ability to go along with plenty of arm strength and some of the better hand actions in the class. He’s got a chance to be a first round prep shortstop next July. 

OF - Konnor Griffin, Jackson Prep (Miss.)

Griffin is one of the most tooled-up and physically-capable players in the entire class, hence his lofty ranking, and make no mistake that a significant portion of his portion are his abilities as a defensive outfielder. He’s a plus runner who glides into gaps and can really cover ground in center field to go along with a plus throwing arm that has a chance to be plus-plus. He should stay in center field for a long time and bring value there. 

OF - Derek Curiel, Orange Lutheran (Calif.)

Curiel has been one of the best defenders in this class for years now, back to before he was even running plus times. His natural instincts in center field are excellent, with great breaks on the ball and naturally direct routes, with plus closing speed and ability to finish plays. As he’s gotten older, his speed has jumped and added even more range to his defensive game in center. He has a chance at the first round next summer, due in no small part to his glove.

OF - Braylon Payne, Lawrence E. Elkins HS (Texas)

Payne has some of the best pure range and instinctual ability in the outfield of anyone in the class, and is yet another of these three who is a true center fielder. He stands out chasing balls down into both gaps and can go back on the ball with great hips and subsequent speed. His body projects to continue getting bigger but he should pretty easily retain the twitch and speed to play center for a long time, which is what we project him to do. 

UT - Bryce Clavon, Kell HS (Ga.)

Clavon earns the nod here in the utility spot thanks to his abilities both on the infield and in the outfield, as he’s seen time all over the diamond and can impact the game defensively from numerous spots. He’s a ball of twitch with explosive movements and big range in the outfield, and he shows quality infield actions with quick feet and a big arm at shortstop. His future position could potentially be anywhere in the middle of the diamond given how impactful of an athlete he is. 

High School | General | 11/20/2025

Regional Superlatives: Florida

Vincent Cervino
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Most Likely To Make a Huge Jump in the Rankings in 2026 RJ Shields (2027, Venice, Fl.) Shields took some significant strides throughout 2025, especially on the mound. The fastball reached 95 mph in recent months and he projects well with great athleticism and a sharp breaking ball. Shields is also a left-handed bat with good thump in the stick. The Mississippi State commit shot up the rankings following a loud fall and looks poised to continue to climb. -KP High speed BP swing from '27 OF Gavin Ruvalcaba (FL)... #JrNational @Florida_PG https://t.co/OwU9I0u6eY pic.twitter.com/gjYZbmCPGE — PG Showcases (@PGShowcases) June 12, 2025 Gavin Ruvalcaba (2027, Hialeah, Fl.) Ruvalcaba had a very strong 2025 and looks to be continuing on that path. The Duke commit has plenty of athleticism and is very well rounded with good tools across the board. The stroke is smooth and produces...
College | Recruiting | 12/15/2025

Recruiting Notebook: December 15

John McAdams
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Tucker Rice (27 MS) bumping up to 91; living hi-80s from real fast arm. Good SL @ 77-79 w/ depth & sold w/ intent. Loads of traits & strikes. #WWBA @PG_Uncommitted @PG_DeepSouth pic.twitter.com/DEjFqRcsIY — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) July 6, 2025 Tucker Rice, RHP, Class of 2027 Commitment: Alabama Alabama has continued to stay red hot in the recruiting trail ever since August 1st rolled around on the calendar and have continued to stack major pieces in their ’27 class. They dip into Mississippi to land one of the premier arms and one that’s stood out on the circuit for quite some time. It’s a fast arm and the athleticism certainly shines working down the slope. The velocity has continued to tick up over the last calendar year and reached into the low-90s towards the end of the summer. He’s confident in his changeup and the breaking ball is...
Tournaments | Story | 12/15/2025

17u Tourney All-American Team

Vincent Cervino
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There’s a lot of talent throughout this 2026 class, filled with the big-name stars, to talent that spreads across the nation. It’s been a lot of fun seeing these prospects grow and develop over the years, from the days of watching some of these guys at the 13/14u days at events on the circuit, to now where they are all graduating seniors in 2026. There’s been new faces who have popped along the way over the years, even in 2026, where some players who were relatively undiscovered, have come out and made a name for themselves with a statement performance. Between the familiar and the new, there’s a lot of names on this list that are going to be quite regularly talked about on the circuit, and for good reason.  Whether it’s PG All-Americans or not, there’s a lot of names with superstar potential at the next level. We’ve got 14 PG All-Americans...
Tournaments | Story | 12/13/2025

Finest in the Field: Class of 2029

Tyler Russo
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Finest in the Field: Class of 2026 | Class of 2027 | Class of 2028 These guys might just be entering high school, but they've certainly already made a name for themselves on the national circuit, especially with their abilities on the defensive side of things.  C: Xavier Rodriguez (Logansville, GA) Rodriguez is a polished defender with real arm strength behind the dish, while showcasing the ability to impact the baseball with authority to all fields evident by thirty of his sixty-five hits going for extra-bases including seven bombs. He handles high-level pitching extremely well, commands his staff and his offensive prowess makes him a true two-way asset. 1B: Cooper Knight (Buda, TX) Knight is a smooth operator at first base with plenty of range, fluidity and agility in his footwork around the bag. Add-in a rocket for an arm, the ability to change slots and to...
Tournaments | Story | 12/12/2025

Scout Stories: Part 5

AJ Denny
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Best Game I Saw: The Dream NTL 18U vs. MBA Scout Team Murphy Jupiter always brings out the best, and we got fireworks from the jump. Turner Marshall gave The Dream an outstanding 4+ innings of work on the mound, holding a lethal MBA team at bay with Chance Dixon, Derrick Carter, and Ellis Appling providing an offensive spark out of the gate for the Georgia based boys. However, it was only a matter of time before the talent on the other side got going, as MBA erased a 3-run deficit in the 5th to take a 4-3 lead led by a Parker Loew HR. The Dream then took command again in the Top of the 6th, before MBA punched right back with a huge 5-run inning in the bottom half capped off by a clutch RBI single from Matthew Kerrigan, ending a wild sequence with tons of notable performances from two very competitive rosters. Best Tournament Performance I Saw: Surely someone has already brought this...
College | Story | 12/12/2025

College Notebook: December 12

Craig Cozart
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Nebraska Cornhuskers 2025 Highlights: The Cornhuskers were a difficult team to figure in ’25 as they finished with 33 wins, played just .500 (15-15) in the Big Ten but had some big wins at various times during the season and got hot at the right time. They knocked off then #16 Vanderbilt in the second game of the year, beat #5 Oregon State 2-out-of-3 at home in late March and then got hot at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha to win the Big Ten Tournament. They beat Michigan State in a 10-inning thriller before taking care of #4 Oregon, knocking off Penn State and then shutout #13 UCLA to punch their ticket to the Chapel Hill Regional. Head coach Will Bolt has now led his alma mater to three conference titles and three NCAA Regional appearances during his six years in Lincoln. No different than when he was a player, Bolt’s teams play with passion and toughness, this was never more...
Tournaments | Story | 12/12/2025

Finest in the Field: Class of 2028

Troy Sutherland
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Finest in the Field: Class of 2026 | Class of 2027 You like athletes? You like defenders who can impact a game at any given point? Look not further than this class as it's loaded from coast-to-coast with elite defenders all over the diamond.  C: Brogan Witcher, Bakersfield, CA Our scouting staff got several strong looks at Witcher whether that was at the Summer Kickoff, Sophomore National or the Underclass All American Games where he showcased his strong overall skillset and especially his advanced ability behind the plate. His 6-foot-3,180 pound build looks like one that will fill in quite nicely and be that big and physical catcher’s frame. His arm talent is undeniable where he gets it out quick and runs it up to 79 mph on throwdowns to 2nd (1.84 pop). Besides the standout catch/throw ability, we’ve seen him frame/receive strong arms and block it well during...
Softball | Softball Tournament | 12/11/2025

PG Softball "Toys 4 Tots" Fundraiser 18U division

Dave Durbala
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BURLINGTON, IA - 2025 Perfect Game Softball Toys 4 Tots Fundraiser One Day, December 7, 2025. Kicking off the holiday season, six teams participated in this one day, 3 game guarantee tournament in the 18u Division. We would like to thank those that donated a toy, and know that they will be distributed to area underprivileged children through a local charity organization. Following are some of the top performers from the weekend. Earning Tournament MV-Pitcher was Jolee Strohmeyer (2026 Dubuque, IA), a RHP/UTIL with tournament champion Lady Expos Blue. Strohmeyer shows hitters a consistent and repeatable motion and delivery with good use of the legs in the drive phase, and a quick and aggressive arm whip. Working with a six pitch mix of fastball, change-up, rise, drop, curve and screw, Strohmeyer topped out at 60 mph, and showed good movement  as she worked her rise and curve just out...
Tournaments | Story | 12/11/2025

Scout Stories: Part 4

Tyler Henninger
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Scout Notes: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 Best Game I Saw: Hudson Reed (‘26, GA) torches this ball to deep CF for a solo 💣. Generates easy power that plays to the big part of the yard. Middle of the order traits #UBCWest @PG_Georgia @PG_Uncommitted pic.twitter.com/UXqDVFmUBx — Perfect Game California (@California_PG) June 18, 2025 I was fortunate enough to see a lot of highly competitive games with loads of talent on the field, the game that sticks out to me the most was Alpha Prime 2026 vs. ZT National Prospects at the UBC West. The game was an efficiently played affair with arms dominating on both sides. Graham Schlicht was masterful for Alpha, striking out 12 hitters over 5 dominant innings. PG All-American Julian Cazares came out of the pen blowing smoke, touching 97 mph with the fastball. On the other side, Jake Carbaugh surrendered just one hit and...
Press Release | Press Release | 12/11/2025

PG Believe In Baseball Announces Awards Dinner

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   THE PERFECT GAME BELIEVE IN BASEBALL FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES DETAILS FOR FIRST ANNUAL “IN THE SPIRIT OF THE GAME” AWARDS DINNER AND AUCTION   Los Angeles, California (Thursday, December 11, 2025) – The Perfect Game Believe in Baseball Foundation, together with Perfect Game leadership of Chairman Rick Thurman and CEO Rob Ponger, has announced the inaugural “In the Spirit of the Game” event, an evening of baseball and laughter, taking place Saturday, January 31, 2026, at the iconic Laugh Factory in Hollywood, Calif. The evening supports the Foundation’s mission to provide financial assistance and resources that allow deserving young athletes to play, learn and grow through the...
Tournaments | Story | 12/11/2025

Finest in the Field: Class of 2027

AJ Denny
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Finest in the Field: Class of 2026 Elite defenders from coast to coast certainly seems to be a strength and to think you could make another top-tier team without thinking, speaks to the real depth this group possesses. The infield is a no-doubt strength of the group, but what catcher Dariel Carrion can do behind the plate is like something we haven't seen in a while in the prep ranks with an absolutely bazooka of an arm.  C: Dariel Carrion (San Juan, PR)  It isn’t often you get a catching prospect as athletic and natural as Dariel Carrion, a big reason why he holds the rank of #1 player in PR and #18 nationally. Metrics wise, the 5-foot-10, 210 pound San Juan native is all you can ask for and more, posting a sub 1.80 pop time with an 84 mph arm behind the dish. He has both contact and clear power threat on the offensive end, ending 2025 with a .337 BA and 4 HRs while also...
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