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| 2,406 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,406 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
College  | Story | 4/2/2024

Midseason Collegiate Awards

Photo: Charlie Condon (University of Georgia Athletics)
Player of the Year

Charlie Condon, Georgia

By now, most people have heard the story of Charlie Condon and the fact that he was not heavily recruited out of high school and chose to walk-on at the University of Georgia. Fast forward to his junior year and the 6-6/216 righty from Marietta, GA has pretty much established himself as the greatest hitter in college baseball halfway through the 2024 season. It may be a shorter list if we were to make one in the categories where he wasn’t among the nation’s leaders, but that wouldn’t do him justice. So, let’s start with his .505 BA, 1.184 SLG%, and his absurd .619 OB% all of which lead the nation by a significant margin. He has collected 11 doubles, a triple and leads the nation with 19 home runs through 28 games. He is also well on his way to breaking the single season BBCOR home run record of 33 set last year. Condon has also driven in 40 runs and amassed an impressive 26:15 walk-to-strikeout ratio thus far. The Bulldogs have been on the doorstep of the Top-25 for a couple weeks now and Condon has established himself as a contender to be the No. 1 pick in July’s MLB Draft.



Pitcher of the Year

Hagen Smith, Arkansas

Our Team of the Year fittingly has our Pitcher of the Year as he spearheads the premier pitching staff in the nation. Hagen Smith, the 6-3/225 LHP from Bullard, TX has positioned himself as the potential first arm to go off the board in this year’s MLB Draft. His ability to miss barrels and eliminate opponents scoring threats by stacking together multiple clutch pitches together in succession has helped him keep his flawless record. Smith has used his mid-to-upper 90s fastball that explodes on hitters and his abrupt, mid-80s slider to finish both lefties and righties alike. Having made 7 starts, he is (5-0) with a 1.54 ERA over 35.0 IP where he has only allowed 16 hits, good for a .136 OBA. He has a sparkling 72:10 strikeout-to-walk ratio and is averaging over 2 punchouts per inning. Smith is the ace of the best team in the nation and the Razorbacks have it all going in the right direction for now.

Two-Way Player of the Year

Jac Caglianone, Florida

Caglianone is likely the best two-way player we’ve seen in college baseball since 2017 Golden Spikes winner Brendan McKay and he’s been by far the most dominant two-way force in the sport for two years now. He’s got massive size at 6-5/250 with elite raw power and a fastball that approaches triple digits. Cags comes into the midway point of the year hitting .389 with thirteen home runs and an improved swing and approach. He’s walking more than he’s striking out and he’s smoking balls all over the hitting zone. Caglianone carried a no-hitter into the fifth his last time out and is pitching to a 2.18 ERA over 33 innings with 44 punchouts. There’s a dominance factor to his game and at this point he’s a legitimate contender to go first overall in July’s draft.
 
Freshman of the Year

Drew Burress, Georgia Tech

Hitters just hit and there is no better example in the college game today than Drew Burress, the 5-9/182 offensive dynamo from Houston County, GA. With one of the most consistent approaches in the game, he has done damage consistently throughout his brief 26 game career. His stroke is compact, and his dense muscularity allows him to create elite exit velocity with seeming ease. He crashed the national scene when he launched 4 home runs in one midweek game against Georgia State and he hasn’t looked back. For the season he is slugging .370/.890/.477 with 8 doubles, a triple and an impressive 14 home runs. He leads the Yellow Jackets in basically every offensive category, including RBI with 37 and he has also swiped 5 bags. As further proof of his consistency, he is hitting .375 in ACC play while slugging .750 and reaching base over 50 percent of the time. The Rambling Wreck needs to right the ship in ACC play and Burress is the man to help them do it.

Coach of the Year

Link Jarrett, Florida State

In 2023, Link Jarrett was named head coach of his alma mater and landed his dream job. However, things didn’t go very smoothly as the Seminoles would suffer a losing season and miss the NCAA tournament for the first time in 44 years. Fast forward to 2024 and last year seems like a distant memory as Jarrett lead his club to a historic (19-0) start and went from unranked in the pre-season to being ranked in the Top-10. Known as one of the best offensive minds in the game, the Jarrett-effect has taken hold in Tallahassee and the Noles are batting .341 as a team with 55 doubles, 50 home runs and are slugging an impressive .589 to date. Their biggest area of improvement has been on the mound with a 3.77 ERA and are amongst the nation’s leaders with an incredible 324:122 staff strikeout-to-walk ratio. With the exception of a rough weekend in Clemson, they have virtually unbeatable and roll into the midway point of the season with a (22-4) record, one win shy of their total from a year ago.

Team of the Year

Arkansas Razorbacks

Dave Van Horn’s club didn’t come into 2024 as unknowns by any means, as we did have them ranked as our pre-season No. 2 team in the nation. There wasn’t much room at the top but after 5 weeks into the season, they have ascended to the pinnacle of college baseball and thrived while there. They are currently (23-3) overall and (8-1) in the SEC with a 2-game lead in the West. They have played the 16th toughest schedule in the nation and have a (12-3) record against Q1 and Q2 competition. Offensively, they are just starting to hit their stride after working through some early season injuries and are slugging .468 as a team with 42 doubles and 37home runs and walk almost as much as they punch out. Their true calling card is their quality with the gloves, fielding .980 on the year and backing up the best pitching staff in the nation. They lead the nation with an ERA of 2.67, in hits per-9 only allowing 6.28, strikeout-to-walk ration at 4.39-to-1, strike outs per-9 with 13.1 and finally in WHIP at 1.03. Their weekend rotation has gone (11-0) and six different bullpen pieces have registered saves this year. The Razorbacks are the most complete club in the nation and aren’t looking back.

College | Story | 4/14/2026

College Players of the Week: April 14

Vincent Cervino
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April 14th Perfect Game/Player of the Week:  Jaquae Stewart, INF/OF, Texas State  The Texas State Bobcats (24-12) are sitting in second place in the ultra-competitive Sun Belt Conference, and they have one of the most explosive offenses in the country.  They average right at 8-runs per game and can slug with the best of them, averaging almost 2-home runs per game as well.  Sitting in the middle of the order, Jaquae Stewart, is putting together a career year and is becoming the focus of opposing teams.  The 5-10/234 junior from Sinton, Tx is your classic lefthanded power hitter and is thriving in his move from Austin to San Marcos.  While it wasn’t the best week for his club, Stewart was sensational, collecting 8 hits in his 19 at-bats, scoring 5 runs, launching 5 home runs and driving in an insane 17 runs.  For the season, he is now slashing...
Showcase | Story | 4/14/2026

PG Announces Prospect Gateway Schedule

Hannah Jo Groves
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PG has announced the dates for Prospect Gateway events across the country - unique opportunities for young players to receive professional feedback and prepare for the next level. The Prospect Gateways are for players ages 13U-14U and serve as a qualifier for the National Showcase. Kevin Schuver, the senior director of showcases at Perfect Game, said these events are chances for players to step out of their comfort zone and show what they’re really made of. “Perfect Game Prospect Gateways aren’t just events. They’re doorways into something bigger. For young athletes, they serve as the first real step beyond their local fields, where raw ability begins to meet visibility and purpose.” At the event, each player is assigned a PG advisor who will watch and advise them individually. There will also be other scouts giving tips on how to enhance and develop a...
Press Release | Press Release | 4/13/2026

PG & MLB Clubs Offer Discount Tickets

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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 PARTNERS WITH THREE MLB CLUBS TO OFFER EXCLUSIVE TICKET DISCOUNTS FOR YOUTH TEAMS    Sanford, Florida (Friday, April 10, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced a new fan engagement initiative in partnership with three Major League Baseball clubs — the Kansas City Royals, Houston Astros and St. Louis Cardinals — to provide exclusive discounted ticket opportunities for teams participating in Perfect Game events.    Through the collaboration, youth baseball and softball teams competing in...
College | Rankings | 4/13/2026

College Top 25: April 13

Vincent Cervino
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In a season where remaining in the Top 25 has become a war of attrition, the No. 1 UCLA Bruins (33-2) are making the game look much easier than it is in all reality.  Winners of 27-games in a row, this club continues to win games by any means necessary as they continue their historic run.  Beyond the incredible win streak, the Bruins have started off Big Ten play (18-0) by sweeping their first six conference weekend.  Adding to their resume, in Game 1 of their series at Rutgers, they won a 14-inning thriller by a score of 4-1where their pitching staff registered an eye-popping 30-strikeouts while only surrendering 1 walk and 4 hits throughout.  In most any other season, the No. 2 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (30-5) would be sitting atop the poll as they are putting together a historic season of their own.  They swept Florida State (24-11) who was previously ranked...
Draft | Story | 4/10/2026

PG Draft: Favorite Position Group

Tyler Henninger
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Every draft class has its strengths. Some years its a loaded group of prep infielders, some years its a deep collection of college arms. In this year’s class, certain position groups stand out above the rest to us. This week, the draft team dives into their favorite position groups. Groups that we believe are loaded with depth, upside, and big league potential. College Infielders It’s hard not to get excited about the crop of college infielders in this year’s class because of who is at the top. Roch Cholowsky alone makes the group exciting. He’s got gold glove potential at the next level and an offensive profile that should make him one of the Top 15 to 20 prospects in all of baseball the second he gets drafted. Justin Lebron is another player with as much upside in the class. He is a premium athlete that can really pick it at short and has big upside with the...
Press Release | Press Release | 4/10/2026

Perfect Game and vivenu Partner Up

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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 PARTNERS WITH VIVENU TO POWER DIGITAL COMMERCE ACROSS YOUTH BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL    Sanford, Florida / New York, New York (Friday, April 10, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, has selected vivenu as its ticketing and commerce partner to unify revenue operations across its tournament ecosystem.    With 1.6 million tickets sold annually, 9,800 events in 40+ states and an immense social footprint, Perfect Game has built the most influential pipeline in amateur baseball. The organization has produced over 2,200 MLB alumni, and...
General | Blog | 4/10/2026

Wolforth Throwing Mentorship: Article 64

Ron Wolforth
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What Do Barry Zito, Justin Verlander, Trevor Bauer, and Dallas Keuchel All Have in Common? By Ron Wolforth | Texas Baseball Ranch® | PG Arm Care Take a second and think about the question posed in the title before you read on. Four Cy Young Award winners. Four of the most decorated pitchers of their generation. What's the common thread? The first answer is obvious… they all won the most prestigious individual award in pitching. Most of you probably got there immediately. The second answer is less obvious… they all trained at the Texas Baseball Ranch® at some point in their development. Interesting, maybe, but not the point of this article. The third answer is the one I really want you to sit with, because it has direct relevance to your career right now: they all move completely differently. And they all attack hitters completely differently. Don't rush past that....
College | Story | 4/9/2026

Coppy's Corner: April 6 POY Deep Dive

Perfect Game Staff
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I’m beyond thrilled to be a contributor to Perfect Game, widely recognized as the premier organization for amateur baseball. Working in baseball operations for the New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves for nearly 20 years, the importance of amateur baseball cannot be understated. Nobody does it better and I am honored to be working with great baseball people like Jered Goodwin, Vinnie Cervino, Craig Cozart, and many others.  Each week I huddle with Vinnie and Craig to discuss Top 25 rankings and Players of the Week. In "Coppy’s Corner", I will dive deeper into these Players of the Week, providing analysis from 20+ years working in baseball front offices at the highest level. My hope is that you will enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it.  Player of the Week: Andrew Williamson – University of Central Florida (UCF)  Williamson can flat-out hit. While...
High School | General | 4/10/2026

High School Notebook: April 10

Jheremy Brown
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You like 6-foot-9 lefties up to 100 mph? 2026 Brody Bumila (MA) was electric in season opener, super easy upper-90s, multiple 100s. Easy operation w/ simple delivery despite size. Punched out 9 over 3, double digit whiffs. @PG_Draft pic.twitter.com/BChMhKIIhO — Perfect Game New England (@PG_NewEngland) April 2, 2026 Brody Bumila, LHP, Bishop Feehan (MA), Class of 2026 He's 6-foot-9, 18 years old, left-handed and was up to 100 mph (upwards of 3 times on some guns) in his first start of the year in low-30 degree temperatures. That's really all you need to know. Oh, and the opposing team arrived 40 minutes late. Coming off a state-championship run in basketball, Texas signee Brody Bumila made his first start of the spring on April 2nd and didn't disappoint in front of at least 40 scouts packed tightly together behind the backstop.  Knowing it was going to be a quicker look given...
Tournaments | Story | 4/9/2026

Don't Boot the Loot Scout Notes

Cam McElwaney
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‘30 UTL Chase Jelks (GA) lifts this one deep into the gap & rolls around the bags for a triple. Loose LH swing w/ feel to lift. #DontBootTheLoot @PG_Georgia pic.twitter.com/leF4GMTawJ — Perfect Game Youth (@PGYouthBB) April 4, 2026 Chase Jelks (2030, Atlanta, Ga.) put together a great weekend for The Dream 14u Black in their run to a championship game appearance, hitting .444 with two triples and a double along with three RBI. He controlled the zone throughout the event in the box and finished with a 6:1 BB:K ratio because of it while also swiping five bags as well. It was a strong showing for Jelks, something that’s becoming common this spring in PG events.    ‘30 MIF Cohen Carter (TN) hits this one on the screws into the gap for a triple. Functional & compact swing. #DontBootTheLoot @PG_Tennessee pic.twitter.com/YVUfxbHBxx — Perfect Game...
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