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All American Game  | Story | 8/18/2024

PGAA Visits Valencia Newcomer School

Jim Salisbury
PHOENIX, Arizona -- Before balls started flying and mitts started popping at Chase Field, the featured performers from the 22nd annual Perfect Game Dick's All-American Classic boarded a couple of buses and made a 15-minute drive to the Valencia Newcomer School.
 
Sixty-four elite-level baseball prospects beginning their senior year in high school met 125 young elementary-age school children who had recently settled in the United States with their families.
 
The young students came from 20 different countries and 13 different languages were spoken among the group.
 
But this did not create a bonding challenge.
 
No. Not at all.
 
“We all smile in the same language,” Principal Lynette Wegner said.
 
Smiles abounded during PG’s third visit to the school in as many years.
 
In Mrs. Phillips’ classroom, the ballplayers sat at small tables and played Jenga with young students. Bursts of laughter filled the room when the blocks came tumbling down.
 
Just down the way, in Mr. Montoya’s classroom, PG players danced and laughed with a group of young students as a Kidz Bop music video played. Eventually, the dancing stopped as a young boy produced a toy baseball bat and several sponge baseballs. Before you knew it, a full round of batting practice had broken out in the classroom. “Keep your head still,” one of the PG players told a young boy as he took his swings. Mr. Montoya translated that little bit of coaching into Spanish and – boom! – a double off the wall.
 
“That was a lot of fun,” said Dean Moss, an outfielder from Atherton, California and an LSU commit. “These kids are great.”
 
The dedicated staff at the Valencia Newcomer School would agree.
 
“We have the honor to support their first school experience in America,” said Wegner, who helped found the school in 2017. “Many don’t speak English, but don’t let that fool you – they are super smart.”
 
Wegner explained that the staff at Valencia is trained to help children who have been through trauma.
 
“Transitioning from another country can come with a lot of trauma,” she said. “We have families from all over the world, from Congo to Afghanistan and many more. We just got a little Ukrainian kindergartener who actually had to go shelter in place while he was in school just three months ago in his home country. So, he’s had a lot of trauma.
 
“We provide a place for our students to feel safe and comfortable as they learn English. We also teach them some math and science.
 
“They’re just like everyone else. They may have different stories, and they may have different backgrounds, but they’re still children and they’re still learners.”
 
Students at the Valencia Newcomer School stay less than a year. Their progress is evaluated in 15-day increments and they “graduate” to an elementary school in the Alhambra School District when ready.
 
The Arizona Diamondbacks are strong supporters of the Valencia Newcomer School so it seemed like a natural fit for Perfect Game to also lend a hand when the All-American Classic came to town in 2022. 
 
“The work this school does … ,” marveled longtime PG executive vice president/general manager Brad Clement. “It’s a fabulous connection for us.”
 
According to Clement, PG makes a significant financial donation to children’s charities in the Phoenix area, including Make-A-Wish. Players and their families also make donations through various fundraising efforts. The organization has long served children’s charities, financially and with the gift of time.
 
PG senior adviser Clint Hurdle, the former major league player and manager of the Colorado Rockies and Pittsburgh Pirates, loves the yearly trip to the Valencia Newcomer School.
 
“These are kids that need a little hug,” Hurdle said between visits to classrooms. “Not any of us can even fathom what they’re feeling or the circumstances they’ve gone through. It’s just about giving them a hug and helping them through the day with a smile and a laugh.
 
“It’s a joy seeing our kids interact with these young students.”
 
The PG players genuinely had fun during their visit to the Valencia Newcomer School. There were as many smiles on the PG kids’ faces as there were on the faces of the young students. The PG players spent the morning with small groups in classrooms and the gymnasium then everybody got together for lunch in the cafeteria.
 
The learning didn’t stop there.
 
And sometimes, it was the PG kids who were doing the learning.
 
With the help of Google Translate, Omar Serna Jr., a catcher from Pearland, Texas, and an LSU commit, shared a conversation with a young boy from Indonesia.
 
Sean Gamble, an outfielder from Des Moines, Iowa and a Vanderbilt commit, spent time at a table talking with a young student from Rwanda.
 
“We were learning about him,” Gamble said. “He said he was from Africa and this was his first year here. He likes to play soccer. He has two brothers and a sister and they all go here. And he misses home a lot. We asked him what home was like and he said he sees lions all the time. Exciting. It was pretty eye-opening.”
 
Sounds like a successful day for the Perfect Game crew. And no one had even laced up their spikes yet.
 
“I’m just thankful for the partnership with PG and I hope we continue it,” Wegner said. “They’re inspiring, they’re empowering, they’re authentic. We appreciate them for seeing our children for who they are -- little gifts running around ready to share their stories with the world.”
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All American Game | Story | 9/15/2025

PG Athletes Raise Money For Charity
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    PERFECT GAME ATHLETES RAISE MORE THAN $130,000   FOR CHILDREN’S CHARITIES THROUGHOUT AUGUST    Sanford, Florida (Monday, September 15, 2025) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced that its athletes raised a combined $130,195 for children’s charities during its August 2025 showcase events throughout the country.    The fundraising efforts took place at Perfect Game’s Select Festivals and the DICK’S All-American Classic, with each age group rallying behind a cause that supports children in need. The 11U and 12U Select Fests each benefited Elite Development Academy out...
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High School | General | 3/2/2026

HS Showdown Scout Notes: Days 2-3

Vincent Cervino
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High School Showdown Event Page | High School Showdown Preview High School Showdown Scout Notes: Day 1 An extended look at ‘26 3B/RHP Coleman Borthwick (FL)… 4 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 8 K, 0 BB #PGShowdown @SWseahawks @Florida_PG @PG_Draft https://t.co/IHJFWFbn4T pic.twitter.com/I2izGcEdyA — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) February 28, 2026 Coleman Borthwick (2026, Freeport, Fla.) was excellent over the weekend, securing MVP honors and delivering one of the best starts of the event on the mound. At 6-foot-6, 255-pounds, Borthwick is an ultra-physical prospect and one of the top two-way prospects in the draft. The Auburn signee drew the biggest crowd of MLB scouts in attendance as there were around 50 or 60 so lined up behind home plate on Friday morning. Borthwick was nothing short of dominant, striking out eight hitters and...
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College | Rankings | 3/2/2026

College Top 25: March 2

Vincent Cervino
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Three weeks in and we are beginning to see some separation across the country.  The quality and depth, or lack thereof, are becoming evident and the conference segment for several conferences starts up this weekend.  Midweek games continue to be a tossup and only the teams that are strong on both sides of the ball have been able to maintain momentum.  We have a new No. 1 in this week’s poll as UCLA (9-2) has already accumulated 5-wins against teams that are currently or were previously ranked in the Top 25.  With last weekend’s sweep of No. 17 Tennessee (8-3), Texas A&M (10-1) and No. 4 Mississippi State (11-1) at the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series, the Bruins leap now No. 2 LSU (11-1) and No. 3 Georgia Tech (11-1) to take over the top spot.  The Texas Longhorns (11-0) are up to No. 5 as one of only 3-remaining undefeated teams in the nation,...
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High School | General | 2/27/2026

HS Showdown Scout Notes: Day 1

Tyler Russo
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High School Showdown Event Page | High School Showdown Preview ‘27 1B Frank Thomas (FL) goes liftoff once again for 2nd HR, again in the L on L. Leveraging w/ such easy juice. #PGShowdown @IMGABaseball @Florida_PG https://t.co/BgWiDyMiMo pic.twitter.com/IC6sdAkhmT — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) February 26, 2026 Frank Thomas III (2027, Sarasota, Fl.) was all over a breaking ball in the first inning of an IMG Academy offensive explosion, making it back-to-back-to-back homers to start the game. He did not turn back from there, homering on two more occasions. The ball explodes off the barrel with low effort strength and he showed the ability to manipulate the barrel to lift with authority. Thomas III is built strong and physical and he is just beginning to tap into that huge power upside. He showed no issues handling left on left matchups, with his first two homers coming...
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Draft | Prospect Scouting Reports | 2/26/2026

PG Draft: Early Season Underclass Performers

Tyler Henninger
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Dax Whitney (@BeaverBaseball) showed LOUD stuff. FB up to 100, cruised at 95-98. Pair of plus secondaries. CB at 77-79 (2923) with sharp, 12-6 action. Firm SL at 89-91 (2714) with bite. Flashed fading CH at 87-88 (1425). Ranked No. 1 on the ‘27 board @PG_Draft So./‘27 elig. pic.twitter.com/9PNbjJ53Zo — PG College Baseball (@PGCollegeBall) February 13, 2026 RHP Dax Whitney, Oregon State (‘27 elig.) Whitney may not just be the best arm in next year’s class, he may be the best arm in the entire country right now. The right-handed sits 98 mph with the heater and has been up to 100 mph. Both the slider and curveball are plus offerings that he spins extremely well. Whitney will mix in a quality Gavin changeup that sits in the upper-80’s and has also introduced a new cutter. All the pitches come from the exact same release point and jump out of the hand. He...
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High School | General | 2/26/2026

PGHS Showdown: Academies Scout Notes

AJ Denny
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Jordan Burwell (‘26 NJ) going WAY out to right. Rhythmic approach and smooth swing get into big time power. #Mountaineers commit. @PGMidAtlantic #PGShowdown pic.twitter.com/qyDaIPxIol — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) February 22, 2026 Jordan Burwell (‘26 NJ) First live look at the left-handed hitting West Virgina commit. The power is real, launched two long homers in game action this weekend. Easy mover with very clean path with sky high offensive ceiling if he continues to show like this. Swing is built for power and lofted pull side impacts.    CJ Alfano (‘26 NY) long PS bomb this morning. Just leaning on everything that’s thrown over the heart. #WVU commit. @PGMidAtlantic #PGShowdown pic.twitter.com/4lGnhOEyrl — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) February 22, 2026 Cj Alfano (‘26 NY)Just an impossible out throughout the weekend....
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High School | General | 2/27/2026

SoCal High School Notebook: Feb. 27

Steve Fiorindo
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5 K's over 4 hitless innings of work for Jared Grindlinger (2026), making first start as member of the 2026 class. 92-94 t95 w/ the FB, SL 80-83, CH 81-83, CB 77/78. Efficient outing, 50 pitches, 39 strikes. #PGHS @PG_scouting @PG_Draft @HBHS_basebll @PG_Uncommitted pic.twitter.com/y7jwX1oPyB — Perfect Game California (@California_PG) February 25, 2026 Jared Grindlinger, LHP, Huntington Beach High School (2026) Gringlinger’s first start as a member of the 2026 class was a good one… 4 innings of no hit ball with 5 strikeouts.  Ran the fastball to 95, lived 92-94, throwing a ton of strikes.  50 pitches on the day, 39 strikes, pretty much landing all four pitches in the zone.  Went to the slider early and often, quadrupling up on the slide piece to the first hitter of the game. The slider shows late lateral action with some vert, living 80-83.  Used...
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Softball | Softball Tournament | 2/25/2026

Perfect Game Softball 16U Winter Elite Showcase

Dave Durbala
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SPRINGFIELD, IL - Perfect Game Softball 16u Winter Elite Showcase, February 20-22, 2026. Twenty-Four teams arrived in Springfield for the opportunity to showcase some of the best talent in the midwest. After 3 pool play games,  the field was split and seeded into either the Platinum or Gold Division to begin bracket play.  With several highly sought after young arms on display, it was Indiana Magic Gold 16U Carroll and Indiana Magic Gold 14U National making it into the Platinum Division Championship, and through a mutual agreement, they decided to end the tournament as Co-Champions. In the Gold Division, it was Gts 16u Elite-Gonzalez with a 7-2 win over Cedar Rapids Blue Devils 14u, to earn the championship. Below are some of the players that played their way onto the top performers list, including the MVP and MV-Pitcher from both the Platinum and Gold Divisions. Earning the...
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College | Recruiting | 2/25/2026

DII/DIII/NAIA Rankings Update: Feb. 25

Nick Herfordt
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A few weeks into the season and the shape of the national picture is starting to emerge (slightly, let’s get too silly about early results). Some preseason favorites are humming exactly as advertised, a few dark horses are pawing at the gate, and a handful of early contenders are discovering that February optimism and March reality are not always the same thing. Across DII, DIII and the NAIA, pitching staffs are setting the tone, offenses are either detonating or recalibrating, and the Top 25 is already beginning to feel less theoretical and more earned.   DII UT Tyler is performing as predicted with a 12-2 start that includes a series win at Angelo State. The Patriots’ offense has not exactly been knocking the cover off the ball, but the pitching staff has been stingy, holding opponents to a .228 batting average.  They have not faced a ranked opponent yet, but...
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Juco | Rankings | 2/25/2026

JUCO Top 25: February 25

Blaine Peterson
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Another strong week for many of the top teams in junior college baseball. Walters State put together another undefeated weak and sticks in the top spot for the 3rd consecutive ranking. Chipola on the strength of a 20-1 start has established themselves early as one of top teams in the country. Johnson County put together a 2nd consecutive undefeated week and moves into the top 5 with a 15-1 overall record. They will play 4 games against #22 Iowa Western this week who is also coming off an undefeated week. Fresno City (15-0) and Midland (13-0) are two undefeated programs to begin 2026. They have gone from not in the preseason top 25 to the top 15 in our rankings in less than a month. And welcome to the PG Juco Top 25 Cloud County (KS) who debuts at #23 and is coming off a huge 3 game sweep on the road in Texas of a previous top 10 program in our rankings. Plenty of good matchups ahead this...
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Softball | Softball Tournament | 2/24/2026

Perfect Game Softball February Frenzy

Dave Durbala
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BURLINGTON, IA - Perfect Game February Frenzy, February 20-22, 2026.  Twenty-two teams, representing five states, rolled into town for the opportunity to compete in this pool play, then into bracket play, with four games guaranteed,  in both a 14u and 18u division. Taking home top honors in the 14u division was Midwest Sluggers 11, who held off a late charge by the Black Dragons , winning 7-5. In the 18u division, it was Nebraska Gold 319 Berning topping Iowa Gold Prospects 4-0, avenging a pool play opening, 1-0 loss. Below are some of the players that played their way onto our Top Performers list, including the MVP and MV-Pitcher from the championship bracket in each age division. 14U Division Earning the 14u division MVP award was Presley Perkins (2030 Taylor Ridge, IL) who although is listed as a switch hitting OF, was only observed hitting from the left side for tournament...
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