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Tournaments  | Story | 10/16/2024

Jupiter: A 10 Year Look Back

The EvoShield Canes

Ten years ago, the big story at the WWBA World Championships was the EvoShield Canes. The Canes were on an unprecedented winning streak as an organization. They had won the 2013 WWBA World Championship, along with the 2013 PG 17U World Series and 2013 and 2014 WWBA 17U and 16U National Championships.



Dating back to 2000, no team had ever won two straight Jupiter championships. The Canes, of course, did go on to win the 2014 WWBA World Championship, beating the Orlando Scorpions 8-2 in the championship game to finish off a perfect 8-0 tournament run. They then went on to win the 2015 WWBA World Championship as well, along with seeing their junior based team, Canes Prospects, win Jupiter in 2017, completing a run of four out of five years for the Jeff Petty-ran organization. Only the Dirtbags in 2016 interrupted the Canes’ championship streak.

The key to the Canes dominance seemingly was that they assembled deeper pitching staffs than any other team, especially pitching staffs full of strike throwers. In tournaments like Jupiter, where a team has to win eight games in five days, pitching is almost always the key and the Canes usually had the deepest staff at any major event in that era.

But were the Canes really that much better as a roster than their top competitors? We took a look at their 2014 Jupiter roster compared to that of the runner-up Scorpions and there really wasn’t much of a difference; if anything, the Scorpions had a talent advantage.

The Canes had nine players ranked in the PG Top 100 in the 2015 class and 15 ranked in the PG Top 200. The Scorpions had eight players ranked in the PG Top 100 and 13 ranked in the PG Top 200.

But a closer look at the rosters reveals a significant tilt to the Scorpions in the most talented players.

Only three Canes players were 2014 PG All-Americans: Right-handed pitchers Ashe Russell and Beau Burrows and outfielder Ryan Johnson. The Scorpions featured seven 2014 PG All-Americans: Shortstop Brendan Rodgers (the #1 prospect in the 2015 class), right-handed pitcher Tyler Baum, outfielders Nick Plummer, Kep Brown and Carlos A Cortes, catcher Nick Fortes and third baseman Drew Mendoza.

Only one Canes player has gone on to play Major League Baseball; left-handed pitcher Logan Allen. On the other hand, six Scorpions players have seen big league time; Rogers, Fortes, Plummer, right-handed pitchers Cole Sands and Bowden Francis and left-handed pitcher Tyler Holton.

Regardless of the present and future talent on those two respective rosters, plus the rosters of many other talented teams, there was no question that during the mid-2010’s there was a different aura and mystique surrounding the EvoShield Canes. They pulled up to fields in their huge and gleaming Canes bus, largely intimidated opponents on the field and usually emerged with the championship rings.

Other 2014 Jupiter Highlights

Canes catcher Brad Debo won the Most Valuable Player award, driving in seven runs in four playoff games, including four in the championship game with a pair of doubles, after a quiet performance in pool play.

Scorpions left-handed pitcher Tyler Holton, now with the Detroit Tigers, won the Most Valuable Pitcher award by throwing 10 scoreless innings, allowing only 5 hits and 1 walk while striking out 13 hitters.

2014 was before the explosion in pitching velocities and only a small handful of pitchers topped 93 mph. The late Donny Everett and future MLB hurler Nick Neidert claimed the top velocity at 96 mph. Some other notables included future 100+ arm Jordan Hicks (93 mph in Jupiter), Brady Singer (92) and Ian Anderson, Casey Mize, Braxton Garrett and Bowden Francis, all at 91 mph.

Two years ago in our look back at the 2012 WWBA World Championships, we noted left-hander Ethan Small, the future big leaguer who topped out at only 81 mph as a sophomore. As a senior in 2014, Small threw a complete game shutout, striking out 13 hitters while topping out at 93 mph.

The top offensive performance of the championship could be claimed by either Cardinals Scout Team outfielder Jason Heinrich or 2015 PG All-American third baseman Joe Rizzo. Heinrich, who was a fifth round pick of the Orioles in the 2015 draft and the 105th ranked player in the 2015 class, hit 8-16 with two doubles, two triples and two home runs. Rizzo, who notably didn’t make the Canes top team and starred for Team EvoShield, collected a tournament-high 10 hits in 17 at-bats while driving in five runs and scoring six. Rizzo went on to be a second round pick by the Mariners in 2016 and played seven years in the minors, topping out at AAA.

Not surprisingly in retrospect, the top exit velocity was registered by current Indians first baseman Josh Naylor at 107.9 mph.
 

Tournaments | Story | 1/27/2026

MLK East Scout Notes Recap

Perfect Game Staff
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‘28 OF Jakob Groeschel (OH) continues to impress with the bat on the circuit, picked up 2 2Bs in the first game today. Really athletic, went 4.4 on turn; easy to dream on all the traits. #MLKEast @PG_OhioValley pic.twitter.com/wOIwnGKnkg — Perfect Game Florida (@Florida_PG) January 17, 2026 2028 OF Jakob Groeschel (Springfield, Ohio) broke out at this event last year hitting a casual .909, and although he didn’t turn in quite the same performance, he hit a strong .462 with 4 extra-base hits, 5 walks, 5 bags and only struck out once. He’s a pretty dynamic athlete who can do a lot of things well, but the bat is the calling card as he just lives on the barrel and has no problem handling all kinds of pitching. It’s a simple swing, but he’s got fast hands and he can really impact the ball without being overly physical yet.  2030 RHP Michael Vazquez...
High School | General | 2/11/2026

Southwest Region Top Teams

Tyler Russo
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Southwest All Region & Top Tools Rk Southwest Record 1 Casteel (AZ) 23-10 2 Basic (NV) 25-7 3 Corona Del Sol (AZ) 27-6 4 Faith Lutheran (NV) 22-18 5 Brophy College Prep (AZ) 16-13 6 Regis Jesuit (CO) 22-9 7 Queen Creek (AZ) 18-13 8 Spanish Fork (UT) 18-17 9 Mountain Ridge (UT) 20-12 10 Liberty (AZ) 17-13 11 Bishop Gorman (NV) 19-14 12 Rio Rancho (NM) 23-7 13 Cherry Creek (CO) 23-5-1 14 Palo Verde (NV) 24-10 15 Sandra Day O'Connor (AZ) 21-12 16 Pleasant Grove (UT) 23-6 17 La Cueva (NM) 25-4 18 Desert Mountain (AZ) 16-12 19 Snow Canyon (UT) 23-8 20 Hamilton (AZ) 25-9 21 Millennium (AZ) 21-10 22 Centennial (NV) 24-9 23 Valley Christian (AZ) 29-2 24 Mountain Vista (CO) 15-9 25 Williams Field (AZ) 15-11
High School | General | 2/11/2026

Southwest All Region & Top Tools

David Rawnsley
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SOUTHWEST REGION (AZ, NM, NV, UT, CO)  The most dominant tool in the Southwest Region for the 2026 season is undoubtedly power at the plate, as most players featured below not only have the size and bat speed to drive the ball but have put up the numbers as well.  While that isn’t exactly surprising given that virtually the entire region plays at elevation, it certainly stands out on the individual top prospects. The Region features four Perfect Game All-Americans in OF Ryan Harwood, IF Rookie Shepard and C Alain Gomez-Gudino and RHP Dylan Blomker.  The 2027 class is looking very promising as well, with four juniors gaining mention on the All-Region team below and Arizona in particular having a very talented class.  Keep an eye out especially for 2027 3B Colton Floyd (Corona Del Sol HS, Ariz.), one of the best and biggest power hitters in that class. Two Region...
Press Release | Press Release | 2/11/2026

Perfect Game Partners with Goodles

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 ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH GOODLES    Sanford, Florida (Wednesday, February 11, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced a new partnership with  GOODLES, the brand that reimagined boxed mac and cheese, naming the brand the Official Mac & Cheese of Perfect Game. The collaboration will bring delicious, nutrient-packed mac and cheese to families and players during premiere events and tournaments.    While practice makes perfect, a player’s diet can’t be...
College | Rankings | 2/11/2026

DII Top 25: February 11

Nick Herfordt
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Preseason rankings are less about certainty and more about expectation. Experience, continuity, and proven production tend to win in Division II baseball, but every spring reminds us how thin the margins can be. The teams below enter 2026 carrying varying combinations of momentum, pressure, and opportunity. Some are defending a standard. Others are chasing it.  At this level, projection is rarely about raw talent alone. It is shaped by familiarity, by the players who have been through a season together, by staffs that know how to manage the quiet stretches as well as the loud ones. Injuries, turnover, and postseason moments leave marks that don’t always show up in the numbers, but they shape how teams respond when games tighten.  The programs at the top of these rankings carry more than returning statistics. They carry memory and momentum. They remember what it felt like...
High School | Rankings | 2/10/2026

Texas Region Top Teams

Tyler Russo
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Texas All Region & Top Tools Rk Texas Record 1 Grapevine 36-3 2 Memorial 28-6-1 3 Lake Travis 28-12-3 4 Kingwood 39-4 5 Aledo 31-8 6 Atascocita 33-12-2 7 Calallen 35-2 8 Pleasant Grove 36-6 9 Prestonwood Christian 25-5 10 The Bennett School N/A 11 Lovejoy 30-9 12 Allen 16-16-1 13 Prosper 33-10-1 14 Flower Mound Marcus 30-13 15 Tomball 34-7-1 16 Waco Midway 35-8 17 Dallas Jesuit 23-9-1 18 Flower Mound 21-12 19 Buda Johnson 26-13 20 The Woodlands 29-6-1 21 Katy Taylor 26-13-1 22 Rockwall Heath 15-9 23 Rockwall 29-10 24 Lutheran South 34-3-1 25 Keller 29-11
College | Story | 2/10/2026

Conference Preview: MAC

Tyler Kotila
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2026 College Preview Index | Preseason Top 25 | Preseason Collegiate All-Americans For all of Perfect Game's conference previews as part of the 2026 college baseball preview content, the 2025 records and all-conference teams are available for free. The conference top prospects and individual team breakdowns can be viewed with a subscription. 2025 Records Teams are listed in alphabetical order* School W L W L Akron 20 34 9 21 Ball State 36 22 21 9 Bowling Green 33 22 19 11 Central Michigan 20 35 11 19 Eastern Michigan 21 30 12 18 Kent State 38 18 23 7 Massachusetts* 14 34 7 23 Miami  35 23 23 7 Northern Illinois 21 33 9 21 Ohio 14 37 9 21 Toledo 32 29 17 13 Western Michigan 19 32 12 18 *record in the A-10 Preseason All-Conference Team Pos. Name School Stats/Notes C Brody Williams Kent State .341-7-53; .457 OBP w/ zone awareness, leader on both sides, power in the...
College | Story | 2/10/2026

Conference Preview: America East

AJ Denny
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2026 College Preview Index | Preseason Top 25 | Preseason Collegiate All-Americans For all of Perfect Game's conference previews as part of the 2026 college baseball preview content, the 2025 records and all-conference teams are available for free. The conference top prospects and individual team breakdowns can be viewed with a subscription. 2025 Records Teams are listed in alphabetical order* Team W L W L Binghamton  13 11 28 26 Bryant  18 6 36 18 Maine  13 11 20 31 NJIT  14 10 27 26 UAlbany  10 14 22 32 UMass Lowell  8 16 18 35 UMBC  8 16 18 28 Preseason All-Conference Team Pos. Name School Stats/Notes C Levi McAllister UAlbany 2025 2nd Team America East All-Conference; hit .310 last season w/ 9 HRs and 25 XBH. Do-it-all guy for UAlbany, reliable behind dish w/ ability to hit for both AVG + power offensively 1B Sean O'Leary UMass...
Softball | Softball Tournament | 2/9/2026

Perfect Game Softball Winter Warm Up 18U Division

Erica Beach
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Perfect Game Softball Winter Warm Up Burlington, IA Jan 30-Feb 1, 2026   BURLINGTON, IOWA- 23 teams across two age divisions converged onto Fun City Turf last weekend to compete to be the Winter Warm Up champions. In the 18U division, the Iowa Nationals 18U came out on top in a hard-fought game, defeating the Iowa Gold Prospects 2-1. On the weekend, several athletes stepped up big for their teams and below we highlight some of the top performers of the tournament.   18U Division   Julia Roth (2026, Dubuque, IA) of the Lady Expos Blue was one of the most effective hitters of the weekend. She finished her weekend batting .583, tallying seven hits, four of them being home runs. Her power was on display, and she came in clutch multiple times, driving in nine runs for her team. This right-handed hitter showed great composure in the box, working counts, and making defenses earn...
High School | General | 2/9/2026

Deep South Region Top Teams

Tyler Russo
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Deep South All Region & Top Tools Rk Deep South  Record 1 Magnolia Heights (MS) 39-5 2 Barbe (LA) 35-7 3 Catholic (LA) 37-5 4 The Baylor School (TN) 22-8 5 Nolensville (TN) 20-14 6 Hoover (AL) 22-20 7 Sam Houston (LA) 36-8 8 Christian Brothers (TN) 26-13 9 Hartselle (AL) 35-8 10 Lipscomb Academy (TN) 28-9-1 11 Lewisburg (MS) 21-10 12 Farragut (TN) 32-11 13 Tuerlings Catholic (LA) 36-5 14 Tuscaloosa County (AL) 33-13 15 Petal (MS) 18-10 16 West Monroe (LA) 26-9-1 17 Brandon (MS) 24-14 18 Auburn (AL) 21-18 19 Oak Ridge (TN) 36-9 20 Bob Jones (AL) 37-12 21 Thompson (AL) 30-15 22 University Lab (LA) 29-12 23 Knoxville Catholic (TN) 23-16-1 24 Sumrall (MS) 25-9 25 Benton (LA) 35-6
College | Story | 2/10/2026

Conference Preview: Horizon

Scott Rankin
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2026 College Preview Index | Preseason Top 25 | Preseason Collegiate All-Americans For all of Perfect Game's conference previews as part of the 2026 college baseball preview content, the 2025 records and all-conference teams are available for free. The conference top prospects and individual team breakdowns can be viewed with a subscription. 2025 Records Teams are listed in alphabetical order* Team W L W L Milwaukee 22 35 16 13 Northern Kentucky 31 25 18 12 Oakland 18 41 10 20 Wright State 40 21 25 5 Youngstown State 15 42 11 19 Preseason All-Conference Team Pos. Name School Stats/Notes C Jake Paulick Northern Kentucky Slashed .265/.404/.518 with 8 homers and 41 RBI in ‘25  1B Jp Peltier Wright State 1st team All-Horizon playing OF in ’25 and hit 20 homers with a 1.019 OPS 2B Hunter Warren Wright State 1st team All-Horizon in ’25...
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