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Tournaments  | Story | 12/12/2024

Finest in the Field: Class of 2028

Tyler Russo
Finest in the Field: Class of 2025 | Class of 2026 | Class of 2027

We've been able to watch many of these players grow over the last handful of years and there's no stopping them now, so let's dive in on some of the standout defenders from across the country. 





P – Luke Esquivel, Grapevine High School (Grapevine, Texas)

Selecting this position is always an interesting task as you don’t typically think about defense when it comes to the pitching position, but Esquivel does a lot of things right, in addition to the fact that he could win the award at the first base position as well. He throws a ton of strikes, with some of the best pitchability in the class, and the game comes easy to him at times in term of how he handles himself on the diamond.

C – Julian Martinez, The Stony Brook (New York, N.Y.)

There were some solid defensive catchers in this age group this year, including his travel ball teammate Dariel Carrion (who is a 2027), but Julian’s combination of ability to block and receive at a high level paired with a rocket of an arm made him an easy choice here. He’s also athletic enough to play the infield some if needed, which he has done well in the past.

1B – Ethan Stewart, D H Conley High School (Winterville, N.C.)

Stewart is a primary outfielder now, but he also plays first base as a secondary position and has done so at a pretty high level this year. He’s athletic and plays the game loose, showing both an ability to move around the bag well and receive throws comfortably.

INF – Aiden Kearney, Hagerty High School (Winter Park, Fla.)

Kearney has transformed himself as a player over the last year, taking home Player of the Year honors at the 14U Select Festival, and his comfortability at the shortstop position has come with it. He moves well laterally and has good glove work, while the arm strength is a huge differentiator when it comes to his ability to make throws from all over the left side.

INF – Lio Garcia, Buford High School (Suwanee, Ga.)

We’ve seen Garcia as a slick defender for a couple of years now and he continues to handle himself well when it comes to playing up the middle. He’s really athletic giving him standout range and the hands are some of the best in the country, while the arm strength is coming along nicely and should be the final aspect to round out projecting him to play shortstop at the next level.

INF – Bryan Mesa, Doral Academy (Hialeah, Fla.)

Mesa is another that has been viewed as a standout defender on the dirt for a couple years and his projection to play the left side makes him a great choice for a spot here. He’s 6’3 but moves around the diamond with fluidity, shows good hands and has easy arm strength.

OF – Dexter McCleon Jr, Buford High School (Suwanee, Ga.)

Dex is the top-ranked player in this class due in part to his impressive tools at a young age, but he’s done a really good job at cleaning up elements of his game over the last year. He’s a high-level runner which gives him ability to patrol the gaps in the outfield, while his arm strength up to 94 also gives him one of the strongest outfield arms in the country, a definite plus.

OF – Carter Shouse, Bishop Fenwick High School (Middletown, Oh.)

Shouse sits right behind Dex at the #2 spot in this class, and similarly plays the game at a high level. He’s an easy mover at the outfield position with good timing and routes to the ball, while the arm strength is truly a weapon for him as well as he can cut down runners consistently.

OF – Dru Wilson, Notre Dame High School (Porter Ranch, Calif.)

Dru is an explosive athlete who can create a lot of force, both in his first step quickness and arm strength. That combination is something that comfortably projects him to playing the outfield at a high level long-term, while he’s already making impactful plays out there now.

UT – Aaron Garcia, St. John Bosco High School (Pico Rivera, Calif.)

Garcia is as versatile as it gets and has taken home defensive player of the year in back-to-back years as a result. He’s a high-level catcher with great management of the game, blocking, receiving and excellent catch-and-throw skills, but he’s an equally talented defender on the dirt up the middle where his glove work and just overall instincts stand out.
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Tournaments | Story | 12/14/2025

Finest in the Field: Class of 2030
Jheremy Brown
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The youngest of the classes that we'll look at for the best defenders in the country, this group is loaded with guys that play the game well better than what their age says. From athleticism to arm strength, it's quite impressive what these guys can do already. C Jhunior Jose Cordero (Boca Raton, Fla.) Cordero has all the traits imaginable behind the dish including elite strength and athleticism in his 5-foot-10 160-pound frame. The switch-hitting catcher came in at No. 3 nationally in the recently updated class of 2030 rankings. He has been clocked at 1.91 sec from home to second base with legitimate arm strength up to 78 mph. With advanced abilities at every position, the primary backstop Cordero is simply a special talent on the defensive side of the ball. He has tons of quickness in his hands and lower-half, which allows for fast and fluid transfers behind the plate. Cordero’s...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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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Tournaments | Story | 12/10/2025

Finest in the Field: Class of 2026

Tyler Henninger
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The Class of 2026 is one of the deeper prep classes that we have seen in a couple of years. With that being said, there is plenty of talent on the defensive side. Let’s take a look at some of the best defenders in the class.  C: Will Brick, Christian Brothers HS (Memphis, TN) Brick is a newcomer to the class after reclassifying, but immediately became the top backstop. Extremely advanced actions are shown behind the dish with impressive athleticism to go with it. Brick showcases big time arm strength and is consistently accurate on throw downs. He can make playing the position look extremely easy at times. Brick possesses all the defensive tools needed to be a premier catcher.  1B: AJ Curry, University City HS (San Diego, CA) Curry has a bigger and stronger frame with good strength throughout. He has a well-proportioned build that serves him well on the dirt. He’s...
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General | Blog | 12/10/2025

Youth Baseball Exec. DeDonatis III Joins PG

Jim Salisbury
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Youth Baseball Executive Don DeDonatis III Joins PG By Jim Salisbury  It’s free-agent season in baseball and Perfect Game has landed a big one. Don DeDonatis III joined PG as a consultant in November. The DeDonatis name is synonymous with youth baseball and softball. Along with his dad, Don Jr., DeDonatis helped build USSSA into a big hitter in the game. He brings decades of experience and knowledge to PG. “We all acknowledge that Donny has moved on from USSSA,” PG CEO Rob Ponger said. “This is a new chapter for him and we hope both sides take advantage of it to help youth sports in general. “The DeDonatis name has a legacy attached to it and we’re hoping that Donny is going to help us. PG is a growing brand and he’s on board to help.” DeDonatis was CEO at USSSA from 2018 until his exit from the company two years ago. “I’m...
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