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College  | Story | 4/2/2025

Midseason Collegiate Awards

Photo: Kyson Witherspoon (Oklahoma Athletics)
Midseason Player of the Year

Alex Lodise – IF - Florida State

Lodise, the 6-1/190 infielder from St. Augustine, Florida, started his career down I-10 at the University of North Florida where he was an everyday starter at short stop and First Team All-ASUN award winner. He had a monster season batting .306 with 14 doubles, 16 home runs and 63 runs batted in. Transferring to FSU for his sophomore season, he started 62 games in 2024 and went through an adjustment period to ACC competition batting .281 with 14 doubles, 9 home runs and 44 RBI. Fast forward to this year and he is on pace to double most of his personal single season highs in virtually every batting category. Lodise is currently 4th in the nation with a .466 BA, leads the nation in average hits per game, tied for 22nd in home runs with 11, and his .871 slugging percentage is 7th in the nation. Beyond helping his club get off to an impressive (23-4) start to the season, he has played himself into late Day 1 to early Day 2 consideration in the coming MLB Amateur Draft.

Midseason Pitcher of the Year

Kyson Witherspoon – RHP – Oklahoma

At 6-2/207, the right handed pitcher from Jacksonville, Florida, started his career at Northwest Florida State College where he made 17 appearances, going 69.2 innings pitched with a 3.10 ERA. The following year he found himself in Norman and would lead OU with a 3.71 ERA in 80.0 innings pitched, 11 starts, 17 appearances and 8-3 record while accumulating a 90:40 strikeout-to-walk ratio. After a stint with the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team, Witherspoon has taken his craft to another level. Armed with a fastball that lives in the mid-90s and will touch 98 mph and backing that up with a tight cutter and devastating mid-80s slider, he has emerged as the top starting pitcher in the country. He is (5-1) on the year in 7 starts with a 2.31 ERA in 39.0 innings pitched, holding opponents to a .189 batting average with a tremendous 64:10 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The Sooners looks like national title contenders and Witherspoon could be the first college arm off the board in this July’s MLB Draft.



Midseason Freshman of the Year

Derek Curiel – OF – LSU

Ranked by Perfect Game as the No. 1 Top 75 Freshman for the 2025 season, Curiel has somehow surpassed all expectations. Leading the Tigers in batting average at .408, runs scored with 38 and on-base percentage at .555, he has been the sparkplug for their explosive offense. He uses the big part of the field, driving the ball gap-to-gap on his way to 9 doubles, 2 triples, 3 home runs and 24 runs batted in. Adding significant physicality to his 6-2 frame, he now weighs 182 pounds, and the results have been him doing more damage with the stick. While it would be anticipated that his performance may take a hit once the challenge of SEC play began, Curiel continues to lead LSU in most offensive categories in league plays. In 9 conference starts, he is slashing .371/.629/.500 with a double, triple, 2 home runs and with 7 RBIs and a team leading 11 runs scored. The Tigers are an elite team with their sights on Omaha and with Curiel producing like he is, they would be a pretty safe bet to reach the promised land.

Midseason Two-Way Player of the Year

Ethan Hedges – IF/RHP – Southern Cal

The physicality and athleticism required to be a legitimate two-way player in D1 baseball are rare to find but the 6-1/185 Hedges is an elite example. The junior from Fountain Valley, California is putting together an epic season for the Trojans after being a position player only for his first two seasons. In 2025, he is thriving on both sides of the ball and the bat may be his loudest tool. So far this year he is slashing .413/.817/.508 with 6 doubles, 3 triples, 10 home runs, 34 runs batted in, and he has also swiped 7 bags. He leads the Trojans in every major offensive category with the exception of doubles, has hit safely in 25 of 27 games and he has been their stopper on the mound at the end of games. Using his low-to-mid 90s fastball and quality breaker, Hedges has made 9 appearances and registered 8 saves with an opponent’s batting average of .188 so far. Southern Cal is looking to make some noise in their first year of play in the Big 10, and Hedges will be in the thick of it.

Midseason Coach of the Year

Tony Vitello – Tennessee

Having picked up just about every coach’s award out there in 2024, it would have been reasonable to think Vitello may not be able to duplicate last year’s success. Well, nothing could be further from the truth as the Vols once again find themselves atop every Top-25 poll across the nation. Vitello has his club sitting (26-2) as well as (8-1) in SEC play, which has them in a 3-way tie for first place in the conference. Tennessee set the all-time SEC record for consecutive wins in the season following a national title as they reeled off 20 victories to open up 2025. In the transfer portal era, it is vital to attract the best transfer talent in the nation, but it is equally as important to retain your best players. Vitello and staff seem to have figured out the formula for both and at mid-season are the odds on favorites to win the national title yet again.

Midseason Team of the Year

Tennessee Volunteers

Life of the SEC defending national champion in the previous 4 years has been a difficult road to navigate. In 2021, the Mississippi State Bulldogs followed up their title run with sub-.500 record and failed to make the SEC tournament. The Ole Miss Rebels won the national title the following year and followed the same path only winning 25 games and fell short of reaching Hoover. So, the LSU Tigers took home the hardware in 2023 and followed up with a quality season of 43 wins but saw their season end in the Chapel Hill Regional. The Vols won it all in 2025 and have shown no signs of a hangover, racing out to a (20-0) record to start the season and are (26-2) overall with their sights on another SEC Regular Season title. This year’s club is an offensive juggernaut, batting .317 as a team, having hit 68 home runs (3rd in the nation) on their way to scoring on average 10.5 runs per game (2nd in the nation). They have scored 211 more runs than their opponents and an almost 1:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio as a team with an outrageous .447 OB%. As good as they are with the sticks, they may be better on the mound as they lead the nation in team ERA with a 2.54 and also lead the nation in strikeout-to-walk ratio at 4.28 as a staff. They are as deep as they are good with 15 pitchers having made at least 5 appearances as they spread the workload and keep arms fresh down the stretch. This team plays with freedom but remains disciplined and they thrive under the expectations that they are the frontrunners for another national championship.

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 | 12/13/2025

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...
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...
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...
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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