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PG Select Baseball Festival  | General | 8/28/2025

14u Select Festival Turns Ten

You want to talk about something surreal? Back in 2016, we put together a roster of 40 players, divided to 20 apiece between East and West, with no qualification other than "play in one Perfect Game event" and all players must be born after May 1 of 2001. On top of that, there were significantly less national events at the 14u level, consisting almost exclusively of the 14u WWBA and the 14u World Series, with some other events sprinkled in and players who were eligible, playing up at 15u and 16u events. On top of all that, we turned around rosters in a super short time frame, a far cry from the year long process it's become now, never mind the fact that you can find a 14u event somewhere in the country on any given weekend. 

Do the quick math and you realize the 2025 14u Select Festival marks year 10 of the event and since that first pitch in 2016, things have continued to evolve, from player performance to the evaluation process and everything in between. Shortly after the first year, 14u showcases began around the country with roughly a handful in the first year, evolving into what it is now with Gateways and, of course, the National Showcase which serves as the final look where all of the best players assemble to compete against one another for one of the 48 spots. 



Ten years is a long time. It's a span in which we've already seen 12 Festival alum reach the big leagues, the first being Los Angeles Angels right-hander Victor Mederos, a member of that first game way back in 2016. He's been joined by outfielders Dylan Crews and Robert Hassell, both of the Washington Nationals, right-hander Mick Abel (Philadelphia Phillies) and Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Alex Freeland from the original game, setting the wheels in motion for what was to come. With 8 players already making their debut this year and more to come once rosters expand in September, it's safe to say the wheels are in motion and the alumni list in the bigs will grow quickly. 

Some #FestivalFunFacts:

First Player Ever Drafted: Maurice Hampton Jr., 23rd round, 683rd overall by the San Diego Padres in 2019

Total Number of First Round Picks: 35, including 1 1st overall pick, 2 2nd overall picks, 2 4th picks and a 5th overall selection

Total Signing Bonuses Amongst Alum: $242,813,305

Big Leaguers: 12

Total Draft Picks in 2025: 17, including 7 of the first 27 picks

Current Alum in MLB Pipeline Top 100: 17

$1,000,000+ International Signees: 7

Now that the history lesson is out of the way, we have 47 players this weekend who are looking to add to the legacy of the event, and will almost certainly do such. From down in Venezuela with Kenny Acuna, the younger brother of Ronald, and Puerto Rico courtesy of Luis Tolentino Gonzalez, all the way up to Washington state with 4-time #Festivaler Cameron Hockett and out to Hawaii with a pair out of the 50th state in Damian Rivas and Jackson McAneeley, and everywhere in between, this group certainly covers some miles in their pilgrimage to Fort Myers, Florida. 

Amongst the 47 players attending, 4 players have gone thru the gauntlet, getting their name called for the prestigious August event since 11u (Braiden Miller, Tre' Lawrence, Carter Nash and Hockett) while 17 players received the phone call for the first time. A couple years back I wrote about some players who were on their "redemption tour" at the 14u Festival, meaning that they attended the 13u National and while they didn't make the game, they put in the work and came out a year later, leaving no doubt. Amongst those 7 players are Antonio Gil, Asher Williams, Brooks Blanchard, Ian Davis, Xavier Rodriguez, Cooper Knight and Ace Pence

In terms of states, Texas is leading the way with 8 selections on the roster this year, making up a third of the West roster. Florida is next up with 6 roster spots while California is on its tail with 5, followed by Arizona and South Carolina with four each. 

Once again players have been helping to raise funds for the Golisano Children's Hospital and as a whole, have already raised more than $30,000 with a couple days remaining. If you'd like to help out the cause, feel free to follow the link and make a donation of any mount, as every dollar helps!

PG Select Baseball Festival | General | 12/26/2025

2025 Year in Review: PGAAC, ASG, Festivals

Jheremy Brown
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All-Star Game Continues To Thrive We’re only a couple of years into having the PG All-Star Game around, an underclass event attached to the All-American weekend, this year played in Petco two days before the Classic. The talent that is a part of it continues to grow to significant levels, and this year was a mix of young guys and some newer names that left lasting impressions. The two hardest throwing guys in the game were the only 2028s in attendance, Striker Pence and Dexter McCleon Jr who both were upper-90s as guys who just started their sophomore year, while the loudest moment of the day came when Kinon Bastian obliterated a pitch into the top deck of the famous Western Supply building in left field, something that we’ll remember for a long time. Extra Swings In The All-American Derby One of the best events every All-American weekend is getting to see these guys with...
College | Story | 3/10/2026

College Players of the Week: March 10

Vincent Cervino
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March 10 Perfect Game/Player of the Week:  Lorenzo Carrier, OF, Pitt  The Pitt Panthers (12-2) are off to one of the best starts in recent program history and their offense has performed as one of the best in the country.  For the season, they are averaging almost 12-runs per game and on their recent trip to the West Coast, Lorenzo Carrier went on the kind of hot streak that is hard to comprehend.  The 6-5/215 senior from Bear, DE was a one-man wrecking crew in their 4-wins last week, starting with the fact that he reached base safely in 17 of his 19 trips to the plate.  He collected 13 hits in 14 official at-bats, scoring 10 runs, with 4 walks, 2 triples, 4 home runs and he drove in an insane 19-runs.  Carrier has refined his approach, simplified his bat path and is creating massive power that has him putting up career numbers.  For the season, he is...
College | Rankings | 3/9/2026

College Top 25: March 9

Vincent Cervino
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Collegiate Player Report Database While there will not be any new faces in this weeks Top 25, there is quite a bit of shakeup as the season, somehow, becomes even more unpredictable.  There were several teams in the poll that dropped weekend series and, in some cases, registered losing records in the last seven days.  There is sure to be more chaos this week as virtually every conference starts league play and the race for regular season titles begins.  The UCLA Bruins (13-2) remain No. 1 as their sizzling hot bats led the way to a perfect (4-0) week and they swept their first Big Ten series of the year.  As one of only two remaining undefeated teams in the nation, the Texas Longhorns (15-0) jump to No. 2 before they open SEC play this weekend in Austin.  No. 3 Georgia Tech and No. 4 Mississippi State both (14-2) hold their spots in the poll after both dropped a...
Press Release | Press Release | 3/7/2026

Debut: Contreras YouTube Feature

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 DEBUTS NEW YOUTUBE FEATURE FOLLOWING JOSEPH CONTRERAS ON HISTORIC DAY BEFORE WBC   Behind-the-scenes access captures the youngest player in the World Baseball Classic preparing for the global stage   Sanford, Florida (Friday, March 6, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced the debut of a new original YouTube feature spotlighting right-handed pitcher Joseph Contreras, as PG cameras followed him throughout the day of his final high school start before departing to join Team Brazil in the World Baseball Classic.   The feature provides exclusive, behind-the-scenes access to one...
Softball | Softball Tournament | 3/4/2026

Perfect Game Softball March Madness

Ashley Mears
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2026 Perfect Game March Madness February 27-March 1st Ashley Mears What a weekend at the Fun City Dome in Burlington, Iowa! The energy was electric from first pitch to final out towering home runs, edge-of-your-seat battles, dramatic comebacks, and extra-inning thrillers with some unpredictable endings, it was a great weekend all around. The Top Performers list welcomed some exciting new names, while seasoned seniors continued to cement their legacies, delivering standout performances week after week. For some, this may have been their final appearance on a Perfect Game stage, and they made sure it was unforgettable. In the 18u division a tough Nebraska Gold 319 Berning team outlasted the Southeast Iowa All Stars in the championship. In 16u the Top Gun 2028- Strange completed their weekend by beating the Iowa Aries 16U CE Fire Black. 18U The weekend’s Most Valuable Player award...
High School | General | 3/5/2026

High School Notebook: March 5

Steve Fiorindo
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Full BP & pregame I/O from ‘26 SS Keon Johnson. Whippy hands and lifted to the middle of the field throughout the rounds, athletic mover on the dirt & enough arm strength to stick on the left side. #4 in @PG_Georgia & #50 on the @PG_Draft Board. #PGHS @FPDVikingSports https://t.co/vYvReQKTVh pic.twitter.com/BksHJtA09X — Cam McElwaney (@CamMcElwaneyPG) February 20, 2026 Keon Johnson, SS, First Presbyterian Day Johnson has long been near the top of the 2026 rankings and it all culminated in being a PG All-American last August. He heads into the spring as one of the names to know in the upcoming MLB Draft and is drawing crowds to his high school in Macon. It’s a well-built 6-foot-2, 200-pound frame with good actions up the middle. The defensive acumen has continued to improve over the last few years and now looks comfortable at shortstop and even projects there...
College | Rankings | 3/4/2026

DII/DIII/NAIA Rankings Update: March 4

Nick Herfordt
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The 2026 college baseball season is starting to reveal its early storylines, and across the Division II and Division III landscape a few programs have already forced their way into the spotlight. From the blistering start by the Pittsburg State Gorillas baseball that rocketed them to the top of the rankings, to the steadily rising championship ambitions of the Taylor Trojans baseball, the national picture is beginning to take shape. In Division III, heavyweight programs like the Trinity Tigers baseball and the Wisconsin–Whitewater Warhawks baseball have already traded blows in one of the season’s first statement series, while emerging challengers such as the Keene State Owls baseball are looking to turn early momentum into a breakout year. With many teams still just getting their seasons underway, the rankings remain fluid, but the early results are already giving us clues...
Juco | Rankings | 3/4/2026

JUCO Top 25: March 4

Troy Sutherland
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Another week down as we get into conference play in parts of the nation. This week is led by Chipola at No. 1 with an impressive 24-1 record. Walters State drops to No. 2 at 16-3 and Florida SouthWestern State College (17-5) follows closely behind. Powerhouse programs  McLennan Community College (11-2) and Johnson County Community College (18-2) round out the top five, while one-loss teams Fresno City, Ohlone, and Cloud County are quickly climbing into the national conversation. With traditional Texas powers, West Coast contenders, and deep Florida Juco rosters all in the mix, the race for Grand Junction is already taking shape.   Rk. Team Record 1 Chipola (FL) 24-1 2 Walters State (TN) 16-3 3 Florida Southwestern (FL) 17-5 4 McLennan (TX) 11-2 5 Johnson County (KS) 18-2 6 Gaston (NC) 20-2 7 Blinn (TX) 12-6 8 Florence-Darlington (SC) 18-5 9 Northwest Florida (FL) 16-8 10...
High School | Rankings | 3/3/2026

High School Top 50 Update: March 3

Tyler Russo
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As we get rolling deeper into the spring here in the southern states, other states are only a few weeks away from their seasons beginning and some are even starting the day this will be posted. We’ve concluded the first major event on the high school schedule, the PG High School Showdown, and it was an epic weekend in Hoover. The event was littered with talent and these rankings reflect just that. St. John Bosco (CA) holds onto the first spot in this update and are being pushed by an IMG Academy (FL) team that’s 8-0 after winning the High School Showdown as well as beating two preseason top-10 teams in the first few weeks of the season. Orange Lutheran (CA) holds onto the No. 3 spot after a 1-0 start to the year and just a few weeks away from NHSI. A trio of Florida schools follow Olu in South Walton (FL), fresh off a win at the HS Showdown, Venice (FL), a surging team...
Press Release | Press Release | 3/3/2026

PG & RaceTrac Expand Partnership

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 AND RACETRAC ANNOUNCE EXPANDED PARTNERSHIP   Sanford, Florida (Tuesday, March 3, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced an expanded partnership with RaceTrac, naming the convenience store brand the Official Convenience Store of Perfect Game in Georgia and Florida. The enhanced relationship significantly broadens RaceTrac’s presence across Perfect Game’s premier tournament venues and digital platforms, deepening its engagement with players, families, coaches and fans throughout two of the most active youth baseball markets in the country.   As part of the expanded agreement, RaceTrac will launch a robust...
College | Story | 3/3/2026

College Players of the Week: March 3

Craig Cozart
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March 3 Perfect Game/Player of the Week:  Cider Canon, OF, Duke  The Duke Blue Devils (11-3) went through massive changes in the offseason, with a new coaching staff and heavy roster turnover like is often seen in the college game today.  That hasn’t held them back as they have kind of flown under the radar on their way to a tie for the most wins in the nation.  They won 4 out 5 games last week and Cider Canon was the driving force behind their offensive onslaught.  The 5-11/180 outfielder from San Marino, CA put together an incredible week collecting 9 hits in 14 at-bats, good for a .643 BA, scoring 7 runs, with 3 walks, 4 home runs and driving in a total of 10 runs.  After a successful couple years at Davidson College, Cider made the trip north to Durham and has fit right into the Blue Devil’s high-octane offense.  For the season, he is...
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