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2,631 MLB PLAYERS | 16,402 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Tournaments  | Story | 10/14/2025

MLB Star Matt Kemp Impressed by Jupiter

Photo: Josiah Kemp (Perfect Game)
Former MLB All-Star Matt Kemp impressed with all things Jupiter

JUPITER, Florida – Three-time Major League All-Star Matt Kemp couldn’t help but smile as he sat behind the backstop and watched his nephew play in Perfect Game’s 2025 WWBA World Championship tournament.

“He used to come to all of my games when I played and now I’m going to all his games,” Kemp said. “I love it.”



Kemp retired from a 15-year big-league career after the 2020 season. His nephew Josiah Kemp’s rise as one of the top prep players in the country has kept him close to the game. 

“Josiah has been playing PG events for two years,” Kemp said. “I’ve been to all his tournaments this summer. But this is the big one, the one everybody wants to go to. He’s been very excited about it.”

Josiah, a 6-1, 185-pound outfielder, is a senior at Choctaw High School in Oklahoma City. He has committed to play at the University of Oklahoma. In Jupiter, he batted leadoff for the San Diego Padres Scout Team 2026. Former big-leaguer Cameron Maybin is one of the team’s coaches.

Matt Kemp has done some coaching with the team, but he was in Jupiter strictly as a supportive uncle and fan. (OK, the 7-handicapper was also hoping to sneak in a round of golf.) He was very impressed by the talent and quality of play at the event.

“These kids are bigger, stronger, faster,” he said. 

Kemp pointed out toward the playing field where Josiah and his teammates were doing sprints before a game.

“That kid right there is going to Miami,” he said. “The kid in red is going to Florida State. That kid running over there is going to Vandy. There’s a lot of special kids at this tournament. They’re way more developed than we were.”

And they get way more exposure as they chase their dreams of playing high-level college ball and beyond. There were 120 teams at the tournament. Hundreds of players were spread out over a dozen fields at the Roger Dean Complex, spring training home of the St. Louis Cardinals and Miami Marlins. The action was constant. Coaches and recruiting coordinators from colleges big and small took in all the action, as did scouts from every major league club. Lots of scouts.

“Fifteen,” one answered when asked how many talent evaluators his team had sent to the event.

That’s the kind of attention a player gets at PG’s WWBA World Championship.

“All the scouts say this is the one you need to be at,” Kemp said. “I’ve never seen this many scouts in one setting. When I was in high school, it wasn’t like this.

“I was talking to some of my boys. I was telling them when I was 16, 17, 18 years old, I would have been really, really nervous to play in these things, but this kind of gives the kids an opportunity to live out their dreams and to be able to play for the school or the team that they dream of playing for.

“It all starts with being seen. All you need is that one person to believe in you. All it takes is one or two good tournaments to put yourself on the map and be able to do special things.”

Matt Kemp did lots of special things in his career. The former outfielder, known mostly for his 10 seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers, hit .284 with 287 home runs, 1,031 RBIs and a .821 OPS in 15 seasons. He was runner-up for the National League MVP in 2011 when he hit .324 with 39 homers, 126 RBIs and a .986 OPS. He played in three NL Championship Series with the Dodgers.

Even beyond the high-level competition, Kemp likes Jupiter because it’s a wood-bat tournament and it’s played on grass and dirt, not artificial turf.

“It’s easy to go from dirt to turf, but not easy to go from turf to dirt,” he said. “On a turf field, ground balls are smooth. Running is a little different, too. On dirt, I can generate way more force into the ground than turf. So being here, you can really see what a player has.”

In addition to watching his nephew play in Jupiter – Josiah stroked a couple of doubles in one game – Kemp was able to renew some old acquaintances, including one with an old rival, newly minted Hall of Famer Billy Wagner. Wagner coaches high school ball in Virginia and has coached his sons in PG events for years.

“Billy,” Kemp said with a laugh. “When I faced him in 2006, it was the first time I’d ever seen 100 (mph) from the left side.”

Kemp turned his attention back toward the playing field, where his nephew was about to lead off a game. There was no place he’d rather have been than Jupiter and the big tournament “that everybody wants to go to.”

Plus …

“There’s a lot of cool golf courses here, too.”
 

Tournaments | Story | 10/24/2026

SBA Takes 14u Title Behind Offense

Jheremy Brown
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To say there were standouts all over the field for the 14u WWBA World Championship would be an understatement as the matchup of Team Elite 14u Scout and SBA Bolts National 14u saw two of the more loaded rosters going head-to-head with a title on the line. And after weather threw a giant wrench into pool play, both Sunday and Monday were nothing but sunshine and high intensity baseball leading into the final game of the event.  While the game ultimately ended via run rule after five in favor of SBA upon a 9 run inning, it was a tight contest up until that point with Team Elite carrying a 3-2 lead thru four innings.  Team Elite drew first blood as a Ross Logan walk quickly turned into the first run of the game following a well struck single by Cooper Ooten into left field who eventually came around to score following a double steal, scoring before the third out of the inning was...
Softball | Softball Tournament | 10/22/2026

PG Softball Chesterfield Fall Showcase High School Division

Erica Beach
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PG Softball Chesterfield Fall Showcase HS Division Oct 17-18, 2026 Chesterfield First Community Athletic Complex CHESTERFIELD, MO — It was a perfect weekend for softball, with 16 teams converging on the Chesterfield First Community Athletic Complex to compete in the High School Division. Teams from Illinois, Minnesota, and Iowa were there to battle it out, and there was only one undefeated team in the tournament: the Southeast Iowa All-Stars 16U Gold Flowerbach, who went a stellar 5-0 on the weekend. We were treated to some stellar performances all weekend and below we highlight some of the standout athletes who caught our eyes.  Lucy Turner (2027, Marion, IA) of the Cedar Rapids Reds was a truly dynamic two-way player this past weekend. Offensively, she batted .444 with 5 RBIs and an impressive 6 stolen bases, which led the tournament. She also scored 6 runs for her team and...
Tournaments | Championship | 10/22/2026

Wildcatters Reign Supreme at 13u WWBA

Jheremy Brown
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After both the Best of the West and the Beast of the East wrapped up, a big conglomerate of high end talent and stacked teams descended upon West Palm for both the 13u and the 14u WWBA World Championships. While the weather threw a wrench into the plans early on and some adjustment was needed to ensure the event moved forward, it was nothing but sunshine and competitive baseball throughout Sunday and into the early morning Monday.  Kicking off with the 13u WWBA World Championship, the first thing to point out is the fact this was a wood bat tournament played on 60-90 fields and while the combo was a first for most, you wouldn't know it with their level of play throughout the weekend. In an unsurprising twist and a continuation of their 12u dominance, the 13u championship saw the #2 seeded Goldin Prospects lock horns with the top seeded Houston Wildcatters, aka the champion of the...
Tournaments | Story | 10/22/2026

17u Coastal Fall Invitational

Perfect Game Staff
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Dalton Fisher (2028, China Grove, NC) stands at 6-foot-2, 180 pounds, with a lean, projectable frame and room to add strength as he develops. Bats and throws right-handed and plays the outfield. Shows a good approach at the plate with quick hands, solid bat speed, and the ability to drive the ball to all fields. Fisher went 2-for-3 with 1 RBI, putting together a great day at the plate. Bradley Edwards (2028, Summerville,SC) Stands at 6-feet-5 225 strong build and the potential to generate considerable power. Bats and throws right handed is a right handed pitcher. Shows good arm strength and the ability to attack hitters while generating swings and misses. Demonstrates a competitive approach on the mound with the ability to challenge hitters in the zone. Recorded 4.2 innings pitched with 10 strikeouts, a 56% strike rate, and a fastball that topped out at 85 mph. Jackson Pierce (2028,...
Softball | Softball Tournament | 10/21/2026

PG Softball Chesterfield Fall Showcase 14U Division

Erica Beach
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2026 PG softball Chesterfield fall showcase 14U Division October 17th to 18th Chesterfield First Community Athletic Complex CHESTERFIELD, MO — It was a highly competitive weekend of softball as six teams battled it out on the field. In the end, the Midland Magic Wooster finished with a flawless 5-0 record, showcasing a dominant tournament performance by allowing only three runs while exploding for 65 runs of their own. Below we highlight some of the weekend’s shining stars. \ Abigail Doolittle (2030 - Edwardsville, Illinois) of Top Gun 2030-IL established herself as one of the tournament's most formidable hitters over five games, posting an astounding .727 batting average. Showcasing elite power and versatility, she racked up three singles, two doubles, two triples, and a home run. Doolittle drove in four runs, scored four times, drew a walk, and added a stolen base....
Tournaments | Story | 10/21/2026

Windy City Finale Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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‘27 RHP Jaxson Weiss (IL) pitched well in his 5 innings and put up some eye popping strikeout numbers. He punched out 10 and allowed only 2ER. FB T86 early and flashed a BB 72-75. #WCFinale https://t.co/M8GtCUgxyS — Perfect Game Illinois (@PG_Illinois) October 17, 2026 Jaxson Weiss (2027, New Lennox, Ill.) a right-handed pitcher put up big strikeout numbers in his start on Saturday. He worked five innings while punching out ten opposing hitters. The fastball topped out at 86 mph and sat in the 82-85 mph range most of the game. His breaking ball was his primary off-speed, living 72-75 mph. Weiss keeps his body under control throughout his delivery, helping him with his good command on the mound. He uses his lower half well with a nice leg drive and gets his hips through, guiding his backside. He pitched with confidence and stayed ahead of hitters most of the game. Hayden...
Tournaments | Story | 10/19/2026

PG Draft: Jupiter Draft Movers

Tyler Henninger
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The WWBA World Championship remains one of the premier events on the draft calendar as all 30 major league organizations descend on Jupiter to evaluate some of the top talent in amateur baseball. The event serves as a pivotal checkpoint in the scouting process, giving established prospects an opportunity to further elevate their stock while lesser-known names have a chance to put themselves on the radar of various organizations. This year was no exception, as several players made strong impressions and positioned themselves for increased attention heading into the spring. With that being said, let’s dive into a few draft risers and sleepers who stood out in Jupiter. Calum Andersen (‘27,CAN) had his A stuff working today running the FB to 96 mph with a devastating horizontal SL at 85 mph that can break bats. Mixed in a late breaking 12/6 curveball at 78 mph that induces weak...
Tournaments | Story | 10/20/2026

Jupiter Recap: Stars Being Stars

Vincent Cervino
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WWBA World Championship Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 PG Draft: Jupiter Draft Movers With the 2026 WWBA World Championship in the rearview mirror, we're going to begin our breakdowns of 4 different subcategories, beginning today with the Stars Being Stars category. Most of the players below are household names or were teetering on the edge of such recognition, using Jupiter as their launching pad. From Perfect Game All-Americans to some serious helium names for the MLB Draft, the PG crew breaks them all down below.  ‘27 Samir Mohammed (FL) racked up 11 Ks thru 5 IP on 75% strikes. FB lived 98-99, T100 w/ tons of ASR & life thru the zone. Hit 99 mph 10+ times incl his final pitch of the outing. Had his sharp vert CB on a string & faded the CHG effectively vs LHHs (clip). #LSU commit. @PG_Draft #WWBAWorlds @Florida_PG — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting)...
Tournaments | Story | 10/21/2026

Jupiter Recap: Uncommitted...For Now

Kyler Peterson
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WWBA World Championship Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 PG Draft: Jupiter Draft Movers | Jupiter: Stars Being Stars Gets your reads in now because by the time you reach the end, some of the talent in this article might be giving their commitments to a college somewhere across the country. Every player below did something that caught out scout's eye and should certainly be on the radar for college coaches, if they aren't already.  Braxton Sykes (2028, Brunswick, Ga.) tossed a total of six innings down in Jupiter, collecting six strikeouts while failing to allow either a hit or earned run during his tenure on the mound. The 6-foot-2 right-hander showcased an impressive three-pitch mix with excellent feel to locate in every part of the strike zone. His fastball lived in the mid- to upper-80s mph range with more velocity to project for as Sykes continues to add strength and...
Tournaments | Story | 10/23/2026

Jupiter Recap: The Next Wave

Kyler Peterson
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WWBA World Championship Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 PG Draft: Jupiter Draft Movers | Jupiter: Stars Being Stars | Jupiter: Uncommitted...For Now | Jupiter: Breakout Prospects You don't have to look too hard into the future to see what the prep game has in store as the players below are already showing tools beyond their years. With a slew of 2028 and 2029 grads more than holding their own in Jupiter, the scene for the upcoming summer has already had some groundwork laid out for what should be an exciting couple of years to come.  ‘28 Alan Zimmerman (FL) racked up 5 Ks w/ just 1 H allowed thru 3 shutout frames. Lived 89-90 T91 w/ lots of life thru the zone & some ASR. Dropped in a 12/6 breaker for Ks (clip). Projectable 6’3” mold. #Uncommitted @PG_Uncommitted #WWBAWorlds @Florida_PG https://t.co/KTDFpGK49y — Perfect Game Scout...
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