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Tournaments  | Story | 12/9/2025

Scout Stories: Part 2

Kyler Peterson
Jason Phillips
Troy Sutherland
Steve Doherty
Scout Notes: Part 1

Best Game I Saw:

The first game that I saw this year was probably at 16U UBC- East down in West Palm Beach, Florida when Wow Factor National and Canes National faced off in an afternoon match. Both lineups were absolutely loaded up and down, but it was the pitching performances that really stood out. Both starters, Texas commit Grant Sperandio (Wow Factor) and Tennessee commit Brady Buenik (Canes) came out pumping octane, each touching 94. They both held that velocity and Sperandio neutralized the opposing order with high level stuff, holding the talented lineup to just one-run for six innings. Wow Factor led 2-1 heading into bottom seven, but the Canes would not go down quietly. The first five runners of the inning would reach, leaving Finnian O’Loughlin to dig in with bases loaded. He pulled a double down the line to walk it off, really kickstarting what ended up being a huge breakout year for O’Loughlin.



Best Tournament Performance I Saw:


Landon Bonner had hands down the best offensive performance in any tournament I was at this year at the 15U WWBA National Championship and perhaps one of the best in PG history. The 2027 shortstop simply could not get out, going 20-for-24 (.833) while notching at least one hit in all nine games and leading 5 Star Mafia 15U Black to a deep run in the playoffs. The 20 hits that he tallied was incredibly impressive, but he wasn’t just hitting singles. Bonner mashed four homers, six doubles, and one triple in the process, showing that he can impact the ball as well. The left-handed stroke is silky smooth to go along with innate bat-to-ball and all fields ability. The Texas native looks to have one of the best hit tools in the class and the performance in Georgia was one for the memories. 

Favorite Single Game Moment:


I had a flurry of memorable moments across 2025 and several come to my mind off the top. Cole Prosek’s opposite field homer in the Championship at UBC- East, Gio Rojas completing a shutout victory at 17U WWBA, Ethan Offing hitting a ball seemingly 450+ feet, Kinon Bastian hitting a ball on top of the Western Metal Supply Company building at Petco. The one that truly takes the cake is when Striker Pence toed rubber for Hunter Pence Baseball Academy in Jupiter and touched 101 mph FOUR times in the first inning at just 16 years old. It is almost unfathomable for someone his age to touch triple digits, let alone sit it for an entire inning. It was a truly special moment that has never been done before in baseball history and the sky is truly the limit for the 6-foot-6 right-hander. 

Biggest Showcase Breakout Performer:


Rhode Island native William Haggerty arrived at the Junior National Showcase at East Cobb ranked 394 in the nation and really opened some eyes. The right-hander ran the heater up to 93 from an outlier low release height that creates a ton of deception to go along with a sharp sweeping slider, pairing well. Haggerty continued to dominate throughout the year and capped 2025 touching 95 in Jupiter, ranked 104 in the nation. Striking out a silly 41 batters in 21 2/3 innings, the fastball has proven to be a true bat-misser and is not a fun at-bat whatsoever. I expect Haggerty to continue to climb the rankings moving into 2026 and he is certainly a fun arm to watch. 

Pick to Click:


Lucien Kovalcik is an underclass arm that really stood out to me at the WWBA Underclass World Championship in Fort Myers. The Canadian is still just 15 years old but checks a ton of boxes already. Kovalcik made two appearances during the tournament and struck out nine over five innings. The right-hander has great size, standing at 6-foot-3, 190-pounds and is a smooth mover down the slope. The heater is lively, holding in the upper-80s with big extension. Kovalcik mixed in a slider that projects very well, featuring big sweeping action with advanced feel to pair. The athleticism and arm speed are evident, possessing all of the traits of an elite young arm.

-Kyler Peterson


Best Game I Saw

BPA vs. CBA Orioles Scout Team 2026

A first round matchup between these two talented teams at the WWBA World Championship in Jupiter, Florida was the best played game I saw all year. The game was filled with great pitching, well executed defense and a chess match of moves between opposing managers vying for the win. The game ended in a 0-0 tie with two pitchers from each team combining for the shutout. There were only four singles allowed in the game, two for each side, with Jake Cueto (Miami) recording both hits for BPA. The big winner from the game was left-handed pitcher Wilson Shaw for BPA. The uncommitted 2027 grad tossed four scoreless on just one hit and finished with eight strikeouts. Just a well-pitched game with stellar defense and fundamental baseball on both sides.


Best Tournament Performance I Saw

Landon Bonner

The left-handed hitting shortstop had a tournament for the ages at the 15U WWBA National Championship. The 2028 grad from The Colony, Texas finished 20-for-24 with 12 runs batted in for 5 Star Mafia 15U Black. The No. 1 ranked shortstop in the Texas state class recorded a hit in all nine games of the tournament including six doubles, a triple and four homeruns for an absurd 2.500 on-base plus slugging percentage. A tournament for the ages and one for the PG record books that had even his teammates in disbelief after every plate appearance.


Favorite Single Game Moment

Joseph Contreras

My single game moment is a 4-inning no-hit start from the Vanderbilt commit at the 17U WWBA National Championship. With a multitude of pro scouts scrambling behind home plate on Field 1 at East Cobb to get a view, Contreras made a statement as one of the top right-handed pitchers in the country. The 2025 All-American Classic Player sat in the mid-90s on his fastball with a high of 97 mph over the super-efficient 38-pitch outing. He featured a sharp slider in the high-80s, a disappearing splitfinger and a changeup to dominate the Top Gun Black lineup. Only one batter reached base via an error and was quickly erased on a double-play groundout. He was in complete control with five strikeouts and only one ball leaving the infield on a fly-ball out to centerfield. A masterful performance from Contreras that left opposing batters and scouts alike just shaking their heads as to what they just witnessed.


Biggest Showcase Breakout Performer

Christian Gomez

One of the biggest risers in the entire 2027 class, Gomez burst onto the national scene with his performance at the Jr. National Showcase. The left-handed hitting outfielder came into the showcase with a Top 500 ranking and after his eye-opening batting practice and in-game at-bats, left with all eyes on him as a breakout performer. Gomez followed up the showing at Jr. National with All-Tournament Team selections at the PG 16U WWBA National Championship and PG WWBA Underclass World Championship. The North Carolina commit also added a Top Prospect Team selection at the PG Underclass All-American Games and has seen his ranking rise to No. 20 in the country. And it all started at the Jr. National Showcase.


Pick to Click (Under the Radar Guy Who Could Make a Jump)

Skyler Lee

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound primary catcher is prime for a breakout in his junior season at North Paulding High School. A consistent performer on the PG circuit, the uncommitted right-handed hitter has steadily seen his on-base plus slugging percentage increase the last three years for the ECB Astros Navy. A catch-and-throw backstop with a quick release and arm strength, Lee has added size to his frame and finished with a 1.320 OPS in 2025. With the added strength and his ability to find the barrel in the box, Lee is ready to take the next step in his development as a catcher to watch in the Georgia state rankings.

-Jason Phillips


Best Game I Saw

When you scout hundreds of innings in a year, certain matchups rise above the noise. This game wasn’t just impressive, it was the kind that forces you to sit up and sharpen your eye. The best game I saw came at the PG SoCal Showdown in March, when Corona HS squared off against Summit HS in a matchup that felt more like College ball than a high school game. Nationally televised on PGTV with over a dozen Division I commits on the field and a packed crowd of MLB decision-makers from every organization. Corona brought four eventual MLB Draft picks, led by RHP Seth Hernandez (6th overall, Pirates), Billy Carlson (10th overall, White Sox), and Brady Ebel (32nd overall, Brewers). The energy spiked every time Hernandez took the mound. Up to 97 mph and flat-out dominant, Hernandez controlled the game in his 5-inning outing, allowing two hits, no walks, and eight strikeouts, while LHP Dylan Harrison, a Clemson commit, matched him for Summit, making it a must-watch pitcher’s duel. Offensively, Carlson, Anthony Murphy, and Joshua Sur all left the yard, putting the finishing touches on one of the most electric scouting environments I’ve been part of all year. 


Best Tournament Performance I Saw


Tournaments have a way of revealing who can handle pressure, repeat success, and impact winning day after day. Over a full weekend of competition, one athlete separated himself from the pack with a performance that defined the event for me. Mark Van Tuyle (‘26,VA) delivered a no-hitter in the WWBA World Championships on 66 pitches, over 5 innings and struck out 10.  His efficiency and command was exceptional, evidenced by a 63% strike rate and no walks. Van Tuyle's ability to sequence pitches and attack hitters' weaknesses was a key factor in this gem of performance. 


Favorite Single Game Moment
  

Scouting isn’t only about the stat line, sometimes it’s a single flash of instinct, physicality, or raw ability that sticks with you. One moment in particular from the WWBA World Championships captured exactly why this player is different. In front of numerous MLB decision makers and a packed house Noah Wilson (‘26,TN) at a critical point in the game absolutely crushed an opposite field line-drive home run that stunned the crowd and made you turn to the person next to you and say “did that just happen?”. A moment I’ll never forget produced by out #3 ranked outfielder in the country and likely early draft pick in July.


Biggest Showcase Breakout Performer
Every showcase has that one athlete who walks in under the radar and walks out with everyone talking. One player’s tools, polish, and energy combined to create the biggest breakout performance I witnessed in 2025. Infielder Chase Gonzalez (‘28, AZ) showed out at the Arizona HS All-State Games this past August. He definitely looks the part at this age standing on a projectable 6-foot-3, 165 lb athletic frame. Gonzalez showed light feet that play through ground balls with rhythm and smooth glove actions and above average arm strength. At the plate, Gonzalez showed impact to all fields during his BP round, and it poured over to in-game play with a couple of loud opposite field triples earning him right at the top of the Top Prospect List.


Pick to Click

Projecting future success is the heart of scouting, and every season there’s a player who feels on the verge of a major leap. Based on the trajectory, tools, and intangibles I saw this year, this is my 2025 pick to click. Will Yow (‘26,VA) put himself firmly on the radar of every Major League organization with his performance at the WWBA World Championships this fall, where the game speed matched his tools. The 6-foot-1, 175-pound shortstop shows a plus run tool and the kind of athleticism that allows him to move all over the field potentially, with the range and arm to remain a realistic shortstop candidate long term. With three plus carry tools, Yow impacts the game in multiple ways and stands out every inning he’s on the field. Ranked No. 2 among Virginia shortstops and committed to the University of Virginia, he’s a clear pick to click and a name trending up fast heading into the spring.

-Steve Doherty

Best Game I Saw

PCB Juco Classic final between Chipola and Indian River was one of the most entertaining games of the whole year and it really kicked the 2025 baseball season off to a great start. Chipola went down 3-1 early before handing the ball off to Ismael Borrero for 4 innings of shutout ball to give themselves a chance to claw their way out. The game really had everything, good pitching, stellar defensive plays, small ball, and timely hitting. The game featured a bevy of draft and power 4 level talent on both sides headlined by eventual 2025 draft pick, JC Vanek and Virginia commit Jake Weatherspoon.

Best Tournament Performance I saw:


Joshua Priest (‘27 CA) Pretty unreal showing at WWBA Worlds for the spark plug centerfielder. Tons of tools on full display. The bat speed is huge draw along with the speed and instincts that are difference making both on the bases and closing on balls in the gaps. Lived on the barrel throughout the week and overall was just an impossible out.


Favorite Single Game Moment:


Bruin Agbayani (‘25 HI) Pick either game of the MLK West Championship Monday and that's my choice but the Twins’  draft pick put on the best showing I’ve ever watched. 4 homers and double digit runs batted in over a 10 inning stretch. Huge power from pole to pole and numerous plus plays throughout the weekend in the outfield. A name to watch next spring in his first full year of pro ball.

 
Biggest Showcase Breakout:

Jadiel Perez (‘26 FL) At the 2025 High School All-State games, an event in which there are many quality players in attendance every year, Perez stood out amongst the competition. A big switch hitting shortstop/third baseman with good actions and in game power, count me in. Perez remains uncommitted late in the recruiting process and could be a gem as a late addition for the right program.


Pick to Click:

Brodie Wilson (‘27 AL) Safe bet on the Auburn commit as a pick to click, I know but I think we could be on the precipice of a monstrous breakout for the right-hander. In the brief look at WWBA Worlds this pastOctober, Wilson was reaching back for some new numbers on the fastball and displayed the feel for the off speed pitches behind it. Real bat missing traits across the arsenal and could be a safe bet to live north of the 95 mph mark by his senior season.

-Troy Sutherland
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