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General  | Blog | 12/10/2025

Youth Baseball Exec. DeDonatis III Joins PG

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 excited to be part of the PG team, excited to see how I can help as the company continues to move to new levels,” DeDonatis said.

DeDonatis has a strong baseball background and a deep love for the game. His dad played minor-league ball in the Detroit Tigers’ system and later filled his desire for competition on the softball field. Don Jr. ran softball tournaments for USSSA in Michigan then started putting together baseball tournaments for kids. As those tournaments grew in popularity, so did USSSA. Don Jr. became CEO of the organization in 1998 and presided over its growth in the youth baseball and softball space until his retirement in 2018.

Don III followed in his dad’s footsteps and played professionally in the Tigers’ system after a successful playing career at Eastern Michigan University, where he was a middle infielder. He joined USSSA in 1998, working at first in Michigan before moving up in the organization.

“Working with my dad to grow something special was pretty cool,” he said.

Over the years, USSSA baseball predominately served young, pre-high school players. PG, meanwhile, was making a name for itself by attracting elite high school talent looking to showcase itself for top college recruiters and major league scouts.

DeDonatis was always impressed with PG’s work with top-tier youth baseball players.

“My son is 11 and even if I was still the CEO of USSSA, he’d be playing Perfect Game, especially when he’s 13,” DeDonatis said. “That’s how much respect I have for them and how credible the brand is. Anyone who is anyone that plays minor-league ball or major-league ball, they played Perfect Game. You have to. When you see PG, you think of the best of the best. I’d say that if I was still CEO of USSSA.”

Perfect Game has become a player in the girls’ softball world in recent years and that commitment is only growing. Long ago, USSSA started as a softball organization. DeDonatis’ background in that game could be valuable to PG.

“I have a lot of experience in that space,” DeDonatis said. “PG is just scratching the surface in softball. I’ve said this for several years: Fastpitch has the potential to be bigger than baseball in the youth space. The sport is continuing to grow. The amount of people that fastpitch brings out is amazing. There is huge potential and upside there. I believe PG could replicate what they’re doing in baseball, especially at the elite level. It’s a huge opportunity, especially if done right.”

DeDonatis’ love for youth baseball and softball comes through in his voice. He talks about the joys of coaching his son, Don IV. He talks about the experiences he had playing as a kid, how he played in summer tournaments against youngsters Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez.

“I can’t remember where I left my car keys two hours ago, but I remember the positive moments and experiences from games I played in and teams I played on when I was 13,” he said with a laugh. “Along with Rob and everybody else at PG, I share the desire to build lasting memories for young ballplayers. I’m very excited about this.”

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