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College  | Story | 1/9/2026

LSU Reloads & Returns; Opens No. 1

Vincent Cervino
Photo: Jay Johnson (Perfect Game)
“How do you get to success? You have to honor the process that you built to get to that success…The standard is how we operate, train, and get better each day.””

Process-oriented leadership is a popular coaching strategy here in the mid-2020s but no one exemplifies that more than LSU head coach Jay Johnson. He’s won the Tigers two national titles during his time in Baton Rouge and expectations won’t be any lower in 2026 as LSU is the No. 1 team in the country in Perfect Game’s Preseason Top 25. 



Johnson is heading into his fifth season at the helm in Baton Rouge and it’s fair to say that he has already experienced enormous success. There have been two national titles in four years (2023, 2025), a Golden Spikes winner (Dylan Crews, 2023), a first overall MLB Draft pick (Paul Skenes, 2023), and five first-round MLB Draft picks during his time leading the Tigers. Defending a national title and starting the season with No. 1 expectations but Johnson is confident in his team’s ability to turn the page and focus on the mission for 2026. 

“We’ve done a good job of moving past the 2025 championship,” comments Johnson. “I credit a lot of returning players having the maturity to do that. They’ve set a good example for the new players in the program of what it takes. It takes a lot in our league with the schedule.”

Johnson made sure to stress that while having the veteran leadership and experience from returning players who were able to win-it-all in 2025 is invaluable, that the 2026 LSU Tigers have to find an identity themselves.

“How do you get to success? You have to honor the process that you built to get to that success. That has to be recreated every year,” said Johnson. “There’s no win over the last 4 years that means anything for this team. This team has to reinvest and that’s challenging with the schedule they have to play. It’s a very high standard. The immediate thought goes to Omaha or National Championships, but we don’t look at it that way. The standard is how we operate, train and get better each day.”

LSU is tied for second nationally in terms of Perfect Game Preseason All-Americans, highlighted by First Team All-American and potential first-round pick Derek Curiel. Casan Evans and Zac Cowan join Curiel on the prestigious list but fellow returnees Jake Brown and Steven Milam are also key cogs to this team. 

“Lots of strong feelings toward all returners, they’re very good players across the board,” Johnson said. “The big separator for last year’s team was character. Derek (Curiel), Casan (Evans), and Zac (Cowan) exhibit that. When you dive into recruiting, all three of those guys are winners. As are Jake Brown, Steven Milam, William Schmidt, Cooper Williams. We have a big challenge in front of us but I have good peace of mind in the character and the leadership as far as those people.”

Having the winning character and leadership is one component of any championship contender but LSU has the benefit of being able to rely on past experiences as well. Who would know better how to take home a national title than those who were able to achieve that goal just 6 months ago?

“There’s guys who have overcome challenges and come out the other side of it,” Johnson tells me. “They’ve been in Game 7 of a Regional and come through. There are enough guys a part of those games that can draw from it. We have infused ourselves with some really good new talent. It’s about putting the hay in the barn and taking that talent and really becoming a team. Setting our own course. Everyone needs to be all in on now. I think they’re excited to do that. I get a sense that the players are ready to go for it.”

LSU earned this No. 1 preseason ranking based on the merits of their roster and coaching staff, not only because they were the last team standing in 2025. They feature a very strong core of veteran, battle-tested players while also hitting the high school and transfer portal recruiting very hard. There will undoubtedly be a target on their back, but at this point it’s fair to assume that Johnson and company operate best under fire. 

“(It’s about) having it all in perspective,” declares Johnson. “Those rankings are validation of something another team did (last year’s team), the projections of what some guys on this year’s team can do. We’re never going to validate ourselves based on what others say about us. We’ll validate ourselves by how we train, prepare, and execute baseball.”

The focus for Johnson heading into Year 5 in Baton Rouge? Stay committed to the process, control the controllables, and position yourself for success. 

“Attack what’s relevant. We put a lot of work into that and we have a group that went through a lot of positive things. If we can emulate some of the qualities of the 2025 team we’ll be in a good position for success.”

LSU opens the season at home on Skip Bertman Field at Alex Box Stadium on Friday, February 13th. The Tigers will host the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee for a three game set that weekend. For more 2026 college baseball content, stay plugged in at perfectgame.org where we will be unveiling our full preseason content schedule starting next week.
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College | Story | 2/17/2026

College Players of the Week: Feb. 17
Vincent Cervino
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Perfect Game/Player of the Week: Tyce Armstrong, IF, Baylor Opening Day always has a special feel with the sights, sounds and smells bringing back memories of days gone by. But no one that made their way to Magnolia Field at Baylor Ballpark could have imagined what they would witness in the Baylor Bears first game against New Mexico State. Enter 6-4/228, redshirt senior 1B Tyce Armstrong with his power stroke and flare for the dramatic. Transferring in after a successful career at UT Arlington, the Magnolia, TX native would etch his name in the record books with an incredible day at the plate. Armstrong would hit three grand slams in the game, becoming just the second player in NCAA history to accomplish this feat in a single game. His three home runs tied a program record, and his 12 RBIs set a new standard for the Bears. Beyond that, Armstrong matched the 50-year-old record previously...
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High School | General | 2/17/2026

Ohio Valley All Region & Top Tools

David Rawnsley
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OHIO VALLEY REGION (IL, IN, KY, MI, OH) The Ohio Valley Region has a healthy amount of top-level talent, as it features five Perfect Game All-Americans in shortstop Ethan Bass, third baseman TJ McQuillan, two-way stand out Matt Ponatoski and right-handed pitchers Shawn Sullivan and Grayson Willoughby.  The 2027 class looks very strong as well, especially in Illinois. A couple of things are missing from the Ohio Valley All-Region team, though.  The first is the two best outfielders in the region, as 2027 Illinois outfielder Sebastian Wilson is attending IMG Academy in Florida and fellow 2027 outfielder Noah Goettke from Ohio is attending P27 Academy in South Carolina.  Also missing are any players from Michigan, which enjoyed a dominant run of top prospects in recent years largely behind the Lake Orchard St. Mary’s HS program.  2027 catcher Broder Katke (Brother...
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Press Release | Press Release | 2/17/2026

PG & 100% Sunglasses Team Up

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 ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH 100% SUNGLASSES   Sanford, Florida (Tuesday, February 17, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced a new partnership with 100% Sunglasses, naming the premium performance eyewear brand an official sunglass partner of Perfect Game and the Presenting Partner of Perfect Game’s MLB Draft coverage.   As part of the partnership, Perfect Game and 100% will collaborate on co-branded sunglasses, bringing together two brands synonymous with elite performance and authenticity in the game of baseball.   In addition, 100% will provide custom sunglasses to players selected to participate in...
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High School | Rankings | 2/16/2026

Northeast Region Top Teams

Cam McElwaney
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Northeast All Region & Top Tools Rk Northeast 2025 Record 1 Poly Prep Country Day (NY) 17-9 2 Stony Brook (NY) 19-5-1 3 Dexter Southfield (MA) 15-2 4 Iona Prep (NY) 25-9-1 5 Bishop Hendricken (RI) 25-6 6 Fairfield Prep (CT) 18-12 7 Austin Prep (MA) 20-2 8 Choate Rosemary Hall (CT) 11-7 9 Cheshire Academy (CT) 20-2 10 Bishop Feehan (MA) 20-5 11 Fairfield Warde (CT) 15-4 12 St. Anthony's (NY) 14-9-1 13 Kings Park (NY) 13-8 14 Phillips Academy (MA) 7-14 15 St. Dominic (NY) 15-6 16 Tottenville (NY) 22-3 17 Belmont Hill (MA) 11-8 18 Avon Old Farms (CT) 15-5 19 St. Sebastian's School (MA) 9-8 20 Archbishop Molloy (NY) 32-7-1 21 Southington (CT) 19-7 22 Mamaroneck (NY) 18-7 23 Colchester (VT) 12-6 24 Trinity (NH) 20-4 25 Fryeburg (ME) 10-7
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High School | General | 2/16/2026

Northeast All Region & Top Tools

David Rawnsley
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NORTHEAST REGION (NY, CT, MA, RI, VT, NH, ME)  The strength of the Northeast Region in 2026 is the number of high ceiling power arms, led by potential upper-90’s throwers in left-hander Brody Bumila and right-hander Bryce Hill.  The depth of quality pitching is such that two of the top pitchers in the 2028 class, right handers Gavin Chakar (Norwalk HS, Conn.) and Dylan Cunningham (Austin Prep, Mass.) didn’t have a spot on the team.  The weakness of the Region is the increasing number of players who leave to play baseball and continue their school work at Academy programs in the South.  Numerous players that fit under that umbrella would have a place on the All-Northeast Region if they weren’t in Florida or the Carolinas. C – Bradley McCafferty (Sr., Austin Prep, Mass.) McCafferty was named the Gatorade Player of the Year for Massachusetts as a...
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College | Rankings | 2/16/2026

College Top 25: February 16

Vincent Cervino
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It was incredible Opening Weekend across the nation with numerous upsets, tightly contested series’ and dominating sweeps. Beyond that, there were generational individual performances, lockdown pitching appearances and record-breaking runs scored as well. It feels like we have been saying this every year for the past decade, but our game is alive and well. More and more programs are getting massive returns on their investments and the fans are turning out in record numbers to see college baseball in its Golden Era. As is typical this time of year, there was very little movement within the poll, in fact, our Top 15 places in the poll remain unchanged. No. 1 LSU (3-0), No. 2 Georgia Tech (3-0) and No. 3 Tennessee (3-0) all took care of business at home, treating their fans to a show of their offensive firepower. No. 16 Coastal Carolina (3-0) and No. 17 UNC (3-0) both had perfect...
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High School | General | 2/13/2026

Mid-Atlantic Region Top Teams

Tyler Russo
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Mid-Atlantic All Region & Top Tools Rk Mid-Atlantic  Record 1 Delbarton (NJ) 24-5 2 DePaul Catholic (NJ) 21-7 3 Gloucester Catholic (NJ) 24-3 4 Malvern Prep (PA) 32-5 5 St. Augustine Prep (NJ) 18-8 6 Archbishop Spalding (MD) 22-16 7 Don Bosco Prep (NJ) 26-3 8 Cedar Cliff (PA) 21-6 9 St. John's College (DC) 30-1 10 Seton Hall Prep (NJ) 22-2 11 St. Joseph's Prep (PA) 10-11 12 Christian Brothers (NJ) 22-5 13 Hazelton Area (PA) 18-6 14 Sussex Central (DE) 16-6 15 Ranney (NJ) 12-10 16 Calvert Hall (MD) 20-10 17 Radnor (PA) 11-4 18 Governor Livingston (NJ) 28-0 19 The Haverford School (PA) 5-11 20 Bergen Catholic (NJ) 16-8 21 Holy Ghost Prep (PA) 10-9 22 North Hunterdon (NJ) 14-12 23 Northern Burlington (NJ) 28-2 24 St. Albans (DC) 23-14 25 Urbana (MD) 21-4
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High School | General | 2/12/2026

Mid-Atlantic All Region & Top Tools

David Rawnsley
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The Mid-Atlantic Region lost its only Perfect Game All-American when catcher Andrew Costello left his Pennsylvania high school early and enrolled at Wake Forest for the spring semester.  The Region ends up being dominated by underclassmen, with seven juniors and even a pair of talented sophomores getting recognition. The story of the spring could very well be watching the young power arms in the Region come outdoors and show their talents on the mound.  Pennsylvania juniors Cole Kuhn and Trent Lutz have been getting lots of off-season attention along with New Jersey senior Alex Weingartner. New Jersey has a trio of high schools represented in the Perfect Game Pre-Season Top 50 High School Rankings.  Delbarton HS, behind a very strong junior class, leads the group at 29th overall, followed DePaul Catholic HS at 41st and Gloucester Catholic at 46th. C – Braeden Lipoff...
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High School | General | 2/12/2026

Coastal Region Top Teams

Tyler Russo
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Coastal All Region & Top Tools Rk Coastal Record 1 Charlotte Catholic (NC) 22-6-1 2 Metrolina Christian Academy (NC) 28-3 3 James Island Charter (SC) 30-4 4 Battlefield (VA) 23-3 5 Charlotte Christian (NC) 26-6 6 Dorman (SC) 22-7 7 Marvin Ridge (NC) 21-8 8 Grace Christian (NC) 23-7 9 Berkeley (SC) 22-10 10 T.C. Roberson (NC) 27-6 11 Lexington (SC) 22-11-1 12 Providence (NC) 23-6 13 Southside Christian Schools (SC) 33-2-1 14 Bishop O'Connell (VA) 20-6 15 Cuthbertson (NC) 26-6 16 Wesleyan Christian Academy (NC) 18-11 17 Blythewood (SC) 24-7 18 The Miller School (VA) 34-6 19 Stratford (SC) 22-6-2 20 Laney (NC) 25-7 21 Gaston Christian (NC) 18-4 22 Airport (SC) 27-6 23 Hurricane (WV) 28-7 24 Gainesville (VA) 23-4 25 Oceanside Collegiate Academy (SC) 27-8
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High School | General | 2/12/2026

Coastal All Region & Top Tools

David Rawnsley
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COASTAL REGION (NC, SC, VA, WV)  The first thing that stands out about the players on the Coastal Region team is that this is undoubtedly the fastest All-Region Team in the country.  There are four or five players who could legitimately have 80 grades on their running speed from the region and all have other tools to back up their speed. Another thing that jumps out is the quality of the juniors on the team.  While the region features only one 2025 PG All-American in left-handed pitcher Carson Bolemon, there are six juniors on the All-Region team who are ranked in the top 34 in the 2027 class, with plenty more talented underclassmen just behind them.  Three region high schools break into the Top 50 in the Perfect Game Pre-Season High School Rankings.  Charlotte Catholic at 33rd overall and Metrolina Christian Academy at 42nd represent the North Carolina schools...
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