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2,586 MLB PLAYERS | 16,394 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Tournaments  | Championship | 7/22/2026

Florida Burn Cruise to 17U BCS Crown

Ranked fifth nationally entering the tournament, Florida Burn 2027 Scout left no doubt who the best team was at the 17U BCS National Championship. Burn finished a perfect 9-0 tournament, earning an 11-1 semifinal victory before defeating No. 86-ranked Original Florida Pokers 2027 National, 9-1, Tuesday afternoon at JetBlue Park.

Burn seized control early and never looked back in a game that ended after the fifth inning per Perfect Game’s mercy rule.



Burn carried its explosive offense into the championship game as Braedon Mackay launched a two-run home run in the first inning, giving his team an early 2-0 lead. Mackay’s home run sparked a five-run opening inning, setting the tone for the rest of the afternoon. The Florida commit later earned tournament MVP honors after helping lead Burn to an unbeaten championship run.

“I was just trying to get something started,” Mackay said. “We needed some energy. It had been a long week.”

The offense kept rolling as Luke Parrish tripled and Brady Zaun singled, allowing Parrish to score to increase the lead to 3-0.

Mississippi State commit RJ Shields kept the momentum going with an RBI double to score Zaun.

But Burn wasn’t finished there. Shields was able to score on a single from Beau Daniel, who went 2-for-3 in the game with two RBIs.

Burn never let up offensively, stringing together hit after hit to build an early cushion.

“We were just playing as a team and picking each other up,” Mackay said. “That really helped us.”

That fast start was exactly what Burn head coach Craig Faulkner hoped to see.

“My message was that the team that gets out with energy usually wins the game,” he said. “We wanted to score first and get after it.”

Hunter Simpson started on the mound for Burn, allowing no hits and one walk in 1.1 innings. His fastball sat consistently in the 85-91 mph range.

Facing a five-run deficit, the Pokers were limited to the minimum three batters as Burn’s defense carried its early momentum onto the field.

Florida commit August Backman, who went 2-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI, doubled to start the second.

Ryder Deroxtra then entered in relief for the Pokers, allowing one hit and striking out one batter in three innings with a fastball that sat 78-82 mph.

Erik Skiendziel took to the mound for Burn in the second inning, entering with the bases loaded and no outs. He quickly struck out his first batter and a ground ball to shortstop ended the inning scoreless for the Pokers. Skiendziel allowed five hits and no walks while striking out three batters in 3.2 innings. His fastball averaged 83 mph, topping out at 86 mph.

“Our starter got overheated, and Erik came in and really shut the door,” coach Faulkner said. “For him to come in during that kind of heat, throw strikes and give us big innings was huge.”

Coach Faulkner credited Burn’s success throughout the tournament to the team’s commitment to playing fundamentally sound baseball.

“Florida Burn really preaches the fundamentals,” he said. “Doing the little things right, throwing strikes and playing the game the right way. I think that paid off.”

On the mound, Deroxtra opened the third inning with a strikeout and two more outs soon followed, allowing the Pokers to stay within reach.

Trailing by five, the Pokers finally broke through in the third as Xavier Perez opened the inning with a single. He then stole second and advanced to third on a ground out.

Sergio Garcia then doubled, allowing Perez to score the first and only run for the Pokers to bring the score to 5-1. Garcia went 2-for-3 in the game.

Jake Carruthers singled and stole second, but Skiendziel struck out the next batter before a fly out ended the inning.

The Pokers again kept Burn from scoring in the fourth, ending the inning with a double play.

Phoenix Medina entered in relief for the Pokers with the bases loaded in the fifth. He allowed two hits and one walk with a fastball that averaged 86 mph.

Daniel singled home Mackay before Parrish scored on a walk. Shields later crossed the plate on a sac fly, and Ben Todd added an RBI single to extend Burn’s lead to 9-1.

Garcia singled and Carruthers doubled in the fifth, but Skiendziel closed the door with a strikeout before a flyout to center field sealed Burn’s 9-1 victory and the 17U BCS National Championship.

The title carried extra meaning for a veteran group playing together for one final summer tournament.

“We’ve been playing together forever,” Mackay said. “It’s a good way to go out.”

Coach Faulkner echoed that sentiment.

“It’s their last tournament of the summer, and these guys have worked really hard,” he said. “To win this tournament is a really big deal, especially as the last one.”

Tournaments | Story | 8/2/2026

Battle For The Midwest Scout Notes

Brayden Powell
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Bryce Urban (2027, Kaukauna, Wis.) An athletic 5-foot-9, 175-pound right-handed hitter, who handled the bat well throughout the weekend while showing feel for the barrel and quality bat speed. Stays balanced throughout the operation while showing direct hands to the baseball. There is feel to rotate through the zone and keep the barrel working for an extended period, helping him consistently produce hard-hit contact. He showed the ability to impact the baseball to all fields and remained productive throughout the event. Urban finished the weekend with five extra-base hits and continued to be a reliable offensive contributor whenever his club needed him. He is currently uncommitted.  Landon Clements (2027, McHenry, Ill.) University of Illinois-Chicago commit put together an outstanding weekend at the plate, finishing 10-for-15 while drawing five walks and consistently finding ways to...
Press Release | Press Release | 8/4/2026

PG & Dick's Expand Partnership

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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 DICK’S EXPAND PARTNERSHIP, INCLUDE NAMING RIGHTS AT EAST COBB COMPLEX   Marietta, Georgia (Tuesday, August 4, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced the renewal and expansion of its longstanding partnership with DICK’S Sporting Goods.   As part of the expanded agreement, the iconic East Cobb Complex in Georgia will officially be renamed DICK’S Sporting Goods Park at East Cobb, reinforcing the retailer’s long-term investment in youth sports and enhancing one of the most recognized destinations in all of amateur baseball. The announcement comes ahead of this weekend’s Perfect Game 11U...
College | Story | 8/3/2026

Cape Cod League Notebook: August 3

Perfect Game Staff
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Angel Cervantes | RHP | UCLA | Chatham Anglers  Angel Cervantes has lived up to the hype since arriving at UCLA after turning down a second-round selection (50th overall) by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2025 MLB Draft. Following a strong freshman campaign that helped power the Bruins to the No. 1 ranking in the country for much of the season, Cervantes has taken another step forward this summer, emerging as arguably the Cape Cod League's top arm. Through 23.2 innings with the Chatham Anglers, he owns a 1.14 ERA with 24 strikeouts and just five walks. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound right-hander attacks hitters with a polished five-pitch mix featuring a low-90s fastball, an 86-88 mph cutter, a low-80s slider and changeup, and a 78-80 mph curveball. He pounds the strike zone, sequences his arsenal with advanced feel, and consistently keeps hitters off balance, giving him the profile of a...
Tournaments | Story | 7/30/2026

16u South World Series Scout Notes

Jay Vossler
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Kai Anderson (2028, Missouri City, Texas) continued his breakout stretch over the past couple of weeks with 2028 South Texas Sliders 16U Pierce. Compiled a 7-15 week with two doubles, a triple, and two home runs, driving in nine runs. Parlayed that into winning Tournament MVP. Physical presence in the box that is starting to tap into a ton of juice offensively. Tight rotation on an uphill plane with loose actions in the barrel. Doing all of this with very little swing and miss while holding it down in center field. One of the louder stretches of the summer. Trent Costales (2028, San Antonio, Texas) was excellent this week for Texas Angels 2028 Libson. Went 4-11 with two doubles and a home run. Was one of the best run creators in the tournament, driving in ten. Extremely physical frame, projecting as a big time power bat. Coils the hips effectively and creates an uphill plane to maximize...
Draft | Story | 7/30/2026

2026 MLB Draft Signing Deadline Recap

Tyler Henninger
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As of Monday at 5 p.m. ET, the 2026 MLB Draft is officially complete. The signing deadline has passed, meaning we now know every team’s finalized draft class and exactly how much each player signed for. Entering the draft, it was clear there was a distinct top tier consisting of Roch Cholowsky, Grady Emerson, and Vahn Lackey. That separation became even more evident once contracts were signed. Cholowsky became the first player in draft history to sign for more than $10 million, agreeing to a record-setting $10,347,500 bonus with the White Sox. Emerson set a new high school signing bonus record at $9,747,500, the second-largest bonus ever awarded to a draft pick. Lackey rounded out the trio with a $9,497,500 bonus, the third-largest signing bonus in MLB Draft history. Those weren’t the only records set. Teams combined to spend $402,481,143 in signing bonuses, surpassing last...
Tournaments | Championship | 7/30/2026

Blue Wave Battle & Prevail at 14u Classic

Kinley Kitchens
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For Excel Blue Wave, the summer was never about being perfect. It was about getting better. After a season filled with challenges, growth, and plenty of learning along the way, Excel Blue Wave put everything together when it mattered most, defeating SBG Sox Prime, Al 9-3 to capture the 2026 14U Perfect Game Hoover Classic championship. For Excel Blue Wave Coach Forrest Heacock, watching the group celebrate with a championship trophy was especially meaningful because of everything it took to get there.  “It hasn’t been the easiest summer, and have battled a lot,” Coach Heacock said. “The kids have improved so much over the summer, and that is really what it’s all about at this age. It’s really just about improving at this age, and to see them be able to put it together, and just really compete together and play as a team, I couldn’t be...
Tournaments | Championship | 7/30/2026

Excel Leaves No Doubt at 15u Hoover Classic

Kinley Kitchens
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Excel Blue Wave National wasn’t leaving Hoover empty-handed.  At least, that was the message head coach Wes Henderson gave his team.  After a summer filled with strong performances but without a tournament title to show for them, Excel Blue Wave National entered the 2026 15U Perfect Game Hoover Classic with one more opportunity to finish the season the way they wanted.  This time, they left no doubt.  Excel Blue Wave National defeated East Coast Sox 2029 Victus, 12-0 in the championship game, combining a balanced offensive attack with a strong performance on the mound to secure their first tournament title of the summer.  “It’s been a special group,” Coach Henderson said. “They fought really hard, and they played really well this summer, and this is the first championship that we’ve been able to bring home. We typically...
Tournaments | Championship | 7/29/2026

"Excel"ling Through the Hoover Classic

Kinley Kitchens
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After a long summer of baseball, Excel Blue Wave National had one final opportunity to end it the way every team hopes to.  Together, having fun, and as champions. Excel Blue Wave National closed their summer with a 13-9 victory over Excel Blue Wave American – Morrison to capture the 2026 16U Perfect Game Hoover Classic championship. In a game that required contributions throughout the lineup and seven innings of competition, the Excel Blue Wave National relied on the same qualities and approach that had carried the group all summer. With talent, perseverance and a chemistry built far beyond the baseball field, they were unstoppable.  For head coach Brennan McCullough, there couldn’t have been a much better way for his players to finish their final weekend together .  “It’s great,” Coach McCullough said. “We’ve had a long...
Tournaments | Story | 7/29/2026

16u West WS Scout Notes: Days 3-4

Quinton Hall
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16u West World Series Scout Notes: Days 1-2 Jason Lizotte (‘28 | NV) Smooth LHH, hunts pitches down in the zone he can rip to the middle & PS w/ a downhill & direct path. Some strength in the hands w/ feel for the barrel #PGWS pic.twitter.com/kbK5Ayvhd7 — Perfect Game Four Corners (@PG_FourCorners) July 27, 2026 Jason Lizotte (2028 | Las Vegas, NV) The 5-foot-9, 145-pound left-handed hitter and outfielder was a spark plug all weekend for MTBA Dawgs 2028, finishing with seven hits, eight runs scored, one double, one triple, four RBI, three stolen bases, and four walks without a strikeout. Lizotte refused to give away an at-bat, consistently working hitter’s counts before spraying line drives all over the field. The left-handed swing stays short and direct with plenty of feel for the barrel, and once he reached base, he immediately put pressure on the defense with...
Tournaments | Championship | 7/29/2026

SBA Sox Save Best for Last

Kinley Kitchens
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Sometimes the best ending comes after a season of figuring things out. For SBG Sox American, the summer wasn’t always seamless. The team spent their early weeks learning where players fit best, building chemistry and searching for the combination that would allow them to play their best baseball. By the final weekend, they found it.  SBG Sox American closed their summer with a 7-5 victory over Dirtbags Midsouth 2027 Black to capture the 2026 17U Perfect Game Hoover Classic championship, putting together one final winning performance in the last tournament this group would share this summer.  For SBG Sox Coach Cooper Williams, that made taking home the championship trophy even more meaningful. “It’s been great, especially for it being their last summer event,” Coach Williams said. “It’s really cool for them to kind of pull this thing out for...
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