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2,608 MLB PLAYERS | 16,397 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Tournaments  | Championship | 7/22/2026

Champions Named at Southwest Select

Photo: Sandlot 18u (Perfect Game)
Another week of Perfect Game baseball concluded as champions were crowned in the 15U, 16U, and 18U divisions of the Southwest Select Championship. After several days of pool play and championship bracket action, three teams rose above the competition to capture tournament titles following a week of high-level baseball.

Throughout the tournament, teams from across the Southwest and beyond competed in closely contested matchups, producing standout pitching performances, timely offense, and memorable defensive plays. As the bracket narrowed, each division featured championship-caliber baseball before the final trophies were awarded.



15U Championship

The 15U division title was claimed by AZ Prodigy, who defeated Nomadic 14U Premier by a score of 2-1 in the championship game.

After putting together a strong tournament run, AZ Prodigy continued its momentum in the title game with contributions throughout the lineup. Will Hostetler led the offense, going 1-3 in the game. Hostetler hit .545 through 5 games, while Michael Fiacco delivered a strong performance on the mound, allowing 2 hits and 2 walks, striking out 1 batter in 4.0 innings, with Brian Carbis closing it out, allowing 2 hits and 3 walks, striking out 3 batters in 3.0 innings to help secure the championship.

The decisive moment came in the opening inning when AZ Prodigy plated two early runs to take a 2-0 lead. The advantage held up throughout the game thanks to a strong pitching performance and solid defense. Nomadic 14U Premier pushed across a run in the seventh inning, but AZ Prodigy closed out the game to secure the victory and finish the week as tournament champions.

16U Championship

The 16U division concluded with PFA CA Dirtbags 16u capturing the Southwest Select Championship after defeating CBA Hawai'i. Throughout the week, PFA CA Dirtbags 16u showcased a complete team effort, combining quality pitching, disciplined at-bats, and solid defense to earn a spot in the championship game. In the final, Roman Hurtado paced the offense by going 2-3 in the game. Hurtado hit .429 through 4 games, while Bryant Herdina kept the opposing lineup off balance, allowing 1 hit and 4 walks, striking out 3 batters in 2.0 innings. Closing the game out was Dylan Handley, allowing 3 hits and 0 walks, striking out 2 batters in 1.2 innings, ending the game in the 5th inning.

PFA CA Dirtbags 16U seized control from the start, scoring 12 runs through the first three innings to build a commanding lead. CBA Hawai'i mounted a late rally, but the early offensive explosion proved to be the difference as the Dirtbags claimed the championship. Following the championship victory, Roman Hurtado reflected on what helped the team find success throughout the tournament.

"Our will to win as a team was easily the biggest factor in our team's success." said Hurtado.

He also discussed what helped set himself up for success: 

"My approach in the championship game was very simple… Play clean baseball defensively and stay inside the ball and go the other way offensively with runners in scoring positions.”

18U Championship

The 18U division championship belonged to Sandlot 18u, who earned a victory over SABA by a score of 7-4. Throughout the tournament, Sandlot 18u consistently found ways to win, relying on strong performances on both sides of the ball. In the championship game, Kolby Noehren led the way for the Sandlot 18u offense, going 2-3 with 1 triple and 1 run scored. Noehren finished hitting .429 through 4 games, while Braden Maine delivered an outstanding outing to help close out the tournament, allowing 5 hits and 2 walks, striking out 7 batters in 5.0 innings.

“My approach at the plate, I was just focused on hitting a hard line drive right over the shortstop's head,” said Kolby Noehren

After the teams traded early runs, the championship turned in the sixth inning as Sandlot 18U plated five runs to seize control. The late rally proved to be the difference, lifting Sandlot 18U to the Southwest Select Championship title.

“Our team's success really comes down to how much fun we have together, even though we all go to different schools. We absolutely love playing for Coach Gorrell!” said Noehren.

As another Perfect Game tournament came to a close, the Southwest Select Championship once again showcased the talent, competitiveness, and depth of travel baseball across the region. Players and teams delivered memorable performances throughout the week, making for an exciting tournament from the first pitch to the final out.

With three champions crowned and another successful event in the books, teams now turn their attention to the remainder of the summer schedule, carrying the confidence and experience gained from a competitive week at the Southwest Select Championship.

Tournaments | Championship | 8/12/2026

Pokers Rally to Capture 16U BCS Title

Alyssa Golden
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Pokers Rally to Capture 16U BCS Title A hot afternoon at JetBlue Stadium in Fort Myers, Florida ended in a 9-1 victory for the Original Florida Pokers 2028 National, defeating SBA Bolts Florida 2028 National on Monday to capture the 16U BCS National Championship. A pitchers’ duel kept the game scoreless through four innings before the Pokers broke it open with a five-run fifth inning. The title marked the Pokers’ second 16U BCS Championship, adding to the championship they won in 2022. Despite a slow start to the summer, the Pokers found their stride at the right time. “We struggled a lot early in the summer, but the past few tournaments we really started turning it on,” Pokers head coach Will McCrimon said. “I’m just so proud of these kids.” Max Maynes started the game on the mound for the Pokers. The left-hander allowed three hits and two walks...
Draft | Story | 8/23/2026

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Tyler Henninger
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With the 2026 MLB Draft officially in the books, it’s time to evaluate how each team performed. Every draft class was graded using the standard 20-80 scouting scale with risk factor assigned. While these grades won’t be proven right or wrong for years, they reflect the overall talent, value, and upside each organization added to its system. NL East Atlanta Braves  Grade: 55 Risk: High Notable Selections: OF AJ Gracia (1st rd) | OF Carter Beck (PPI) | RHP Kaiden McCarthy (2nd rd) | RHP Jensen Hirschkorn (3rd rd)   OF AJ Gracia (@UVABaseball) is seeing the ball really well & picked up a couple of hits, including a 2B into RCF. Smooth LH stroke & easy impact. Showed + pwr in BP, 46 BB: 36 K. Jr./'26 elig. @PG_Draft pic.twitter.com/C4rSc0ZNIc — PG College Baseball (@PGCollegeBall) May 30, 2026 Atlanta had $15,870,800 to spend in this year’s draft,...
Draft | Story | 8/22/2026

2026 MLB Draft Report Cards: AL East

Tyler Henninger
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With the 2026 MLB Draft officially in the books, it’s time to evaluate how each team performed. Every draft class was graded using the standard 20-80 scouting scale with risk factor assigned. While these grades won’t be proven right or wrong for years, they reflect the overall talent, value, and upside each organization added to its system. AL East Baltimore Orioles Grade: 50 Risk: High Notable Selections: OF Eric Booth Jr. (1st rd) | OF Ty Head (2nd rd) | OF Kevin Roberts Jr (4th rd)  Eric Booth Jr. (26 MS) goes big fly 💣 that carried out oppo. Explosive athlete w/ huge LH juice & tools. Big time in several facets. #NatElite #Vandy commit. @PG_DeepSouth pic.twitter.com/kXl7ZVyD9G — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) July 12, 2025 Baltimore was about middle of the pack in terms of money available this year, having $13.1m to spend on their class. Booth Jr. is a...
Draft | Story | 8/24/2026

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Steve Fiorindo
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Pitchers George Ferguson, RHP, Abilene HS  Ferguson toed the slab for the Rangers squad in game one of the Codes, setting the tone early with some loud stuff.  Ferguson attacked hitters with a verty fastball up to 96 that played well up in the zone with up to 24 inches of induced vertical break.  He showed more than just a power arsenal, going to the changeup often, using the pitch to put away hitters.  Kills the spin to the 1600’s, regularly getting 13-15 inches of horizontal break.  The slider rounded out the arsenal, working 82/83.  Struck out four over his three innings of work, two on the fastball, two on the change.  2026 PG All American committed to Texas.  Quinn Fitzpatrick, RHP, Stratford HS  Another 2026 PG All American out of Texas, the LSU commit punched out three over his two innings of work, allowing just one hit. ...
Draft | Story | 8/21/2026

2027 Draft Preview: Collegiate RHP

Ryan Miller
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2027 MLB Draft Profile Preview: College Right-Handed Pitchers  Throughout the 2027 draft cycle, I’ll be breaking down different demographics in the class. Today we begin with collegiate right-handed pitching, a strong group that is headlined by a legitimate 1-1 candidate in Dax Whitney. Most of the group is made up of high-quality power four arms, with a handful of mid-major arms mixed in. Below are the top college right-handers in the 2027 class:  Dax Whitney (@BeaverBaseball) showed LOUD stuff. FB up to 100, cruised at 95-98. Pair of plus secondaries. CB at 77-79 (2923) with sharp, 12-6 action. Firm SL at 89-91 (2714) with bite. Flashed fading CH at 87-88 (1425). Ranked No. 1 on the ‘27 board @PG_Draft So./‘27 elig. pic.twitter.com/9PNbjJ53Zo — PG College Baseball (@PGCollegeBall) February 13, 2026 Dax Whitney, Oregon State  Whitney has maintained...
All American Game | Story | 8/21/2026

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Jim Salisbury
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Press Release | Press Release | 8/18/2026

Perfect Game & Delano Partner Up

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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 NAMES DELANO BAT COMPANY OFFICIAL WOOD COMPOSITE BAT PARTNER, LAUNCHES LIMITED-EDITION BAT SERIES   Delano Bats will serve as the Official Game Bat of the 13U Select Festival, taking place this coming weekend in East Cobb, Georgia   Sanford, Florida (Tuesday, August 18, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced a new partnership with Delano Bat Company, LLC, naming the company an Official Wood Composite Bat Partner of Perfect Game. The partnership will feature three exclusive limited-edition bat releases, which began with the Original Glory American Flag Bat in celebration of the United States' 250th birthday, that...
Draft | Story | 8/17/2026

2026 MLB Draft Report Cards: NL Central

Tyler Henninger
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2026 MLB Draft Report Cards: AL West | NL West | AL Central With the 2026 MLB Draft officially in the books, it’s time to evaluate how each team performed. Every draft class was graded using the standard 20-80 scouting scale with risk factor assigned. While these grades won’t be proven right or wrong for years, they reflect the overall talent, value, and upside each organization added to its system. NL Central Chicago Cubs  Grade: 40 Risk: Medium Notable Selections: RHP Cade Townsend (1st rd) | OF Caden Sorrell (2nd rd) | 1B Myles Bailey (2C)   RHP Cade Townsend (@OleMissBSB) sat 95-96 T97 w/ riding FB from fast arm. Nasty cutter at 88-91 is the go-to, showed biting 2 pln SL. Low-80s top to bottom CB & CH ~ 1300 RPM to round out mix. Has had a great spring & risen up boards. Soph./'26 elig. @PG_Draft pic.twitter.com/TAFbM37f5j — PG College...
Draft | Story | 8/17/2026

2026 MLB Draft Report Cards: AL Central

Tyler Henninger
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2026 MLB Draft Report Cards: AL West | NL West With the 2026 MLB Draft officially in the books, it’s time to evaluate how each team performed. Every draft class was graded using the standard 20-80 scouting scale with risk factor assigned. While these grades won’t be proven right or wrong for years, they reflect the overall talent, value, and upside each organization added to its system. AL Central Cleveland Guardians  Grade: 45 Risk: Moderate  Notable Selections: RHP Liam Peterson (1st rd) | Tre Broussard OF (3rd rd) | RHP Savion Sims (7th rd)  Liam Peterson (@GatorsBB) has been pure power stuff through the first 3.0 IP in his start vs Bama…imposing his will on hitters with a fastball that has grabbed 100 mph a few times, backed up by his power slider and curveball @PG_Draft pic.twitter.com/RVThNrdMTn — PG College Baseball (@PGCollegeBall) May 21,...
High School | General | 8/17/2026

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Jim Salisbury
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All American Game | Story | 8/16/2026

Romero Slams His Way to Classic MVP

Jim Salisbury
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PHILADELPHIA – Sunday’s DICK’s Perfect Game All-American Classic was a pitching-dominated affair until the bottom of the eighth inning when the rain started to fall at Citizens Bank Park and Koa Romero stepped to the plate and did his best impression of Kyle Schwarber. Romero wears No. 12, just like Schwarber. He bats left-handed, just like Schwarber. He’s got big power, just like Schwarber. And at 5-10 and a rock-solid 225 pounds, he’s even built like Schwarber. Needless to say, Schwarber is Romero’s favorite player. So, it was all kind of storybook when Romero belted a grand slam to dead center to cap off the scoring in the West team’s 8-3 win over the East club in the 24th annual Classic. “This is a dream come true,” said Romero, who was named MVP of the game. “It’s amazing to be able to put a ball like that out of a...
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