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Draft  | Story | 8/22/2026

2026 MLB Draft Report Cards: AL East

Tyler Henninger
Michael Albee
Joey Cohen
Ryan Miller
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) 


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 powder keg athlete with centerfield projection and impact, bringing a nice blend of tools to the table. He was a steady riser throughout the swing, selling clubs on his ability to hit despite a more unorthodox swing and look in the box. With 80 grade speed, he brings a base stealing presence to the table as well. Just turning 18 on draft, there is plenty to like and project with Booth. Ty Head was hitting in the mid .200’s this spring until a late surge brought him to a season OPS of 1.016. The underlying data was always there, though. He made excellent swing decisions and walked at a 22% clip in the ACC, pairing that with lots of in-zone contact. The power is below average and likely will not blossom as a big part of his profile, but he is a plus runner and instinctual defender in center with a chance for above average to plus defense there as well. Down in the fourth round, Baltimore played the million dollar lottery and took Roberts Jr. When you draw up projectable preps with athleticism and plus-plus frames with a big question mark on the hit tool, this is what you get. He’s got plus power potential with corner outfield defensive projection. He’s got significant arm strength, a tool that would point towards right field being a future destination. It remains to be seen, of course, how his operation will hold up in pro ball. However, if it all clicks, you get a steal in the 4th round for $1 million. Dominic Voegele should project out as a backend rotation guy if it all clicks, lacking a star offering but throws lots of strikes and has a four pitch mix that plays against both dexterities. Jimmy Anderson had one of the best years across all of JuCo, hitting .465 and pumping 26 bombs for Heartland CC. He’d get $457k in the 5th round. New York prep Plunkett got a nice chunk of coin in the 8th, signing for $672k. He’s an athletic middle infielder with a plus frame and projectable power, with good actions on the dirt to match. It was a solid draft all around for Baltimore. 

Boston Red Sox 
Grade: 50
Risk: Moderate
Notable Selections: SS Jake Schaffner (1st rd) | OF Owen Hall (2nd rd) | OF Martin Shelar (9th rd) 


The Red Sox took an interesting approach to this year’s draft, leaning into upside and seemingly betting on their player dev to maximize a handful of intriguing selections. The biggest question starts at No. 20 where Boston went with North Carolina shortstop Jake Schaffner. It’s an aggressive bet on his ability to impact the game through contact, athleticism and defensive value. If the bat develops as hoped, the pick could look savvy, if not the lack of thump leaves little margin for error. Boston followed with one of the class’s more appealing college selections in Owen Hull at No. 67. His production at North Carolina, combined with his ability to get on base, run and consistently put barrel to baseball gives him a fairly complete offensive foundation. There is some projection remaining in the power department, but his track record against ACC competition makes him feel like a player with a relatively clear path through the system. Jace Mataczynski was another upside-oriented selection in the third round. The high school shortstop brings the athleticism and offensive ingredients to potentially develop into a significant contributor, though as with most prep selections Boston will have to be patient with the overall refinement. The real value play came much later with Martin Shelar in the ninth round. His offensive ceiling made him a fascinating name to still have available that deep, and the Red Sox were able to take a chance on one of the more physically gifted prep bats in the class. There is plenty of swing-and-miss risk, but if the offensive approach comes together, the upside far outweighs the cost of the pick. On the pitching side Boston loaded up on some size and projection beginning in the fifth round. Lucas Davenport is a 6-foot-6 right-hander who can run it up into the upper 90s and showed improved stuff at Baylor, while sixth-rounder Brett Lanman brings a low-90s fastball but a 6-5 frame and plenty of extension. Kide Adetuyi and Josh Volmerding add two left-handers to monitor and 10th rounder Kaleb LaFavor could be the most intriguing arm of the bunch with his mid 90s low launch heater and 6-foot-6 frame.

Tampa Bay Rays 
Grade: 55
Risk: Moderate-High
Notable Selections: SS Grady Emerson (1st rd) | SS Taj Marchand (CB-A rd) | RHP Ben Blair (2nd rd) 
 

The Rays held their highest pick since 2008 and were able to get a fairly significant haul. They took the top prep player and the clear No. 2 player in the class with the selection of Grady Emerson. The Texas prep shortstop brings an advanced hit tool from the left side with a glove that should stick at shortstop. They followed it up with another intriguing prep shortstop with the selection of Taj Marchand. In the second round they grabbed one of the more interesting college arms in Ben Blair. The right-hander out of Liberty throws from an unique slot to go with quality stuff. Following that, the Rays jumped right back into the prep market with California right-hander Gavin Giese and Tennessee first baseman/outfielder Collin Bland. For a team that has had a lot of success developing high school players, it appeared to be a clear strategy of targeting upside prep plays early. In fact over half of their total selections were prep players, which does not happen often anymore. Taking a class with that many preps does come with inherited risk, but the upside could make it all worth it. 

Toronto Blue Jays
Grade: 40
Risk: Medium
Notable Selections: LHP Cole Carlon (1st rd) | C Will Brick (4th rd) 
 

The Jays were strapped for cash this year, coming in with a total bonus pool of $5.5m to spend. With that, they were really only able to make two splashes, supplementing the rest of the draft class with cheap collegiate signs. They went with a nice blend, taking a college left-hander in Carlon and prep catcher in Brick. Carlon was a reliever his first two years at Arizona State, showing an uptick in strikes and stuff in ‘25 that allowed him the opportunity to start this last spring. He took full advantage of that, starting 16 games and pitching 83.2 innings with a 29.1% K-BB. He’s got a power fastball that has touched triple digits and easily grades as plus. To pair with that, he goes with a power slider that could blossom into a double plus offering. The rest of his arsenal is still developing, so it leaves some reliever risk as a primarily two pitch guy at this stage. The stuff is still substantial, and he will be a big leaguer. Brick was long one of the more respected backstops in this prep class, showing a plus arm and good receiving ability with a clean right-handed swing that will hold up in pro ball. There is still space on the frame to fill in and see his raw power uptick as well. The Jays bought in, giving him $2.497m to make him their highest paid draftee this class and sign him away from Mississippi State. As for the rest of the class, it was predictably college heavy with lots of cheap senior signs in the four digit realm. Ryan Cooney got almost $600k and could be an up/down guy at his peak thanks to his defense up the middle and ability to control the zone. It wasn’t overly flashy, but Toronto did a nice job with their splashes in this class. 

New York Yankees 
Grade: 50
Risk: High
Notable Selections: LHP Hunter Dietz (1st rd) | LHP Sean Duncan (2nd rd) | C/OF Brendan Brock (3rd rd) | OF Paul Gutierrez-Contreras II (4th rd)
 

The Yankees managed to sign all of their draft picks, something that is rare in today’s bonus pool era. New York started their selections by taking Arkansas southpaw Hunter Dietz, a power arm who was projected in this range. Dietz had an extremely brief workload for the Razorbacks prior to last spring before delivering 16 starts of 3.57 ERA ball, striking out 36.2 percent of hitters. He is a physical 6-foot-6, 230-pound left-hander, possessing a true workhorse frame. Dietz has a power fastball that operates in the mid-to-upper 90s with big riding life. He mixes in a tight horizontal slider and a harder cutter, while flashing a firmer change-up. Sean Duncan is a polished left-handed pitcher out of Canada, going down with UCL surgery late in the cycle. Duncan works from a bigger, projectable frame with lean length and room to fill, utilizing his athleticism on the hill. He operates the fastball in the low-to-mid 90s with life out of the hand, relying on a sharp slider/fading change-up combination to produce whiffs. Moving into the third round, the Yankees took their first hitter, catcher/outfielder Brendan Brock out of Oklahoma. Brock slugged 13 homers and posted a .921 OPS last spring, splitting his time behind the plate and in a corner outfield spot. The JuCo product offers a well-rounded set of tools and makes an impact on the diamond, swiping 28 bags in 2026. New York continued their streak of hitters by selecting outfielder Paul Gutierrez-Contreras II out of Cal State Fullerton. An under-the-radar selection, Gutierrez-Contreras slugged 14 homers last season, getting on base at a .400 clip while walking more than he struck out. The right-handed hitting outfielder works from a 6-foot-3 frame with present strength and projection gains on the horizon. Overall, the Yankees took a wide variety of profiles, starting with a pair of quality left-handed pitchers. Throughout the middle rounds, New York continued their trend by taking a plethora of college and high school profiles. 
 
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Draft | Story | 10/5/2026

Beyond the Board: Dylan Seward
Tyler Henninger
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As the 2027 draft cycle moves through the fall and into the offseason, we kick off a new series called Beyond The Board. With each installment, we will provide an in-depth scouting report for some of the top players in the class, breaking down their tools, strengths, question marks, and overall projection. To kick things off, we let’s take a look at the current No. 1 player on our board, Norco HS SS Dylan Seward. Player: Dylan Seward Position: SS  B/T: S/R Height: 6-foot-0 Weight: 177-pounds School: Norco HS Hometown: Corona, Calif. Physical Description: 6-0/177. Shorter build. Lean, athletic body. Frame has wiry strength throughout. A little bit of room for some continued strength development.  Hit: Switch-hitter. Uses an even base with a slightly closed stance from the left side and ever-slightly open stance from the right side. Hands are set at chin level. Displays a...
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Tournaments | Story | 10/14/2026

Beast of the East Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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‘31 Ryan Spann (GA) obliterates this ball for a solo HR 💣. Ball jumps off barrel & shows the juice and & PS impact. 3x @PGSelectFest alum. #BeastOfTheEast @PG_Georgia https://t.co/TgVGPfDRYc — Perfect Game Youth (@PGYouthBB) October 10, 2026 Ryan Spann (2031, Warner Robins, Ga.) took home MVP honors after a standout weekend and finishing as the number one player on the top performers list. The top player from Georgia and number two player in the country led all performers in home runs (2) and tallied 7 RBIs on his way to a .400 average. The overall profile on Spann is super advanced for the age with electric offensive upside and one of if not the prettiest swing in the class. This will be a fun follow for years to come and I am all in. Carlo Rivero (2031, Apopka, Fla.) checks in as the number one overall player in the class and it’s easy to see why at...
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Press Release | Press Release | 10/14/2026

Perfect Game Extends Turtlebox Deal

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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 EXTENDS PARTNERSHIP WITH TURTLEBOX AS OFFICIAL BLUETOOTH SPEAKER AND AUDIO PROVIDER   Sanford, Florida (Wednesday, October 14, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced that Turtlebox has extended its partnership as the Official Bluetooth Speaker and Audio Provider of Perfect Game. The relationship, which began in 2023, expands to include original content, player recognition and a larger presence at Perfect Game's marquee events. At the center of the extension is "Turtlebox Cage Sessions," a new series produced and distributed by Perfect Game across all its social media platforms. The 12 short-form episodes will feature...
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Tournaments | Story | 10/13/2026

East Cobb/Padres Explode Late for Jupiter Win

Hannah Jo Groves
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East Cobb/SD Padres ST Explode Late for WWBA Worlds Win A hard-fought, crazy ending resulted in the East Cobb/SD Padres scout team coming back and winning the 2026 PG WWBA World Championship over the SBA/Marlins Scout Team 2028. The score was 8-7 after the championship was won with a walk-off balk. After going against some of the most talented, highly-ranked players in the country for the past couple days, it was finally time for the championship game at Roger Dean Complex Stadium in Jupiter, FL. The WWBA World Championship, or, as it’s more commonly and lovingly referred to as, “Jupiter,” has become a favorite for all who have been part of its iconic, golf-cart infested, electric atmosphere. This championship game was sure to entertain. The first two innings were scoreless for both teams as they got settled. Both defenses were making plays - SBA/Marlins executed a...
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Tournaments | Story | 10/12/2026

WWBA Freshman Scout Notes: Day 4

Marcus Thomas
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WWBA Freshman Scout Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 James Watson (2030, Canton, Ga.) showed the two-way upside to start bracket play for East Cobb Astros 15u. On the mound the right-handed pitcher went three innings and with three strikeouts and spread five hits and two walks for three runs. Watson works from a hybrid windup from the middle-of-the-rubber into a small heel-turn and an around-the-belt leg lift before using drop-and-drive back leg mechanics into a longer, in-line stride down the mound. Showed some feel to get extension down the mound. The hands separate into a moderate arm action before accelerating through from an over-the-top arm angle. The fastball ran up to 86 with arm-side run and life. Paired it with a curveball with 11-5 shape and solid two-plane break. Mixed in a change-up in the upper- 70s with some vertical depth. Competed at the top of the zone well. Athletic...
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Tournaments | Story | 10/12/2026

WWBA World Champ. Scout Notes: Day 4

AJ Denny
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WWBA World Championship Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 ‘27 Mark Susa (WI) picked up 3 Ks thru 2 inn of work. 4SFB topped at 90 mph early on; 2S lived 85-86 w/ good run & sink down in the zone. Spun a 2600 rpm SLV w/ sharp traits (clip). Got up to 7’1” of extension. 6’4/200lb frame w/ more to come. #IUBase #WWBAWorlds @PG_WiscMinn https://t.co/uXfjVSSSZF — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) October 11, 2026 Mark Susa (2027, Hudson, Wisc.) put together a quality outing on Sunday, striking out three batters over 2.1 innings of work. The 6-foot-4 200-pound left-hander ran his fastball up to 90 mph, pairing it with a two-seamer that lived in the 85-86 mph range with heavy sink and arm-side run. He also showed great feel for spinning and locating his slurvy breaking ball, which read spin up to 2600 rpm. Susa utilizes his length to his advantage, creating...
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Tournaments | Story | 10/11/2026

WWBA World Champ. Scout Notes: Day 3

Kyler Peterson
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WWBA World Championship Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 ‘28 Alan Zimmerman (FL) racked up 5 Ks w/ just 1 H allowed thru 3 shutout frames. Lived 89-90 T91 w/ lots of life thru the zone & some ASR. Dropped in a 12/6 breaker for Ks (clip). Projectable 6’3” mold. #Uncommitted @PG_Uncommitted #WWBAWorlds @Florida_PG https://t.co/KTDFpGK49y — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) October 10, 2026 Alan Zimmerman (2028, Winter Garden, Fla.) was dominant in his start on Saturday, collecting five strikeouts through three shutout innings while allowing just one hit. The uncommitted 6-foot-3 right-hander showed out in front of a lot of scouts, running his fastball up to 91 mph. The heater plays up with lots of life through the zone and short arm-side run. Zimmerman sat comfortably in the 88-90 mph range, pairing his fastball with a late-acting 12/6 curveball that was landed...
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Tournaments | Story | 10/11/2026

WWBA Freshman Scout Notes: Day 3

Jheremy Brown
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WWBA Freshman Scout Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 Carson Garzaniti (2029, Jupiter, Fla.) showed the barrel feel all game for West Boynton Cobras. The right-handed hitter starts from a spread stance with his weight shifted forward and in-line feet with a high handset and an even back elbow, utilizes a heel lift weight transfer trigger. Creates some separation in the back shoulder and uncoils the lower half with a short, direct hand path and extension out front from a slightly uphill bat plane. Good bat speed in the swing with some feel to impact. The catcher has shown the barrel accuracy all event with three hits, including a double and triple, to drive in four RBI and has come around to score five runs. Lean, athletic 5-foot-11, 170-pound frame with feel to generate power working ground up from the back leg. Exciting player that has been swinging a hot stick through pool play.  ...
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Tournaments | Story | 10/10/2026

WWBA World Champ. Scout Notes: Day 2

Perfect Game Staff
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WWBA World Championship Notes: Day 1 ‘27 C Joshua Digulio (TX) opened the morning in Cacti Park with a bang. In his first at-bat of the morning, Digulio crushed an 0-2 fastball. The right-handed hitter powered a fly-ball through the Florida morning humidity off the back wall of the left field bullpen for a no-doubt solo shot. Everybody in the stadium knew it was gone as soon as he made contact. The catcher also worked a walk in his only other plate appearance. His home run was the only hit in the game, providing Texas Brigade 2027 a 1-0 win.  ‘27 MIF Xavier Martin (IL) woke up the stadium with an electric swing. The right-handed hitter was sitting dead-red on a 2-0 heater, got it, and torched it. Martin scorched a line drive all the way over the left field bullpen, as the ball cleared a near 20-foot wall and bounced onto the concourse. It was a two-run shot for the...
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Softball | Softball Tournament | 10/9/2026

PG Softball Illinois Scouting Showcase Series 18U Division

Erica Beach
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PG Softball Illinois Scouting Showcase Series 18U Division Oct 3-4 Peoria, IL PEORIA, IL- It was a phenomenal weekend for softball as six teams from three different states gathered at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex in Peoria, Illinois for the 2026 PG Softball Illinois Scouting Showcase Series 18U Division. The competition was fierce from the first pitch to the final out, making for an action-packed slate of games. Our scouts were treated to an incredible display of talent and athleticism throughout the event, and below are the standout players who truly caught our eye. Joharah Boze (2027, Chillicothe, IL) of the Indiana Magic 18U Lewellen hit an astounding .778 on the weekend. She finished the tournament with four singles, three doubles, two walks, three runs scored, and four RBIs, proving to be the pillar of consistency for her squad. Featuring an athletic stance and a balanced...
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Tournaments | Story | 10/10/2026

WWBA Freshman Scout Notes: Day 2

Perfect Game Staff
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WWBA Freshman Scout Notes: Day 1 ’30 RHP/OF Amir Kriz-Hopkins (VA) couldn’t be touched, striking out all six batters he faced over 2 IP. Tall, projectable frame w/ a quick, loose arm. FB worked 87-91 mph w/ ASR & the SL missed bats w/ late break at 76-79. #SelectFest alum. #WWBAWorlds @PG_VirginiaWV https://t.co/mN4H64aLgo — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) October 9, 2026 Amir Kriz-Hopkins (2030, Chesapeake, Va.) of SBA Bolts National 15U was lights out on the mound, striking out all six batters he faced over two innings before adding a double offensively. The right-hander has a tall, projectable frame with a quick, loose arm and worked his fastball up to 91 mph with arm-side run. Kriz-Hopkins paired the fastball with a sharp slider at 76-79 mph that generated swings and miss, showing his ability to impact the game on both sides of the ball.   ’30...
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