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Draft  | Story | 9/11/2026

PG Draft: Potential Risers Into Top 50

Tyler Henninger
Michael Albee
Joey Cohen
Ryan Miller
We are in the early stages of the 2027 cycle and there is still plenty of time for players to make significant jumps up the board. While our current Top-100 provides an early look at the class, several players just outside that group have the upside to make a run at becoming Top-50 pick by next July.

With that in mind, each member of the draft team each selected one college player and one prep player they believe could make the jump into the Top-50 over the course of the spring. These are the names to keep an eye on as the 2027 draft picture continues to develop.



Joey’s Picks:
 

Prep: OF, Jake Cueto, Belen Jesuit Prep (FL)

A Top-50 projection may feel aggressive for Cueto today, but the profile fits the type of prep bat that can make that kind of jump. The left-handed hitting center fielder brings a combination of athleticism, speed and contact ability that has become increasingly attractive in the draft, particularly among slightly undersized prep outfielders. We’ve seen players with similar profiles (Caldwell, De Brun, Payne) in terms of dynamic athletes who can impact the game defensively while providing a strong offensive foundation get pushed significantly higher than expected in recent drafts. Cueto has the ingredients to put himself in that conversation. His offensive value to me starts with the swing itself. It’s a compact, direct and accurate stroke that gets the barrel into the zone very quickly, with a strong tendency to work from the inside and let the ball travel. There’s very little wasted movement, and his hands do a good job staying connected while creating quality contact angles out front. That inside-out approach allows him to consistently handle the outer half and spray line drives to all fields. The intriguing part is that there’s already some lift and impact showing up despite a contact first approach. As he matures and learns to pull more balls in the air, there’s a path for that same swing to produce considerably more game power. The defensive side gives the profile another dimension. He has the athleticism and speed to cover center field at a high level, along with enough arm strength to complete the package. That combination makes him a high level impact prospect, even if the offensive power never fully arrives. But if the extra-base production begins to show up alongside his already advanced bat-to-ball foundation, Cueto could become one of the more interesting helium candidates in the 2027 class and the kind of player who makes a top-50 projection look considerably less aggressive by next June.

College: SS Dawson Park, LSU

Projecting Dawson Park as a top-50 pick this early is also a bit of a stretch, but it’s the kind of stretch that makes sense when you look at the all present ingredients. The move from Texas State to LSU gives him a bigger stage, a tougher weekly test and a chance to turn an already promising profile into a legitimate Day 1 draft case. Park took a significant sophomore-year step forward, hitting .301/.387/.575 with 13 homers, 52 RBI and nine stolen bases while moving over to shortstop and showing the athleticism, twitch and arm strength to handle a premium defensive spot. The arm is a legit plus as it even drew some looks on the mound early in his career, while the defensive package gives him a relatively high floor if the offensive gains continue. He checks a lot of the boxes you want to see in a potential early pick but the biggest question is how much of the bat plays against SEC pitching. Park's strikeout rate remains something to monitor, but the underlying trajectory is encouraging, especially in the power department. There is enough bat speed, physical projection and athleticism to believe another offensive step is available. And now, there will be considerably more eyeballs on him. LSU is one of college baseball's premier showcases for draft talent, while the SEC has repeatedly demonstrated how transfers can elevate their stock by moving into a higher-level environment. Park won't need an insane leap to validate a top-50 projection. If he proves he can handle SEC arms while maintaining the defensive impact, he has a real chance to make a significant jump up draft boards.

Ryan’s Picks:
Prep: OF/RHP Lukas Waite, Patrick Henry HS (CA)
Waite is an athletic two-way player out of talent-rich California, possessing real tools on both sides of the ball. He utilizes a lengthy 6-foot-2 frame with room to fill, pointing to future projection. In the box, Waite starts with a slightly spread base and high, compact hands, firing through a quick barrel via a simple inward leg load. He is a burner on the basepaths and, while patrolling center field, employs a strong throwing arm that translates to the mound. Waite utilizes a simple and loose operation, running a run/ride fastball into the mid-90s, along with feel to spin a breaking ball. The entire package is enticing for several reasons, and if he comes out strong in the spring, could shoot up draft boards quickly. 
 

College: RHP Smith Bailey, Arizona
Bailey combines a projectable 6-foot-6 frame with valuable starting-rotation experience, logging 30 starts and a strong 4.24 career ERA. He starts over the face before working to the belt and into a high, compact leg lift, firing down the mound with a long, extended arm action and releasing from a high three-quarters slot. Bailey relies on four pitches, starting with a riding fastball that operates in the low-to-mid 90s. The Arizona native drops in a pair of distinct breaking balls, including a deep vertical curveball and sharp two-plane slider. Bailey also mixes in a changeup, giving him a starter look and mix. Moving forward, evaluators figure to be looking for more consistency out of Bailey, who runs a relatively low walk rate, with room to miss more bats. 

Albee’s Picks:

Prep: C Christopher (CJ) Wall, Georgia Premier Academy (GA) 
Wall had one of the best summer runs of anybody in the country, hitting at every stop and putting evaluators at all levels on notice. The performance was enough for me to buy into a huge jump on our board this spring. It’s a sweet left-handed stroke with a keen eye at the plate, dissecting breaking balls with comfort paired with the ability to handle velocity to any part of the zone. This has all the makings of a potential plus or better hit tool when it’s all said and done, and you may get the opinion from some scouts that he has the best hit tool in the state. His game power plays up from where his raw power is at (nothing to scoff at) due to the angles in his swing and his ability to lift to pull with consistent backspin. It’s a very polished offensive profile for a prep. Looking elsewhere, there are questions. Those most bullish are going to squint and see him sticking behind the plate long-term. For me, both the hands and arm are going to have to improve substantially for that. It may end up being LF/1B when it’s all said and done, but I’m not sure I really care when the offensive profile is what it is. I’m all in on CJ Wall hitting his way to a nice draft selection. A club making that pick would need to be sold on his ability to catch in the long-term, however. We will all see how he improves on that end of things in the coming months. 

College: LHP Jake Marciano, Auburn 
He’s a long limbed southpaw that throws strikes, can spin the baseball and has performance in the SEC. To pair, he’s got a low launch fastball that plays to the top rail. Marciano checks boxes, but he needs to see a jump in velocity for this range to blossom into fruition for him. He currently sits in the 88-91 band for starts, pumping it up a tad in the first but tapers off and settles quick. There is reason to project average or better on both his slider and change. It could end up being a plus heater as well. Squinting and projecting are heavy in this blurb, but we are looking for upside plays anyway. He had a great year at Auburn (85 IP, 108 SO, 26% K-BB) and will be looking to carry that over into his draft spring. The building blocks are certainly in place. Now it’s just a game of wait and see.

Henni’s Picks:
  

Prep: RHP Greyson Parker, Mandeville HS (LA)
Parker put together a strong showing over the summer circuit and has the stuff to fly up draft boards this spring. The right-handed features a lean, athletic build with room to continue to fill out. The fastball has been up to 96 mph with riding life. There is advance for a changeup. Parker kills spin extremely well and creates fade. A mid-80’s slider show spin rates around 2500 rpm and has the traits to be an above-average secondary offering. The athleticism that is shown on the mound, the underlying traits in regards to the pitch mix, and the projectability make the profile extremely intriguing. There is definite Top-50 upside there if it all could come spring. 

College: RHP Austin Nye, Vanderbilt
Nye put together a stellar freshman campaign in ‘25, logging a 3.55 ERA over 50 2/3 innings. The right-hander then earned a spot in the weekend rotation to begin last year and opened with 0.00 ERA over 10 innings to go with a 13:2 K:BB ratio.. Unfortunately an elbow injury cut his season short right there. Nye got the internal brace surgery, rather than full TJ, and hopefully will be back fairly early this spring. When he is at his best, the fastball works 95-97 mph with life. He mixes in both a curveball and slider with both showing the ability to miss bats. A changeup rounds out the mix. If he can come back healthy and pitch like he has thus far in his collegiate career, it would be very easy to see a scenario where he climbs up boards quickly and winds up a Top-50 pick when it is all said and done. 
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Draft | Prospect Scouting Reports | 10/15/2026

Beyond the Board: C/UTL Gavin Kelly
Tyler Henninger
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Beyond the Board: SS Dylan Seward 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. This week we are diving in West Virginia’s Gavin Kelly. The Mountaineer backstop posted a .382/.477/.725 slash line with 19 home runs, 44 extra-base hits, and helped lead WVU to Omaha in ‘26. Let’s dive in.  Player: Gavin Kelly  Position: C/UTL B/T: R/R Height: 6-foot-0 Weight: 175-pounds School: West Virginia Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pen. Physical Description: 6-0/175. Lean, athletic build. Sneaky strength throughout. Frame has room to fill out and get stronger.    Slo-mo look at the HR by Gavin Kelly (@WVUBaseball)....
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Tournaments | Story | 10/29/2026

WWBA Underclass Prospect Recap

Kyler Peterson
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WWBA Underclass Scout Notes: Days 1-2 | Day 3 | Day 4 Stars Being Stars These are some of the more well-known names on the national landscape, playing across several big events in which they performed at the highest of levels. Their showings in Fort Myers were simply a continuation of what we've almost come to expect at this point from them!  Kasen Langerhans (2028, Round Rock, Texas) batted leadoff and stuck at the hot corner for Texas Twelve Red Sox 2028 in Fort Myers. The Texas native has the looks a young left-handed power bat and the swing is built for it. Langerhans produces easy bat speed, delivering a fast and leveraged barrel through the zone. He creates backspin and uses the ground well, really getting into the legs. The infielder has excellent power projection and took comfortable, intentful cuts in the box. Langerhans got the job done at the top of the order...
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Tournaments | Story | 10/28/2026

WWBA Sophomore Prospect Recap

Kyler Peterson
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WWBA Sophomore Scout Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 Stars Being Stars These are some of the more well-known names on the national landscape, playing across several big events in which they performed at the highest of levels. Their showings in Fort Myers were simply a continuation of what we've almost come to expect at this point from them!  2029 MIF Easton Housewright (Knoxville, Tenn.) currently stands at 6-foot,175 pounds with strength in the lower half, present above-average athleticism. Continued to shine at the top of the lineup as the left-handed hitter is your prototypical leadoff hitter, consistently finding a way on and scoring. Takes quality at-bats with an above average awareness of the strike zone. Loose hands with easy bat speed that find the barrel often for hard line drives into the gaps that frequently turn into XBHs. Confident and balanced approach. Also...
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Tournaments | Story | 10/27/2026

Beyond the Board: SS Malachi Butler

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. This week we take a look at Georgia prep shortstop Malachi Butler. The Georgia Tech put together an outstanding showing on the circuit this summer and has been a significant riser early in the 2027 cycle.  Player: Malachi Butler Position: SS B/T: L/R Height: 6-foot-3 Weight: 190-pounds School: McEachern HS Hometown: Powder Springs, Ga.  Physical Description: 6-2/190. Strong, athletic build. Well-proportioned body. Has strength with room to continue to add more.    High speed BP swing from '27 SS Malachi Butler (GA)... #PGNational @PG_Georgia https://t.co/M9OWUX9rPw...
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Tournaments | Story | 10/27/2026

South Fall World Series Scout Notes

Jay Vossler
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Kason Mead (2029, Spring, Texas) had a great weekend for Premier Baseball Donato 2029. Went 5-9 with a pair of doubles and a home run, driving in five without striking out. Physical frame with a lot more strength on the way. Impressive bat speed that attacks the top of the zone well. Works to all fields consistently and the profile indicates that he’ll be able to build off that with more impact. Lot to like, should be a riser as he goes into his sophomore season. Sterling McCormack (2029, Magnolia, Texas) performed well for Premier Baseball Donato 2029. Reached four times, including a double. Gains ground well on the stride, using his physicality to his advantage as he stays on an uphill plane, geared for slug. Plenty of strength at the point of impact. Landon Hardy (2029, Spring, Texas) had a strong showing for Scorpions Team Easton 2029. Went 4-11 with a double and homer, driving...
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Tournaments | Story | 10/27/2026

WWBA Freshman Prospect Recap

Jheremy Brown
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Stars Being Stars These are some of the more well-known names on the national landscape, playing across several big events in which they performed at the highest of levels. Their showings in West Palm were simply a continuation of what we've almost come to expect at this point from them!  Kolt Hampton (2030, Chandler, AZ) is a left-handed hitting infielder with present barrel speed and twitch in the turn. Turned around an upper 80s heater that plated two runs in the first inning of the quarterfinals and never looked back. Also got it done on the rubber punching out three and topping out at 86. The number one player in Arizona produced all week and took care of business defensively.  Landen Davis (2030, Beaufort, SC) showed up at the dish this event hitting .500 with four doubles and five RBIs. Stays tight in the turn with present strength and the approach plays to all fields....
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Tournaments | Story | 10/24/2026

SBA Takes 14u Title Behind Offense

Jheremy Brown
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To say there were standouts all over the field for the 14u WWBA World Championship would be an understatement as the matchup of Team Elite 14u Scout and SBA Bolts National 14u saw two of the more loaded rosters going head-to-head with a title on the line. And after weather threw a giant wrench into pool play, both Sunday and Monday were nothing but sunshine and high intensity baseball leading into the final game of the event.  While the game ultimately ended via run rule after five in favor of SBA upon a 9 run inning, it was a tight contest up until that point with Team Elite carrying a 3-2 lead thru four innings.  Team Elite drew first blood as a Ross Logan walk quickly turned into the first run of the game following a well struck single by Cooper Ooten into left field who eventually came around to score following a double steal, scoring before the third out of the inning was...
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Softball | Softball Tournament | 10/22/2026

PG Softball Chesterfield Fall Showcase High School Division

Erica Beach
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PG Softball Chesterfield Fall Showcase HS Division Oct 17-18, 2026 Chesterfield First Community Athletic Complex CHESTERFIELD, MO — It was a perfect weekend for softball, with 16 teams converging on the Chesterfield First Community Athletic Complex to compete in the High School Division. Teams from Illinois, Minnesota, and Iowa were there to battle it out, and there was only one undefeated team in the tournament: the Southeast Iowa All-Stars 16U Gold Flowerbach, who went a stellar 5-0 on the weekend. We were treated to some stellar performances all weekend and below we highlight some of the standout athletes who caught our eyes.  Lucy Turner (2027, Marion, IA) of the Cedar Rapids Reds was a truly dynamic two-way player this past weekend. Offensively, she batted .444 with 5 RBIs and an impressive 6 stolen bases, which led the tournament. She also scored 6 runs for her team and...
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Tournaments | Championship | 10/22/2026

Wildcatters Reign Supreme at 13u WWBA

Jheremy Brown
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After both the Best of the West and the Beast of the East wrapped up, a big conglomerate of high end talent and stacked teams descended upon West Palm for both the 13u and the 14u WWBA World Championships. While the weather threw a wrench into the plans early on and some adjustment was needed to ensure the event moved forward, it was nothing but sunshine and competitive baseball throughout Sunday and into the early morning Monday.  Kicking off with the 13u WWBA World Championship, the first thing to point out is the fact this was a wood bat tournament played on 60-90 fields and while the combo was a first for most, you wouldn't know it with their level of play throughout the weekend. In an unsurprising twist and a continuation of their 12u dominance, the 13u championship saw the #2 seeded Goldin Prospects lock horns with the top seeded Houston Wildcatters, aka the champion of the...
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Tournaments | Story | 10/22/2026

17u Coastal Fall Invitational

Perfect Game Staff
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Dalton Fisher (2028, China Grove, NC) stands at 6-foot-2, 180 pounds, with a lean, projectable frame and room to add strength as he develops. Bats and throws right-handed and plays the outfield. Shows a good approach at the plate with quick hands, solid bat speed, and the ability to drive the ball to all fields. Fisher went 2-for-3 with 1 RBI, putting together a great day at the plate. Bradley Edwards (2028, Summerville,SC) Stands at 6-feet-5 225 strong build and the potential to generate considerable power. Bats and throws right handed is a right handed pitcher. Shows good arm strength and the ability to attack hitters while generating swings and misses. Demonstrates a competitive approach on the mound with the ability to challenge hitters in the zone. Recorded 4.2 innings pitched with 10 strikeouts, a 56% strike rate, and a fastball that topped out at 85 mph. Jackson Pierce (2028,...
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Tournaments | Story | 10/26/2026

13u & 14u WWBA Prospect Recap

Jheremy Brown
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Carlo Rivero struck out the side in the final inning to secure a big quarterfinal win. Sat 87-89 & ball explodes out of the hand, CB & CH both dynamic go-to pitches as well. #WWBAWorlds @Florida_PG https://t.co/l8a4f1psyK — Perfect Game Youth (@PGYouthBB) October 19, 2026 2031 SS/RHP Carlo Rivero (Apopka, Fla.) debuted in the rankings as the top player in the country, and he had widened the gap by a good bit after the fall he had, capped off by an unreal showing in West Palm Beach. He hit almost .700 on the event with 7 of his 10 hits going for extra bases, while driving in 13, scoring 13 times himself, walking 8 times and no striking out in a single trip to the plate across 7 games. The blend of bat speed and pure strength, paired with his approach are that of someone who is much more mature, yet he’s doing it all at just 14 ½. He also jumped on the...
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