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Tournaments  | Story | 7/29/2003

East Coast Professional Baseball Showcase (Wilmington) Preview

Perfect Game Staff
Ask different groups in the baseball community about “Wilmington” and you’ll hear a variety of different impressions. “Wilmington”, of course, refers to the East Coast Professional Baseball Showcase, an event organized and run by pro scouts every year in late July/early August in Wilmington, North Carolina, at the UNC-Wilmington campus. The Hottest Event in Baseball: That’s what the hundreds of scouts and college coaches will call it, especially near the end of the day. There’s no contender for top honors. I’m sure that the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce downplays this, but it doesn’t get much more hot and humid than Wilmington at this time of year. Plus the ballpark has no cover and aluminum bench seating. The only relief is the occasional torrential rains, like the ones that forced the final day to be played with no outfielders a couple of years ago. The East Coast Area Code Games: Wilmington was patterned in some ways directly after the Area Code Games. In fact, there has been constant chatter the past few years in the scouting community that Major League Baseball will organize a similar event on the West Coast and challenge the long established Area Codes. At Wilmington, different organizations are responsible for recruiting a “team” of from designated territories, just as the AC’s were originally established around the different area codes in California. You end up with two teams primarily from Florida, a team from Georgia, a team from the Carolinas, a team from the Mid-Atlantic, a team from New England, etc. One of the Premier Events in Amateur Baseball: No one, whether scout, coach, player or family can deny that Wilmington has become one of the top single gatherings of talent in the country, despite its regional basis. The teams are selected by area scouts based on professional potential. Unlike the AC’s, there are no tryouts, just invitations. If the Florida Marlins are responsible for the southern part of Florida (as they are), their scouts pick the 20-25 players they most want to see play. Starting Wednesday, July 30, we’ll bring you the highlights from the 2003 ECPBS. Here are some of my personal highlights from the last four Wilmington’s. 2001: The Tampa Bay Devil Rays team, composed mostly of players from the Orlando and Tampa areas, put on a batting practice show that may be unprecedented in showcase history. They conservatively put 50 balls out of the yard, a figure that was hammered home on the observant scouts when their opponents for the first round game failed to hit a single ball out. It hasn’t been noted yet that the ECPBS is a completely wood bat affair, but it is and the Wilmington ballpark has standard professional dimensions. Among the Devil Rays players: 1B Prince Fielder (1st round, Milwaukee) led the way both in distance and quantity, hitting a couple of light tower shots. C Adam Donachie (2nd round, Kansas City) and 1B Brian Dopiriak (2nd round, Chicago Cubs) almost kept up with Fielder, as did CF Denard Span (1st round, Minnesota), who most scouts either didn’t know about or thought was a speedy singles hitter. SS Justin Tordi (U Florida) and RHP Zach Greinke (1st round, Kansas City, now perhaps the best pitching prospect in baseball), launched numerous balls, too. 2000: Rocco Baldelli was an essentially unknown toolsy outfielder from Rhode Island. I arrived in Wilmington after he took batting practice the first day and only saw him in games, where he was pretty overmatched at the plate. Thus Baldelli wasn’t included in the Baseball America Top 10 prospect list for the event. Dumb move. Baldelli is now a future star and one of the best athletes in the game. For all those stat guys out there: Don’t be fanatics, the great athletes, the truly great athletes like Baldelli, can’t be ignored. 2000: Very few rising juniors are invited to play in Wilmington, as there is a definite “next draft” bias. Two who were invited stand out, for different reasons. SS B.J. Upton played at Wilmington as a 15 year old (his birthday fell 2 weeks after the event) and put on a show, especially defensively, that won’t be matched for a long time. Tampa Bay scouting director Dan Jennings told me right then that Upton was his guy for 2 years later, a prophetic statement to say the least. The polar opposite was C Brad McCann, a 2nd round pick of Atlanta in 2002 and one of the best catching prospects in baseball. I remember openly wondering what McCann was doing there, except to keep his older brother Brian, now at South Carolina, company. Brad McCann had a soft body, slow actions and was consistently overmatched. A year later, he was a stud both offensively and defensively, with a different body, a couple of plus tools and a promising future. Athletes mature at different times. 2001: RHP Gavin Floyd stands out as the best pitching prospect. The resemblance to the late Darryl Kile was noteworthy. Floyd had the same type of short, abbreviated arm action as Kile, hit 94 with some consistency, had a nasty, sharp high 70’s curveball that Kile would have admired, plus threw a change up that had plus potential. Given a choice of every high school pitcher I’ve ever seen, I’d still take Scott Kazmir, but Floyd was almost as memorable. The Phillies think so too, I’m sure. 1999: The buzz was about the three shortstops from Miami: David Espinosa, Luis Montanez and Raul Tablado. Montanez evolved into the 2nd pick in the 2000 draft, Espinosa signed a multi-million dollar big league contract after being drafted by the Reds and Tablado was 4th round pick of the Blue Jays. Since then, all have been disappointments, neither advancing above A ball. In fact, the highlight of the 1999 showdown was that Tablado consistently came up with better and more spectacular defensive plays than his better regarded Miami friends. Who are going to be the 2003 top prospects? Impossible to say right now, but after 4 days of workouts and games, I sure don’t want to miss the next Rocco Baldelli again. Stay tuned!
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Tournaments | Story | 7/13/2026

17u Elite Scout Notes: Days 1-2
Perfect Game Staff
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High speed look at the FF-SL-CH from '27 RHP Liam McGeady (OH)... #NatElite @PG_OhioValley @Cincy_Legends https://t.co/hhoDL7DBbi pic.twitter.com/Ts79GLPGoU — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) July 12, 2026 Liam McGeady (2027, Liberty Township, Ohio) had the stuff working on Saturday morning, getting the start for Legends Scout 2027. The uncommitted right-hander ran it up to 91 and sat 88-90 with a full starter’s mix. All three of the secondaries played well and project moving forward. The curveball worked in the mid-70s with good depth and healthy shape. The slider operated in the 79-82 range with gyro spin and short break. McGeady rounded out the repertoire with a changeup that showed big fade and depth, proving effective versus lefties. He ended the outing going five ⅔ innings, allowing no earned runs on four hits, striking out six total. The tall and long 6-foot-5,...
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Draft | Mock Draft | 7/13/2026

2027 Mock Draft: Way Too Early Ediition

Vincent Cervino
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With the 2026 MLB Draft officially complete, let's quickly turn our eyes to the 2027 group and do a way too early mock draft. Leading the way is shortstop Brendan Lawson out of the University of Florida, setting the trend as three of the top four names all call shortstop home with Dylan Seward and Carter Hadnot. If shortstops aren't your thing for any which reason, maybe hard throwing left-handers tickle your fancy whether it be prep Connor Salerno, Tomas Valincius from Mississippi State or Dylan Volantis, a dominant arm from the University of Texas.  Pick Team Name Pos. School 1 Los Angeles Angels Brendan Lawson SS Florida 2 Kansas City Royals Dylan Seward SS Norco (Calif.) 3 Colorado Rockies Landon Hairston OF Arizona State 4 New York Mets Carter Hadnot SS Aquinas (Calif.) 5 Athletics Connor Salerno LHP Sun Valley (N.C.) 6 Cincinnati Reds Tomas Valincius LHP Mississippi State 7...
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Draft | Story | 7/12/2026

2027 MLB Draft: Initial Follow List

Vincent Cervino
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With the 2026 MLB Draft in the books, our focus now shifts to a new group of players ready to take center stage as the 2027 draft cycle begins. Our initial 2027 Follow List serves as an early snapshot of the players who should draw plenty of attention over the next year. This new crop of talent features collegiate players coming off loud spring seasons, alongside prep prospects who have already flashed big upside as underclassman.  As always, this list will evolve throughout the year. Some players will continue to elevate their stock, while others will jump onto the radar and force their way into the conversation. So, without further ado, let the fun begin.  The road to the 2027 MLB Draft starts now. Name Level Pos. B-T School Hometown State Commitment Adrian Rodriguez C 3B/OF S-R Texas Flower Mound TX Aidan King C RHP L-R Florida Bryceville FL Bino Watters C OF L-L LSU...
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Tournaments | Story | 7/12/2026

14u BCS Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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Austin Way (2030, Yulee, FL) was 2-3 in game four, driving in a run and scoring once himself. Picked it well defensively at shortstop but really showed out in the box today. Works the barrel path to the middle of the field and whips the barrel through the zone. The RHH creates lift in the turn, and the ball jumps off the bat hot.  Sutton Walling (2029, Ponte Vedra, FL) is an athletic 5’11/160lb infielder who gets it done on both sides of the ball. Dominated at the plate right behind his teammate Way in the batting order going 3-3 with two doubles. He does a really good job with the barrel accuracy and works through contact with heavy hands. Lots of project-ability in the profile and is having a sneaky great week at the plate. Banks Kennedy (2030, Arcadia, FL) received it well behind the dish and was the leading force in this one driving in three rbis. He ended up going 2-3...
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Draft | Story | 7/12/2026

2026 MLB Draft: Best Available

Tyler Henninger
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2026 MLB Draft: Best Available for Day Two  A total of 135 players heard their name called on Saturday. As always, signability, bonus pool strategy, and organizational preferences play a major role in how the board unfolds. With that being said, we saw a majority of the top half off the board get selected, but there are a number of players ranked inside our Top 150 that remain available. From high-upside prep talent to polished college performers, these are the top names still available according to our Final Top 500 Draft Board.  Top Prep Bats Available (with Top-500 Board Rankings) 38. Archer Horn, SS/RHP, St. Ignatius College Prep (CA) 58. Blake Bowen, OF, JSerra Catholic (CA) 64. James Tronstein, SS/OF, Harvard-Westlake (CA) 66. Noah Wilson, OF, McCallie School (TN) 71. Cole Koeninger, SS/RHP, Keller (TX) 77. Sean Dunlap, C, Crown Point (IN) 82. Alex Weingartner, OF//RHP,...
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Tournaments | Story | 7/11/2026

17U National Elite Heads to Hoover

Kinley Kitchens
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Another week, another big tournament makes its way to Hoover.  This week, 104 of the nation’s top 17U teams will make their way to Hoover for the 2026 Perfect Game 17U National Elite Championship.  Featuring nationally ranked teams, Division I commits, and many of the country’s top 2027 players, the tournament promises another week of elite competition as teams battle for one of the biggest championships of the summer.  With many players already committed to some of the nation’s top college programs, every game in Hoover this week offers a glimpse into the future of college baseball.  Now entering its eighth year, the National Elite Championship continues to bring in the nation’s best. Past champions include Team Elite Scout Team, Canes National, USA Prime National, Scorpions/Giants Scout Team, 5 Star Performance National, Knights Knation Scout...
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Draft | Story | 7/12/2026

2026 MLB Draft: Day One Recap

Tyler Henninger
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Storylines Heavy College Run Early We came into the day knowing that there were a lot of talented college players at the top of the board, more specifically college bats. That came to light very early in the day, as we saw just two prep players selected within the first ten picks. The college preference lasted throughout most of the entire first round. Nearly 75% of the first 40 selections were college players. It is clear teams want players at the top of the draft that can quickly get through the system and help the big league club as soon as possible. Underslot Strategy Throughout this cycle, we knew that once you get past the first handful of picks the difference in value you were getting for let say pick ten was not that difference compared to pick 30. Because there was a large collection of players that are relatively close in value, teams were looking to get creative. We saw this...
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Draft | Mock Draft | 7/11/2026

Final 2026 MLB Mock Draft

Vincent Cervino
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It's draft day and that means it's time for our final Mock Draft with the 2026 group. 1. Chicago White Sox | Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA It’s between Roch and Grady Emerson at this pick, though there have been heavy rumors of a very late deal potentially with another top 5 pick. This boils down to negotiations and we think that they will get there.  2. Tampa Bay Rays | Grady Emerson, SS, Fort Worth Christian (Tex.) If Grady isn’t the first pick then he is almost certain to be the second pick. The Rays like to get creative but Emerson is a well worth prospect in his own right.  3.  Minnesota Twins | Vahn Lackey, C, Georgia Tech This is likely the floor for Roch Cholowsky, though the Twins might prefer Lackey to Roch outright. They are thought to be in on the top college players with Emerson a distant third.  4. San Francisco Giants | Jackson Flora, RHP, UC...
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Tournaments | Story | 7/10/2026

Ohio Valley Regional Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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‘28 INF Christian Ramirez (OH) WALKS IT OFF for @CincyDBulls2028 to win the chip! Has shown impressive tools throughout the weekend and in this AB showed the ability to adjust to the offspeed and win the game. #OVElite pic.twitter.com/J3MXJXFnbM — Perfect Game Ohio Valley (@PG_OhioValley) July 5, 2026 Christian Ramirez (2028, Mason, Ohio) helped his team win the championship batting out of the two-hole. Though he didn’t win tournament MVP, Ramirez was my favorite player to watch take a plate appearance. He has an advanced feel for the zone and sees the ball out of the pitcher’s hand quicker than most. Ramirez led the tournament with eight walks, batting .375 with a .583 on-base percentage. Much more than just the approach, the swing is efficient with little wasted movement, creates quality separation, and puts him in an excellent position at contact. With such an...
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College | Story | 7/10/2026

Cape Cod Notebook No. 1

Perfect Game Staff
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Cape Cod League Scouting Notebook  Maverick Rizy | Ole Miss | RHP | Brewster Whitecaps  The towering 6-foot-9, 250-pound right-hander continues to stand out with one of the more unique looks on the Cape, pairing a massive frame with a low three-quarter slot that creates difficult angles for hitters. While his fastball velocity was down from its typical mid-90s range during this look, working mostly 90-92 mph, it still generated plenty of swing-and-miss. He paired the heater with an 81-83 mph gyro slider featuring tight bullet-spin action and mixed in an 85-mph changeup with quality separation. Rizy battled his command early in the outing I saw, before settling in to strike out five over three innings, showing the ability to adjust as the game progressed. Through 12.2 Cape League innings, he has recorded 18 strikeouts, and his combination of size, deception, and projectability...
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