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College  | Story | 5/17/2010

UNI’s O’Rear making pitch for baseball career

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – Lucas O’Rear hopped a low railing at Perfect Game Field on Monday and stepped into the first-base dugout, ready to participate in the National Pre-Draft Showcase along with 50 other guys.
 
His  purple-and-gold UNI sweatshirt gave him away. The other players at the showcase looked, and wondered, and figured it out.
 
Hey, aren’t you that hell-bent-for-leather guy with the mutton-chop sideburns who helped the University of Northern Iowa shock top-ranked Kansas in the NCAA basketball tournament this year?
 
“I’ve got my UNI sweatshirt on and they’re like, ‘Do you play basketball for them?’” O’Rear related with a smile. “And I say, ‘Yeah, I play basketball for them.’ And they go, ‘Man, you ruined my bracket!’ And I go, ‘Well, sorry about that.’”
 
He’s not, actually. Sorry, that is.
 
Shocking top-ranked Kansas on national TV and reaching the Sweet 16 was a shining moment for O’Rear and the Panthers, something to be cherished for a lifetime. But O’Rear wasn’t in Cedar Rapids Monday to sign autographs. He was here to pitch, and he did it well before scouts from all 30 Major League teams.
 
O’Rear reached 91 on the radar gun, fanned two batters, did not allow a hit and generally impressed everyone with his performance. It was especially impressive because UNI dropped its varsity baseball program after the 2009 season, leaving O’Rear without a team or a place to play this season.
 
He threw 91 Monday with very little practice. He played some long-toss to get ready, but that’s about it. “I hate to say it, but I haven’t done a whole lot of bullpen work,” he confessed.
 
He did a bullpen session for a half-dozen scouts a month ago, and they thought he’d hit 95 on the radar gun with a little work and a few adjustments. He was told the same thing on Monday after pitching two scoreless innings at the showcase.
 
“Some of the scouts that are here, they saw me pitch in high school when I was throwing 90 or 92 and hitting 94,” he said. “And they’re like, ‘It just takes time to get your arm in shape. We can work with you on your technique and stuff, and you’ll probably be throwing 95 to 96.’”
 
Perfect Game president Jerry Ford agreed with that assessment.
 
“Oh, yeah, I believe he’s got that in him,” Ford said Monday after watching O’Rear pitch. “No spring training, no spring baseball. Whatever he did today, you have to take it for granted that he’s capable of doing a lot more.”
 
O’Rear appreciates comments like that.
 
“It’s encouraging to hear that,” he said. “I’m just going to keep going out there and try to compete and see what I can do.”
 
O’Rear, 6-foot-6, 255 pounds, has another year of eligibility with the UNI basketball team and fully intends to play basketball for the Panthers next season. But he’d love to get drafted by a major league team this June, sign a pro baseball contract, play ball this summer and then return to Cedar Falls for his senior year with the Panthers.
 
A college athlete can be a professional in one sport and an amateur in another, and several scouts have said they’d have no problem with him taking that path. There’s not much demand for a 6-foot-5 center in the NBA, so O’Rear figures his best shot at a major league career would be in baseball, not basketball.
 
He might change his mind about playing basketball next season if he’s an early-round draft pick and offered a ton of money to sign a pro baseball contract, in which case he might stick entirely with baseball, but he doesn’t expect that to happen. He thinks he’ll be drafted, but doubts it will be real high.
 
O’Rear has talent, but he’s raw.
 
He hasn’t played baseball on a regular basis since he was senior in high school in 2007. He didn’t play baseball at UNI in 2008 as a freshman, then got into only 10 games and threw 17 1/3 innings as a sophomore in 2009. That’s the extent of his college experience, because UNI did not have a team this year.
 
He’s raw, but he’s got talent.
 
“We know he’s real athletic, and he scores real high on the ‘makeup’ department,” said Ford. “It’s too bad that he wasn’t actually able to play this spring. Obviously he’s not as far along as everybody else who’s been playing all year.”
 
O’Rear was not at full speed on Monday, but he kept his fastball at the knees and showed a nasty slider.
 
“I thought I did all right, considering I haven’t thrown for like a year against live batters,” he said. “It might take me a little while to get back there (to full speed), but I think I can.”
 
 O’Rear, from Nashville in southern Illinois, is a big St. Louis Cardinals fan and would love to be drafted by his favorite club. It’s about a 75-minute drive from his home to Busch Stadium, and he loves the park.
 
“It’s a nice play to play. I’m a Cards fan, that’s for sure,” he said. “Whatever team picks me, I’d be more than happy to go play for them. And if it happens to be the Cardinals, I’d be pretty happy.”
 
The Cardinals sent a scout to his bullpen session last month.
 
“The Cubs were there and a couple of other people. And then all of a sudden here comes a Cardinals scout,” he related. “And I’m like, ‘Oh, geez, here we go.’ I was a little nervous for that.”
 
Nervous, but happy.

College | Story | 7/14/2026

Coppy's Corner: July 14 Summer Edition

John Coppolella
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The amateur players in the Cape Cod Baseball League are the future stars of the 2027 MLB Draft. The league runs from June 13th through August 2nd. Games are played at historic stadiums in Old New England towns. It’s beautiful and charming. Hollywood even made a movie about the Cape Cod League ~25 years ago called Summer Catch. It scored an 8% (!) on Rotten Tomatoes, but, on the plus side, it featured 2001 Jessica Biel in a starring role.  It was so much fun writing Coppy’s Column this spring. My hope is to highlight a pitcher and position player each week from the Cape. And, who knows, maybe somewhere out there Jessica Biel is reading it.    Player of the Week: Carter White – Falmouth Commodores  Talk about making a great first impression! White introduced himself in a very loud and boisterous way this past week by going 9-17 (.529 AVG) with 6 RBI...
Tournaments | Story | 7/15/2026

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Emily Hicks
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After another week of summer baseball, Perfect Game action returns to Surprise Stadium as teams prepare for another exciting week of competition at the WWBA Championship. From July 14-18, some of the top programs in travel baseball will take the field looking to compete for a championship and showcase their talent against high-level competition.  The tournament will feature both the 15U and 16U divisions, bringing together talented teams and rising prospects from across the West and beyond. With several days of pool play and championship bracket action, teams will have the opportunity to test themselves against strong opponents while competing on one of the biggest stages of the summer.  Surprise Stadium will provide the setting for a week filled with competitive matchups, standout performances, and prospects looking to make an impact. From dominant pitching performances to...
Tournaments | Championship | 7/15/2026

East Cobb Go Undefeated, Takes 14U BCS

Alyssa Golden
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East Cobb Goes Undefeated, Takes 14U BCS Twenty years after winning the inaugural 14U BCS National Championship in 2006, the East Cobb Astros once again stood atop the tournament, defeating the Original Florida Pokers 7-4 at JetBlue Park. A hot, sunny afternoon set the stage for a tightly contested match between the Original Florida Pokers 2030 and East Cobb Astros 14U Orange. Although the Pokers had a two-run lead with just three innings to go, East Cobb showed their team had no quit as they pulled away with a 7-4 victory. The teams battled through a highly contested tournament field of over sixty teams from across the country, with the Pokers coming in 8-1 and East Cobb entering 8-0 in tournament play. Cohen Carter started on the mound for East Cobb, allowing seven hits and no walks while striking out three batters over four innings. His fastball sat 71-75 mph. Silas Anstett opened the...
Tournaments | Story | 7/15/2026

Stars Marucci '27 Loaded and Poised

Kinley Kitchens
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Expectations naturally follow one of the nation’s top ranked teams. For Stars Marucci 2027, those expectations have only grown as the summer season has progressed.  Ranked No. 16 nationally and featuring a roster loaded with Division I commits and nationally ranked prospects, Stars Marucci 2027 entered the 2026 Perfect Game 17U National Elite Championship as one of the top teams to watch.  Through the opening two days of the tournament, they have shown why they are a team to watch, opening the week with back-to-back victories over SBA Tucci 2027 (6-1) and FC Twins Scout (5-2) to build early momentum heading into the later rounds.  The talent on the roster is undeniable.  Virginia Tech commits Chase Colangelo, Yogi Colangelo, and Teagan Leach, Maryland commit Jerome Fortier, and Youngstown State commit Sam Capuano headline a group filled with college bound...
Tournaments | Story | 7/15/2026

Mine Wood Bat World Series Notes

Jordan Gates
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‘28 OF/LHP Carson Tabler (OH) Rips one deep into the pull side gap for an inside-the-park HR. Athletic in the box w/ a projectable frame. Utilizes a toe tap on a fluid stroke w/ good bat speed. Good runner in stride + efficient around the bases. #MineWS @Carson_T7 @PFFlyers2028 pic.twitter.com/IVfICPg4qV — Perfect Game Ohio Valley (@PG_OhioValley) July 10, 2026 Carson Tabler (2028, Cincinnati, Ohio) Tabler was probably the most pleasant surprise when it comes to names from this weekend. A rather unknown for me and my staff going into the event, Tabler managed to cement himself by event’s end. It’s a true two-way projection at this stage, while he has the size in the 6-foot-3 long and loose frame, the strength will continue to add on to the 175-pound stature. While he only had two extra-base hits (triple, home run), the bat-to-ball skills were the calling card, and...
Tournaments | Championship | 7/14/2026

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Will Dembo
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After an action-packed week at the 16u WWBA Championships, the tournament came down to two of the nation’s top teams battling for one of travel baseball’s most prestigious titles. No. 5 ranked SBA Bolts National faced No. 60 Alpha Prime 2028 after both teams reached the championship undefeated, but the SBA Bolts were the sole team to exit without a loss, defeating Alpha Prime 10-2 in mercy rule fashion and capture the national title behind dominant pitching and explosive offensive performances. The SBA Bolts were perfect throughout their week, running the table and going 11-0 while outscoring their opponents by an impressive margin of 108-25. “It was awesome,” SBA Head Coach Travis Thompson said on the mercy rule victory. “It just kind of culminated our week. It's been a long week. I can't even remember our first game, which felt like three weeks ago. The...
Tournaments | Story | 7/14/2026

Coastal Region Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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Ridge Whitfield (2029, Charlotte, NC) stands at 6-foot, 158 pounds with an athletic build that should allow him to maintain his mobility and quick-twitch actions as he continues to develop. He bats and throws left-handed. Whitfield locates his fastball to both sides of the plate, mixes his pitches effectively, and keeps hitters off balance. He competes on every pitch and doesn’t back down in big situations. Whitfield threw 5.1 innings, allowing three hits, one earned run, and no walks while striking out three on 75 pitches (58% strikes). He attacked the zone with a fastball that sat 73 mph and topped out at 78 mph, mixing in a 67 mph breaking ball and a 68-70 mph changeup to keep hitters off balance. Sam Jobe (2029, Charlotte, NC) stands at 6-foot-1, 175 pounds, with a lean, athletic frame and plenty of projection. He bats and throws right-handed. Jobe shows good feel for the...
Tournaments | Story | 7/14/2026

14u & 17u West Scout Notes: Days 3-5

Perfect Game Staff
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14u & 17u WWBA West Scout Notes: Days 1-2 Adryan Zaragoza (‘30 | CA) turns on this one, sending it down RF line for a 2B. Finished 2-for-3 w/ 2RBI, 2R, BB. PS approach, bat speed, raw strength #WWBAWest @California_PG pic.twitter.com/V6Ctus4CX1 — Perfect Game Four Corners (@PG_FourCorners) July 13, 2026 Adryan Zaragoza (2030, Lake Elsinore, CA) The 5-foot-9, 150-pound left-handed hitter and infielder had a great weekend for ZT Select Prospects, finishing with five hits, eight runs scored, one double, one triple, six RBI, one stolen base, and two walks during the 14U WWBA West National Championships. Zaragoza consistently ignited the offense from the top of the lineup, with a disciplined approach and the ability to create scoring opportunities. He can drive the baseball into the gaps while producing in big situations, combining quality contact with aggressive baserunning....
Tournaments | Story | 7/14/2026

14u BCS Scout Note Recap

Perfect Game Staff
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Jake Karpell (2030, Holmdel, NJ) got on the barrel a couple times in game five and totaled three rbis. Started his production with a single then later on hammered a heater down the right field and flew around the bases for a three run inside the park home run. Keeps the hands inside at contact really well and got the head around on the homer. Runs well and can hit it around the yard in the approach.  Luke Sauer (2030 C, FL)  put his hit tool on display with a well-struck double, continuing to show why he is regarded as one of the top catchers in the class. Owns a big frame with present physicality and does a good job keeping the hands connected throughout the swing. The barrel works efficiently through the zone and there is a solid offensive foundation present. Currently ranked as the No. 66 catcher nationally.  Gavin Politz (2030 OF, FL) continued a strong tournament...
Tournaments | Story | 7/14/2026

15u World Series Scout Notes: Days 1-3

Perfect Game Staff
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Connor Ashley (‘29, FL) has struck out six over six no hit innings thus far. Got the FB up to 87 w/ feel for a sharp two-plane slider. #PGWS @Florida_PG pic.twitter.com/M7mEmTH8pk — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) July 12, 2026 Connor Ashley (’29, Minneola, FL) was stellar on Sunday, striking out seven in a seven inning no hitter. He operates from a medium-to-large right-handed frame with length, room to fill, and lower half strength. Ashley works exclusively from the stretch, starting at the belt before working into a higher compact leg lift, firing down the mound via a long arm action. He releases from a high three-quarters slot, with the fastball jumping from the hand up to 87. Ashley mixed in a sharp 11-5 breaking ball with depth and late bite, a true swing-and-miss offering.  Matthew Hernandez (’29, Miami Lakes, FL) has posted strong numbers on both...
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