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College  | Story | 5/20/2010

Bivens Is Healthy and Focused on Baseball

Jim Ecker
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – John Bivens looks like he could knock a ballcarrier into the cheap seats at a college football game, quickly change uniforms and belt a home run over the 400-foot sign in center field. That’s because he can, or could.
 
Bivens, 22, played football and baseball for a while at the University of Virginia, but his once promising two-sport career did not blossom with the Cavaliers. He had knee surgery and then another operation to repair his shoulder, and all he had to show for 3 ½ years at UVA were a few tackles and about 20 at-bats.
 
“It was hard to compete at an elite level when I was battling injuries,” he said.
 
Bivens left the University of Virginia last fall and enrolled at Virginia State this winter, moving from an NCAA Division I school in the prestigious Atlantic Coast Conference to an NCAA D-2 school in the Central Intercollegiate Athletics Association. And rather than splitting time between two sports at Virginia State, he’s strictly a baseball player now.
 
“It was a great decision that I made,” he said Monday after competing in the National Pre-Draft Showcase in Cedar Rapids. “I got the best of both worlds. I still get my degree from UVA (in sociology) and I was able to play baseball this spring. I had a great year, back healthy again. That was one of the most important things for me.”
 
Bivens hit a modest .293 at Virginia State this season with five homers, 33 RBIs and 16 stolen bases, playing regularly for the first time since he was a senior in high school in 2006. He got off to a slow start this season, then came on strong.
 
“I started the season pretty bad,” he said. “I couldn’t hit a changeup to save my life. I was hitting one-something. Once I got those at-bats, I got my timing down, and I started squaring a whole lot more balls and I had a whole lot more patience at the plate, because I was chasing a lot of pitches early on.”
 
Bivens said he attended his first Perfect Game showcase when he was 15 years old, when he was a promising young player from Disputanta, Va. He’s still a promising baseball player, which is why he traveled to Cedar Rapids with his father for the Perfect Game National Pre-Draft Showcase on Monday.
 
Bivens is eligible for the Major League draft this June and was hopeful of impressing the scouts who gathered at Perfect Game Field. “I couldn’t turn down the opportunity,” he said.
 
“It went well,” he said. “I felt like I ran good, my throws were pretty good, but I would like to get them down a little more. My round of BP, I was just trying to spray the ball around the field, trying to show that I can go the other way, and I turned on a couple of balls. So I felt pretty good about my BP round.”
 
Batting practice got Bivens ready for the game, where the fleet outfielder did well.
 
“This kid deserves the opportunity to play professional baseball,” said Perfect Game president Jerry Ford, who was very impressed with Bivens’ performance. “We were a bit skeptical of inviting him to the Pre-Draft because we hadn’t seen him play since high school.
 
“Of course, we knew he was an outstanding high school player and a great athlete with a big-league body, so we did invite him,” Ford said. “He put on a good show, displaying his speed and power ability. He hit the ball very hard every at-bat against some excellent pitching. The shot he hit off the wall was especially impressive. Most important, we have known for years that John scores very high in the ‘makeup’ department. He could be one of the big sleepers in this year’s draft.”
 
Bivens carried 235 pounds when he was a linebacker at Virginia, but he’s trimmed down to 6-foot-1 and 210 pounds now that he’s a full-time outfielder. He still looks like he could knock a tailback to kingdom come, but he’d rather knock a ball into the gap or over the fence.
 
“Baseball has always been my first love,” he said. “Right now, I’m strictly baseball. All my mindset is totally on baseball.”
 
Bivens was a fourth-year junior this season at Virginia State. He has another year of eligibility with the Trojans if he wants it, but he’ll pursue a pro baseball career this summer if given a chance. He’s healthy again – no problems with his knee or shoulder – and anxious to chase his dream.
 
“I took this year as kind of getting me back on my feet, as far as getting back in baseball shape,” he said. “I really needed those reps, really needed those at-bats.”
 
Bivens said there were scouts at some of his games this year at Virginia State, and he’s been in contact with some teams about individual workouts before the draft. He hopes his performance at the National Pre-Draft Showcase will help.
 
“I just really thank God for this opportunity to come up here and play,” he said.
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College | Rankings | 6/25/2026

College Top 25: Final Update
Vincent Cervino
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With a postseason run for the ages, the Oklahoma Sooners (43-23) took home the National Championship and naturally finish the 2026 season as our No. 1 team in the land.  It is the third national title for the Sooners, playing in their 12th CWS and making their fourth championship series appearance.  They add to previous national titles won in 1951 and 1994 and did it by taking the most difficult path of any team in this year’s tournament.  In the NCAA Tournament, Oklahoma took down national seeds, No. 2 Georgia Tech twice, No. 3 Georgia twice, No. 5 UNC twice, No. 7 Alabama and No. 15 Kansas twice.  This was the second time that head coach Skip Johnson has led the Sooners to the CWS Championship Series since 2022 and the first time he has taken home the crown.  The North Carolina Tarheels (54-14) was one win away from their first national title and finish...
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Tournaments | Story | 7/5/2026

13u World Series Notes: Days 1-2

Perfect Game Staff
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Michael Wedgeworth (2030, Flomaton, AL) had put the two way ability on full display so far this week, dominating from both sides. On the mound Wedgeworth ran the fastball up to 84 (81-83) with ease to the delivery. Broke off a couple nasty curveballs that induced swing and miss, as well as freezing hitters for punch outs. Collected six in his four inning complete game. He also would not be denied at the plate going 3-5 in the first two days with two doubles. Very intriguing young player as the body continues to grow.  Tyler Bellush (2031, Summerville, SC) is a sure handed shortstop for the Canes Nation squad. Swings it from the left side of the plate and the barrel accuracy has really stuck out thus far. 3-4 through the first couple days with a double and two triples, Bellush has also walked twice and collected 3 RBI along the way. Yesterday against USA Prime with the bases loaded,...
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All American Game | Story | 7/3/2026

Initial 2026 All Star Game Roster Reveal

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We are excited to announce the first selections for the 2026 PG All Star Game from both the Perfect Game Junior and Sophomore National Showcases. The PG All Star Game will be held on Friday, August 14th at Citizens Bank Ballpark, the home of the Philadelphia Phillies, and will feature roughly 40 of the top players, predominately from the 2028 class with a few of the very best 2029s also selected. A watchlist has been created from the Junior National Showcase and another group of players will be selected from that showcase towards the end of July as we continue to evaluate players at the major Perfect Game tournaments this summer. The final wave of selections we be made at the PG Underclass All American Games August 5-7 at the UCSD in San Diego, CA. PG Underclass All American Games   Junior National Selections Dexter McCleon Jr. OF Suwanee, GA USA Prime Cullen Scott RHP/3B Melissa,...
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Tournaments | Story | 7/3/2026

13u WWBA Scout Note Recap

Jheremy Brown
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Walter Izquierdo Jr. (2031, Miami, Fla.) showed off the upside on the mound for Beast Baseball 13u. The right-handed pitcher went four innings and collected three strikeouts while spreading two hits and two walks for one run. The fastball topped out at 80 and was consistently in the upper- 70s. Showed feel for a curveball with 12-6 shape and some looser vertical depth that was able to get weak contact. Competes in the zone well and showed some feel to work on the arm-side half of the plate. Intriguing upside on the young arm.   Brett Hamlin (2031, Jupiter, Fla.) showed off the barrel feel for FTB American 13u. The left-handed hitter collected nine hits, including two doubles and a triple, to drive in seven RBI. Strong hands and flips the hips well to create good bat speed. Simple operation that gets on time consistently and impacts the ball well. Worked the pull-side well and...
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Tournaments | Story | 7/2/2026

Freedom Classic Opens Holiday Weekend

Alyssa Golden
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More than 30 teams from the 14U-18U age divisions will head to Fort Myers, Florida this Fourth of July weekend for the seventh annual Perfect Game Freedom Classic. The tournament, running July 3-6, features several nationally ranked prospects from across the country as teams look to compete for a championship. Headlining the field are twin brothers Derek and Ryan Yormark of Merrick, New York. Right-handed pitcher Derek Yormack is the No. 51-ranked player in the class of 2027, the No. 1 player in New York and the No. 5-ranked right-handed pitcher in the country. First baseman Ryan Yormark comes in just behind his twin brother as the No. 3 overall player in New York, the No. 5 first baseman in the nation and the No. 90-ranked player nationally. Both brothers are committed to Vanderbilt. Derek Yormark has established himself as one of the top two-way prospects in the 2027 class. He has run...
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Tournaments | Story | 7/2/2026

14u West World Series Scout Notes

Quinton Hall
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Asher Contreras (2030 | Las Vegas, NV) The 5-foot-10, 170-pound right-handed hitter and outfielder was one of the most dangerous hitters in the tournament for Wow Factor Nv 2030, stuffing the stat sheet while displaying an impressive combination of power and speed. He finished the weekend with 9 hits, including two doubles and a home run, while driving in seven runs and scoring five more. He also swiped three bases and worked three walks, consistently putting pressure on opposing defenses while showing feel for the zone with just one strikeout all weekend. His ability to hit for extra bases while also creating offense on the bases made him one of the most impactful offensive performers at the event.    Braylen Silva (‘30 | NV) RBI 2B for GBG Vegas 14u Red. Direct path, quick trigger, & barrel feel. Solid 2-hole stick creating offense all day #14UWestWS...
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High School | General | 7/1/2026

PG High School All-Americans

Tyler Russo
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High School Top 50: Final Update With the High School season all wrapped up, today we take a look at our First, Second and Third Team All-Americans from around the country. Below you'll find three teams with stats that seem otherworldly from players who'll likely hear their names called in the coming week's MLB Draft. Within the "Notable Stats" section you'll see the individual award winners as well. First Team All-American Pos.  Name Class School State Commitment Notable Stats C Cole Prosek 2026 Magnolia Heights MS Ole Miss .595 BA, 18 HR, 79 RBI 1B Will Adams 2026 Hoover AL LSU .489, 13 HR, 52 RBI IF James Tronstein 2026 Harvard-Westlake CA Vanderbilt .531, 10 HR, 29 RBI, 21 XBH IF Grady Emerson 2026 Fort Worth Christian TX Texas .508, 8 HR, 56 RBI, 34/35 SB, National POY IF Jacob Lombard 2026 Gulliver Schools FL Miami .477, 10 HR, 52 R, 42 H, 14 SB OF Martin Shelar 2026 Marist GA...
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Tournaments | Story | 7/1/2026

16u Elite Scout Notes: Days 3-5

Perfect Game Staff
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16u Elite Scout Notes: Days 1-2  ‘28 AJ Bonnette (TX) with 7 Ks thru 4 IP thus far, living 89-91 w/ heavy traits. Filling up all four quads & attacking hitters early in counts. Mixing a slurvy breaker & turning the CHG over well. @PG_Uncommitted #NatElite @Texas_PG pic.twitter.com/oz2XXoKHvt — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) June 30, 2026 Aj Bonnette (2028, Keller, Texas) showed out on both sides of the ball at the National Elite Championship, but really stood out on the mound Tuesday. He toed the rubber in round two of the playoffs, proceeding to toss six innings with eight punchouts and zero earned runs allowed. The 6-foot southpaw filled up all four quadrants of the strike zone, attacking hitters early and often with his fastball. The heater lived in the 88-91 mph range with heavy traits, often setting up his slurvy breaking ball. Bonnette showed good feel...
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Tournaments | Story | 7/1/2026

Performance Baseball Rolls On

Kinley Kitchens
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Championship teams often reveal themselves when the game isn’t going their way. Performance Baseball 2028/Milwaukee Brewers Scout Team did exactly that. Trailing Florida Burn 2028 Scout through four innings, the Brewers refused to panic. Instead, they relied on timely hitting, consistent pitching, and an unselfish approach at the plate, rallying a five-run fifth inning before pulling away for a 9-5 victory to clinch their spot in the semifinals. The comeback was fueled by contributions throughout the lineup. Six different players drove in runs, including two RBIs each from Aiden Capobianco and Cameron Massey, while Matthew Heredia, Parker Weston, Ethan Smith, and Aj Bonnette each added an RBI of their own. On the mound, Derek Wenzel set the tone with 3.2 solid innings before Ethan Smith shut the door in relief, helping preserve the comeback victory. Although the Brewers have had a...
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Tournaments | Championship | 7/1/2026

JK Select Hawaii Tackles 14u West WS

Emily Hicks
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JK Select Hawaii capped off an impressive tournament run by defeating GBG Vegas 14u Red14-4 in the championship game on Sunday at Goodyear Ballpark, claiming the 14u West World Series title. From the opening pitch, JK Select controlled the pace of the game. The offense jumped out early, scoring 6 runs in the 1st inning after timely hits from MVP Sean Shindo and Kade Manarpaac. The early lead gave the pitching staff confidence as they worked efficiently through the opposing lineup. “I've worked hard to get better at my game for the past few months; it means a lot that I did well and performed in a tournament like this” said Shindo. Starting pitcher Maddox Prones turned in a strong performance, allowing 3 runs while striking out 5 batters over 3 innings. The defense backed the effort with great plays in the middle infield, preventing GBG Vegas from building momentum....
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Tournaments | Story | 7/1/2026

"Wow" Swings Catch Eyes at 16u Elite

Kinley Kitchens
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On the second day of the 2026 Perfect Game National Elite Championship, one swing turned heads across the ballpark. The next one brought everyone to a stop. With Wow Factor Nation 16U trailing midway through its matchup against Sandlot Scout Team 2028, Micheal O'Connor launched a solo home run to spark the offense. Just one batter later, Aaron Frink stepped into the box and sent another ball over the fence, delivering back-to-back home runs that quickly became one of the most talked about moments of the tournament’s opening days. Parents gathered along the nets, players from previous games stopped to watch, and college scouts turned their attention toward the action as the two towering swings energized the crowd and brought new life to the game. Although Wow Factor Nation ultimately lost 5-3 after a hard-fought performance, the back-to-back home runs served as a reminder of the...
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