THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,489 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,489 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Sign in Create Account
Sign in Create Account
Draft  | State Preview | 4/30/2012

State Preview: California

Allan Simpson
Photo: Perfect Game
In the weeks leading up to the draft, Perfect Game will be providing a detailed overview of each state in the U.S., including the District of Columbia, as well as Canada and Puerto Rico. These overviews will list the state's strengths, weaknesses and the players with the best tools, as well as providing scouting reports on all Group 1 and 2 players as ranked in Perfect Game's state-by-state scouting lists.



Contributing: Todd Gold/David Rawnsley

California State-by-State List
2011 California Overview

California Overview:
Colleges Dominate Northern Part of State; Preps Popular in South

With the country’s largest population, along with year-round weather that is conducive to churning out a steady stream of baseball talent, California has always dominated the baseball draft. And nothing should really change this year.

With such a large pool of players to draw from, though, it’s quite remarkable how some baseball institutions in California have monopolized the elite-level talent for this year’s draft. At the college level, Stanford has easily the deepest and most-talented team in the state with the potential for three selections in the first round, and as many as five in the top 3-4 rounds. Orange Coast College, the nation’s No. 1-ranked junior-college team, is in line to produce roughly half of the 10 JC players, or so, that are projected to be drafted from the state’s junior-college ranks in the first 10 rounds. In high school, Los Angeles’ Harvard-Westlake School has an excellent shot at yielding the first two players in that demographic.

Stanford righthander Mark Appel and Harvard-Westlake righthander Lucas Giolito were regarded almost as co-favorites to be drafted with the No. 1 pick overall at the start of the 2012 season, though Giolito’s chances of becoming the first prep righty to ever be selected with the top pick lessened considerably when he went to the sidelines in early March with a strained ulnar collateral ligament. He hasn’t pitched since, and may not—at least not in a competitive environment. Appel has been Stanford’s Friday-night starter from the outset, but hasn’t been consistently dominant enough this spring to hang on to No. 1.

In fact, there is a greater chance now, according to scouts, that University of San Francisco righthander Kyle Zimmer could be drafted ahead of Appel, and that Giolito’s prep teammate, lefthander Max Fried, will be the first high-school player taken.

With Stanford located in the northern part of the state, and Orange Coast and Harvard-Westlake in suburban Los Angeles, the unusual strengths of those schools is very reflective and representative of parallel programs in their geographic region. Most of the top college talent is located at Northern-based colleges, most of the best junior-college and high-school talent in the South.

Overall, most of the top prospects in the state, including the top four and five of six projected first-rounders, are pitchers, while position players contribute more substantially to the depth in California’s draft pool, particularly at the high-school level.

California in a nutshell:

STRENGTH:High-ceiling pitching prospects, depth of high school prospects
WEAKNESS:Catchers and middle infielders, plus runners
OVERALL RATING(1-to-5 scale): 4.

BEST COLLEGE TEAM:Stanford.
BEST JUNIOR-COLLEGE TEAM:Orange Coast.
BEST HIGH SCHOOL TEAM:Mater Dei HS, Santa Ana.

PROSPECT ON THE RISE: Kyle Twomey, lhp, Eldorado HS, Placentia.For most of the spring, Harvard-Westlake’s Max Fried and Camarillo High’s Hunter Virant were the only two prep lefthanders in California who were generating attention in the top five rounds. That was before Twomey dazzled scouts in early April at the National Classic, a prominent local high-school tournament with national implications, with a 14-strikeout, no-hitter. Twomey, a Southern California recruit, was well known in the scouting community prior to that outing, but fell mostly into the broad category of projectable southpaw with below-average present raw stuff. The power in all of Twomey’s pitches has picked up noticeably as the spring has developed and his former mid- to upper-80s fastball is now topping out at 92 mph, with a hard-spinning breaking ball as a solid complementary offering. Twomey’s pitchability and changeup, his third pitch, have always graded out well and he has started pulling his whole package together.

WILD CARDS: Lucas Giolito, rhp, Harvard-Westlake HS, Santa Monica; Rio Ruiz, 3b, Bishop Amat HS, Covina. Giolito’s early-March injury, a slightly-sprained ulnar collateral ligament, has been well documented and his potential return to action in May will be under the microscope. Some scouts say that they could care less about Giolito’s injury, that it has no long-term implications and his kind of talent is so extreme that they would take him with the 1-1 pick, sight unseen. The majority, though, will be much more cautious, creating an impossible-to-predict outcome. Ruiz’ situation might be more complicated. He had moved himself into mid-first-round consideration for many teams in April, when he underwent surgery for a blood clot in his neck area that will keep him out for at least 4-5 months. The nature and uniqueness of Ruiz’ ailment makes it much harder to gauge what the reaction will be among scouts in terms of risking a high pick on a talent like Ruiz this year.

BEST OUT-OF-STATE PROSPECT, California Connection:Corey Black, rhp, Faulkner (Ala.) University (Attended college at San Diego State and high school in San Diego).
Top 2013 Prospect:Austin Wilson, of, Stanford University.
Top2014 Prospect:Trevor Megill, rhp, Loyola Marymount University.

HIGHEST DRAFT PICKS

Draft History (all 1st round/1st pick):Steve Chilcott, c, Antelope Valley HS, Lancaster (Mets, 1966); Tim Foli, ss, Notre Dame HS, Canoga Park (Mets, 1968); Jeff Burroughs, of, Woodrow Wilson HS, Long Beach (Senators, 1969); Darryl Strawberry, of, Crenshaw HS, Los Angeles (Mets, 1980); Phil Nevin, 3b, Cal State Fullerton (Astros, 1992); Adrian Gonzalez, 1b, Eastlake HS, Chula Vista (Marlins, 2000); Delmon Young, of, Camarillo HS (Devil Rays, 2003); Matt Bush, ss/rhp, Mission Bay HS, San Diego (Padres, 2004); Stephen Strasburg, rhp, San Diego State University (Nationals, 2009); Gerrit Cole, rhp, UCLA (Pirates, 2011).
2006 Draft:Greg Reynolds, rhp, Stanford University (Rockies/1st round, 2nd pick).
2007 Draft: Mike Moustakas, ss, Chatsworth HS (Royals/1st round, 2nd pick).
2008 Draft: Brian Matusz, lhp, University of San Diego (Orioles/1st round, 4th pick).
2009 Draft: Stephen Strasburg, rhp, San Diego State University (Nationals/1st round, 1st pick).
2010 Draft: Christian Colon, ss, Cal State Fullerton (Royals/1st round, 4th pick).
2011 Draft: Gerrit Cole, rhp, UCLA (Pirates/1st round, 1st pick).

2011 DRAFT OVERVIEW

College Players Drafted/Signed:128/107.
Junior College Players Drafted/Signed:41/20.
High School Players Drafted/Signed:85/37.

BEST TOOLS

Best Athlete: Jacob Stewart, of, Stanford University.
Best Hitter:Stephen Piscotty, 3b, Stanford University.
Best Power:Trey Williams, 3b, Valencia HS, Santa Clarita.
Best Speed:B.J. Boyd, of, Palo Alto HS.
Best Defender: Jacob Stewart, of, Stanford University.
Best Velocity:Lucas Giolito, rhp, Harvard-Westlake HS, Santa Monica.
Best Breaking Stuff:Kyle Zimmer, rhp, University of San Francisco.
Best Pitchability:Martin Agosto, rhp, St. Mary’s College.

TOP PROSPECTS, GROUPS ONE and TWO

GROUP ONE (Projected ELITE-Round Draft / Rounds 1-3)

1. KYLE ZIMMER, rhp, University of San Francisco (Jr.)
Zimmer was a virtual unknown in the scouting community late last spring when he hooked up with UCLA righthander Gerrit Cole in an opening-round game of the NCAA tournament. With a large mass of scouts on hand to take in what turned out to be Cole’s last opportunity to pitch before he was ultimately taken with the No. 1 overall selection in the 2011 draft, it was Zimmer who ended up taking center stage. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound righthander was dazzling in retiring 26 of the first 28 UCLA hitters he faced before settling on a 3-0, four-hit shutout with no walks and 11 strikeouts. That signature outing instantly catapulted Zimmer up 2012 draft boards, and he has done nothing this spring but enhance his status to a point where he is a consideration for the No. 1 pick overall, just like Cole a year ago. Zimmer has a strong, athletic frame with an extremely loose arm and comes from a three-quarters angle. His delivery is easy and controlled, and he has outstanding balance. He showcases an explosive fastball that is a steady 92-94 mph, and has topped at 99; he commands it extremely well to both sides of the plate. He also flashes a power slider and curve, and an improving changeup, and has continued to improve the command of his secondary pitches. In 10 starts this season, he is 4-3, 2.86 with 11 walks and 75 strikeouts in 69 innings. With his relatively new-found status, Zimmer still lacks polish in his delivery and approach, but he is seen by scouts as much more athletic than Mark Appel (No. 2), with more upside possibly than any college pitcher in this year’s draft.

This is PG 'DiamondKast' Level content.
You must be either an DiamondKast, Crosschecker Rankings & Scouting Reports, or Scout subscriber to read the rest.
Sign in Subscribe Now
Give us your feedback
Draft | Prospect Scouting Reports | 6/26/2026

MLB Draft Reports: 1-99
Michael Albee
Article Image
2026 MLB Draft Reports: 100-299 | 200-299 | 300-399 | 400-500 1. Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA R-R, 6-2/202, Chandler, AZ Previously Drafted: Never Drafted   Roch Cholowsky has consistently ranked at the top of the class throughout the cycle due to the safety and upside of the profile. Defensively, he is a plus defender at shortstop with soft hands, consistent actions, and quality range. Not only should he stick at the position long term, he should excel there at the next level. Offensively, there is a strong mix of hit and power potential from the right side of the plate. The swing is a bit unorthodox with a shorter finish, but Cholowsky consistently finds the barrel and drives the ball with authority to all fields. He has strong bat to ball skills with impact. He has walked more than stuck out during his collegiate career, giving him a high on-base ability. The run tool is the...
Read More
High School | General | 7/1/2026

PG High School All-Americans

Tyler Russo
Article Image
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...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 7/1/2026

Performance Baseball Rolls On

Kinley Kitchens
Article Image
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...
Read More
Tournaments | Championship | 7/1/2026

JK Select Hawaii Tackles 14u West WS

Emily Hicks
Article Image
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....
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 7/1/2026

"Wow" Swings Catch Eyes at 16u Elite

Kinley Kitchens
Article Image
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...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 6/30/2026

Stacked Runs the Table at 17u WWBA

Will Dembo
Article Image
Following a jam-packed week of entertainment at the 17u WWBA Championships, the top nationally ranked program, USA Prime 17u National/Detroit Tigers Scout Team, faced off against Stacked Baseball 17u (No. 80 nationally) in the highly anticipated championship matchup as both teams looked to earn one of the most prestigious titles in all of travel baseball. Each talented squad entered the finale undefeated, but Stacked Baseball continued their dominance throughout the tournament, defeating the Detroit Tigers Scout Team 10-2 in mercy rule fashion to become national champions behind explosive bats and impressive pitching. Stacked Baseball was the overwhelming top team throughout the week as the WWBA Champions outscored opponents by an absurd 117-12 during their 11-0 run. “We got some talented kids, but we played against a little bit of Goliath over there,” Stacked Head Coach Mike...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 6/30/2026

17u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 7

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
17u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4  Day 5 | Day 6 Shea Corona (2027, Brooklyn, N.Y.) showcased some loud stuff out of the bullpen for MLB Breakthrough Series 2027. The New York native and primary shortstop topped out at 93 with the fastball, sitting comfortable in the 90-92 range. Corona paired it with a sharp and tight slider at 81-83, staying on the same plane until late. The pitch plays well already and the delivery is very athletic. The uncommitted right-hander went three scoreless and was in the zone plenty, striking out two while not allowing a walk. '27 SS Moises Gudino (FL) continues to stay red hot, working a long AB & cracking an oppo 2B on the 8th pitch. Really seeing ing well. #WWBA @Florida_PG https://t.co/OjNJ8Bmzao pic.twitter.com/WoDDp35EI1 — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) June 30, 2026 Moises Gudino (2027, Tampa, Fla.)...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 6/30/2026

Texas Twelve Firing On Full Cylinders

Kinley Kitchens
Article Image
Every team hopes to start a tournament with momentum, but few make a statement quite like Texas Twelve Maroon 2028. Matched up against defending champion Excel Blue Wave National to kick off their debut in the 2026 Perfect Game National Elite Championship, Texas Twelve Maroon delivered a complete team performance, earning a hard-fought 3-2 victory and immediately establishing themselves as one of the top teams to watch this week. The win showcased the balance that has made Texas Twelve Maroon a powerful team. Strong pitching, timely hitting, and steady defense all played a role as the team held off one of the tournament’s premier programs. Right-hander Ty Antley turned in an outstanding performance on the mound, throwing a complete game while allowing only five hits and two walks over seven innings. The High Follow prospect worked consistently between 85-89 mph and mixed in a sharp...
Read More
Tournaments | Championship | 6/30/2026

Flames Capture 18U BCS Title

Alyssa Golden
Article Image
Flames Natty used timely hitting and a dominant start from Beau Collier to defeat NLB American 7-3 and capture the 18U BCS National Championship on Monday at Lee Health Sports Complex. Despite being assembled just hours before the tournament began, the Flames quickly developed chemistry throughout the tournament. “This team was put together 12 hours before this tournament, and they went on a crazy run,” head coach Adam Vasquez said. “These kids know each other locally, but they don’t play together. For them to come together last minute like that, it’s crazy. I’m proud of them for that.” The game opened as a pitchers’ duel, with David Acevedo recording the lone hit through the first two innings. NLB American starter Hayden Graham kept the Flames in check early, allowing just one hit while striking out one over 2.0 innings. The right-hander...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 6/30/2026

Ohio Valley BCS Champ. Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
‘28 C Keegan Sawyer (OH) showcased the toolshed in this one. A top player in the OH ‘28 class. LOUD (Hit & Defense) #OVBCS @KeeganSawyer10 Clip 1: 3-R 💣 to LF Clip 2: 2B to LC Clip 3: SEED, Caught Stealing @ 2B Name for August 1 @MidlandBasebal pic.twitter.com/FvIpEU7Llz — Jordan Gates (@JGatesPG) June 27, 2026 Keegan Sawyer (2028, Cleves, Ohio) The stock continues to go up and up for Keegan Sawyer. Fresh off a state championship for Bading High School, he has picked up where he has left off this spring. It seems that he gets bigger each time I see him, but the frame really works on both sides of the ball at 6-feet, 190-pounds. It’s athletic and the actions on both sides are extremely advanced. Sawyer took home MVP honors after finishing with nine hits, six going for extra bases including two home runs, nine RBIs and eight runs scored. It’s electric at...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 6/30/2026

Texas Region Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Austin Lyons (2028, Cibolo, Texas) put on a display for Canes Southwest Prime 16U. Went 7-14 at the plate with a pair of doubles and triples, while driving in 13 runs. He won Tournament MVP for his efforts. Physical left-handed frame with feel to hit to all fields. Utilizes the middle of the field as well as the opposite field efficiently. Should be a force to be reckoned with as he grows into some more power. Evan Rosales (2027, Houston, Texas) was dominant on the mound for HP 2027 Allen. Went five shutout innings over the weekend, surrendering just one hit and two walks while striking out ten. Fastball lives 83-87 with some carry. Curveball is a heavy 12/6 downer at 69-74. North-south approach with a super steep release. Showed some really good feel for the zone and sequenced effectively to keep hitters off balance. Tristan Wright (2028, Magnolia, Texas) put on a show for Banditos 2028...
Read More
Loading more articles...
About Perfect Game :: Contact us :: Terms of Use :: Privacy Policy :: Testimonials :: Job Opportunities
Copyright 1994-2026 by Perfect Game. All rights reserved. No portion of this information may be reprinted or reproduced without the written consent of Perfect Game.