THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,586 MLB PLAYERS | 16,394 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,586 MLB PLAYERS | 16,394 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Tournaments  | Story | 10/22/2012

WWBA World 2009 College Standouts

Photo: Perfect Game
Few events come close to matching the WWBA World Championship when it comes to the presence of scouts and college recruiters with the impressive level of talent that is on hand.  The nation's top prospects from across the country, Canada, Puerto Rico and even Latin America converge in Jupiter, Fla. to compete.  While winning the championship is the ultimate goal, player exposure is also of great importance.

Many of the top players will find themselves playing in pro ball beginning next summer after the June draft, but many more will move onto the college ranks to continue their amateur careers.

Every year I assemble a team of players that are now at the college level that have attended the WWBA World Championship in past years.  For the most part, these players participated in 2009 as high school seniors, and continue to be ranked as some of the top draft-eligible players for 2013 and 2014.  College stars that have made this list in past years include young MLB stars Bryce Harper, Buster Posey and Stephen Strasburg as well as up-and-coming prospects Gerrit Cole, Danny Hultzen and Anthony Rendon.


Catcher

Tyler Ross, LSU
(All American Prospects 2008-09)
While the high school catching crop available for the 2013 draft is plenty deep, the same can't be said from the college ranks.  Ty Ross is among the best available, who excels behind the plate with advanced blocking skills and a cannon for a throwing arm.  He has honed his catching skills handling a power-armed staff at LSU, and would aptly handle the quality arms on this team.

Texas backstop Jacob Felts (SE Texas Sun Devils 2009) would provide needed depth off the bench at the position.


First Base


Kris Bryant, San Diego 
(Ohio Warhawks 2008-09)
2009 PG/Aflac All-American Kris Bryant slides over from his usual spot at the hot corner to make room for Tar Heel third baseman Colin Moran, the superior defender between the two.  Bryant may wind up at first base, or even a corner outfield spot, some day anyway, but his immense power potential makes him a valuable asset no matter where he plays.

Two more 2009 PG/Aflac All-Americans, Vanderbilt's Conrad Gregor (Royals Baseball Club 2008; MidlandRedskins/Kansas City Royals Scout Team 2009) and Stanford's Brian Ragira (Kansas City Royals Scout Team 2008; Texas Scout Team Yankees 2009), provide plenty of promising options at first base.


Second Base

JaCoby Jones, LSU 
(Kansas City Royals Scout Team 2008)
Jones, yet another member of the 2009 PG/Aflac All-American team, is a better fit at third base (where he made this same team a year ago) or in the outfield, but he fills a need on this team by playing second.  Jones has the ability to hit and hit for power, and has proven to do so with a wood bat, while his speed makes him a threat on the basepaths.


Third Base

Colin Moran, North Carolina (New York PG USA Dark Green 2008-09)
Moran led the Cape Cod League in RBI last summer, hitting .316 with 16 extra base hits.  A left handed hitter, his profile is similar to former Tar Heel Dustin Ackley for his polished, gap-to-gap approach at the plate with a knack for making consistent, hard contact.

New Mexico's D.J. Peterson (Texas Scout Team Yankees 2009) played with Brian Ragira in Jupiter three years ago, and the two would form a fine corner infield tandem behind Bryant and Moran.


Shortstop

Brandon Trinkwon, UC Santa Barbara
(OC Boxers, 2009)
Similar to catcher, the options for the middle infield were limited and is one of the weakest overall positions for the 2013 draft class.  Trinkwon is a dark horse prospect in this class, hitting .301 with 6 home runs and 10 doubles on the Cape last summer after an impressive spring (.347/.460/.490) for the Gauchos.

Mississippi State's Adam Frazier (Florida Bombers Scout Team 2009) would provide valuable middle infield depth.


Outfield

Austin Wilson, Stanford (All American Prospects 2008-09)
Jared King, Kansas State (Lids Indiana Bulls 2009)
Derek Fisher, Virginia (Royals Baseball Club 2010)
Michael Lorenzen gets the nod as the starting utility player as listed just below, and would start games in center in between Wilson and King.  Wilson would likely slide over to center in such a scenario with some late inning defensive adjustments to bring one of the team's liveliest arms to the mound.  Wilson, who was named to this team a year ago, was a PG/Aflac All-Americans in 2009 and has exciting power and overall athletic potential, although he has yet to put all of the pieces together.  King has had no problems hitting in his first two seasons at Kansas State, and is the younger brother of Jason King whom the Tigers drafted in the fourth round in 2011.  Fisher showed no problems hitting college pitchers during his freshman year at Virginia, and was among the national leaders in triples with eight.


Utility

Michael Lorenzen, Cal State Fullerton (ABD Bulldogs 2009)
As noted above, Lorenzen would start in centerfield on this team, but also would provide a valuable late inning arm out of the bullpen thanks to his mid-90s heat.  The Titans wisely started to use Lorenzen in this same role last spring when he recorded 16 saves in 20 relief appearances.  He also hit .297 with 20 doubles, and has true five-tool potential as positional prospect.



Starting Pitchers

Carlos Rodon, NC State (Royals Baseball Club 2010)
Mark Appel, Stanford (Braves Scout Team 2008)
Jonathon Crawford, Florida (Southwest Florida Baseball 18u 2009)
Bobby Wahl, Ole Miss (Orioles Scout Team 2008-09)
Rodon was so dominant during his freshman year I don't think many would argue with my placement of putting him over Mark Appel and the rest of this starting staff.  All four pitchers selected to be the starters in pool play have electric fastball-breaking ball combinations, and collectively went 32-8 with a 2.39 ERA last spring.  Rodon and Appel both are expected to once again compete for the Golden Spikes Award, and finished the nation third and fourth respectively in the nation in strikeouts.  Wahl is a fierce competitor, and Crawford doesn't know how to throw anything straight.

Pitching once again will once again define the college crop of draft-eligible players next June, as top prospects such as Dan Child (Oregon State, SE Texas Sun Devils 2009), Jason Hursh (Oklahoma State, Midland Redskins/Kansas City Royals Scout Team 2009), Trevor Williams (Arizona State, ABD Bulldogs 2008-09) and Kevin Ziomek (Vanderbilt, Mid-Atlantic Rookies 2008-09), as well as former PG/Aflac All-Americans Karsten Whitson (Florida, East Cobb Astros 2008; East Cobb Baseball 2009) and A.J. Vanegas (Stanford, SGV Arsenal 2008-2009) also have the Jupiter experience under their belts.


Closer

Michael Wagner, San Diego (Ohio Warhawks 2009)
Wagner finished second in the nation in saves last spring with 19, making 31 appearances on the mound for the Toreros, 29 of which came out of the bullpen.  The well built 6-foot-4, 200-pound right-hander worked mostly as a starter last summer on the Cape, where he featured a low-90s fastball and sweeping slider.


Tournaments | Story | 8/2/2026

Battle For The Midwest Scout Notes

Brayden Powell
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Bryce Urban (2027, Kaukauna, Wis.) An athletic 5-foot-9, 175-pound right-handed hitter, who handled the bat well throughout the weekend while showing feel for the barrel and quality bat speed. Stays balanced throughout the operation while showing direct hands to the baseball. There is feel to rotate through the zone and keep the barrel working for an extended period, helping him consistently produce hard-hit contact. He showed the ability to impact the baseball to all fields and remained productive throughout the event. Urban finished the weekend with five extra-base hits and continued to be a reliable offensive contributor whenever his club needed him. He is currently uncommitted.  Landon Clements (2027, McHenry, Ill.) University of Illinois-Chicago commit put together an outstanding weekend at the plate, finishing 10-for-15 while drawing five walks and consistently finding ways to...
Press Release | Press Release | 8/4/2026

PG & Dick's Expand Partnership

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  667 Progress Way | Sanford, FL 32771 | 319-298-2923 www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   PERFECT GAME AND DICK’S EXPAND PARTNERSHIP, INCLUDE NAMING RIGHTS AT EAST COBB COMPLEX   Marietta, Georgia (Tuesday, August 4, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced the renewal and expansion of its longstanding partnership with DICK’S Sporting Goods.   As part of the expanded agreement, the iconic East Cobb Complex in Georgia will officially be renamed DICK’S Sporting Goods Park at East Cobb, reinforcing the retailer’s long-term investment in youth sports and enhancing one of the most recognized destinations in all of amateur baseball. The announcement comes ahead of this weekend’s Perfect Game 11U...
College | Story | 8/3/2026

Cape Cod League Notebook: August 3

Perfect Game Staff
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Angel Cervantes | RHP | UCLA | Chatham Anglers  Angel Cervantes has lived up to the hype since arriving at UCLA after turning down a second-round selection (50th overall) by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2025 MLB Draft. Following a strong freshman campaign that helped power the Bruins to the No. 1 ranking in the country for much of the season, Cervantes has taken another step forward this summer, emerging as arguably the Cape Cod League's top arm. Through 23.2 innings with the Chatham Anglers, he owns a 1.14 ERA with 24 strikeouts and just five walks. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound right-hander attacks hitters with a polished five-pitch mix featuring a low-90s fastball, an 86-88 mph cutter, a low-80s slider and changeup, and a 78-80 mph curveball. He pounds the strike zone, sequences his arsenal with advanced feel, and consistently keeps hitters off balance, giving him the profile of a...
Tournaments | Story | 7/30/2026

16u South World Series Scout Notes

Jay Vossler
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Kai Anderson (2028, Missouri City, Texas) continued his breakout stretch over the past couple of weeks with 2028 South Texas Sliders 16U Pierce. Compiled a 7-15 week with two doubles, a triple, and two home runs, driving in nine runs. Parlayed that into winning Tournament MVP. Physical presence in the box that is starting to tap into a ton of juice offensively. Tight rotation on an uphill plane with loose actions in the barrel. Doing all of this with very little swing and miss while holding it down in center field. One of the louder stretches of the summer. Trent Costales (2028, San Antonio, Texas) was excellent this week for Texas Angels 2028 Libson. Went 4-11 with two doubles and a home run. Was one of the best run creators in the tournament, driving in ten. Extremely physical frame, projecting as a big time power bat. Coils the hips effectively and creates an uphill plane to maximize...
Draft | Story | 7/30/2026

2026 MLB Draft Signing Deadline Recap

Tyler Henninger
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As of Monday at 5 p.m. ET, the 2026 MLB Draft is officially complete. The signing deadline has passed, meaning we now know every team’s finalized draft class and exactly how much each player signed for. Entering the draft, it was clear there was a distinct top tier consisting of Roch Cholowsky, Grady Emerson, and Vahn Lackey. That separation became even more evident once contracts were signed. Cholowsky became the first player in draft history to sign for more than $10 million, agreeing to a record-setting $10,347,500 bonus with the White Sox. Emerson set a new high school signing bonus record at $9,747,500, the second-largest bonus ever awarded to a draft pick. Lackey rounded out the trio with a $9,497,500 bonus, the third-largest signing bonus in MLB Draft history. Those weren’t the only records set. Teams combined to spend $402,481,143 in signing bonuses, surpassing last...
Tournaments | Championship | 7/30/2026

Blue Wave Battle & Prevail at 14u Classic

Kinley Kitchens
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For Excel Blue Wave, the summer was never about being perfect. It was about getting better. After a season filled with challenges, growth, and plenty of learning along the way, Excel Blue Wave put everything together when it mattered most, defeating SBG Sox Prime, Al 9-3 to capture the 2026 14U Perfect Game Hoover Classic championship. For Excel Blue Wave Coach Forrest Heacock, watching the group celebrate with a championship trophy was especially meaningful because of everything it took to get there.  “It hasn’t been the easiest summer, and have battled a lot,” Coach Heacock said. “The kids have improved so much over the summer, and that is really what it’s all about at this age. It’s really just about improving at this age, and to see them be able to put it together, and just really compete together and play as a team, I couldn’t be...
Tournaments | Championship | 7/30/2026

Excel Leaves No Doubt at 15u Hoover Classic

Kinley Kitchens
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Excel Blue Wave National wasn’t leaving Hoover empty-handed.  At least, that was the message head coach Wes Henderson gave his team.  After a summer filled with strong performances but without a tournament title to show for them, Excel Blue Wave National entered the 2026 15U Perfect Game Hoover Classic with one more opportunity to finish the season the way they wanted.  This time, they left no doubt.  Excel Blue Wave National defeated East Coast Sox 2029 Victus, 12-0 in the championship game, combining a balanced offensive attack with a strong performance on the mound to secure their first tournament title of the summer.  “It’s been a special group,” Coach Henderson said. “They fought really hard, and they played really well this summer, and this is the first championship that we’ve been able to bring home. We typically...
Tournaments | Championship | 7/29/2026

"Excel"ling Through the Hoover Classic

Kinley Kitchens
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After a long summer of baseball, Excel Blue Wave National had one final opportunity to end it the way every team hopes to.  Together, having fun, and as champions. Excel Blue Wave National closed their summer with a 13-9 victory over Excel Blue Wave American – Morrison to capture the 2026 16U Perfect Game Hoover Classic championship. In a game that required contributions throughout the lineup and seven innings of competition, the Excel Blue Wave National relied on the same qualities and approach that had carried the group all summer. With talent, perseverance and a chemistry built far beyond the baseball field, they were unstoppable.  For head coach Brennan McCullough, there couldn’t have been a much better way for his players to finish their final weekend together .  “It’s great,” Coach McCullough said. “We’ve had a long...
Tournaments | Story | 7/29/2026

16u West WS Scout Notes: Days 3-4

Quinton Hall
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16u West World Series Scout Notes: Days 1-2 Jason Lizotte (‘28 | NV) Smooth LHH, hunts pitches down in the zone he can rip to the middle & PS w/ a downhill & direct path. Some strength in the hands w/ feel for the barrel #PGWS pic.twitter.com/kbK5Ayvhd7 — Perfect Game Four Corners (@PG_FourCorners) July 27, 2026 Jason Lizotte (2028 | Las Vegas, NV) The 5-foot-9, 145-pound left-handed hitter and outfielder was a spark plug all weekend for MTBA Dawgs 2028, finishing with seven hits, eight runs scored, one double, one triple, four RBI, three stolen bases, and four walks without a strikeout. Lizotte refused to give away an at-bat, consistently working hitter’s counts before spraying line drives all over the field. The left-handed swing stays short and direct with plenty of feel for the barrel, and once he reached base, he immediately put pressure on the defense with...
Tournaments | Championship | 7/29/2026

SBA Sox Save Best for Last

Kinley Kitchens
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Sometimes the best ending comes after a season of figuring things out. For SBG Sox American, the summer wasn’t always seamless. The team spent their early weeks learning where players fit best, building chemistry and searching for the combination that would allow them to play their best baseball. By the final weekend, they found it.  SBG Sox American closed their summer with a 7-5 victory over Dirtbags Midsouth 2027 Black to capture the 2026 17U Perfect Game Hoover Classic championship, putting together one final winning performance in the last tournament this group would share this summer.  For SBG Sox Coach Cooper Williams, that made taking home the championship trophy even more meaningful. “It’s been great, especially for it being their last summer event,” Coach Williams said. “It’s really cool for them to kind of pull this thing out for...
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