THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,606 MLB PLAYERS | 16,396 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,606 MLB PLAYERS | 16,396 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Sign in Create Account
Sign in Create Account
Summer Collegiate  | Story | 10/31/2012

Cal Ripken Lg. Prospect Reports

Allan Simpson
Photo: Cal Ripken League
Official League Website
Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League top 30 prospects (list)
Perfect Game Summer Collegiate top prospect coverage

Hunter Renfroe was selected the Cal Ripken League’s top prospect in 2011 on the strength of his ability to hit tape-measure home runs as a power-hitting catcher, while lighting up radar guns to the tune of 98-99 mph as a strong-armed relief pitcher.
Even with a move this summer to center field in his return to the Bethesda Big Train, the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Renfroe was so dominant that he only enhanced his standing as the league’s No. 1 prospect. He set a league record for home runs before the 2012 season was barely half over, and established numerous other offensive records. The Cal Ripken League, as a whole, was one of a number of summer leagues to witness a pronounced spike in home runs this summer, jumping from 287 to 469, but few if any of Renfroe’s blasts were artificially aided by a souped-up baseball in use this summer.
As dominant a season as the Mississippi State product had, though, it was not enough to lift the Big Train, the nation’s No. 1-ranked summer-league team in 2011, to a fourth-straight league title. The Big Train managed to win 19 of 20 games in one mid-season stretch when it was running on all cylinders and Renfroe was on fire, but it otherwise had little to show for the 2012 season from a team perspective.
Bethesda’s chances of winning another regular-season title was essentially doomed by a slow start when the team was missing several key players, including Renfroe, and its hopes for a post-season crown were all but dashed with the loss of several key arms late in the season. A blue-collar Rockville Express unexpectedly finished first during the season, while the Baltimore Redbirds were victorious in the playoffs, beating the Big Train 4-3 in the deciding game of the league’s championship series—even as Renfroe launched a two-run homer, his third in three playoff games.
Symbolic of their final-game showdown, Baltimore and Bethesda dominated the accompanying list of the league’s top 30 prospects, with 15 selections between them. The Redbirds outnumbered the Big Train, 8-7, but there was a significant gap between Renfroe, a likely first-rounder in the 2013 draft, and the rest of the field.
FAST FACTS
Year League Established: 2005.
 States Represented in League: Maryland, Virginia.
 No. of Teams in League: 10 (9 in 2011).
 Regular-Season Champion: Rockville Express (30-11).
 Post-Season Champion: Baltimore Redbirds.
 Teams, PG CrossChecker Summer 50/Final Ranking: No. 9 Baltimore Redbirds; No. 30 Rockville Express; No. 42 Bethesda Big Train.
 No. 1 Prospect, 2011 (per PG CrossChecker): Hunter Renfroe, c/rhp, Bethesda Big Train (Mississippi; played for Bethesda Big Train in 2012).
 First 2011 Player Selected, 2012 Draft: Martin Agosta, rhp, Bethesda Big Train (St. Mary’s, Calif./Giants, 2nd round).
Most Valuable Player: Hunter Renfroe, of, Bethesda Big Train.
 Most Outstanding Pitcher: Corey Taylor, rhp, Baltimore Redbirds.
 Top Prospect (as selected by league): Hunter Renfroe, of, Bethesda Big Train.
BATTING LEADERS (League games only)
Batting Average: Bret Williams, 1b, Vienna River Dogs (.433).
 Slugging Percentage: Hunter Renfroe, of, Bethesda Big Train (.866).
 On-Base Average: James Vasquez, 1b, Herndon Braves (.552).
 Home Runs: Hunter Renfroe, of, Bethesda Big Train (16).
 RBIs: Hunter Renfroe, of, Bethesda Big Train (53).
 Stolen Bases: Bill Root, of, Southern Maryland Nationals (27).
PITCHING LEADERS (League games only)
Wins: Corey Taylor, rhp, Baltimore Redbirds; Joe Vanderplas, lhp, Vienna River Dogs (6).
 ERA: Corey Taylor, rhp, Baltimore Redbirds (2.76).
 Saves: Joe Harvey, rhp, Baltimore Redbirds (6).
 Strikeouts: Connor Bach, lhp, Vienna River Dogs (56).
BEST TOOLS
Best Athlete: K.J. Hockaday, 3b/ss, Youse’s Maryland Orioles
 Best Hitter: Brendan Hendriks, 3b, Bethesda Big Train
 Best Power: Hunter Renfroe, of/c, Bethesda Big Train
 Fastest Base Runner: Brendan Butler, of, Youse’s Maryland Orioles
 Best Defensive Player: Patrick Blair, ss/2b, Baltimore Redbirds
 Best Velocity: Hunter Renfroe, of/rhp, Bethesda Big Train
 Best Breaking Ball: Corey Taylor, rhp, Baltimore Redbirds
 Best Command: Corey Taylor, rhp, Baltimore Redbirds
TOP 30 PROSPECTS
1. HUNTER RENFROE, of/c/rhp, Bethesda Big Train (Mississippi State/JR in 2013)
 SCOUTING PROFILE: Renfroe holds the distinction of being ranked the Cal Ripken League’s No. 1 prospect in consecutive years, even as he spent 2011 for Bethesda as mostly a catcher and relief pitcher, and 2012 as a center fielder. He is viewed as a legitimate big-league prospect at all three positions. His versatility and prolific power approach in multiple phases of his game speak to his athleticism and set him apart from any other prospect in the 2013 draft class. He has prodigious power at the plate, both for distance and frequency. Many of his league-record 16 homers this summer were tape-measure shots, and often came in clusters. He set the mark by homering four times in a two-day period, and went deep in all three playoff games to extend his total on the summer to 19 in just 39 games. On his way to also establishing a league record for RBIs in a season with 53 (10 more than the previous mark), he drove in four or more runs in a game five times. Overall, he hit .366 and posted a gaudy .866 slugging average, yet another league record. A year ago, as a seldom-used freshman out of Mississippi State, Renfroe hit .305-8-30 with a league-best .581 slugging average in the Ripken League. Those totals were achieved largely in his dual role as the Big Train’s primary catcher and part-time reliever, and his move this summer to center field, a less-demanding position defensively that he played flawlessly, enabled him to focus on the offensive side of his game after he hit just .252-4-25, with a team-high 16 doubles, as a sophomore at Mississippi State, where he was forced to adapt to the school’s hit-and-run style of offense. Allowed the freedom to just swing the bat unencumbered this summer, Renfroe went on an offensive explosion. Not only did he greatly expand on his spring numbers in his return engagement to the Big Train, but he made adjustments to tighten the holes in his set-up and approach in the process. He learned to stop pulling off everything and started hitting breaking balls with more authority to all fields, and also exhibited better plate discipline (26 BB/28 SO in summer, 21 BB/51 SO in spring), though his massive swing looked especially raw on those occasions when he would swing-and-miss at pitches. With 6.6 second speed in the 60 and a powerful throwing arm, Renfroe has the basic tools to play center field at the pro level, but may actually be a better fit in the long run as a right fielder for those big-league teams that may profile him as an outfielder. With arm strength that equates to an 80 on the standard 20-80 scouting scale, enabling him to coincidentally peak at 98-99 mph off a mound in short bursts, and record pop times as low as 1.7-1.75 seconds behind the plate, Renfroe’s upside may be greatest as a pitcher or catcher. But he didn’t pitch at all as a sophomore at Mississippi State and worked in just two brief appearances for the Big Train (2-1/3 IP, 5 SO), and also played sparingly behind the plate in the spring and summer. He’ll need to expand his playing time next spring at either or both positions to be considered a legitimate prospect at either, as he has had limited time over the last year to improve his receiving and blocking skills behind the plate, and develop a second pitch on the mound, though he has shown the makings of an impressive slider in limited looks in the past. It’s a given that Renfroe’s power, arm strength and speed are all superior tools. Ultimately his ability to develop his catching skills may determine whether he is groomed as a catcher or outfielder, and his ability to evolve into a more-complete hitter may determine whether he becomes a position player or pitcher. In a perfect world, his greatest upside and quickest path to the big leagues would be as a catcher.

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
Summer Collegiate | Story | 9/26/2023

Cape Cod: Best of the Rest
Vincent Cervino
Article Image
Cape Cod Top 100 Prospect List | Cape Cod Top 2025 Prospects * indicates draft eligible sophomore ^ indicates incoming transfer Name Pos. Team School Hometown State Andrew Sundean C Hyannis UCF Lakeland FL Bradke Lohry^ IF Hyannis Tennessee Trinity FL Cam Schuelke^ RHP Hyannis Mississippi State Dorr MI Carter Lovasz RHP Hyannis William & Mary Midlothian VA Colby Shelton*^ IF Falmouth Florida Lithia FL Colin Tuft^ OF Orleans Tulane Vienna VA Daniel Corona^ IF Cotuit Missouri Brooklyn NY Derek Clark^ LHP Orleans West Virginia Petersburg MI Duce Gourson IF Falmouth UCLA San Diego CA Eddie Micheletti OF Orleans George Washington Wilmington DE Enzo Apodada^ OF YD Baylor Scottsdale CA Evan Truitt RHP Orleans Charleston Southern Berlin MD Finnegan Wall RHP YD UC Irvine Hesperia CA Garrett Coe RHP Falmouth Uconn Lakeside CT Ian Petrutz OF Bourne Maryland Mantua NJ Jakob Christian^ 1B YD...
Read More
Press Release | Press Release | 8/18/2026

Perfect Game & Delano Partner Up

Article Image
  667 Progress Way | Sanford, FL 32771 | 319-298-2923 www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   PERFECT GAME NAMES DELANO BAT COMPANY OFFICIAL WOOD COMPOSITE BAT PARTNER, LAUNCHES LIMITED-EDITION BAT SERIES   Delano Bats will serve as the Official Game Bat of the 13U Select Festival, taking place this coming weekend in East Cobb, Georgia   Sanford, Florida (Tuesday, August 18, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced a new partnership with Delano Bat Company, LLC, naming the company an Official Wood Composite Bat Partner of Perfect Game. The partnership will feature three exclusive limited-edition bat releases, which began with the Original Glory American Flag Bat in celebration of the United States' 250th birthday, that...
Read More
Draft | Story | 8/17/2026

2026 MLB Draft Report Cards: NL Central

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
2026 MLB Draft Report Cards: AL West | NL West | AL Central With the 2026 MLB Draft officially in the books, it’s time to evaluate how each team performed. Every draft class was graded using the standard 20-80 scouting scale with risk factor assigned. While these grades won’t be proven right or wrong for years, they reflect the overall talent, value, and upside each organization added to its system. NL Central Chicago Cubs  Grade: 40 Risk: Medium Notable Selections: RHP Cade Townsend (1st rd) | OF Caden Sorrell (2nd rd) | 1B Myles Bailey (2C)   RHP Cade Townsend (@OleMissBSB) sat 95-96 T97 w/ riding FB from fast arm. Nasty cutter at 88-91 is the go-to, showed biting 2 pln SL. Low-80s top to bottom CB & CH ~ 1300 RPM to round out mix. Has had a great spring & risen up boards. Soph./'26 elig. @PG_Draft pic.twitter.com/TAFbM37f5j — PG College...
Read More
Draft | Story | 8/17/2026

2026 MLB Draft Report Cards: AL Central

Joey Cohen
Article Image
2026 MLB Draft Report Cards: AL West | NL West With the 2026 MLB Draft officially in the books, it’s time to evaluate how each team performed. Every draft class was graded using the standard 20-80 scouting scale with risk factor assigned. While these grades won’t be proven right or wrong for years, they reflect the overall talent, value, and upside each organization added to its system. AL Central Cleveland Guardians  Grade: 45 Risk: Moderate  Notable Selections: RHP Liam Peterson (1st rd) | Tre Broussard OF (3rd rd) | RHP Savion Sims (7th rd)  Liam Peterson (@GatorsBB) has been pure power stuff through the first 3.0 IP in his start vs Bama…imposing his will on hitters with a fastball that has grabbed 100 mph a few times, backed up by his power slider and curveball @PG_Draft pic.twitter.com/RVThNrdMTn — PG College Baseball (@PGCollegeBall) May 21,...
Read More
High School | General | 8/17/2026

Scott Wins MVP Two Ways

Jim Salisbury
Article Image
PHILADELPHIA – When the folks at Perfect Game reached out to invite him to pitch in the 2026 PG All-Star Game for rising sophomores and juniors, Cullen Scott had one request. “You mind if I get a couple of at-bats, too?” Along with his dad, Scott traveled from the family’s home in Texas to Citizens Bank Park. The trip proved to be a huge success as he starred on the mound and at the plate and was named the game’s Most Valuable Player. Scott, 16, pitched a scoreless first inning and struck out two. In the fourth inning, he belted a grand slam six rows up into the left-field seats to lead the National team’s 6-1 win over the American team. “He showed us why he’s here as a pitcher and a hitter,” said Greg Sabers, PG’s vice president of scouting and showcases. "He’s one of the top pitchers here, but he’s too good a...
Read More
All American Game | Story | 8/16/2026

Romero Slams His Way to Classic MVP

Jim Salisbury
Article Image
PHILADELPHIA – Sunday’s DICK’s Perfect Game All-American Classic was a pitching-dominated affair until the bottom of the eighth inning when the rain started to fall at Citizens Bank Park and Koa Romero stepped to the plate and did his best impression of Kyle Schwarber. Romero wears No. 12, just like Schwarber. He bats left-handed, just like Schwarber. He’s got big power, just like Schwarber. And at 5-10 and a rock-solid 225 pounds, he’s even built like Schwarber. Needless to say, Schwarber is Romero’s favorite player. So, it was all kind of storybook when Romero belted a grand slam to dead center to cap off the scoring in the West team’s 8-3 win over the East club in the 24th annual Classic. “This is a dream come true,” said Romero, who was named MVP of the game. “It’s amazing to be able to put a ball like that out of a...
Read More
All American Game | Story | 8/15/2026

A Philly Dream for Steingall

Jim Salisbury
Article Image
PHILADELPHIA – Carson Steingall had been to Citizens Bank Park many times over the years. After all, he hails from Nazareth, Pa., about 90 minutes up the road from the home of the Philadelphia Phillies and he counts himself as a big fan of the team. Zack Wheeler is his favorite. Steingall realized a dream when he pitched from the same mound that Wheeler does in Perfect Game’s fourth annual All-Star Game for rising sophomores and juniors on Friday. The dream got even better when Steingall, a 16-year-old right-hander, was named Most Valuable Pitcher after striking out the side in the third inning of the National team’s 6-1 victory over the American team. “It’s just an honor to be here,” Steingall said after receiving his trophy. “This event is the best of the best. It’s really cool to win something like this.” Steingall, who’ll...
Read More
Showcase | Story | 8/13/2026

PG Honors Pat Gillick With Philly Showcase

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Perfect Game to honor Pat Gillick in new Philadelphia Showcase  By Maya Heyman Perfect Game is bringing its elite showcase experience to Philadelphia’s FDR Park for the inaugural Philly Stars/Pat Gillick Showcase this weekend, honoring one of the greatest executives in MLB history in the city where he constructed his final of three World Series winners. The event will take place on Sunday, the same day as the DICK’S All-American Classic, taking place just across the street at Citizens Bank Park.  The showcase will allow Philadelphia-area players to gain exposure and will also honor Gillick, who has been a tremendous influence in both professional and amateur baseball.   Jered Goodwin, Vice President of Scouting Operations for Perfect Game, said the idea came naturally.  “Going to Philly made a lot of sense to honor Pat Gillick, who's been a...
Read More
General | General | 8/13/2026

PG All-Star Game Heads to Philly

Jheremy Brown
Article Image
For the fourth time since its inception in 2023, two rosters comprised of the best rising juniors (and a handful of rising sophomores) will step out onto the field Friday afternoon, kicking off the All-American weekend. While the Perfect Game All-American Classic is slated for a 1:35 first pitch at Citizens Bank Park on Sunday, 36 future hopefuls of the Classic will go up against one another in an American vs National clash at 11 AM Eastern, Friday morning.  With 36 players from across the country descending on Philadelphia, there will be plenty of familiar names in attendance as 24 of the 36 played in at least one PG Select Festival and all 36 attended either the he Sophomore National, Junior National, or the PG Underclass All-American Games this summer. Leading the charge are a pair of No. 1s in 2028 dynamic talent Dexter McCleon Jr and 2029 Macgraw VanWormer, a do-it-all...
Read More
Tournaments | Championship | 8/12/2026

Pokers Rally to Capture 16U BCS Title

Alyssa Golden
Article Image
Pokers Rally to Capture 16U BCS Title A hot afternoon at JetBlue Stadium in Fort Myers, Florida ended in a 9-1 victory for the Original Florida Pokers 2028 National, defeating SBA Bolts Florida 2028 National on Monday to capture the 16U BCS National Championship. A pitchers’ duel kept the game scoreless through four innings before the Pokers broke it open with a five-run fifth inning. The title marked the Pokers’ second 16U BCS Championship, adding to the championship they won in 2022. Despite a slow start to the summer, the Pokers found their stride at the right time. “We struggled a lot early in the summer, but the past few tournaments we really started turning it on,” Pokers head coach Will McCrimon said. “I’m just so proud of these kids.” Max Maynes started the game on the mound for the Pokers. The left-hander allowed three hits and two walks...
Read More
Draft | Story | 8/11/2026

Realistic Expectations of a 1:1 Pick

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
Over the 2026 draft cycle, UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky was the projected No. 1 pick throughout the entire cycle. White Sox fans began #RochWatch and were already talking about when he will make it to Chicago. Now that he has been selected, Cholowsky has immediately become a Top-10 prospect in all of baseball. There is no denying the hype, and the pressure, for Chowlosky to get to the big leagues and produce at a high level.  But how realistic is that? Let’s take a look back at past 1:1 selections and see what you can expect from a No. 1 overall selection.  For this exercise, we’ll look at No. 1 overall picks from the bonus pool era, excluding Eli Willits from 2025 since this is his first full year of pro ball. That gives us 13 players selected from 2012 through 2024.  Almost All Become Big Leaguers The first thing that stands out is how successful No. 1 picks...
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.