THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,384 MLB PLAYERS | 15,805 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,384 MLB PLAYERS | 15,805 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Sign in Create Account
Sign in Create Account
Tournaments  | Story | 1/18/2014

PG MLK Scouting Recap Day 1

Todd Gold
Photo: Perfect Game

This is part one of a three-part series highlighting some of the players who stood out from a scouting standpoint at the 2014 PG MLK Championship at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Ariz. It is by no means comprehensive, but rather the observations and observations of one scout.


With the inherent difficulty surrounding scouting the northwest area during the early spring due to weather, numerous scouts took advantage of the opportunity to get an early look at the deep roster of prospects on Team Northwest. As a result 2014 righthander Drew Rasmussen (Colbert, Wash.) was the biggest scouting draw of the day, as he got the start for Team Northwest.

The big-bodied Oregon State commit did not disappoint, coming through with three dominant innings highlighted by seven strikeouts. Rasmussen has a sound delivery with good rhythm and balance, and he pounded the strike zone, consistently showing the ability to locate his 88-91 mph fastball to both sides of the plate. His ability to locate his fastball made his secondary offerings unnecessary to dominate, but he did flash a pair of quality off-speed pitches. He showed a changeup with big fading action to the arm side at 81-82 while maintaining his arm speed, and doubled up on it to strike out a righthanded hitter. He also flashed a tight spinning slider in the low-80s as well, though he had little need for it.

2014 was expected to have a shallow crop of high school pitching in the northwest and Rasmussen has a chance to take advantage of the opportunity to become one of the top high school arms in the area if he can build off of his strong preseason performance.




There were several other players from Team Northwest who took advantage of the spotlight to impress scouts in January. 2014 outfielder Branson Trube (Merridian, Idaho) got a fastball over the plate in his second at-bat and jumped all over it. Trube crushed a line drive over the center fielder's head that left the bat at 94 mph and hustled out of the box, rounding first in 4.40 seconds and never slowed down. Trube utilized his speed to turn a well hit ball to the deepest part of the ballpark into an inside the park home run.

While Trube's inside the park home run was the offensive highlight of the day, his teammate 2014 outfielder Stuart Fairchild (Seattle, Wash.) lit up the radar gun with an even harder hit ball. Fairchild has added noticeable strength since our first look at him at the 2013 Area Code Games back in August, particularly in his forearms. With that strength he is able to whip the barrel through the hitting zone with authority while maintaining a direct hand path. In his third at-bat of the game Fairchild tore into a ball that left the bat at 98 mph. The ball caught a piece of the pitcher preventing it from reaching it's initial destination of center field, forcing Fairchild to leg out an infield single with his solid speed.

2014 third baseman and righthanded pitcher David Hensley (San Diego, Calif.) made some of the loudest outs of the day. He utilizes his 6-foot-5 frame well to create big leverage and lift and pull the baseball with authority. As he's still maturing physically, it is easy to project additional power as he adds muscle to his lean wiry frame. He went 1-for-3 with a sac fly RBI and hit a pair of towering fly balls that hung for over 5.5 seconds with one hanging just over six seconds. He's a surprisingly well coordinated defender at third base given his height, controlling his long levers very well while coming in on the baseball. The Perfect Game database does not have a college commitment listed for Hensley at this point, which is a bit surprising and represents an opportunity for programs that still have roster spots to fill for 2014 grads.

2015 infielder/outfielder John Cresto (Encinitas, Calif.) showed off his pull-side pop, turning on an inside fastball for a hard line drive down the left field line for a double late in the San Diego Show's opening victory. He is a young player who looks to have the potential to become a dangerous power hitter as he continues to get even stronger, and already has a strong angular build.

2015 shortstop and righthanded pitcher Zack Kesterson (New Hartford, N.Y.) was a player who stood out in his final at-bat of a game that started late in the 11:30 am time slot and got additional scouting attention after Team Northwest wrapped up their 12-0 victory. Kesterson got under a ball, towering a high fly ball to the middle infield, but it hung in the air for exactly six seconds, and he hustled out of the box and nearly got to second on the pop-up. Defensively he works through the baseball very cleanly and is a player we will keep an eye on as the tournament progresses.

2014 lefthander George Faue (Corcoran, Minn.) and 2014 righthanded pitcher and outfielder Josh Buamgart (Sioux Falls, S.D.) combined on a complete game shutout of one of the pre-tourney favorites, GBG Marucci Navy. Faue is a 6-foot-4 lefty with a funky delivery and big sink on a low-80s fastball and he frustrated a GBG lineup that is loaded with high ranked prospects for six shutout innings. Baumgart came in to finish the job and preserve the tie in a 0-0 game after showing solid bat speed as the Minnesota Blizzard's designated hitter for the first six innings. He then took the mound and spotted his 87-89 mph fastball to the bottom corners with good sink and backed it with a solid 78 mph changeup and sweeping 76 mph curveball from a long, loose arm action.

2015 infielder/outfielder Brendan Davis (Lakewood, Calif.) was the only player to collect multiple hits in the 0-0 pitcher's duel between GBG Marucci Navy and the Minnesota Blizzard Black. Davis went 2-for-3 with a hard hit ball to both the pull and opposite sides of the field. The ball he pulled to left registered at 90 mph off the bat, and he has significant room to fill in his thin lanky frame and already shows very good bat speed.



Camelback Buzz
Since it's impossible to watch every game with up to 15 fields in use at one time, it is impossible to cover every game. But there were several performances that created a buzz around the Camelback Ranch complex, the spring training home of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox.

2014 righthander Drew Weston (San Marcos, Calif.) impressed in a 2-0 win over ABD Texas. He topped out at 89 mph and was said to be throwing from a low-effort delivery and has a body that projects well. The Cal State Northridge commit allowed just one walk and four hits while striking out five over six innings.

Watson came out ahead, but 2014 righthander B.J. Myers (Flower Mound, Texas) pitched very well in the losing effort. He topped out at 89 with his fastball and continued to show advanced feel of all three of his pitches. Myers threw 50 of his 69 pitches for strikes (74.6 percent) in the follow up to a great performance to knock the loaded Cardinals Scout Team/FTB Chandler team out of the playoffs at the WWBA World Championship in Jupiter, Fla. back in October.

2018 righthanded pitcher and shortstop Mason Englert (Forney, Texas) made a big impression in his PG debut, topping out at 84 with a short arm action and an advanced curveball up to 72. He struck out five in two shutout innings. We look forward to following his progress over the next five years.

2017 first baseman and lefthanded pitcher Jace Chamberlain (Visalia, Calif.) was another very young player who stood out in his PG debut, touching 85 mph, striking out six in his two innings of work and crushing a triple to the fence in left center.

2015 right handed pitcher BJ Moen (Swift Current, Saskatchewan) impressed in his PG debut by striking out eight in his three shutout innings,  topping out at 89 mph. 

Give us your feedback
Tournaments | Story | 3/31/2026

14u East Spring Opener Scout Notes
Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Roman Keister (2030, Dade City, FL) Could not miss the barrel this weekend tallying 6 hits including 2 triples and 4 RBI. Starts the load early and controls his body well, the up the middle approach really plays in game. Also worked from off the mound for an inning and picked up a punch out.  Colton Russo (2030, Coral Springs, FL) Showed off the power burning outfielders all weekend. 5 hits including two triples that carried over the CF and RF heads. Has a good understanding about using the lower half in the swing and the bat to ball skills really impressed.  Karson Blakney (2030, St. Augustine, FL) Made his impact in a big way this week, collecting the win in the quarterfinals. In his outing he went 5 shutout innings and struck out 5 while only allowing 2 hits. Worked in the mid 70s with the FB and topped out at 78. Also produced on offense driving in 5 RBI on 4 hits. ...
Read More
High School | Rankings | 3/31/2026

High School Top 50: March 31

Tyler Russo
Article Image
Another pair of weeks has gone by this high school season and with that we have another High School Top-50 Update. Southern states are within a few weeks of the end of the season while some northern states are just getting started this week. Through the end of the spring, we will be bringing you updates to the Top-50 along with state rankings updates coming soon. For the first time in 2026, we have a new #1 in the country as Orange Lutheran (CA) takes over the top spot after winning the NHSI. Venice (FL) came in second place at the NHSI after a thrilling game against Orange Lutheran and comes in at #2. Previous #1 team in the country St. John Bosco (CA) rounds out the top-3 and will have a big showdown against Orange Lutheran starting tonight. Barbe (LA) boasts a 26-1 record and comes in at #4 while Corona (CA) continues to string together wins and holds down the #5 spot in this update....
Read More
College | Story | 3/31/2026

PG Collegiate Midseason Awards

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
Midseason Awards  Perfect Game Midseason Player of the Year:  Landon Hairston, OF, Arizona State  The season sophomore outfielder Landon Hairston is putting together is generational, even amongst the Hall of Fame talent Arizona State has fielded over the years.  Hairston, the 5-11/195 sophomore outfielder from Queen City, AZ has his club on track for another postseason appearance and they will make plenty of noise in the Big 12 regular season.  To put things in perspective on Hairston’s season, he is currently 5th in the nation in batting average, 3rd in hits, 8th in hits per game, tied for 2nd in home runs, tied for 5th in runs scored and is 4th in runs batted in so far.  He holds a batting average of .469 while slugging 1.027 and reaching base over half the time with an OBP of .551.  Hairston walks more than he strikes out and has 12 doubles, 17...
Read More
College | Story | 3/31/2026

College Players of the Week: March 31

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
March 31st Perfect Game/Co-Players of the Week:  Landon Hairston, OF, Arizona State  The Arizona State Sun Devils (20-8) went (3-2) last week and now sit at No. 18 in our latest Top 25 poll.  They are proving that they are legitimate Big 12 contenders and Landon Hairston is making a strong case for National Player of the Year at the halfway point in the season.  The 5-11/195 sophomore outfielder from Queen City, AZ is putting up such loud numbers that they are almost hard to fathom.  In five games last week, the lefthanded hitter collected 12-hits in 19 Abs, scoring 13 runs on 6 walks, a double, 5 home runs and he drove in 11 runs on his own.  For the season, he has put together a slash line of .468/.991/.553 with 12 doubles, 15 round trippers, 45 RBIs, a 12:18 strikeout-to-walk ratio and he has swiped 8 bags so far.  It has been a special year for the...
Read More
College | Rankings | 3/30/2026

College Top 25: March 30

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
Well college baseball fans, we are officially at the half-way point of the 2026 season and what an incredible ride it has already been.  While there is some separation at the top as we start to look at programs that could be potential NCAA tournament hosts, things continue to change as clubs revitalize their seasons by winning massive series in league play.  The Top 25 seems to be getting more volatile as we reach the midway point, and the second half is setting up to be something special.  The one thing that will remain the same as it has for a month now, is that the UCLA (25-2) will still be the No. 1 team in the nation.  The Bruins are winners of 19-consecutive games and have started off Big Ten league play by sweeping 4-straight series.  The Texas Longhorns (23-4) hold tight at No. 2 this week after sweeping previous No. 11 Oklahoma (19-8) and sit atop the...
Read More
High School | General | 3/27/2026

High School Notebook: March 27

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
Hudson December (2027, Woodland Hills, Calif.) showed flashes of his upside despite a somewhat uneven three-inning outing. The 6-foot-2, 170-pound right-hander struck out three while working through a couple of tough jams, though his command was inconsistent at times. He ran his fastball up to 87 mph on a pair of occasions and generally sat in the 83–85 range. He mixed in an upper-70s slider with varying shape and execution where it was most effective when thrown with proper intent, showing shorter, tighter depth. He also flashed a changeup against a few left-handed hitters. Mechanically, there’s a blend of positives and areas for development. He incorporates his lower half fairly well and moves down the mound with some pace and intent. The arm is quick, though it can be late getting up at times, and his taller finish limits full torso extension through release. With...
Read More
Draft | Mock Draft | 3/27/2026

2026 MLB Mock Draft: V 2.0

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
The spring season is well underway and the board is starting to take shape. Last week, the draft team put together the Top-300 and this week we take a stab at our first mid-season mock draft. While there still is plenty of time for things to shake out differently, here is how we see things shaping up at this point in the draft cycle.  Pick Team Selection Position School 1 Chicago White Sox Roch Cholowsky SS UCLA 2 Tampa Bay Rays Justin Lebron SS Alabama 3 Minnesota Twins Grady Emerson SS Fort Worth Christian 4 San Francisco Giants Jackson Flora RHP UC Santa Barbara 5 Pittsburgh Pirates Vahn Lackey C Georgia Tech 6 Kansas City Royals Drew Burress OF Georgia Tech 7 Baltimore Orioles Ace Reese 3B Mississippi State 8 Athletics Jacob Lombard SS Gulliver Schools 9 Atlanta Braves Eric Booth Jr. OF Oak Grove 10 Colorado Rockies AJ Gracia OF Virginia 11 Washington Nationals Gio Rojas LHP...
Read More
Juco | Rankings | 3/25/2026

JUCO Top 25: March 25

Blaine Peterson
Article Image
Another strong week of Juco baseball for teams in our Top 25, and as you may see, our field is the same from a week prior with each and every team handling business in their weekend sets to hold fast to their spots on the board. Some notable movement though inside the Top 5 with Gaston jumping up to number 2 after a 33-2 start to the 2026 season as well Cloud County cracking the Top 15 for the first time all year. Looking forward to watching conference play around the country as we approach the final stretch of the regular season. Rk. School Record 1 Johnson County (KS) 30-2 2 Gaston (NC) 33-2 3 Florida Southwestern (FL) 26-7 4 Walters State (TN) 26-6 5 Chipola (FL) 29-5 6 Florence-Darlington (SC) 29-6 7 Blinn (TX) 22-8 8 McLennan (TX) 20-7 9 Cochise (AZ) 28-6 10 Pearl River (MS) 25-7 11 Georgia Highlands (GA) 30-8 12 Southern Nevada (NV) 24-6 13 Northwest Florida (FL) 21-12 14 Cloud...
Read More
College | Rankings | 3/25/2026

DII/DIII/NAIA Rankings Update: March 25

Nick Herfordt
Article Image
Every preseason, analysts and voters pour enormous effort into ranking the small college baseball landscape — poring over returning rosters, transfer additions, coaching changes, and historical trends to assemble the most accurate picture they can of who will be contending when the postseason arrives. And most years, they get it largely right. But the nature of college baseball, with its massive rosters, unpredictable development arcs, and ever-churning transfer portal, guarantees that a handful of genuinely elite programs will slip through the cracks every spring. A team loses too many seniors. A key transfer hasn’t yet suited up. A new coaching staff hasn’t had the chance to prove itself. The voters see the question marks and leave the blank space, and then the season begins and the blank space starts filling itself in — loudly. As the 2026 season heads into its...
Read More
College | Story | 3/24/2026

College Players of the Week: March 24

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
March 24th Perfect Game/Player of the Week: Quinton Coats, IF, Cincinnati The Cincinnati Bearcats (19-7) are on the cusp of the Top 25 and are playing their best ball of the season. The offense has been the driving force behind their success, and it has been incredibly consistent having averaged 8.5-runs per game. In the middle of it all, Quinton Coats, is on pace for a historic season both within the program and on a national level. The 6-3/225 infielder from Olathe, KS has been launching home runs at a record pace and opponents seem to be powerless to stop his onslaught. With incredible strength in his hands, Coats creates easy loft and in 5 road games last week he collected 9 hits in 20 at-bats, with 4 home runs, 9 runs scored, and he drove in a total of 9 runs as well. As for his pursuit of history, the modern day BBCOR bat standard single season home run record is 34, set back in...
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.