THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,461 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,461 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Tournaments  | Story | 1/20/2014

PG MLK Scouting Recap Day 3

Photo: Perfect Game

This is part three 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 opinions of one scout.



With one day of games remaining, the scouting highlight of the 2014 PG MLK Championship belongs to 2015 catcher Michael Hickman (Katy, Texas), who made the biggest splash of the weekend by crushing a no doubt home run that landed in the pond well beyond the right field fence on field six of the White Sox spring training complex. Hickman is one of the premier power bat in the 2015 class and this jaw dropping shot reaffirms that status. He also had a single and a triple in a 3-for-3 game with four RBI.

After working out with several other highly sought after 2014 MLB Draft prospects at a nearby Spring Training complex this morning, outfielders Marcus Wilson and Denz'l Chapman rushed over to the Camelback Ranch complex to join their Team Citius Inner City Elite teammates in the second inning. The duo of speedy outfielders who are also high school teammates, each put their wheels to use. After walking his first time up Wilson legged out an infield single by getting down the line in 4.25 seconds before taking second on a ball in the dirt and stealing third with a huge jump. The impressive home to first time was a bit slower than his usual times, partly as a result of having just worked out earlier in the morning and partly as a result of a late start getting out of the box on a check swing. Chapman's highlight of the game was a well struck foul ball to the pullside while hitting lefty, and he also ran down a ball in the left center gap.

Wilson is a high ceiling prospect who enters the spring as a top two round candidate and will be crosschecked heavily between now and June, while Chapman will draw plenty of interest as well.

After taking the mound earlier in the tournament, 2014 righthander Dakody Clemmer (Vancouver, Wash.) was called upon to keep a close game close for Showtime Baseball. The funky right hander's funkiness was matched by his effectiveness. He throws from a sidearm slot with a short arm action with an angle to the plate from the third base side. He located his mid-upper 80s fastball on both corners, finishing off the inning with a tailing 88 mph fastball on the glove side corner for a called third strike. The fastball tails back hard to the arm side as a result of his cross-fire delivery that has some resemblance to that of big leaguer Pat Neshek. He also showed a deep sweeping mid 70s slider that played well off of his fastball. Clemmer struck out two of the three hitters he faced and threw 10 of his 13 pitches for strikes.

2014 outfielder Alec Chaney (Vancouver, Wash.) stood out in his first at-bat for turning on the ball and driving it hard to the pullside for a hard hit out. While the balls he put into play were all to the pullside, the foul ball that he crushed the opposite way was the hardest hit ball of the game and was a positive development, even if it doesn't show up in his spray chart. He also showed good closing speed and direct routes in center field. While he lacks the ideal height for an outfield prospect at 6-foot and 180 pounds, he showed good tools on both sides and is a player who made a good first impression, in spite of an 0-for-4 day.

The instincts and actions of 2014 shortstop Tyler Friis (Auburn, Wash.) were sneaky good. His best play of the game came on a ground ball that he fielded behind the second base bag and then immediately glove flipped the ball to the second baseman in one motion for an inning ending force out. He made several other smooth plays that you wouldn't expect from a 5-foot-9 shortstop with no flashiness to his game. He also showed a very compact swing with good balance and timing, hitting the ball back up the middle consistently.

He's been highlighted in this space already this weekend, but his performance demands repeat mention, so here is an update on 2015 infielder John Cresto (San Diego, Calif.): He went 2-for-2 with a walk today, including a laser shot that left the bat at 100 mph, to move him to 5-for-7 on the tournament. He'll enter the playoffs among a group of MVP candidates.

2015 outfielder Chris Botsoe (Hinsdale, Ill.) went 2-for-4 out of the leadoff spot for the Indiana Landsharks, showed quick hand acceleration with an easy swing, and hit one ball that came off the bat at 91 mph. He also runs well and is a good all around athlete with solid range in center field.

2014 shortstop Ryan Day (Rancho Cuccamunga, Calif.) had a two hit game at the plate and is a very well rounded prospect with solid tools across the board already. His hands at shortstop and release time are the highlight of his game, though his arm strength doesn't lag far behind and he can even touch 90 mph when he takes the mound as a secondary pitcher. While he's a bit immature physically, he shows surprising bat speed for a player whose stature at 6-foot and 165 pounds would suggest that he's a light hitting middle infielder, but he makes up for his lack of present strength with bat speed. If he makes it on campus at Duke, where he is committed, the Blue Devils will have themselves a very good asset who has a chance to develop into a very good prospect.



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.
 
 

2016 outfielder Blake Rutherford (Simi Valley, Calif.) continued to show off his power development again today, hitting a grand slam that was described as a "moon shot."

2014 shortstop and righthanded pitcher Travis Sanders (Lake Oswego, Oregon) ran his fastball up to 88 mph and paired it with a mid 70s breaking ball with good spin. He struck out seven over four innings of work.

2016 righthanded pitcher Trevor Franklin (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) struck out 17 in a complete game four hit shutout of the Arizona Pilots, throwing 62.2 percent of his pitches for strikes.

2015 shortstop and righthanded pitcher Zack Kesterson (New Hartford, N.Y.)  impressed yet again and after playing three games his name has been mentioned prominently by the scout covering that field following each game. He tripled to the left field corner in the game on a very well struck ball.

2015 lefthanded pitcher Tyler Watson (Gilbert, Ariz.) topped out at 85 mph on the mound and went 2-for-2 with a long home run and a walk at the plate.

Tournaments | Championship | 6/3/2026

EBC 17U-Griggs Takes Title

Kinley Kitchens
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After a week of dominant performances, timely hitting, and resilient play, EBC 17U-Griggs capped off its run through the 2026 Perfect Game Hoover Invitational with a championship victory Monday, securing the program’s first tournament title of the summer. Despite a lengthy rain delay, EBC never lost focus, relying on contributions throughout the lineup and another strong pitching performance to secure the win. “This being our first [win] of the summer, we have an amazing group right here,” head coach Rodd Griggs said. “Some of the guys I’ve had for years, some of the guys just joined us this summer, but it’s an amazing group.” EBC’s championship performance reflected the depth that carried the club throughout the tournament. Paxton Wright set the tone of the mound, working four innings while allowing just two hits striking out two hitters....
Tournaments | Story | 6/3/2026

AZ Summer Kickoff Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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JJ Utash (‘27, AZ) tripled to both gaps, collecting 3 RBI along the way. Big time strength. Balls jumps off the barrel to all fields. Good runner/athlete too. #HookEm commit #AZKickoff pic.twitter.com/h1SbsSxpMy — Perfect Game Four Corners (@PG_FourCorners) May 30, 2026 JJ Utash (2027, Gilbert, Ariz.) is the top-ranked player in the state and showed off why over the weekend. The Texas commit collected five hits, including a pair of doubles and a pair of triples. The mix of power and speed is impressive. The ball jumps off the barrel with ease to all fields. Utash consistently lifts balls with authority, resulting in loud in-game power. The speed on the bases stands out as well. Utash looks to be aggressive and can take extra bags when they present themselves. The tools are some of the loudest in the class and will draw considerable draft interest next July.  Soren...
Tournaments | Story | 6/2/2026

Southeast Elite Scout Notes: Days 3-5

Perfect Game Staff
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Southeast Elite Scout Notes: Days 1-2 Auburn commit Brennan Neal (2027, Columbus, Ga.) had a good showing on Sunday on the mound, putting the clean, athletic delivery on display in an inning of work. Neal worked in the 90-93 range with the fastball with plenty of life, and showed some run to it when working to the arm side. Neal also worked in a tight slider in the upper 70s, but also showed confidence in a fading changeup in the mid 80s. Neal also has room to add strength to his lanky frame, which could be big for him to continue to add velocity. South Florida commit Taylor Casson (2026, Atlanta, Ga.) had an impressive showing on the hill with the stuff and results, going 5 innings of no-hit baseball with 10 strikeouts. The fastball worked in the 89-92 range with downhill angle and tail, and was in the zone often. He worked a 3-pitch mix, showing some impressive swing and miss stuff...
Tournaments | Story | 6/2/2026

WWBA South Invite Notes: Days 3-5

Perfect Game Staff
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WWBA Scout Scout Notes: Days 1-2 Raylen Hunter (‘30 TX) stays living on the barrel; this one burning the CFer for a double. Just an electric ballplayer. #WWBASouth https://t.co/1LThRBqN80 pic.twitter.com/z5RF5dy47o — Perfect Game Texas (@Texas_PG) May 30, 2026 Raylen Hunter (2030, Cypress, Texas) took home MVP honors for the tournament and helped lead his team to a big championship win. Was a big standout on a loaded Banditos team that steamrolled their way to the championship. He ended the week going 10-16 with a pair of doubles while scoring ten runs atop the lineup. Hunter is a true spark plug who makes consistently hard contact line to line. The swing is short and works to all fields with plenty of twitch and bat speed. Bat to ball plays at an extremely high level as he rarely gets cheated never taking an at-bat off. Once on base, Hunter causes havoc on the base-paths, a...
High School | Rankings | 6/2/2026

High School Top 50 Update: June 2

Tyler Russo
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With another few weeks in the book of the high school season, we’ve already had state champions crowned with playoffs happening in some northern states. There have been some upsets so there has been a good amount of movement in the National High School Top-50. We have a new number-one this update with Tomball (TX) taking over the top spot and will be playing for a state championship this week. They sport a 42-1 record heading into the title game and have been one of the best teams from start to finish this year. St. John Bosco (CA) has now gone back-to-back with Trinity League and CIF Southern Section titles and take over the No. 2 spot. No. 3 Aledo (TX) continues to win, No. 4 Trinity (KY) has been dominant in Kentucky play and No. 5 Norco (CA) lost the Southern Section title game and had a great year. Magnolia Heights (MS) moves up a few spots to No. 8 after winning their 8th...
Tournaments | Championship | 6/2/2026

EC Astros Win Back-And-Forth Thriller

Will Dembo
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In a highly anticipated matchup between two of the nation’s top 17u teams, the East Cobb Astros defeated eXposure National 9-8 in a thrilling extra-inning battle to claim the PG Southeast Elite Championship. The Astros completed the weekend undefeated, opening their summer season with a hard-fought, statement victory. “I mean, it's fun, it's been a grind today,” said Astros Head Coach, Josh Burress. “Been out here a long day, but our guys are competitors, they come out compete, they want to compete and win, so it's just fun to watch them come out here and not quitting playing to the end... so the guys did very well today, and they competed all the way through.” eXposure began the opening frame by taking the early lead on an error but quickly gave their lead away as the Astros came out of the gates hot, plating six runs in just the first inning. Mason Peek,...
Tournaments | Story | 6/2/2026

Central Florida Invite Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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Leanderson Argueta (2027, Panamá) absolutely outmatched every arm he faced this weekend ending up with seven hits, five of which were doubles and also hit a three run home run in game three. In the fifth inning against Freshwater Storm National Argueta got his pitch and deposited it over the wall for a go ahead three run home run. Showed real comfort in the box and was able to repeat the stroke well. Fires his hips with intent and the direct bat path plays to all parts of the park.  Jayden Pagan (2028, St. Cloud, Fla.) would not be denied this weekend slashing .500/.684/1.434. The championship game was no different for Pagan getting a first pitch heater and scorched it into left for an rbi triple. He would later add a double in the seventh inning that carried over the center fielders head. The bat to ball skills paired with his up the middle approach translate. The 2028...
Tournaments | Championship | 6/2/2026

Biscuits Elite Go Perfect at Kick-Off

Emily Hicks
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After several days of competitive baseball, the Summer Kick-Off came down to one final matchup between Biscuts Elite and BTA 18U. In the end, Biscuits Elite came away with the championship, earning a 26-13 victory at Goodyear Ballpark. “We're a hardworking group; we never give up," said JJ Utash. Biscuits Elite set the tone early, scoring 7 runs in the 1st inning and never looked back. “We just worked together as a team the whole time; we scored runs, and running the ball offensively was good,” said Utash. Nikolas Ramirez led the offense, finishing 3-4 with 2 doubles, 1 triple, and 2 runs scored. Kyle Wisniewski added a 3-4 day at the plate which included a triple, and a run scored to help fuel the attack. Wisniewski hit .444 through 4 games. On the mound, Sean McDaniels got the start, throwing 2.2 innings while allowing 1 hit and striking out 3 batters. The pitching...
Tournaments | Championship | 6/1/2026

Turn 2 Comes Back to Take BCS

Alyssa Golden
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A mostly clear day at Lee Health Sports Complex in Fort Myers, Florida set the stage for a tightly contested championship matchup between Florida Burn 2028 Myrback and Turn 2 Garcia. Behind two triples from Quinn Seglem, Turn 2 rallied for a 5-4 victory to claim the BCS Qualifier title. Left-hander Carter Brunco started on the mound for Turn 2, allowing six hits and four walks while striking out two over 3.2 innings. Burn jumped out to an early lead in the first inning. Luke Straw singled and later advanced to third on a wild pitch before Joe O’Brien delivered an RBI single to score the game’s first run. Blake Dubiel followed with another RBI single to give Burn a 2-0 advantage. Right-hander Straw carried the momentum onto the mound for Burn, holding Turn 2 hitless through the first two innings while recording a strikeout in each. In the top of the second, Spencer Meachum...
College | Story | 5/29/2026

Cali Mid-Major Draft Notes

Joey Cohen
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California annually produces its share of high-profile prep and college draft talent, but this spring also offered quality depth especially on the mid-major side. I wanted to highlight a group of semi under-the-radar prospects who have quietly put together strong seasons and caught the attention of our staff whether it was with in-person looks or just by some performance/data metrics that popped. The bulk of this group comes out of the Big West, with additional names from the WCC, WAC, and Mountain West mixed in. Matthew Thomas - OF - CSUN  Few hitters in the Big West have matched Thomas’ offensive impact this spring, as he slashed a strong .335/.411/.679 with 15 home runs. Long and still mostly viewed as a power-first profile, he’s taken a meaningful step forward in the hit tool, cutting down a bit on significant swing-and-miss concerns while increasing his on-base...
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