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| 2,586 MLB PLAYERS | 16,394 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,586 MLB PLAYERS | 16,394 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
PG Series  | PG Series Classic | 7/29/2019

Freshman PG Series Quick Hits

Photo: Riley Stanford (Perfect Game)

Gilbert Saunders III (2022, Gilbertsville, Pa.) started on the mound for Northeast and showed some overpowering stuff. Saunders had a short outing, only throwing one inning, but he struck out the side. His fastball was up to 87 mph and had some arm-side run. When he was ahead of the count he liked to go to his 11-to-5 breaking curveball at 73 mph. His curveball was his strikeout pitch and hitters were swinging and missing at it during his outing. Saunders has a big frame at 6-foot-3, 220-pounds and has good strength in his lower half. Saunders was able to throw a lot of strikes and keep hitters off balance going with his off-speed for his strikeouts.



Starting on the mound for Central on Monday was righthander Gabriel Rodriguez (2022, Thornton, Colo.). Rodriguez threw a lot of strikes as he pitched to contact and let his defense work behind him. His fastball was 83-84 mph and pounded the zone with it. He also has a curveball at 75 mph and elicited a lot of weak contact when he threw it. He was able to throw both of his pitches to both sides of the plate, which kept hitters off balance. He controlled the pace of the game as he threw 3 1/3 innings while not giving up a run and striking out two.



Coming out of the ‘pen and reliving Rodriguez was Nicolas Yard (2022, Erie, Colo.). He threw strikes right out of the gate and went right at hitters. His fastball was overpowering at 88 mph as he threw it all over the zone. Yard has a very fluid arm action and makes 88 look easy. Yard is 6-feet, 170-pounds and has plenty of room to fill into his body. Yard threw two innings allowing only one hit and striking out four. Also at the plate he went 2-for-3 with a triple and a run scored.

Lefthanded pitcher Shane Thorson (2022, Zebulon, N.C.) started on the mound for Coastal on Monday. Thorson was dominant as he had his fastball up to 84 mph which had good natural lefty movement to it. He also has a tight-breaking curveball that made hitters look silly. He pounded the zone throwing a lot of strikes and going right at hitters. Thorson is 5-foot-11, 170-pounds and has plenty of room to continue to grow and get stronger. Thorson threw 1 1/3 innings not allowing a hit and striking out three.



The biggest standout on Monday was righthander for Southeast, Riley Stanford (2022, Gainesville, Ga.). Stanford did it both offensively and on the mound on Monday, but heads really turned once he stepped on the mound. He had his fastball up to 95 mph and was sitting 91-93. His fastball was very heavy as every pitch resulted in weak contact when it was put in play. His fastball was absolutely overpowering as hitters looked scared when they stepped in the box. His slider has sharp break when he keeps it down in the zone at 77 mph. His changeup was also very effective at 84 mph as it had very good movement to it. At 6-foot-4, Stanford is very long and lengthy and shows very good athleticism on the field. He threw two innings and struck out six while not allowing an earned run. Also at the plate he went 2-for-5 with a double and some loud outs.

First baseman for South on Monday was Jalen Seward (2022, Albuquerque, N.M.). He looked very good at the plate finding consistent barrels in every at-bat. He has very quick hands through the zone and has good extension through the baseball which allows him to elevate balls into the gaps. Seward has an open stance with calm hands as he looks for pitches early in counts to hit hard. Seward handled velocity very well and let his hands work through the zone. Seward, at 6-foot-4, 210-pounds, showed good athleticism at both first base and third base. Seward went 3-for-4 on the day with two towering doubles, two RBI and one run scored.



Starting on the mound for Northeast was righthander Matthew Grabmann (2022, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada). Grabmann ran his fastball up to 90 mph and it had some great life to it. His fastball had good run to it as he would throw it in to hitters jamming them and then throw it away also getting called strikes as it would run back over the plate to righties. He also has a tight 12-to-6 curveball that elicited a lot of swing and misses. Grabmann worked very fast and he controlled the pace of the game. He has a high leg kick and loads well onto his back hip and explodes down the mound. Grabmann threw four innings allowing only two hits and striking out seven.



On the bump for Deep South was starting pitcher Yoel Tejeda Jr (2022, Davie Fla.). Tejada threw 2 1/3 innings not allowing and earned run and striking out three. Tejeda has a long and lengthy frame at 6-foot-6, 195-pounds and he also shows good athleticism. His fastball, which had very good arm-side run, was up to 87 mph while he was sitting 83-84. Tejeda, who is committed to the University of Florida, works quick and also works on both sides of the plate keeping hitters off balance. He also showed a curveball at 71 mph and a changeup that he liked to throw in any count at 77 mph. Tejeda will be a player to keep your eyes on over the next couple of years.

– Parker Fronk




PG Series | PG Series Classic | 8/2/2019

Deep South captures Series

Autumn Jones
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FORT MYERS, Fla. – A gloomy Friday afternoon in Fort Myers unified more than merely individuals contesting collectively, but two talented Freshmen teams that displayed a great deal of sportsmanship. Deep South slid past Puerto Rico in the title game of the Freshman PG Series Classic, 5-1. Considering their rough start in pool play, going 0-3, Deep South came out relentless in the playoffs defeating opponents in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds and closed the feat with a championship victory against Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico was up first on the board in the bottom of the first scoring their single run in the game that came from Jose Torres Rivera (2022, Puerto Rico).  Deep South doubled that shortly after in the top of the second with runs scored by Yoel Tejeda Jr (2022, Davie, Fla.) and Xavier Vergne (2022, Miramar, Fla.). Tejeda Jr and Vergne each went 2-for-3 in the game...
College | Story | 8/5/2026

Coppy's Corner: August 5 Summer Edition

John Coppolella
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The amateur players in the Cape Cod Baseball League are the future stars of the 2027 MLB Draft. The league runs from June 13th through August 2nd. Games are played at historic stadiums in Old New England towns. It’s beautiful and charming. Hollywood even made a movie about the Cape Cod League ~25 years ago called Summer Catch. It scored an 8% (!) on Rotten Tomatoes, but, on the plus side, it featured 2001 Jessica Biel in a starring role.  It was so much fun writing Coppy’s Column this spring. My hope is to highlight a pitcher and position player each week from the Cape. And, who knows, maybe somewhere out there Jessica Biel is reading it.  Player of the Week: Armani Guzman – Chatham Anglers  Guzman went 8-for-20 this week with 9 Stolen Bases. If that seems like a lot for one week, it is. Guzman has 18 Stolen Bases in the Cape, so half that total came this...
Tournaments | Story | 8/5/2026

17u South World Series Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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Alex Hernandez (‘27 TX) sends a rocket to the gap for a double. Now 6-7 on the week with 4 XBH’s. Certainly looks the part out at short; has made it look easy. #SouthWS @PG_Uncommitted https://t.co/xPXL42Y3WU pic.twitter.com/xKmJS9u01l — Perfect Game Texas (@Texas_PG) July 31, 2026 Alex Hernandez (2027, Cypress, Texas) closed out the Summer with a bang and looked like one of the best players out there on the week. Hernandez put on a clinic on both sides of the ball throughout the week. A mainstay out at short, Hernandez made every play look easy moving to his left and right. Lateral range was on full display paired with footwork, arm strength, and a clean slot. He can really do it all on the dirt and made a statement this week making a plethora of ridiculous plays. There is no doubt that Hernandez can play short at the next level and should be getting a ton of interest....
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 | 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...
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

2023 Draft: Late Round Georgia Look Back

Michael Albee
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I have a soft spot for the under the radar high school preps that go in the 11th-20th rounds and sign. It’s not only a nice story, but it’s a show of faith from an organization in their area scout who put the time in, scouted the player and got a feel for the makeup on a guy that wasn’t a consensus “dude”. 2023 was my first year going out to high school games for Perfect Game in Georgia, so I wanted to go back and highlight the late round guys from the ‘23 class that were popped and signed to pursue their dreams of becoming a professional baseball player right away. Here’s a review of those four players from what they were in high school, and where they are at currently in their careers.  Andrew Dunford (‘23 GA) throwing some gas, up to 95 & sitting 92-93 with heavy life (clip), shown comfort going to big sweeping SL; big...
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...
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