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2,416 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Tournaments  | Story | 12/31/2021

Regional Review: Midwest

Photo: Tommy Specht (Perfect Game)
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Biggest 13U Breakout Player
 
One of the most impressive summer circuits amongst any class was Beau Peterson of Shawnee, Kan.  In 133 plate appearances, he posted a 1.295 OPS with 18 extra-base hits. He’s the top-ranked player in the state for 2026 and has committed to Nebraska. His smooth left-handed stroke has natural loft to it to go along with quality bat speed through the zone. He has shown solid defensive chops behind the dish and has shown he has the versatility to play some corner infield too. There’s a lot to like with Peterson but there’s not doubt that the bat is the carrying tool and it will be fun to continue to watch him develop.





Biggest 14U Breakout Player
 
Sebastian Norman of Springfield, Mo. made a name for himself and represented the Midwest well at the WWBA Freshman World Championship. He was named to the All-Tournament Team and showcased his talents on both sides of the baseball. He threw 7 1/3 innings while striking out nine and not allowing an earned run. With the bat, he posted a 1.763 OPS in 18 plate appearances in the event. Norman really raised eyebrows with his performance at the Central Prospect Showcase where he ran a 6.60 60-yard dash and showed explosive bat speed on the offensive side of the ball and touched 87 mph with his fastball and a sharp breaking ball from a deceptive arm slot. Norman is a true two-way prospect that took a huge leap forward this year and is going to be a top prospect in the 2025 class.

Best College Moments

It wasn’t so much a single moment as it was an entire body of work, but Head Coach Travis Lallemand and Crowder College put together one of the best seasons in an already-rich program history. They ended the 2021 season with a 55-8 overall record and one game short of the championship game in Grand Junction. The squad was headlined by NJCAA First-Team All-Americans Logan Chambers and Landrey Wilkerson. Chambers led the D-I JUCO ranks in hits (107) and doubles (36) while Wilkerson ended the year with 20 home runs and drew over 50 walks.



Individual moment wise, Oklahoma State’s two-way prospect Justin Campbell tossed a no-hitter, while striking out 11 opposing batters along the way. Campbell sat 88-92 and showed advanced command of the heater in the outing. He also featured a deep, 12-6 curveball and an upper-70s changeup. Campbell has a very projectable frame and already flashes game action power from the left side of the plate. He’ll be draft eligible in 2022 and is an intriguing prospect to keep an eye on.



Biggest Breakout/Ranking Riser

Zack Stewart from Lebanon, Mo. went to PG National this year and really left an impression on everyone with his power display at the plate. He creates plenty of loft in his path and generates a lot of leverage. He makes sure to always get his money's worth with his aggressive intent in his stroke. Really showed a feel for being able to barrel balls up and elevate them consistently. He’s a corner infielder on the defensive side of the ball where he showed some softness to the hands.
  


Biggest Draft Moment

Perfect Game All-American Jackson Jobe was the first high school pitcher selected in the 2021 draft when he was selected by the Detroit Tigers with the seventh overall pick. Jobe’s fastball sits in the mid-90s and has more in the tank when he needs it. Unfortunately for opposing batters, the fastball isn’t his best pitch. He has a 3,000+ RPM slider that has extremely late break and he shows advanced feel for the offering. He’ll also show a 11-5 shaped spike curveball that has bite and is a pitch he’s still developing feel for as well. His changeup has significant depth to it and he throws it with conviction. Jobe has the stuff to be an outlier to the track record of first round high school pitchers and he’ll be fun to watch come up through the Tigers system.

Top Midwest Travel Teams:

2022 Grads: Hitters 2022 Navy (WI)
National Rank: 49
 
2023 Grads: Building Champions UA 17U Navy (KS)
National Rank: 87
 
2024 Grads: Cangelosi Sparks 2024 Black (IL)
National Rank: 56
 
2025 Grads: Hitters 2025’s (WI)
National Rank: 49
 
2026 Grads: KC Crusaders 14U (KS)
National Rank: 23
 
 A Look Ahead



High School: There will be plenty of exciting names to watch around the Midwest throughout the 2022 season. 6-foot-1, 180-pound Jackson Holliday from Stillwater, Okla. is ranked in the top-20 nationally for the 2022 class and is a smooth swinging infielder with impressive present tools and a frame that has projection to it. Caden Marcum out of Paola, Kan. is uber-projectable with his 6-foot-5, 160-pound frame as well. His fastball sits 89-91 mph and complements it with a slider and curveball while also flashing a fading changeup. Marcum is committed to Tennessee but will be on many MLB team's radars this high school season. Kentucky commit Tommy Specht of Dubuque, Iowa is always a treat to watch and he’ll look to build on a strong 2021 season. Specht is a quick-twitch athlete who has posted 6.40 second 60-yard dash times at PG events. Uses an all-fields approach at the dish which pairs well with his clean, flat path through the zone.



College: There will be plenty of names catching draft buzz in the Midwest next season, but in the Sooner State especially. Peyton Graham of Oklahoma will be looking to build off a successful 2021 where he put up a .902 OPS, including 11 home runs. The frame has room for added strength in the future and pair that with his feel for barreling up balls, he could be a name that jumps even higher on lists. Bryce Osmond from Oklahoma State will look to rebound from an inconsistent 2021 campaign where he posted a 7.42 ERA but still exhibited impressive enough pure stuff at times to catch a lot of eyes. The stuff is and always has been sharp, but the control and command are still very inconsistent. Osmond’s heater in the Cape was up to 95 mph and he has a slider with late bite and tilt that he relies on to get swings and misses. He has one of the higher ceilings in this college class so it will be worth watching to see if he makes the necessary adjustments from last season.
 
 

Tournaments | Story | 4/21/2026

Southeast Super NIT #2 Scout Notes

Jason Phillips
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Chase Jelks (‘30 GA)- with a long double to deep CF. Huge day from the primary SS, 5-for-6 w/ 4 doubles & 6 RBI. #SESuperNIT @TheDreamBall @PG_Georgia https://t.co/biFSzXCrUt pic.twitter.com/HCQMduedb5 — Perfect Game Youth (@PGYouthBB) April 20, 2026 Chase Jelks (’30, Atlanta, Ga.)- the left-handed hitting Jelks was all over the barrel on Sunday in a pair of games for The Dream 14U Black. He finished the day with five hits in six at-bats which included four doubles and six runs batted in. His two doubles and four runs batted in played a big part in the Gold Playoffs Round 1 victory over the talented BPA squad out of California. He backed up that performance with three more hits in a quarterfinal’s loss to the East Cobb Astros 14U Orange to finish the tournament with a .600 batting average and 1.636 on-base plus slugging percentage. A primary utility infielder,...
Draft | Prospect Scouting Reports | 4/24/2026

2026 MLB Draft Reports: Top 100

Vincent Cervino
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PG Draft: Top-100 Reports (April Update) 1. Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA R-R, 6-2/202, Chandler, AZ Previously Drafted: Never Drafted Roch Cholowsky has consistently ranked at the top of the class throughout the cycle due to the safety and upside of the profile. Defensively, he is a plus defender at shortstop with soft hands, consistent actions, and quality range. Not only should he stick at the position long term, he should excel there at the next level. Offensively, there is a strong mix of hit and power potential from the right side of the plate. The swing is a bit unorthodox with a shorter finish, but Cholowsky consistently finds the barrel and drives the ball with authority to all fields. He has strong bat to ball skills with impact. He has walked more than stuck out during his collegiate career, giving him a high on-base ability. The run tool is the only tool that doesn’t jump...
Draft | Rankings | 4/24/2026

2026 MLB Draft Board: Top 400

Tyler Henninger
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Rk. Name Level Pos. B-T School Hometown State Commitment 1 Roch Cholowsky C SS R-R UCLA Chandler AZ 2 Grady Emerson H SS L-R Fort Worth Christian Argyle TX Texas 3 Vahn Lackey C C R-R Georgia Tech Suwanee GA 4 Jackson Flora C RHP R-R UC Santa Barbara Pleasanton CA 5 Jacob Lombard H SS R-R Gulliver Schools Miami FL Miami 6 AJ Gracia C OF L-L Virginia Monroe NJ 7 Ace Reese C 3B L-R Mississippi State Canton TX 8 Eric Booth Jr. H OF L-L Oak Grove Bassfield MS Vanderbilt 9 Justin Lebron C SS R-R Alabama Miramar FL 10 Drew Burress C OF R-R Georgia Tech Perry GA 11 Gio Rojas H LHP L-R Marjory Stoneman Douglas Coral Springs FL Miami 12 Ryder Helfrick C C R-R Arkansas Discovery Bay CA 13 Chris Hacopian C SS R-R Texas A&M Potomac MD 14 Cameron Flukey C RHP R-R Coastal Carolina Egg Harbor Township NJ 15 Cole Carlon C LHP L-L Arizona State Tempe AZ 16 Jared Grindlinger H LHP/OF L-L Huntington...
Press Release | Press Release | 4/23/2026

Kash Shaikh Named Perfect Game CMO

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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 NAMES KASH SHAIKH CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER AND HEAD OF INTERNATIONAL   Sanford, Florida (Thursday, April 23, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced that Kash Shaikh has been named the company’s new Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and Head of International. In this role, Shaikh will serve on Perfect Game’s executive leadership team, overseeing global marketing, brand strategy, creative, partnerships and sponsorships, while leading the company’s international P&L and expansion. Shaikh brings more than two decades of experience building brands, businesses and communities across sports, media and consumer...
Softball | Softball Tournament | 4/22/2026

PG Softball Battle for the Belt

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Perfect Game Softball Battle for the Belt April 18-19, 2026 Des Moines, Iowa It was a cold and very windy weekend, but the girls still came out and put in their best efforts. If you wanted the place to see some of the state’s top talent, this was the tournament to be at. The 18u division was quite the slugfest! The Ankeny Centennial 18U -Kennedy team took down a tough Iowa Alliance Select-Benge team in the championship. Both teams had double digit homeruns on the weekend. In the 16u division the Iowa Aries CE Fire Black took control of the game from the start and never let up on the gas, taking down a solid Alliance Select- Harper team. 18U Division Kori Lincicum (2026 Ankeny, IA) of the Centennial Jaguars- Kennedy and Drake Bulldog softball commit was the weekends MVP Pitcher. Lincicum defeated a tough Alliance team in the championship game finishing with that game with 11...
High School | General | 4/23/2026

Northeast High School Notebook

Jheremy Brown
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In a season that has already had many exciting matchups across various events, we as a staff would like to highlight or “Shout-Out” notable performers along with an Uncommitted Spotlight and Team Spotlight.  Uncommitted Spotlight: Mason Rosenberg, 1B, 2027, Bishop Eustace Prep  Uncommitted Mason Rosenberg (2027, NJ) has been an absolute force within the Bishop Eustace lineup, as the left-handed hitting slugger is hitting .481 through eleven games including six homers. The strength has vastly improved, allowing for Rosenberg to impact the baseball with authority to all fields. Couple that with improved speed and athleticism, this uncommitted 2027 can be a welcomed addition to a class looking for offense.  Team Spotlight: Northern Burlington (9-0) Northern Burlington is once again off to a hot start, as the Greyhounds sit at 9-0 thus far and have continued to...
Juco | Rankings | 4/22/2026

JUCO Top 25: April 22

Blaine Peterson
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Another week down and Johnson County continues their torrid run to remain at number 1. They're 46-2 on the season with multiple hitters over 25 bombs which is astonishing for the level as the Cavs have announced themselves as title favorites. Just a couple of weeks left heading down the stretch and our field remains mostly the same with the two additions of midwest powerhouse Iowa Western and the Warriors of East Central who will have a tough test Wednesday in Poplarville against fellow Mississippi adversary Pearl River in a mid-week double header.   Rk. School Record 1 Johnson County (KS) 46-2 2 Gaston (NC) 47-3 3 Walters State (TN) 42-10 4 McLennan (TX) 38-8 5 Southern Nevada (NV) 33-9 6 Chipola (FL) 39-9 7 Blinn (TX) 33-12 8 Florida Southwestern (FL) 32-13 9 Florence-Darlington (SC) 42-10 10 Pearl River (MS) 39-9 11 Cloud County (KS) 40-4 12 Cochise (AZ) 39-11 13 Midland (TX)...
College | Story | 4/23/2026

Coppy's Corner: April 23 POY Deep Dive

John Coppolella
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Each week I huddle with Vinnie Cervino and Craig Cozart  to discuss Top-25 rankings and Players of the Week. In Coppy’s Corner, I dive deeper into these Players of the Week, providing analysis from 20+ years working in baseball front offices at the highest level.     Player of the Week: Tague Davis – University of Louisville  Between 2016-2022, the University of Louisville produced 14 players taken in the Top 5 Rounds of the MLB Draft, seven of whom were taken in the 1st Round. The Cardinals haven’t produced a Top 5 Rounds pick since 2022, but that will change soon with Davis. Still only 20 years old and not draft-eligible until 2027, Davis continued his assault on college baseball this weekend with a 7-for-12 performance that included 5 HR. On the 2026 season, Davis is hitting .389 AVG / .489 OBP / .911 SLG / 1.392 OPS. That’s a 400+...
College | Rankings | 4/22/2026

DII/DIII/NAIA Rankings Update: April 22

Nick Herfordt
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The final weeks of the college baseball regular season have a way of separating programs that are genuinely postseason-ready from those that have simply been good enough for long enough. Conference tournaments loom, selection committees are paying close attention, and every game on the schedule carries weight that it simply didn't in February. This week's action, combined with the latest Perfect Game Top 25, paints a picture of a college baseball landscape where the top is clearly defined — and where the middle is a genuine battle. What follows is a cross-level look at teams across the NAIA, NCAA Division II, and NCAA Division III ranks who find themselves in that uncomfortable space: not safely in, not clearly out, but firmly on the bubble. Some have built compelling résumés that should hold up under scrutiny. Others have excellent records against soft competition...
High School | Rankings | 4/21/2026

High School Top 50 Update: April 21

Tyler Russo
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Another few weeks have wrapped up this high school season as we’re flying through the spring and most southern states are starting playoffs right around the corner. With the end of the regular season, we have another National Top 50 update to bring to you, along with this will be the start of the weekly editions of our National Top 50. We have a change at the top of the rankings as Venice (FL) takes over the top spot after just dominating their competition in the state of Florida this year. Orange Lutheran (CA) drops one spot to No. 2 after dropping a series but still holds firm at No. 2 in the country. Barbe (LA) has continued to dominate and holds onto the No. 3 spot while Tomball (TX) skyrockets in this update to No. 4 in the country, currently holding an incredible 30-0-1 record. The rest of the top-10 is names we’ve become accustomed to see with Aledo (TX) at No. 5, IMG...
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