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All American Game  | Story | 8/29/2024

All in the Family at PGAAC

Photo: Ethan Holliday (Perfect Game)
PHOENIX, Arizona – Standing just a few feet away from the batter’s box in which he stroked the championship-clinching hit in the 2001 World Series, Luis Gonzalez shook his head in amazement as he watched pre-game workouts at the 22nd annual Dick’s Perfect Game All-American Classic.
 
“The talent here is astonishing,” Gonzalez said.
 
He looked over at third baseman Ethan Holliday, brother of 2022 No. 1 overall MLB draft pick and current Baltimore Orioles rookie second baseman Jackson Holliday.
 
“You thought the last one was good,” Gonzalez said with a laugh. “This one might be better.”
 
Gonzalez was honorary chairman for the PGAAC, played at Chase Field, where his retired Arizona Diamondbacks No. 20 hangs in the rafters. He was one of many former big-leaguers who roamed the ballpark, some, like Tom “Flash” Gordon and Clint Hurdle, in official roles, some just as dads for the contest that featured the top 62 rising seniors in the country.
 
“The bloodlines,” Gonzalez said. “It’s fun to watch."
 
“There are some guys that you don’t recognize at first, then you start putting the names together, then you start seeing their dads walking around here and you realize that’s their son. It’s pretty cool. A lot of former big leaguers have come out here to support because their kids have come through here. It’s just fun to see these guys because they’re the future of major league baseball. They’re rising so fast. Some of them sign right out of high school and get to the big leagues a couple years later.”
 
Matt Holliday, seven-time major-league All-Star, 2007 National League batting champ and 2011 World Series winner, was at the event, supporting son Ethan, who could follow in his brother’s footsteps as a high first-rounder in the summer of 2025.
 
Benny Agbayani, whose distinguished big-league career included stops in New York (Mets), Boston, Colorado and Japan, was in town supporting his son, Bruin, a shortstop and South Carolina commit.
 
The list of prospects with big-league ties didn’t stop there. It included shortstop Eli Willits, son of former Los Angeles Angel Reggie Willits; shortstop Brady Ebel, son of Los Angeles Dodgers third base coach Dino Ebel; third baseman Quentin Young, nephew of former big-leaguers Dmitri and Delmon Young; and shortstop Jayden Stroman, brother of New York Yankees starting pitcher Marcus Stroman.
 
“The best of the best, they send their kids to Perfect Game for a reason,” Hurdle said. “There’s a lot of noise on the street which one is best, but the best of the best send them here.”
 
Hurdle managed the East team, which beat Gordon’s West team, 8-7, in the PGAAC. The former Colorado Rockies and Pittsburgh Pirates manager became involved with PG in 2020. He now serves as a senior adviser.
 
“Until 2020, I had always been in the pro space,” Hurdle said. “The youngest kid I saw was 20, maybe 19, in the instructional league with the Pirates and the Rockies years ago. Before that, I hadn’t seen much amateur baseball.
 
“Quickly, my attention was taken. I’m watching 13-year-olds do some specific things. I’m watching 14-year-old kids doing it. Over the years, I’ve seen it continue to grow and evolve, and the strength and the speed, the structured skill sets, they’re probably at an all-time high. I love the energy.” 
 
Both Hurdle and Gonzalez were impressed with the size of the players at the PGAAC. 
 
“The physicality gets your attention,” Hurdle said. 
 
“These guys are just bigger and stronger,” said Gonzalez, whose son Jacob played in the PGAAC in 2017. “For 19 years, my maximum weight I played at was 205. These guys are coming at 215, 225. They’re just bigger.”
 
Gonzalez, winner of the 2001 Major League Home Run Derby, was impressed with the left-side power display put on by Texas A&M commit Josiah Hartshorn, winner of Perfect Game's annual AAC Home Run Challenge. The 6-2, 210-pound Hartshorn is a natural right-handed hitter. He did some switch-hitting until he was 13 then got away from it. He only went back to it this summer because of a back injury.
 
Hurdle was also impressed with the power at the event, but he was not shy about reminding hitters that line drives to the gaps matter, too. During the East team’s batting practice session, he coached hitters to use the middle of the field.
 
“They are very receptive,” he said. “We have an opportunity to share with them some insight on community and different parts of the game.”
 
During batting practice, Hurdle observed Stroman’s smooth swing – from both sides of the plate. Stroman is ticketed for Duke, his brother’s alma mater. The younger Stroman also does some pitching and said he may get on the mound in October at PG’s event in Jupiter, Florida. 
 
“It’s nice to see,” Hurdle said of Stroman’s offensive work on both sides of the plate. “Switch-hitting used to be a thing. We’ve lost a lot of that. People say it’s too hard to swing both ways. I say, let ‘em swing. They will find their way or they won’t.”
 
After his East team took batting practice, Hurdle watched the Holliday family’s latest talent take BP for the West team. Hurdle managed the Rockies when Ethan Holliday’s dad was bashing balls around Coors Field.
 
“This is déjà vu because Jackson just went through here, too,” Hurdle said. “I had them both in the clubhouse in Colorado when they were little, had them both on the field for family day. It’s really special seeing them come through here and put together their talents.”

All American Game | Story | 9/15/2025

PG Athletes Raise Money For Charity

Perfect Game Staff
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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 ATHLETES RAISE MORE THAN $130,000   FOR CHILDREN’S CHARITIES THROUGHOUT AUGUST    Sanford, Florida (Monday, September 15, 2025) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced that its athletes raised a combined $130,195 for children’s charities during its August 2025 showcase events throughout the country.    The fundraising efforts took place at Perfect Game’s Select Festivals and the DICK’S All-American Classic, with each age group rallying behind a cause that supports children in need. The 11U and 12U Select Fests each benefited Elite Development Academy out...
College | Recruiting | 12/15/2025

Recruiting Notebook: December 15

John McAdams
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Tucker Rice (27 MS) bumping up to 91; living hi-80s from real fast arm. Good SL @ 77-79 w/ depth & sold w/ intent. Loads of traits & strikes. #WWBA @PG_Uncommitted @PG_DeepSouth pic.twitter.com/DEjFqRcsIY — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) July 6, 2025 Tucker Rice, RHP, Class of 2027 Commitment: Alabama Alabama has continued to stay red hot in the recruiting trail ever since August 1st rolled around on the calendar and have continued to stack major pieces in their ’27 class. They dip into Mississippi to land one of the premier arms and one that’s stood out on the circuit for quite some time. It’s a fast arm and the athleticism certainly shines working down the slope. The velocity has continued to tick up over the last calendar year and reached into the low-90s towards the end of the summer. He’s confident in his changeup and the breaking ball is...
Tournaments | Story | 12/15/2025

17u Tourney All-American Team

Vincent Cervino
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There’s a lot of talent throughout this 2026 class, filled with the big-name stars, to talent that spreads across the nation. It’s been a lot of fun seeing these prospects grow and develop over the years, from the days of watching some of these guys at the 13/14u days at events on the circuit, to now where they are all graduating seniors in 2026. There’s been new faces who have popped along the way over the years, even in 2026, where some players who were relatively undiscovered, have come out and made a name for themselves with a statement performance. Between the familiar and the new, there’s a lot of names on this list that are going to be quite regularly talked about on the circuit, and for good reason.  Whether it’s PG All-Americans or not, there’s a lot of names with superstar potential at the next level. We’ve got 14 PG All-Americans...
Tournaments | Story | 12/13/2025

Finest in the Field: Class of 2029

Tyler Russo
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Finest in the Field: Class of 2026 | Class of 2027 | Class of 2028 These guys might just be entering high school, but they've certainly already made a name for themselves on the national circuit, especially with their abilities on the defensive side of things.  C: Xavier Rodriguez (Logansville, GA) Rodriguez is a polished defender with real arm strength behind the dish, while showcasing the ability to impact the baseball with authority to all fields evident by thirty of his sixty-five hits going for extra-bases including seven bombs. He handles high-level pitching extremely well, commands his staff and his offensive prowess makes him a true two-way asset. 1B: Cooper Knight (Buda, TX) Knight is a smooth operator at first base with plenty of range, fluidity and agility in his footwork around the bag. Add-in a rocket for an arm, the ability to change slots and to...
Tournaments | Story | 12/12/2025

Scout Stories: Part 5

AJ Denny
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Best Game I Saw: The Dream NTL 18U vs. MBA Scout Team Murphy Jupiter always brings out the best, and we got fireworks from the jump. Turner Marshall gave The Dream an outstanding 4+ innings of work on the mound, holding a lethal MBA team at bay with Chance Dixon, Derrick Carter, and Ellis Appling providing an offensive spark out of the gate for the Georgia based boys. However, it was only a matter of time before the talent on the other side got going, as MBA erased a 3-run deficit in the 5th to take a 4-3 lead led by a Parker Loew HR. The Dream then took command again in the Top of the 6th, before MBA punched right back with a huge 5-run inning in the bottom half capped off by a clutch RBI single from Matthew Kerrigan, ending a wild sequence with tons of notable performances from two very competitive rosters. Best Tournament Performance I Saw: Surely someone has already brought this...
College | Story | 12/12/2025

College Notebook: December 12

Craig Cozart
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Nebraska Cornhuskers 2025 Highlights: The Cornhuskers were a difficult team to figure in ’25 as they finished with 33 wins, played just .500 (15-15) in the Big Ten but had some big wins at various times during the season and got hot at the right time. They knocked off then #16 Vanderbilt in the second game of the year, beat #5 Oregon State 2-out-of-3 at home in late March and then got hot at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha to win the Big Ten Tournament. They beat Michigan State in a 10-inning thriller before taking care of #4 Oregon, knocking off Penn State and then shutout #13 UCLA to punch their ticket to the Chapel Hill Regional. Head coach Will Bolt has now led his alma mater to three conference titles and three NCAA Regional appearances during his six years in Lincoln. No different than when he was a player, Bolt’s teams play with passion and toughness, this was never more...
Tournaments | Story | 12/12/2025

Finest in the Field: Class of 2028

Troy Sutherland
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Finest in the Field: Class of 2026 | Class of 2027 You like athletes? You like defenders who can impact a game at any given point? Look not further than this class as it's loaded from coast-to-coast with elite defenders all over the diamond.  C: Brogan Witcher, Bakersfield, CA Our scouting staff got several strong looks at Witcher whether that was at the Summer Kickoff, Sophomore National or the Underclass All American Games where he showcased his strong overall skillset and especially his advanced ability behind the plate. His 6-foot-3,180 pound build looks like one that will fill in quite nicely and be that big and physical catcher’s frame. His arm talent is undeniable where he gets it out quick and runs it up to 79 mph on throwdowns to 2nd (1.84 pop). Besides the standout catch/throw ability, we’ve seen him frame/receive strong arms and block it well during...
Softball | Softball Tournament | 12/11/2025

PG Softball "Toys 4 Tots" Fundraiser 18U division

Dave Durbala
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BURLINGTON, IA - 2025 Perfect Game Softball Toys 4 Tots Fundraiser One Day, December 7, 2025. Kicking off the holiday season, six teams participated in this one day, 3 game guarantee tournament in the 18u Division. We would like to thank those that donated a toy, and know that they will be distributed to area underprivileged children through a local charity organization. Following are some of the top performers from the weekend. Earning Tournament MV-Pitcher was Jolee Strohmeyer (2026 Dubuque, IA), a RHP/UTIL with tournament champion Lady Expos Blue. Strohmeyer shows hitters a consistent and repeatable motion and delivery with good use of the legs in the drive phase, and a quick and aggressive arm whip. Working with a six pitch mix of fastball, change-up, rise, drop, curve and screw, Strohmeyer topped out at 60 mph, and showed good movement  as she worked her rise and curve just out...
Tournaments | Story | 12/11/2025

Scout Stories: Part 4

Tyler Henninger
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Scout Notes: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 Best Game I Saw: Hudson Reed (‘26, GA) torches this ball to deep CF for a solo 💣. Generates easy power that plays to the big part of the yard. Middle of the order traits #UBCWest @PG_Georgia @PG_Uncommitted pic.twitter.com/UXqDVFmUBx — Perfect Game California (@California_PG) June 18, 2025 I was fortunate enough to see a lot of highly competitive games with loads of talent on the field, the game that sticks out to me the most was Alpha Prime 2026 vs. ZT National Prospects at the UBC West. The game was an efficiently played affair with arms dominating on both sides. Graham Schlicht was masterful for Alpha, striking out 12 hitters over 5 dominant innings. PG All-American Julian Cazares came out of the pen blowing smoke, touching 97 mph with the fastball. On the other side, Jake Carbaugh surrendered just one hit and...
Press Release | Press Release | 12/11/2025

PG Believe In Baseball Announces Awards Dinner

Perfect Game Staff
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    667 Progress Way | Sanford, FL 32771 | 319-298-2923 www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   THE PERFECT GAME BELIEVE IN BASEBALL FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES DETAILS FOR FIRST ANNUAL “IN THE SPIRIT OF THE GAME” AWARDS DINNER AND AUCTION   Los Angeles, California (Thursday, December 11, 2025) – The Perfect Game Believe in Baseball Foundation, together with Perfect Game leadership of Chairman Rick Thurman and CEO Rob Ponger, has announced the inaugural “In the Spirit of the Game” event, an evening of baseball and laughter, taking place Saturday, January 31, 2026, at the iconic Laugh Factory in Hollywood, Calif. The evening supports the Foundation’s mission to provide financial assistance and resources that allow deserving young athletes to play, learn and grow through the...
Tournaments | Story | 12/11/2025

Finest in the Field: Class of 2027

AJ Denny
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Finest in the Field: Class of 2026 Elite defenders from coast to coast certainly seems to be a strength and to think you could make another top-tier team without thinking, speaks to the real depth this group possesses. The infield is a no-doubt strength of the group, but what catcher Dariel Carrion can do behind the plate is like something we haven't seen in a while in the prep ranks with an absolutely bazooka of an arm.  C: Dariel Carrion (San Juan, PR)  It isn’t often you get a catching prospect as athletic and natural as Dariel Carrion, a big reason why he holds the rank of #1 player in PR and #18 nationally. Metrics wise, the 5-foot-10, 210 pound San Juan native is all you can ask for and more, posting a sub 1.80 pop time with an 84 mph arm behind the dish. He has both contact and clear power threat on the offensive end, ending 2025 with a .337 BA and 4 HRs while also...
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