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All American Game  | Story | 8/16/2025

Pence's pitch heard ‘round the world

Jim Salisbury
SAN DIEGO – Eight days after firing the 100-mph fastball heard ‘round the world, Striker Pence sat in front of a locker at Petco Park and munched on a turkey sandwich. In 45 minutes, the 16-year-old right-hander would take the mound for Perfect Game’s third annual All-Star Game for underclassmen.

It was quite an honor to get the starting nod in such a prestigious and talent-filled game.



But Pence was the guy everyone wanted to see, especially after reaching triple digits at the recent Area Code Games up the road in Long Beach.

“He was the talk of the tournament,” said one scout who was there. “The big thing is he’s so young.”

Pence didn’t reach 100 mph in his one inning of work Friday in San Diego. But that 98 he fired up there looked pretty good. So did that hard slider. Thirteen pitches. A strikeout, a groundout and a fly ball. Not too shabby. At the plate, Pence, also a gifted hitter with left-handed power, struck out early but later hung tough in working a full-count walk to help fuel a game-winning rally as the National squad walked off the American team, 4-3. 

As much as Pence loves to swing the bat – he’s a corner infielder who would like to remain a two-way player – it’s his work on the mound that’s gaining him notice and making college and pro scouts salivate.

“He’s as unique as we’ve ever seen when it comes to velocity, plus stuff, plus control,” said Jered Goodwin, PG’s vice president of scouting operations. “Normally, as guys gain velocity, they lose the strike zone a little bit. But as Striker has gained velocity, he’s actually gained control. He’s throwing better strikes now. More strikes.

“I don’t want to downgrade what he can do offensively because if he was just a hitter he’d be on pro scouts’ radar, as well. But we’ve never had a (pitching) prospect like this at his age. We’ve never had somebody like this that young with that type of stuff that also is controlling the zone. It just never happens. He’s also got a great body, he does it fairly easily, and his off-speed stuff is good.”

It's no wonder that Pence was one of just two 2028 draft year players invited to play in the underclass All-Star Game. The other 39 players will be eligible for the 2027 draft.

Pence’s exciting story is becoming more well known by the day. He comes from a baseball family. Howie, his dad, pitched in the San Diego and Houston organizations before an injury cut short his career. Hunter, his uncle, was a four-time MLB All-Star and two-time World Series champion with the San Francisco Giants. According to Striker, his mom, Allison, always wanted to have a son and call him Striker.

“She had a plan,” the young pitcher said with a laugh. “I think it’s great.”

It is a great name for a pitcher. Maybe the best. At least until some mom names her kid No-Hitter.

The young man with the perfect pitcher’s name also has a pretty good pitcher’s body. He stands 6-6 and is strong-bodied. He just entered his sophomore year at Santiago High School in Corona, California, where he carries a 4.2 GPA. As a freshman, he played first base and threw 12 innings as a closer. Surely, there will be more innings in the coming years – and the scouts will be there for all of them.

Pence said he entered high school a year ago throwing 93-94 mph. By springtime, he was up to 97. He couldn’t help but dream about reaching 100.

“I think it’s a goal for every pitcher,” he said. “I figured in a year or two I would get there. Then I was 99 in North Carolina in late June. I was like, ‘Wow, it’s coming soon.’ “

And, sure enough, it did, on August 7 in Long Beach.

The pitch felt good coming out of Pence’s hand, but he abided by one of baseball’s unwritten rules and did not look at the reading on the scoreboard. Then he heard the crowd begin to cheer. He couldn’t help himself.

“I looked back and was like, ‘Oh, my God,’ ‘’ he said.

Those in attendance estimated that 300 college and pro scouts were on hand. When Pence hit 100 mph, the text messages started flying. The news was so big that it was even picked up by media outlets in Europe.

Pence had barely delivered his next pitch when Goodwin got word of the feat back home in Florida. He was elated for Pence, but not at all surprised.

“He’d been 95 to 99 all summer,” Goodwin said. “We become fans of these kids. Striker has been playing in PG events for a long time. When guys develop like that and when they make that next step on big stages, we’re just as excited as anybody.”

Legend has it that chocolate milk is the magic potion that has fueled Pence’s sensational summer of 2025.

But Friday in San Diego, it was a pregame turkey sandwich.

“This was the first time I pitched in a big-league park,” Striker Pence said with a big smile. “It was super surreal being out there.”
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All American Game | Story | 8/21/2026

Brotherly Love Inspires Carter Hadnot
Jim Salisbury
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PHILADELPHIA – Perfect Game has been a big part of Carter Hadnot’s life since he was 12. He participated in more than a dozen tournaments and showcases, including prestigious Select Festivals as a 13U and 14U player, as well as last summer’s PG All-Star Game for underclassmen in San Diego.   The PG event that Hadnot always wanted to be part of was the DICK’s All-American Classic. Now, that’s on his resume, too. He played in the 24th annual Classic earlier this week at Citizens Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies. “This means a lot to me,” he said during the event. “I always wanted to make it to Select Fest when I was younger. So, every time I get invited to an event it’s an honor and it’s fun. I don’t take it for granted. “This is definitely the one I always wanted to make it to. A lot of big names have...
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Tournaments | Story | 10/8/2026

Midwest Fall Championship Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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Midwest Fall Championship    ‘29 LHP Jake Bzdusek (IL) Works 5.1 very strong innings from a low arm angle. Has a FB with sink in the mid 70s and T78. Has a nice E/W SL 67-68 (2nd,4th video). Struck out 7 and was efficient in the zone w/ 62% strikes. #WWBAMW @AthletesHQ2 https://t.co/th4O6pgHBs — Perfect Game Illinois (@PG_Illinois) October 3, 2026 Jake Bzdusek (2029, Huntley, Ill.) a left-handed pitcher works from a very low arm angle creating lots of deception to throw off hitters. The fastball was in the mid 70s, topping 78mph with good action. His slider had lots of east/west action, creating tons of swing and miss. Bzdusek pitched 5.1 innings while striking out seven, helping him earn the win. He threw efficiently, landing 62% of his pitches for strikes. He also got it done on the offensive side of the ball this weekend as well. He racked up six hits in as many...
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Tournaments | Story | 10/8/2026

2026 WWBA World Championship Preview

Hannah Jo Groves
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2026 WWBA World Championship Preview It’s that much-anticipated time of year again for some of the country’s most promising players to gather in Jupiter, FL for the tournament that everyone will be talking about until next year when we do it all again. This year, 120 teams from 23 different states, Canada and Puerto Rico have been divided into 30 pools. The action gets rolling at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, October 7 at the Roger Dean Complex - the spring training home of the St. Louis Cardinals and Miami Marlins. The top-ranked player coming into the event in the 2027 class is All-American classic player Kinon Bastian. No. 7 in his class, the Florida commit boasts a .417 batting average in the calendar year. Our scouts have referred to him as the “highest level athlete with both speed and strength, big juice in the bat.” Bastian will be playing with FTB Phillies 2027....
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Press Release | Press Release | 10/8/2026

Perfect Game Launches "PG Moms"

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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 LAUNCHES “PG MOMS”, A NEW CONTENT AND PARTNERSHIP PLATFORM CELEBRATING THE MOTHERS BEHIND THE GAME   Sanford, Florida (Thursday, October 8, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced the launch of PG Moms, a new social media-driven initiative celebrating the mothers who play an essential role in the travel baseball journey. The new content platform will allow moms who are well-versed in the youth baseball space to share their lessons, insights and tips in authentic ways with fellow moms across the country. The platform will debut this week from Perfect Game’s annual WWBA World Championship event in Jupiter,...
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General | General | 10/8/2026

Wolforth Throwing Mentorship: Article 67

Ron Wolforth
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Rethinking Baseball Warm-Ups: A Call for Innovation  Let’s kick the old warm-up tradition to the curb, shall we? Baseball has a reputation for being a sport rooted deeply in its customs, and while some traditions are worthy of preservation, one that needs a refreshing overhaul is the standard warm-up routine. Picture this: an hour before the game, players jog a lap, gather to stretch in a circle, and then stand around playing catch. Does that really prepare anyone adequately for the mental and physical demands of pitching? In my view, it falls woefully short, and I’ll explain why. The typical warm-up approach - running a lap, static stretching, and simply tossing a ball back and forth - doesn’t even scratch the surface of what’s necessary for optimal performance. This process often leaves pitchers feeling only 75% prepared, and that’s just not good...
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Press Release | Press Release | 10/7/2026

Perfect Game to Debut PG Central

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 TO DEBUT NEW FLAGSHIP SHOW PG CENTRAL DURING WWBA CHAMPIONSHIP IN JUPITER   Jupiter, Florida (Wednesday, October 7, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced the debut of PG Central, a new live, on-location show designed to serve as a key destination for the latest news, features and analysis from across the travel baseball landscape. The inaugural episodes will spotlight’s Perfect Game’s 2027 event schedule with guests from across the professional and youth baseball ecosystems. PG Central is powered by ZT Athletics. PG Central will make its debut today at 7:00 pm ET as part of Perfect Game’s annual WWBA...
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Tournaments | Story | 10/6/2026

PG Draft: Jupiter Preview

Ryan Miller
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Jupiter has long been one of the best opportunities for draft eligible players to make an impression and this year’s field should be no different. With an elite collection of prospects all competing on the same fields, the event provides a valuable opportunity for players to establish themselves against some of the best competition in the class. This week’s WWBA World Championship could be a pivotal week for several prospects looking to make an impression and elevate their draft stock. Ahead of the event, the draft team each highlighted a sleeper prospect (someone who is currently not ranked in our board) to watch, as well as a current member of our Top-100 who could make a significant move up the rankings. Keep an eye on these names throughout the week as they look to make an impact and force their way up the board on our next update.  Top-100 Risers Jake Ivey...
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Tournaments | Story | 10/6/2026

15u & 18u Best of the West Scout Notes

Tyler Henninger
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Derek Graham (‘27. CO) was absolutely DOMINANT. 10 K over 4 hitless innings, 10 K. FB sat 86-89 (T90) with life. SL at 70-73 paired well. Kept hitters guessing. #WreckEm commit #BestOfTheWest https://t.co/eoo6k9VoG8 — Perfect Game Four Corners (@PG_FourCorners) October 3, 2026 Derek Graham (2027, Colorado Springs. Colo.) took the hill on day one and was masterful. The left-hander did not allow a hit over four innings, while striking out 10 total hitters. The Texas Tech commit showcased an overpowering fastball. The offering worked up to 90 mph with life at the top of the zone. A slider at 70-73 mph paired well off of it. Graham kept hitters guessing throughout, allowing him to quickly get outs and avoid barrels.  Brixton Barraza (2030, Murrieta, Calif.) took home MVP honors after a ridiculous showing at the plate. The young infielder posted five multi-hit games, going...
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Tournaments | Story | 10/8/2026

Jupiter Staff Champ Prediction

Perfect Game Staff
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WWBA World Championship Pool Preview & Release Bragging rights are on the line here at Perfect Game as the staff takes a shot at predicting who they think will be the one hoisting the cup at the end of the event.  USA Prime National/Detroit Tigers Scout Team The Tigers Scout Team brings an outstanding roster to Jupiter on both sides of the ball. The lineup has high profile names from top to bottom, including Deuce Jenkins and Graham Keen. On the mound, the staff is anchored by LSU commit Samir Mohammed, with a large group of quality options to fill the remaining innings. -Ryan Miller Franklin Scout Team/BTD- 2027 I chose Franklin Scout Team/BTD- 2027 to go all the way because of the elite talent and depth that this team possesses. With 29 Top-500 players, multiple PG All-Americans, and 17 arms that have reached 90+ mph, they have the firepower on both sides of the ball to get...
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Tournaments | Story | 10/5/2026

WWBA Underclass Scout Notes: Day 4

Perfect Game Staff
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WWBA Underclass Scout Notes: Days 1-2 | Day 3 Hudson Covington (2028 Aliso Viejo, CA) has had himself a weekend at the dish, hitting an even .500 going into Championship Monday including a perfect 3-3 performance in the 2nd round of playoffs for TB SoCal. In just his 5th PG event, the uncommitted prospect is certainly making a name for himself with plenty of offensive tools to like. From the left side, Covington keeps the path direct and repeatable with a pull side & middle of the field approach displayed. He flashes high contact tool and does a great job of putting something in play with two strikes, limiting the swing/miss in the stroke with evident control of the barrel. Levi Anthony x2‼️ this one longgg gone for a 3-run shot💣 showing off big time power today #WWBAWorlds @PGMidwestBB https://t.co/0Jr8QY0KFC — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) October 3, 2026 Creighton...
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Tournaments | Story | 10/5/2026

PG WWBA Coastal Fall World Series

Perfect Game Staff
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Evan Chwaszczewski (2030, York, SC) stands at 6-foot-5, 185 pounds with a tall, athletic frame and long limbs. Shows good physicality with room for continued strength and development. Bats and throws right-handed and is a catcher. Creates good leverage and drives the ball with authority. Shows good bat speed and stays inside the baseball well. Chwaszczewski went 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored, having a great day at the plate. Elias Jackovich (2030, Crouse, NC) stands at 6-foot-3, 175 pounds with a tall, well-proportioned frame and developing strength. Bats left-handed and throws right-handed and plays third base. Has a confident approach with good contact ability. Drives the ball into the gaps with developing power. Shows good bat speed and stays inside the baseball well. Jackovich went 2-for-3 with one double. Porter Ingle (2030, Ellenboro, NC) stands at 5-foot-10, 155 pounds...
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