THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,469 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,469 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
General  | Top Ten | 6/9/2008

College Seniors: Draft Wild Cards

More than any demographic in the baseball draft, college seniors are viewed differently than other prospects. They often come with a negative connotation as most are seen as late-round afterthoughts, cheap signs, inexpensive roster-fillers or convenient pawns for teams to keep their signing budgets in check. Five years ago, the Kansas City Royals drafted college seniors with all their picks from the fifth- through ninth-rounds, and paid them $1,000 apiece.

There are two distinct types of “senior signs” in any draft.

There are those seniors who have some level of legitimate prospect status, often carried over from not signing after their junior season. Clubs will slot these kind of seniors prominently on their draft boards and spend a solid draft pick on them. The players cannot expect to receive slot money in the rounds they are selected and will often be offered far less (each club’s policy towards seniors differs) than a high school senior or a college junior in a corresponding slot. The bonus they can expect to receive is often about two-thirds of a conventional draft pick. But these seniors are treated as prospects, not roster fillers.

Then there are the roster fillers, players signed in later rounds for a very minimal signing bonus ($1,000-$2,500) to fill out short-season Class A or Rookie-level rosters. Teams draft these players according to their own organizational needs, many not until near the end of the draft.

True Story: Sometimes these roster-filler, senior signs turn out to be future major leaguers. When I was with the Houston Astros in 1994 as an assistant scouting director, we were at the stage of the draft where we were alternately drafting senior-fillers and draft-and-follow candidates. We had a scout in the Northeast named Bob Blair, who had yet to have one of his players drafted, just missing on a couple of very good prospects early. Noting that, and for no other good reason than Bob needed a player and 6-foot-5 lefthanders are always a good risk, I decided to draft John Halama from St. Francis (N.Y.) College in the 23rd round. It was apparent from the first time Halama pitched at Auburn (New York-Penn) that Bob, and every other scout in the area, had under-evaluated Halama and that he was a future major leaguer (88-90 mph fastball, ++ changeup, + command, unbelievable pickoff move, poise, etc.). He ended up pitching 262 games in the big leagues.--DR

In the order that we project they’ll be drafted in June, here’s the 10 most noteworthy D-I transfers:

Seniors can occasionally play an integral role early in the draft. Take the 2007 draft, when Florida first baseman Matt LaPorta was the seventh overall pick (Brewers) and was immediately followed by Vanderbilt reliever Casey Weathers (Rockies). Two other seniors, Gonzaga righthander Clay Mortensen (36th pick, Cardinals) and Louisville righthander Trystan Magnuson (56th pick, Blue Jays) were picked in the compensation round.

That scenario is not likely to be repeated this year as only one senior is projected to be selected in the first round or comp round, Georgia closer Josh Fields. That’s more in keeping with the five-year stretch from 2002-06 when only two college seniors were selected in the first round.

Since Fields, a Braves draft pick, didn’t sign last year as the 70th pick overall and has had a significantly better senior season, his selection in the first round should come as no surprise. His path parallels that of LaPorta, who was projected as a potential early first-round pick prior to his junior season before a weak spring caused him to plummet in the draft, and he returned for his senior season.

There is usually a range in each draft when the elite-level senior signs start flying off the draft board. It usually depends on the depth of signable talent in a particular draft and how pressured teams are in towing the line on bonuses. Sometimes this scenario happens as early as the fifth to sixth rounds; other years it occurs a little later.

For the purposes of Today’s Top 10, the top college seniors this year can be broken into three categories: (1.) players that were drafted a year ago, (2.) players that have never been drafted, and (3.) players that were drafted out of high school but went undrafted as college juniors. The only significant potential early-round draft that fits the latter category is Long Beach State righthander Andrew Liebel, a potential third-rounder.

We’ll identify the top 10 prospects in both of the earlier categories, starting with the college seniors who were drafted a year ago:
Rank Player Pos. College Drafted '07 Projected '08
1 Josh Fields RHP Georgia Braves (2) 1st round
2 Cole St. Clair LHP Rice Indians (7) 3rd-4th
3 Sawyer Carroll OF Kentucky Nationals (18) 3rd-6th
4 Mitch Harris RHP Navy Braves (24) 4th-6th
5 Robbie Weinhardt RHP Oklahoma State Astros (38) 5th-6th
6 Ryan Strauss RHP Florida State Twins (35) 5th-6th
7 Erik Davis RHP Stanford Rangers (21) 5th-6th
8 Dominic de la Osa OF Vanderbilt Tigers (10) 5th-7th
9 Tyler Coon LHP Southern Mississippi Diamondbacks (38) 6th-7th
10 Pat McAnaney LHP Virginia Pirates (38) 6th-8th
The top-rated college seniors in this year’s draft who have never been drafted:
Rank Player Pos. College Projected '08
1 Paul Gran 3B Washington State 4th-6th
2 Rob Musgrave LHP Wichita State 4th-6th
3 B.J. Rosenberg RHP Louisville 5th-6th
4 Ryan Kulik LHP Rowan (N.J.) 5th-8th
5 Nate Recknagel 1B Michigan 5th-8th
6 Tyson Bagley RHP Dallas Baptist 5th-8th
7 Cory Arbiso RHP Cal State Fullerton 6th-8th
8 Josh Satin 2B California 6th-8th
9 Tom Koehler RHP Stony Brook 6th-8th
10 Alan DeRatt RHP UNC Asheville 6th-8th
--DAVID RAWNSLEY / ALLAN SIMPSON

General | Blog | 4/10/2026

Wolforth Throwing Mentorship: Article 64

Ron Wolforth
Article Image
What Do Barry Zito, Justin Verlander, Trevor Bauer, and Dallas Keuchel All Have in Common? By Ron Wolforth | Texas Baseball Ranch® | PG Arm Care Take a second and think about the question posed in the title before you read on. Four Cy Young Award winners. Four of the most decorated pitchers of their generation. What's the common thread? The first answer is obvious… they all won the most prestigious individual award in pitching. Most of you probably got there immediately. The second answer is less obvious… they all trained at the Texas Baseball Ranch® at some point in their development. Interesting, maybe, but not the point of this article. The third answer is the one I really want you to sit with, because it has direct relevance to your career right now: they all move completely differently. And they all attack hitters completely differently. Don't rush past that....
Tournaments | Story | 6/12/2026

AZ All-State Ready to Take Place

Emily Hicks
Article Image
This weekend, eight teams will head to Goodyear Ballpark for the 2026 PG Arizona All-State tournament, setting the stage for what should be an exciting few days of baseball. With teams traveling from across the city, the field will be packed with talent and plenty of championship contenders. Among the teams competing in 16U are AZ Select, Marucci Athletics 2028 Grannis, Overfly 2028, Phoenix Phillies, Team Dinger 2028, T-Rex East Valley, USA Scout Team AZ 16U, and West Coast Ghost AZ 16U. Each team enters the weekend with its own strengths and goals, creating several intriguing storylines to follow throughout pool play and bracket action. One of the biggest teams to watch this weekend will be 10-10, T-Rex East Valley. Whether it's dominant pitching, high-powered offenses, or strong defensive play, T-Rex East Valley has already shown they can compete at a high level this season. A few...
College | Story | 6/11/2026

Collegiate Freshman All-Americans

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
Collegiate Postseason Awards | Collegiate All Americans First Team Hitters Pos. Name School Class AVG OBP SLG R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB C Alonzo Alvarez Miami FR 0.341 0.439 0.551 40 57 13 2 6 32 3 1B Ethin Bingaman Auburn FR 0.330 0.415 0.581 60 71 9 0 15 50 4 2B Ethan Ball Virginia Tech FR 0.310 0.420 0.660 43 63 18 1 17 52 3 3B Nico Partida Texas A&M FR 0.306 0.408 0.550 45 55 8 0 12 43 4 SS Jett Kenady California FR 0.320 0.350 0.573 36 66 17 1 11 34 1 IF Linkin Garcia Texas Tech FR 0.338 0.387 0.489 53 78 21 1 4 59 1 OF Angel Laya Oregon FR 0.296 0.396 0.538 49 66 10 1 14 47 5 OF Anthony Pack Jr. Texas FR 0.359 0.485 0.597 58 74 16 0 11 52 20 OF Jacob Parker* Mississippi State FR 0.339 0.449 0.732 51 57 10 1 18 62 7 OF Teddy Tokheim Stanford FR 0.352 0.414 0.704 40 70 19 0 17 47 0 UT Drew Grego Nebraska FR 0.326 0.417 0.531 33 57 13 1 7 44 5 DH Enzo Infelise Cincinnati FR 0.374...
Tournaments | Story | 6/11/2026

PG East WWBA to Get Underway

Kinley Kitchens
Article Image
One of the summer’s premier events returns to the Hoover area this week as the 2026 Perfect Game East WWBA Championship gets underway. Now in its seventh year, the event has become a staple on the summer travel baseball calendar, bringing together some of the top organizations and prospects from across the country. A total of 132 teams will compete across three age divisions, including 38 teams in the 15U division, 48 teams in the 16U division, and 46 teams in the 17U division. Past champions include organizations such as Top Gun Team Alabama, EBC, USA Prime Alabama, and defending champion USA Prime Southeast 15U. As always, the tournament field features some of the nation’s top-ranked players. In the 15U division, all eyes will be on Alabama right-hander Tristan Blalock, the No. 23 ranked player nationally in the 2029 class and the top ranked player in Alabama. Blalock...
Tournaments | Championship | 6/11/2026

Team Elite Takes Another PG Elite

Kinley Kitchens
Article Image
After capturing last year’s championship, Team Elite Scout 14U returned to Hoover looking to prove their success was no fluke. Four days later, they accomplished exactly that. Behind strong pitching, timely hitting, and the confidence that has defined the team throughout the tournament, Team Elite Scout 14U defeated SBA Bolts National 14U to claim the 2026 PG 14U National Elite Championship and secure back-to-back titles. “It’s awesome,” Team Elite Coach Blankenship said. “This is our first event of the year, so it’s good to get it to start with them, and they won it last year, so I know they are excited to do that back-to-back, so it’s pretty awesome.” The championship game showcased many of the same qualities that carried Team Elite through the tournament. Ryan Johnson delivered 4.1 scoreless innings on the mound, allowing just two hits...
Tournaments | Story | 6/11/2026

Lonestar Finds Success with the Beast

Will Dembo
Article Image
Following an exciting weekend filled with standout performances at the 17u Beast of the East Invitational, Lonestar Baseball Club National capped off its impressive run by earning co-champion honors after the championship game was cut short due to inclement weather with a 6-4 score in their favor. Lonestar's strong start to the summer was fueled by dominant pitching performances and an explosive offensive attack throughout the lineup.  “It was definitely fun to see our boys compete the way they did against solid competition and have the success they did,” Lonestar National head coach Brad Dydalewicz said. “It was a great team effort to start the summer season. This team is a special group of ball players and spectacular young men that play hard and compete their tails off. They enjoy playing together and have a ton of fun on the field. It makes it fun to coach for...
Tournaments | Story | 6/11/2026

SE Summer Showdown Preview

Will Dembo
Article Image
East Cobb will host some of the top teams from near and far as over 100 different teams spanning the 13-18u age divisions will compete for a championship at the PG Southeast Summer Showdown to help their summer start strong. The highly anticipated premier Perfect Game event will commence with pool play on Thursday, June 11th while champions will be crowned on Monday, July 15th. The 13u Major division will be the youngest age group competing this weekend, but the talent will still be on full display. Doc Baseball American headlines the 11-team tournament, entering the weekend as the top ranked team in the Southeast Region, and the No. 7 team nationally. 14u will play as another major tournament and will feature three nationally ranked teams, including the No. 8 ranked 13u squad, East Cobb Astros 13u, who will compete in an older division for the second time this year. The No. 27 and No....
Tournaments | Story | 6/11/2026

Midwest Elite Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Adan Rojas (2027, Streamwood, Ill.) turned in one of the more dominant pitching performances of the weekend, striking out 10 over 5 innings while consistently dictating at-bats. The fastball worked 77–80 mph, topping at 82, and he showed the ability to elevate and miss bats when needed. His slider at 67–70 mph played as a real separator pitch, generating uncomfortable swings and late decisions. Showed strong tempo on the mound and never allowed hitters to settle in rhythm. What stood out most was his ability to maintain attack mode while still showing feel for sequencing.   Cruz Jaramillo (2030, Mount Pleasant, Wisc.) brought consistent energy to the lineup all weekend and was a tough out from start to finish. Finished with 8 hits over the tournament. The swing is compact with a strong intent to impact, and he does a nice job staying on time with his stride. When he...
Tournaments | Story | 6/10/2026

Top Prospects Set to Shine at Florida WS

Alyssa Golden
Article Image
The Florida World Series returns to Fort Myers this weekend, bringing together teams from across the state for one of Florida’s premier summer events. The four-day tournament will feature competition in the 14U through 18U age divisions as teams battle for a World Series championship. From June 11-14, some of Florida’s top prospects will take the field looking to lead their teams to a title. The 18U division features some of the tournament’s top talent, including five players ranked among the top 500 prospects nationally, three of whom play for Swamp Baseball. Outfielders Nicholas Raber and Austin Schoolcraft along with right-hand pitcher Tyler Reeder will play for Swamp Baseball. Raber is a Fort Myers native and is committed to John Melvin Christian College. He has been one of Swamp’s top offensive contributors this season. The outfielder owns a .873 OPS with...
Tournaments | Story | 6/11/2026

Organizational Champ. Scout Notes

Quinton Hall
Article Image
Ernesto “AJ” Juarez (‘30 | AZ) Smooth LHH - Handles the bottom part of the zone, grabbing 2 doubles & 2RBI for Desert Ghost National ⚡️#OrgChamp pic.twitter.com/EF1qEET7yH — Perfect Game Four Corners (@PG_FourCorners) June 5, 2026 Ernesto "AJ" Juarez (2030 | Chandler, AZ) The 6-foot-2, 185-pound left-handed hitter and pitcher put together a strong all-around weekend for Desert Ghost National, consistently producing at the plate while also showing value on the mound. He finished 7-for-13 with four RBI, six runs scored, and multiple extra-base hits, including three doubles, while maintaining steady contact throughout the event. Juarez showed a balanced offensive profile with gap-to-gap production and the ability to drive the baseball in key situations. On the mound, he also contributed innings with a solid left-handed look, attacking hitters and competing with...
College | Story | 6/10/2026

Collegiate All-Americans

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
Collegiate Postseason Awards First Team Hitters Pos. Name School Class AVG OBP SLG R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB C Vahn Lackey Georgia Tech JR .397 .519 .772 85 87 16 3 20 78 15 1B Tague Davis Louisville SO .355 .443 .848 68 82 10 1 34 98 4 2B Jarren Advincula Georgia Tech JR .434 .503 .629 74 111 16 2 10 66 16 3B Ace Reese Mississippi State JR .336 .432 .721 73 83 23 0 24 74 1 SS Roch Cholowsky UCLA JR .320 .452 .636 73 74 10 0 20 60 1 IF Tyson Leblanc Kansas JR .341 .425 .706 64 87 12 3 25 69 11 OF Drew Burress Georgia Tech JR .358 .473 .657 82 91 22 3 16 60 10 OF Landon Hairston Arizona State SO .400 .509 .860 82 94 20 2 28 81 11 OF Caden Sorrell Texas A&M JR .341 .434 .743 67 77 20 1 23 76 11 UT Quinton Coats Cincinnati SO .339 .430 .738 62 84 13 1 28 79 10 DH Daniel Jackson* Georgia JR .389 .492 .809 86 100 13 1 31 86 29 TWP Evan Dempsey FGCU JR .333 .412 .536 57 79 18 0 10 46 15 First...
Loading more articles...