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College  | Story | 8/5/2020

Impact Players Headed to College Baseball

Photo: Drew Bowser (Perfect Game)

As the calendar turns to August, it is time to look at the next infusion of talent into College Baseball. First of all, this was a high school class with tremendous depth. On top of that, the pandemic-shortened draft led many elite prep players to move forward with their college commitments. The net result should be an exciting next few years in College Baseball.

For the purposes of this exercise, we asked several of our outstanding PG scouts to pick one player whom they are particularly excited about. These players project to be impact talents at the collegiate level.



Drew Bowser, SS/3B (Stanford)

Bowser and Pete Crow-Armstrong were two dominant forces for the Harvard-Westlake School in Southern California. While “PCA” ended up going 19th overall to the Mets, Bowser will aim to make a big mark in the Pac-12. At 6-foot-3, 205 pounds, Bowser offers size and athleticism that is hard to get through the draft. He is agile enough to stay in the middle infield and the bat projects to do significant damage for the Cardinal's. Bowser excelled on big stages as well, winning MVP at the 2019 PG All-American Game. Another Los Angeles native, Ryan Braun, is a very interesting comp for Bowser. While Braun’s bat-to-ball skills will be tough to duplicate, Bowser may have the edge regarding an ability to stay on the dirt. Regardless, Pac-12 pitchers beware. -Mike Rooney

Slade Wilks, OF (Southern Miss)

One of my personal favorite prep bats to watch on the circuit last summer, Wilks had a chance to be drafted in the COVID-shortened 2020 MLB Draft, but will continue his career at Southern Miss. A lefthanded hitter with tremendous power, Wilks has a chance to be a middle-of-order power presence right away, and his solid athleticism and outfield tools should allow him to play a corner spot right from day one. If he continues along his present developmental trajectory, he could be a first rounder in a few years. -Brian Sakowski

Kemp Alderman, 1B/RHP (Ole Miss)

The 6-foot-4, 240 pound Alderman ended his high school career as the 47th ranked player in the PG class of 2020 rankings. He has always been a very high-level performer and hit close to .600 with 25 home runs and 80 walks in 63 games over the last three years of his career at Newton County Academy in Mississippi. He also hit an eye opening .440-5-25 with 17 walks in 21 games playing for BPA in three WWBA national championship tournaments in 2019. With his immense power and proven discipline at the plate, it’s very easy to see Alderman hitting in the middle of the Mississippi lineup sooner in his career rather than later.

But that’s only part of the equation. Alderman has also been up to 94 mph on the mound with an 80 mph breaking ball and seems to be a good bet to blossom as a pitcher as he concentrates just on baseball (he was a football standout in high school, not surprisingly) and gets more repetitions on the mound. Alderman’s ceiling as a collegian could be as a three-hole hitter with enormous power and on-base numbers to go with being a mid-90’s arm at the back of the Ole Miss bullpen. -David Rawnsley

Mason Miller, LHP (Florida Gulf Coast University)

It is hard for a freshman pitcher to come into any school and immediately make an impact but with the stuff and the command Mason Miller has at his disposal the case certainly can be made. Miller has one of the best curveballs in the 2020 class with posted spin rates north of the 3,000 RPM mark while commanding the pitch down in the zone. His fastball works in the upper-80's mostly but will get into the low-90's too at times. Listed at 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds, Miller has the size that is going to hold up in college baseball but can also fill out more as well. This summer leading up to his freshman fall in Fort Myers, Miller had seen his fastball reportedly up to 94 mph which is of no surprise and gives a glimpse of what may be to come once he laces up the spikes for the Eagles. The size and projection combination offered by Miller compare to another FGCU lefthander with a nasty breaking ball. And the Eagles would certainly love a version 2.0 of Chris Sale. -Greg Gerard

Brock Wilken, 3B/OF (Wake Forest)

Wake Forest has a great park to play in when you are a budding power bat with a real hit tool. That is exactly what Wilken is. His combination of hit-power-patience gives him one of the best shots to find his way into a Power 5 lineup right away. He has a powerful righthanded stroke with minimal movement to create extreme impact at contact. He identifies well and seemingly invites velocity. The right-handed hitter uses an all fields approach and rarely expands the zone. It is an extremely advanced approach, especially for a kid who was just seventeen years old on draft day 2020. Given Wilken’s age combined with his current physical and mental gifts, he is nowhere close to hitting his future potential. His 6-foot-4, 217 pound frame has current strength, but also easy length that will still fill out. Additionally, his defensive versatility stands out. With the unexpected and always-changing events that Covid-19 has manifested on College Baseball, versatility will be crucial for incoming freshmen hoping to crack the lineup. Wilken can play either corner infield spot and his athleticism should easily translate to the outfield as well. Keep in mind that he transitioned to catcher during his senior year, though he still needs some seasoning behind the plate. With all of these boxes checked, it appears that Wilken is on a collision course to be a force in the Demon Deacons lineup from the first day he steps on campus. -Jered Godwin

Alex Freeland, SS (Central Florida)

Freeland has long been one of the more consistent hitters of the 2020 class and there’s no reason to expect anything different for him at the collegiate level. The 2019 PG All-American is an accomplished switch hitter who really began developing his bat from the right side of the plate towards the end of the draft process in 2020. Both sides of the plate offer significant bat speed, barrel control, and intriguing power potential. Freeland is coming off an incredibly strong summer for an incoming freshman where he hit a blistering .400+ to finish second in batting in the Florida Collegiate Baseball League. For perspective, that league was infused with all sorts of first-round caliber regional talent thanks to the pandemic such as Jud Fabian, Robby Martin, Tommy Mace, and others. While Freeland can certainly hit, an important part of that equation is a plate discipline and lack of swing-and-miss which put him at a different level. He brings the athleticism and arm to play all over the dirt and the bat is a true difference maker. -Vinnie Cervino

Ryan Hagenow, RHP (Kentucky)

It's rare, but not unprecedented by any means, to see a true freshman arm open the year in a weekend rotation spot in the highly revered league that is the SEC. But then again, Kentucky righthander Ryan Hagenow isn't your typical freshman arm as he comes to Lexington with polish and poise well beyond his years. Still exuding near endless projection on his long limbed, high waisted 6-foot-6 frame, you don't have to stretch the imagination too far to see what Hagenow will bring to Nick Mingione and the Wildcats. This is an advanced arsenal with near pinpoint control, making the Tennessee native one of the highest upside arms to step foot on campus this fall.

The fastball will work comfortably in the low-90's on any given start, though it's only a matter of time before the radar gun starts producing some mid-90's readings, if not higher. Hagenow's velocity is just the starting point as his overall command rivals that of any other arm in the 2020 prep class, sinking the ball to either side with intent and conviction. Both the slider and changeup will show above average life as he tunnels both extremely well with opposing hitters reading fastball out of the hand until it's too late as we've seen time and time again throughout his Perfect Game career. -Jheremy Brown


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 | 12/16/2025

16u Tourney All-American Team

AJ Denny
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Hitter of the Year: Koa Romero is the Hitter of the Year for the 16u group, as he would come to every premier event of the summer and earn All-Tournament honors (Beast of the East, 16/17u WWBA, Jupiter) in every single one. Over 82 plate appearances, Romero would pump ten homeruns with forty two RBI and sixteen walks, good for a .378 average and 1.339 OPS. The performance on volume at the best events of the year pushed Romero over the edge here, as he’d hit a pair of homeruns in Jupiter (one of them at 112 EV) as an underclassmen and collect double digit hits in BOTH WWBA events with a combined six jacks over the two tournaments. It was a summer that combined performance and winning on the biggest stages for Romero. It’s a quiet left-handed swing that packs a punch. He would reap the benefits of his performances, earning a commitment to LSU and jumping to the #74 prospect in...
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...
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