THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,384 MLB PLAYERS | 15,801 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,384 MLB PLAYERS | 15,801 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Create Account
Sign in Create Account
Press Release  | Press Release | 4/4/2024

MLB Players Invest in Perfect Game

Photo: Trevor Hoffman (Perfect Game)

 

A blue text on a black background
Description automatically generated 

 

667 Progress Way | Sanford, Fla. 32771 | 319-298-2923 

www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA 

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

 

PERFECT GAME ANNOUNCES INVESTOR GROUP 

Current and Former MLB Players Invest in the Future of Baseball 

 

Sanford, Florida (Thursday, April 4, 2024) - Perfect Game, the world’s premier youth and high school diamond sports platform, today announced its investor group which is made up, in part, of 20 former and active major league players. The group consists of Hall of Famer Trevor Hoffman, Mo Vaughn, Salvador Perez, Alfonso Soriano, Tim Lincecum, Tom Gordon, Ryan Klesko, Charlie Manuel, Hunter Pence, Yasmani Grandal, Miguel Rojas, Denard Span, Scott Erickson, Francisco Cervelli, Brian Fuentes, Mark Guthrie, Aubrey Huff, Rougned Odor, Gregory Polanco and Reid Brignac. Perfect Game Commissioner and Chicago White Sox executive Dennis Gilbert is also part of the group. 

 

“One of the goals that my partner, Rob Ponger, and I had when we took over Perfect Game was to bring diverse major league expertise to the table,” said Perfect Game Chairman Rick Thurman. “This outstanding group consists of some of the most accomplished baseball players of the last 20 years. They didn’t just excel at hitting, pitching and defense, but also brought vital intangibles to the field every day that can’t be measured on a stat sheet – leadership and a winner’s mentality. 

 

The decision to not just invest in Perfect Game but also be invested in the future of the athletes that play in PG events speaks volumes about the dedication this group has to the future of baseball,” said Rob Ponger, CEO of Perfect Game. “Our group of investors are not satisfied to just watch Perfect Game athletes from afar but also work closely with the next generation of major league players to not just make them better on the field, but off it as well.” 

 

The investor group: 

 

  • Trevor Hoffman: A 2018 inductee into the National Baseball Hall of Fame after finishing his career with 601 saves, second-most in MLB history, and seven All-Star selections. 

  • Mo Vaughn: Three-time All-Star was voted as American League MVP in 1995 after hitting .300 with 39 home runs and a league-leading 126 RBI en route to finishing his career with 328 home runs and 1,064 RBI. 

  • Salvador Perez: One of the greatest players in the history of the Kansas City Royals as evidenced by his eight All-Star selections, five Gold Glove Awards, four Silver Slugger trophies and being named MVP of the 2015 World Series. 

  • Alfonso Soriano: One of only five players in MLB history with 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in one season, he won four Silver Slugger Awards and was selected to seven All-Star teams, including being named MVP of the 2004 Midsummer Classic. 

  • Tim Lincecum: Won back-to-back Cy Young Awards (2008-09) and led the National League in strikeouts three straight seasons (2008-10) while being selected to four straight All-Star teams (2008-11). 

  • Tom “Flash” Gordon: Split his 21-year MLB career between starting and relieving, making three All-Star teams and leading the American League in saves (46) in 1998. 

  • Ryan Klesko: A member of the 1990’s Atlanta Braves dynasty that culminated with the 1995 World Series championship, the left-handed slugger also spent seven seasons with the San Diego Padres where he was named to the 2001 NL All-Star team.  

  • Charlie Manuel: The winningest manager in Phillies history led the franchise to five straight National League East Division titles, one NL pennant and the 2008 World Series championship. Finished his career with a combined 1,000 wins between Philadelphia and Cleveland.  

  • Dennis Gilbert: The longtime philanthropist and White Sox executive, who co-founded the prestigious Beverly Hills Sports Council, is not only an investor but also serves as Perfect Game’s Commissioner. 

  • Hunter Pence: Was a part of two World Series championships with the San Francisco Giants and was selected to four All-Star teams as part of his 14-year MLB career. 

  • Yasmani Grandal: The two-time All-Star led all MLB catchers in home runs (98) over a four-year span (2016-19) and played in 118 games for the Chicago White Sox last season. 

  • Miguel Rojas: Infielder has appeared in over 1,000 major league games over the past 10 years, spending last season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he started all three of LA’s playoff games. 

  • Denard Span: The National League hits leader (184) in 2014 played 11 seasons in the major leagues, finishing his career with 72 triples, which was the third-highest total among all MLB players during that time.  

  • Scott Erickson: Pitched 15 years in the major leagues, topping 200 innings seven times, including 1998 when he led the American League in innings (251.1), starts (36) and complete games (11). 

  • Francisco Cervelli: 13-year MLB veteran was a part of the 2009 World Series champion New York Yankees and among the best defensive catchers of his generation. 

  • Brian Fuentes: A four-time All-Star closer who finished his career with 204 saves, leading the American League with 48 saves in 2009. 

  • Mark Guthrie: A member of the 1991 World Series-winning Minnesota Twins who pitched in 765 games over 15 major league seasons for eight different teams.  

  • Aubrey Huff: A two-time World Series champion with the San Francisco Giants who finished his career with 242 home runs and 904 RBI and won a Silver Slugger Award in 2008. 

  • Rougned Odor: Slugged 30 or more home runs in three separate seasons and led the Texas Rangers with 228 extra-base hits over a four-year span (2016-19). 

  • Gregory Polanco: Spent his entire eight-year major league career with the Pittsburgh Pirates and led all National League right fielders with 13 assists in 2015. 

  • Reid Brignac: Played parts of nine seasons in the major leagues, including five with the Tampa Bay Rays, and is currently in his third season managing Binghamton, the double-A affiliate of the New York Mets. 

 

The Perfect Game investor group combine for 43 All-Star selections, 15 World Series championships, 10 Silver Slugger Awards, five Gold Glove Awards, two Cy Young Awards, one MVP winner, one World Series MVP and one All-Star Game MVP.  

 

With the support of these distinguished individuals, Perfect Game is well-positioned to further its mission of providing unparalleled opportunities for young athletes to showcase their skills and pursue their dreams. 

 

### 

 

Media contact: 

Greg Casterioto / Gcasterioto@perfectgame.org / (267) 246-5709 

 

 

About Perfect Game 

 

Perfect Game is the world’s largest elite youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, producing over 9,800+ events, hundreds of thousands of games, and showcases each year across the country. Perfect Game is dedicated to giving amateur players exposure to take their game to the next level, whether that be in college or in the professional ranks. At Perfect Game events, players are performing with top-level competition in front of college recruiters and professional scouts from all over the country. Because of this, these events prove to be invaluable to college coaches as well as Major League Baseball, as they can scout a large population of talented ballplayers in one location. To date, more than 2,034 players that have played in a Perfect Game event have also played in Major League Baseball. Since 2003, 14,466 Perfect Game alumni have been selected in the MLB Draft. In the 2023 Draft, for example, 95 percent of all players selected had played in Perfect Game events, and every player selected on the Draft’s first day had previously attended Perfect Game events. 

 

 


Press Release | Press Release | 12/11/2025

PG Believe In Baseball Announces Awards Dinner

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
    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...
High School | General | 12/24/2025

2025 Year In Review: High School

Cam McElwaney
Article Image
IMG Academy Takes Home the National Title Every year IMG Academy comes into the spring with top-to-bottom one of the top rosters in the country and every year have the expectation of winning the national championship. Well in 2025 they did just that after finishing the spring 24-1, winning the High School Showdown, and winning 15 straight games to end their season. Their high end offensive ability was on full display throughout the year and they will once again be one of the most talented teams in the country in ’26 as they look to go back-to-back. Two Top-10 Picks in the MLB Draft Headline National Players of the Year It was another loaded crop that took home the National Players of the Year as both Ethan Holliday, the National Player of the Year, and Seth Hernandez, National Pitcher of the Year, heard their names called within the first-10 picks in the MLB Draft. Another first...
Draft | Rankings | 12/24/2025

Top 2027 Collegiate Draft Prospects

Isaiah Burrows
Article Image
With the 2025 cycle officially behind us and the calendar nearly flipping over to 2026, it is time to start looking ahead to the future. More importantly, start looking ahead to the next season of college baseball and what that may mean for draft-eligible players with big dreams of continuing their journey. While the 2026 MLB Draft is now on the horizon, we are looking ahead to the future even further – to see which players have already made impacts upon their arrival to college campuses. We have already dropped our 2028 Top 75 collegiate prospects board, but this one is our Top 100 college prospects who will be eligible for the 2027 class. These are the Top 100 players in our eyes for this group, and many of them have already shown up on campus and been impactful in many ways. Whether its our top-ranked player in Oregon State’s Dax Whitney or ninth-ranked William Schmidt...
Draft | Rankings | 12/23/2025

Top 2028 Collegiate Draft Prospects

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
The college players in the 2028 draft class have yet to step on campus, but they're positioned to make an immediate impact. Several high end talents either turned down significant money last year or honored strong college commitments, resulting in their arrival on campus this fall. The class is currently led by a trio of high-upside arms in Jack Bauer, Angel Cervantes, and Cameron Appenzeller. They are followed by a deep group of bats that rounds out a strong, high end Top-10. Rk. Name Level Pos. B-T School Hometown State 1 Jack Bauer C LHP L-L Mississippi State Frankfort IL 2 Angel Cervantes C RHP R-R UCLA Lynwood CA 3 Cameron Appenzeller C LHP L-L Tennessee Springfield IL 4 Brayden Jaksa C C R-R Oregon Fremont  CA 5 JD Stein C SS R-R Wake Forest Carmel IN 6 Mason Ligenza C OF L-L Pittsburgh Brockton PA 7 Ty Peeples C OF L-R Georgia Lavonia GA 8 Lucas Franco C SS L-R TCU Katy TX 9...
Juco | Story | 12/23/2025

2025 Year in Review: JUCO

Blaine Peterson
Article Image
Looking Back at the 2025 Top 10  Matt Barr (‘25 Niagara, ‘26 Minnesota Twins) Bursting onto the scene last winter, footage of an indoor bullpen rocketed Barr onto the radar of many. Explosive fastball reaches near triple digits with incredible spin numbers across the secondaries. Huge numbers at Niagara earned him the title of the first Juco player drafted in 2025. JC Vanek (‘25 Chipola, ‘26 Kansas City Royals) Just a professional hitter. Vanek for two years at Chipola was an impossible out. While there are questions if the power will ever reach what it takes to play first base at the big league level, the bat and quality defensive skillset at first base may carry. Donovan Becerra (‘25 New Mexico, ‘26 Texas Tech) One of the more high octane arms anywhere in the country last year. Can reach back for upper 90’s and has shown serious swing and...
Draft | Story | 12/22/2025

2025 Year in Review: Draft

Isaiah Burrows
Article Image
2025 Year in Review: Draft We’ve reached the end of the 2025 calendar year, and while we’ve already jumped in on the 2026 cycle with some of the fall events and post-draft content we’ve had here at Perfect Game, there’s still one more piece on the docket, and that’s the 2025 Year-In-Review piece here from the PG Draft staff.  The 2025 MLB Draft took place in July, when many highly talented players heard their names called and continued their journey through the game to the next level. There’s already been some of those names making noise in the minors and guys who are moving up prospect lists and becoming names to know for MLB fans digging deep into the future of their organizations. While we are going to “close the book” on 2025 with this article, these players still have many years ahead of them, and many blank pages to continue...
College | Recruiting | 12/22/2025

Recruiting Notebook: December 22

Jheremy Brown
Article Image
Lucien Saint Cyr, INF, Class of 2026 Commitment: Bucknell Saint Cyr announced his pledge to Bucknell, giving the Bison an interesting blend of present tools and projection. Saint Cyr stands 6-foot-1 and offers room to fill in his medium frame, profiling in the middle infield defensively. The New York product starts wide at the base in the right-handed box, keeping his hands high behind the ear. He works into a subtle outward step load, firing through a compact barrel that showcases bat speed and gap-to-gap impact. For head coach Scott Heather and Bucknell, they land a high-quality Northeast infielder in the ’26 cycle, adding to a class that takes the quality over quantity approach. Patrick Diaz ('26, NY) 102 EV off the bat. Impact to the pull side. #PGNational @PGMidAtlantic @PG_Uncommitted pic.twitter.com/NN0L3FRdO9 — PG Showcases (@PGShowcases) July 9, 2025 Patrick Diaz,...
High School | General | 12/19/2025

Huntington Beach HS World Series Recap

Steve Fiorindo
Article Image
MVPitcher: Duncan McLeod The uncommitted junior toed the slab in three of the four games for Team Mick, tossing 3 2/3 innings.  Zero walks, zero hits and 6 punchouts for the lefty who was used both as a starter in the series clinching game 4 and he closed out game 3 on Friday in quick fashion.  McLeod was very efficient as well, needing just 42 pitches over all his outings.  In the game 4 start, over two innings he punched out 3, with one strikeout with all of his offerings.  The mid 80’s fastball regularly played up, set up with efficient use of the secondaries, with the breaking ball 73/74 and fading change-up 72-74.   Owen Bone (2026) at it again... Solo shot in the 5th to tie things up. Back to back days with a home run for Bone. #PGHS pic.twitter.com/2JC9qETI5h — Perfect Game California (@California_PG) December 13, 2025 MV Hitter: ...
Tournaments | Story | 12/19/2025

13u Tourney All-American Team

Jheremy Brown
Article Image
What a year it was in 2025 on the national landscape at the 13u level as Perfect Game continues to expand its reach around the country, providing an even bigger schedule of events coast-to-coast which has allowed players all over show out and gain their deserved recognition. Whether in Texas for the Houston 1000 or the 13u WWBA in West Palm Beach, we saw huge, eye opening performances from the players placed below, knowing that we could EASILY build a third team and likely a fourth without much effort.  As we do every year with this exercise, it's worth pointing out the trickiness of this age group and putting the teams together with the 13u group. While the players are all members of the Class of 2030, some are younger for the grade, which allowed them to play at the 12u level where's it's a smaller field, shorter mound distance and different bats, so we'll separate them out and...
Tournaments | Story | 12/18/2025

14u Tourney All-American Team

Tyler Russo
Article Image
Player of the Year: Asher Williams It was an incredible year for Williams that was rewarded with a trip to the 14U Select Fest, before some more impressive play in the fall. He came to the plate almost 250 times in PG tournaments throughout 2025 and reached base in well over half of them, hitting to a .500 AVG while slugging a 14U circuit best 12 bombs and driving in 113 runs. The numbers on the surface are ridiculous, but when you look at the high-level events he put them up in, it makes it even more impressive. Pitcher of the Year: Tristan Blalock Blalock earns this honor after a dominant 2025 where he struck out 85 batters in just 48.2 innings of work with a minuscule 1.58 ERA. This included several strong performances at many national level tournaments and showcases where he was able to bully some of the best hitters in the country. It’s hard not to fall in love with...
Draft | Story | 12/18/2025

PG Draft: Gut Feel Guys

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
While we are nearing the turn of the calendar to the 2026 year, that means we are just inching closer to the beginning of the season for many high school players and college baseball is on the horizon. We are prepping for a reshuffle of the 2026 MLB Draft Board as well here amongst the PG Draft staff. But before we get to that, we sat down and have each picked a couple of players who are in the mix to get selected in a couple of different buckets.  We have prospects who could go into the Top 30 picks or so, prospects who could be selected in the Top 5 rounds, and prospects who could go inside of the Top 10 rounds. With the draft quite far down the road and a lot of re-shuffling to be done as these players play themselves into certain spots on the draft board, our scouts picked some players who fit into these “buckets” who are gut-feel guys. These are the guys that our PG...
Loading more articles...