THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,384 MLB PLAYERS | 15,802 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,384 MLB PLAYERS | 15,802 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Create Account
Sign in Create Account
All American Game  | Story | 9/8/2025

Big-league wisdom is served at PGAAC

Jim Salisbury
Photo: Mike Sweeney (Perfect Game)
Big-league wisdom is served at PGAAC

SAN DIEGO – For Denard Span, it was a full-circle moment.

Before serving as a coach at the DICK’s Perfect Game All-American Classic last month, he had not participated in a PG event in 24 years, since he attended a showcase at Tropicana Field as a high school prospect from Tampa Catholic in 2001.



Back then, Span shared a field with future major-league talents Prince Fielder, B.J. Upton, Scott Kazmir and Zack Greinke.

Now, he was at Petco Park working with young phenoms such as Grady Emerson, Jacob Lombard, Malachi Washington and Aiden Ruiz.

“I’m amazed at what PG is doing here, amazed at how the whole operation has grown,” Span said after watching batting practice. “The talent here is incredible. These kids have it all. I’ve been away from the amateur game for a little bit so to come back and see the size of these young guys, the speed, the arm strength, the explosiveness, the athleticism, the ability to hit for power.

“They’re way more advanced than me 20-plus years ago. They’re on another level. These guys are low-key professionals already at 17 and 18 years old.”

Perfect Game brought its top 62 rated players, all 2026 draft eligibles, to San Diego for its 23rd annual Classic.

The guest list also included an All-Star roster of coaches, instructors and ambassadors, guys who had enjoyed successful major-league careers and were eager to help a new generation of talent follow its dreams. Hall of Famer Trevor Hoffman managed the West club. Former World Series champ Ryan Klesko managed the East club. The West squad won the game, but competition was only part of the event. https://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=23834&src=hmrep

Hitters benefitted from coaching tips provided by former American League MVP Mo Vaughn and All-Stars Mike Sweeney, Phil Nevin and Mark Loretta, as well as Jason Phillips and Span, a 2002 first-round draft pick who played 11 seasons in the majors. Pitchers were able to tap into the experiences of former All-Star Tom Gordon, 20-game winner Scott Erickson and longtime big-league reliever Todd Coffey.

Sweeney and Nevin were both in uniform for the first time at a PG event. Sweeney works in leadership development for the Kansas City Royals. Nevin works in player development and scouting for the Chicago White Sox. Both were impressed by the talent at the PGAAC.

“You see kids coming into minor-league baseball out of high school at such a young age and yet they’re so developed,” Sweeney said. “You think, ‘Man, how are these kids getting so big and so strong and so athletic so quickly?’ With PG, you get a taste of it right here. These kids are just starting their senior years in high school and they’re hitting the ball like big-leaguers. It’s incredible. The bodies, the skill sets, the bat to ball. PG is putting on a show.”

During batting practice, Sweeney enjoyed talking hitting with infielder Trey Ebel of Rancho Cucamonga, California.

“We talked about some of the life lessons I learned in the cage after games in Wilmington, Delaware, trying to figure it out till 1 in the morning,” Sweeney said. “Back then I was thinking, ‘Am I ever going to get out of A ball?’ Then you figure something out with your swing and you’re like, ‘Oh, this is a little golden nugget that no one ever told me.’ I got to share those golden nuggets with Trey and he’s taking it to the cage to see if it works for him. It’s great to share little nuggets with these guys.”

Nevin was the first overall pick in the 1992 draft out of Cal State Fullerton. He struggled to reach his potential early in his career before becoming one of the game’s top run producers with the San Diego Padres in the early 2000s. Later on, Nevin coached in the majors with the San Francisco Giants, New York Yankees and Los Angeles Angels. He also managed the Angels. Clearly, he had a wealth of experience to share with the young players.

“Listen,” Nevin said when asked what advice he was most eager to share with players. “Use all the resources around you. It took me a while to realize that people were always there to try to help me. Thankfully, I got another chance to apply those teachings and learnings throughout my career and was able to put together some good years at the end, but it certainly didn’t start off right away like that for me. I wouldn’t want to see these kids not take advantage of the situation and be at their best when they should be.”

Nevin also addressed work habits with players.

“Make sure every rep you take, every swing you take, every throw you make is done with meaning and the purpose of getting better every day,” he said.

And on top of everything …

“Keep it fun,” he said.

That wasn’t a problem for the 62 young men in San Diego. Hoffman, who has a long affiliation with PG, both as an investor and Honorary Chairman of the Classic, renewed a tradition he started years ago when he invited all the players to his beach house for a couple of hours of fun in the sun. Players swam, surfed, tossed footballs and enjoyed a catered lunch from Hodad’s, the famous San Diego burger spot.

“Kids are coming from all over the country for this event, which is great,” Hoffman said. “They all bring a different experience to San Diego. And, so, it’s an opportunity for them to see something that I truly cherish and that’s living close to the water. To be able to give them that opportunity on a mid-summer August day to take their minds off the stresses that surrounds this game, even at their level -- I like to be able to do that.”

The memories stay with the young players forever. Years after participating in the 2015 PGAAC, major leaguer Josh Naylor approached Hoffman at Petco Park and said, “Hey, Mr. Hoffman, I had a blast at your house.”

Back at the ballpark, players ate up advice like they ate up those burgers at Trevor Hoffman’s beach house.

“Stay disciplined, be consistent and have the heart and the grit and the ability to persevere,” Span said. “It’s a difficult game. It can tear you down at times. But if you stay disciplined to the work and stay disciplined to your craft and keep your nose clean, I believe you will put yourself in a position to be successful.”
Give us your feedback
All American Game | Story | 9/15/2025

PG Athletes Raise Money For Charity
Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
    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...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 1/8/2026

PG Leaderboard: Class of 2029

Jheremy Brown
Article Image
Complete PG Leaderboard Database PG Leaderboard: Class of 2026 | Class of 2027 | Class of 2028 These players below are just entering their freshmen year's of high school, a scary though as you scroll through the 11 categories and see some of the eye opening numbers from the fastballs to the infield and outfield velocities, down to the Diamond Kinetic testing and their three sub-categories.  Top Fastball Velocity Rk Player FB Event Commitment School Hometown 1 Brody McCorkle 92 2025 18U PG Mid-Atlantic Fall Elite Championship Uncommitted Ranney Forked River, NJ 1 Caleb Polk 92 2025 14U Perfect Game Select Festival Uncommitted IMG Academy Dallas, TX 1 Knox Myers 92 2025 PG WWBA Freshman World Championship Uncommitted East Bay Riverview, FL 2 Alex Bello 91 2025 16U PG Fall World Series Uncommitted Montverde Academy Orlando, FL 2 Alex Bello 91 2025 14U Perfect Game...
Read More
College | Story | 1/9/2026

LSU Reloads & Returns; Opens No. 1

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
“How do you get to success? You have to honor the process that you built to get to that success…The standard is how we operate, train, and get better each day.”” Process-oriented leadership is a popular coaching strategy here in the mid-2020s but no one exemplifies that more than LSU head coach Jay Johnson. He’s won the Tigers two national titles during his time in Baton Rouge and expectations won’t be any lower in 2026 as LSU is the No. 1 team in the country in Perfect Game’s Preseason Top 25.  Johnson is heading into his fifth season at the helm in Baton Rouge and it’s fair to say that he has already experienced enormous success. There have been two national titles in four years (2023, 2025), a Golden Spikes winner (Dylan Crews, 2023), a first overall MLB Draft pick (Paul Skenes, 2023), and five first-round MLB Draft picks during...
Read More
Press Release | Press Release | 1/7/2026

PG Announces Naming Rights in Chesterfield

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
    667 Progress Way | Sanford, FL 32771 | 319-298-2923  www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA      FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE    PERFECT GAME AND FIRST COMMUNITY CREDIT UNION ANNOUNCE CHESTERFIELD ATHLETIC COMPLEX    Landmark Partnership to Center on Community, Inclusion and Youth Sports    Chesterfield, Missouri (Wednesday, January 7, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, along with the City of Chesterfield, today announced  an exclusive naming rights partnership with First Community Credit Union (FCCU) for the Chesterfield Valley Athletic Complex. Effective immediately, the venue will be known as the “Chesterfield First Community Athletic...
Read More
College | Rankings | 1/8/2026

2026 Preseason Top 25

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
With an interesting and action-packed fall behind us, a new college season is just around the corner. The college game continues to prove it is alive and well as the Division 1 team count has now ballooned to 308 teams for the 2026 season. With new legislation allowing teams 5-weeks to prepare for opening day, many student athletes have returned to campus and will begin skill related workouts soon. Opening Day, as usual, will fall on Valentine’s Day weekend and it is just six weeks away. After a fall of evaluation and months of research and discussion, we are ready to release our annual Perfect Game pre-season Top 25 poll. After winning 53-games, hosting the NCAA Regional and Super Region, and sweeping their way through the College World, the LSU Tigers will debut the 2026 season as our No.1 ranked team. Head coach, Jay Johnson, has now led the Tigers to two national titles in the...
Read More
College | Story | 1/7/2026

Preseason Collegiate All-Americans

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
The transfer portal, JUCO gems, 6th year waivers and impact freshman; following the college game and figuring out rosters is basically a fulltime job nowadays. This is the new norm, and while the baseball purist may not like it, the college game has never been more exciting. It looks like 2026 is shaping up to be an incredible season with the balance of power seemingly spread out evenly from coast to coast. Like we seem to say every year, the depth and quality of talent has never been better, and the 2026 Perfect Game Pre-Season All-American teams will attest to that fact.With the 2026 College Baseball season is just around the corner, the Perfect Game college staff will have you loaded with coverage heading into the new year. On the heels of our Pre-Season Top 25 poll, the All-American list will be headlined by a banner sophomore class on the 1st team. The sweet lefthanded swings of...
Read More
College | Recruiting | 1/6/2026

Recruiting Notebook: January 6

Michael Albee
Article Image
Griffin Boesen (‘27, IA) shoots this one backside down the line. Adds his second hit of the day. Picked up a base knock. Physical LH bat w/ an ability to drive the baseball here. @IowaPG @PG_Uncommitted @CanesMidwest #WWBAWorlds https://t.co/pmpIzaAbLz pic.twitter.com/Qz0CHiS3P1 — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) October 13, 2025 Griffin Boesen, Class of 2027 Commitment: Duke Another top 100 prospect is off the board as the Corey Muscara led Duke Blue Devils picked up a physical two-way prospect in Boesen out of Florida recently. At 6-foot-5, 205 pounds, Boesen looks the part of a middle of the order type slugger and he's just that, showing lots of looseness and bat speed in his left-handed stroke and is coming off a Jupiter where he hit .700 (!!) as an underclassman while driving in 10 runs. The bat-to-ball skills are obvious as he simply hit at all the big stops in 2025,...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 1/7/2026

PG Leaderboard: Class of 2028

Jheremy Brown
Article Image
Complete PG Leaderboard Database PG Leaderboard: Class of 2026 | Class of 2027 Well, the fastball department is dominated by two arms in particular with Striker Pence and Dexter McCleon Jr. combining for almost 200 mph of velo between them on their peak heaters in 2025. That's just absolutely insane. The freakiness of the class continues down the boards with a 6.26 60-yard from Colton Fitzgibbon to the 88 mph hand cannon of Grant Arnold behind the plate to Christian Lux's 106 (!!!) mph exit velocity, this class has out of this world chart toppers. Even scarier? They don't graduate for another three years... Top Fastball Velocity Rk Player FB Event Commitment School Hometown 1 Striker Pence 101 2025 PG WWBA World Championship Uncommitted Santiago Corona, CA 2 Striker Pence 99 2025 PG 17U World Series - National Uncommitted Santiago Corona, CA 2 Striker Pence 99 2025 PG 16U WWBA...
Read More
Showcase | Story | 1/6/2026

PG Leaderboard: Class of 2027

Jheremy Brown
Article Image
Complete PG Leaderboard Database PG Leaderboard: Class of 2026 To think this group still has another two years of high school is a scary thought given what some of the category leaders already are. Samir Mohammed up to 97 mph on the mound, Bryce Fontenot with a max exit velocity of 103 mph and a 6.22 60-yard out of Dylan Seward are all otherworldly numbers that you'd expect to find on a college campus, much less a junior in high school.  Below we check in on several categories for the Class of 2027 and will continue to do so through the week, taking in the top 10 for each, from both Perfect Game showcases and tournaments.  Top Fastball Velocity Rk Player FB Event Commitment School Hometown 1 Samir Mohammed 97 2025 PG WWBA World Championship Louisiana State Tampa Jesuit Trinity, FL 2 Connor Salerno 96 2025 PG WWBA World Championship Mississippi State Sun Valley Indian Trail, NC...
Read More
Tournaments | All-Tournament Team | 1/5/2026

12u All-Tourney Standout Performers

John McAdams
Article Image
The bar continues to rise each and every year, as the Perfect Game tournament platform adds new exciting locations, events and even refines existing ones. This year was no different, as players played in events hosted all over the country. Now, let’s get to the players as they also continue to up the ante every year with outstanding performances that leave many people in complete awe. Please note that due to age of these players, we have decided to focus primarily on the statistics amassed in Perfect Game tournaments. Let’s talk about the numbers, as not one single player on the first team (Hitters) was below a .464 average, while that group hit an astounding 515 homers as a whole. Offensive Player of The Year Aaron Kim led the way with 31 All-Tournament selections with William Goodrich Jr. a close second with 30. In totality, a total of nine selections made the...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 1/2/2026

PG Leaderboard: Class of 2026

Jheremy Brown
Article Image
Complete PG Leaderboard Database With the Main Event Showcase in the rearview mirror, let's take a peak back at some of the standout performances from across the country, both at PG showcases and tournaments. Want to make the list for top fastball? You better have hit at least 97 mph. How about speed? The "slowest" 60-yard to make the table is a 6.30. A 101 mph throws from across the infield courtesy of Matt Ponataski, a few 100s in the outfield from Brady Harris, Matthew Kelley and Juriel Collazo and a top heater of 100 mph from Savion Sims all lead the way in their respective categories. Get ready for the future right now as you'll be hearing plenty about these names in the coming months, leading up to the 2026 MLB Draft.  Top Fastball Velocity Rk Player FB Event Commitment School Hometown 1 Savion Sims 100 2025 PG National Showcase Oklahoma Prestonwood Christian Academy...
Read More
Loading more articles...
About Perfect Game :: Contact us :: Terms of Use :: Privacy Policy :: Testimonials :: Job Opportunities
Copyright 1994-2026 by Perfect Game. All rights reserved. No portion of this information may be reprinted or reproduced without the written consent of Perfect Game.