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Tournaments  | Story | 6/28/2019

15U BCS: Day 2 Scout Notes

Vincent Cervino
Parker Fronk
Photo: Griffin Herring (Perfect Game)
2019 15U BCS National Championship: Day 1 Scout Notes

Starting off hot on Day 2 of the 15U BCS Finals was FTB Tucci-Orlando shortstop Rafael Betancourt Jr (2022, Deltona, Fla.) and the smooth swinging infielder had a big day with two doubles on the ledger. Betancourt is a good athlete with excellent projection, he’s young for the grade, and some present twitch. The set up from the left side is fairly simple, with a narrow setup and a higher hand set. He drops his hands slightly in the load and brings them to contact on an uphill path that is smooth and his hands are athletic enough to adjust to different pitch types and locations. Betancourt handles shortstop well with clean and quick footwork and looks to be a well-rounded prospect at this juncture.



Hector A. Candelas (2021, Carolina, P.R.) had a strong day both at the plate and on the mound for Team Elite of P.R. as he collected two hits and topped out at 82 mph on the mound while tossing three hitless innings. Candelas has a long and lean 6-foot-1, 172-pound frame with lots of room for projection and for strength on the frame. The swing is smooth with a longer swing path but gets some loft to the end of the stroke and allows him to leverage the ball hard to the pull side. The bat speed and offensive prowess certainly stand out for Candelas and his two-way on the mound offers intriguing potential to monitor.



A standout at the Junior National showcase, Alvin Keels (2022, Norfolk, Va.) had himself a day in what was a wild game during the afternoon slots as Keels knocked in two triples during game action. Keels has incredibly fast hands and those hands allow him to be able to not only pull the ball but create impact off the barrel, even when he’s mistimed; he was out in front of a breaking ball but did a very good job at keeping his hands back to punish the off-speed pitch deep to dead center field. Keels is an excellent athlete, as he ran a 6.8 second 60-yard dash a month ago in Hoover, but his offensive tools shine through loudly and there’s serious upside to his profile.

Starting the third slot for 5 Star West 15U Black, Riley Cruce (2021, Loganville, Ga.) showed off some impressive pitchability from a very slender frame that is ripe for physical projection. He’s got some wiry strength at present and though he’s listed at 5-foot-11 the delivery is clean and deceptive and the arm works. Cruce works really quickly, grabbing and starting his delivery almost immediately after receiving the ball, and hides it nicely in the back to allow the natural life to play up some on his fastball that sat 79-82 mph. The curveball has some shape and sharpness while Cruce also has good feel for his changeup; Cruce struck out four over two innings and needed very few pitches to do so.

Turning in a quick outing in relief was lefthander Jamie Arnold (2022, Tampa, Fla.) who touched 86 mph with his fastball early and sat in the 80-84 mph range. He’s very deceptive, coming at hitters from a lower and extended three-quarters arm slot that generates some life and good angle on the hitter at the plate. The arm swing is very long in the back and he almost pauses as he’s driving onto his backside to give hitters a bad look at trying to time him up. He only threw 20 pitches and spiked one curveball, but the changeup showed some promise. Arnold is a projectable southpaw with a good present fastball and sky-high projection.



Speaking of very quick and efficient performances, Dulin Dodgers McGarrh lefthander Griffin Herring (2022, Southlake, Tex.) was remarkably effective in two hitless innings on the mound. A LSU commit, Herring held 80-83 mph with his fastball from the onset and really gave hitters some tough looks as he garnered a lot of swing and miss. The Texas native gets his arm up quickly with a fairly direct delivery that allows him to incorporate his lower half well. The fastball worked to all parts of the strike zone, even effective when elevated, and his ability to hold his velocity certainly stood out. Both secondaries were solid with some sharpness to a low-70s curveball, but his changeup was nasty against righthanders. The pitch was in the mid-70s and fell off the proverbial table to get a lot of swinging swords from opposing hitters. Herring’s pitchability stands out among the class and with an uptick in velocity he has a chance to be dominant.

Herring’s teammate and starting shortstop Cade McGarrh (2022, Frisco, Tex.) stood out during Day 1 action for touching 89 mph off the mound in a relief appearance. He has the size and frame to fill out immensely at a listed 6-foot-3, 155 pounds with excellent athleticism and actions over at shortstop. The swing itself is fairly simple, mostly an upper half and hands-oriented stroke that allows him to both cover the plate and turn the barrel over effectively. He rocketed a single in one of his at-bats to the pull side earlier today and with additional lower half usage and strength he should be able to use his long limbs to leverage balls to the pull side with carry. The athleticism and first step quickness, along with the obvious arm strength, should allow him to stick at shortstop at the next level while the coming power is certainly a bonus.

Drake Flowers (2022, Jupiter, Fla.) has a lot of components to like out of a young, uncommitted prospect. The 6-foot-4, 165-pound prospect looks to have an immensely projectable frame with a relatively simple and easy operation on the mound. He delivers from an over-the-top arm slot and generates a high-spin fastball that worked in the 82-85 mph range. Flowers gets great extension toward the hitter with a relatively low effort release and the ball jumped on opposing hitters causing a lot of empty hacks at the heater. He mixed in a couple of mid-60s breaking balls, but the projection coupled with the present stuff and size make him an extremely interesting uncommitted follow.

Recently committing to Florida, Cade Kurland (2023, Tampa, Fla.) has been standing out in the early portions of the tournament as the three-hole and starting shortstop for Top Tier American. The athletic infielder will just be entering his freshman year in high school but it’s not hard to see what the Gators liked about him. The athleticism and glove work stands out as he has excellent first-step quickness and the arm strength to project as a shortstop at the next level. The swing is fairly mechanically sound with a clean shift of the lower half and very fast hands. He hits the ball hard and hit it on the ground more often than one would like, but the loose hands and easy bat speed both portend a high offensive ceiling. Kurland is a high-level prospect for this age group and he’s showing no issues handling an age group higher than his own.

-Vinnie Cervino

Starting pitcher for BBA National was Joan Sebasitan Roman Cancel (2022, Marlboro, N.J.). Cancel stands at 6-foot and uses his long arms to get down the mound. He has an athletic build and a smooth delivery to the plate. Cancel had his fastball up to 85 mph and his curveball was 68-70 mph. He controlled the pace of the game and he did not allow a hit during his outing. Cancel will continue to get stronger over the next couple years and velocity will improve also.

Another BBA National player that showed his potential was first baseman Tywone Malone (2021, Jamesburg, N.J.). Tywone stands at 6-foot-4, 290 pounds, and he is very strong. He looks to do damage with every pitch and drive balls into the gaps. He has quick hands to the zone and hunts pitches early in counts. He has good speed for his size and looks athletic at first base. Malone is exciting to watch and he will continue to develop as a ball player.

Kaleb Heatherly (2022, Cullman, Ala.) has started off hot. He is 5-for-6 with three doubles and two RBI. He stands at 6-foot-5, 230 pounds, and has pop to all fields. He looks to elevate to his pull side and drive the ball into the left-center gap. He plays a good first base and will continue to get more athletic and develop. Heatherly will continue to get stronger and keep hitting extra base hits over the next couple years.

Robert Lane (2022, Claxton, Ga.) of 5 Star National 15U Weaver looks confident at the plate. Standing at 5-foot-7, he keeps his hands inside of the baseball very well and lives in the middle of the field. Lane is a line drive hitter who looks for a pitch over the plate to drive hard up the middle. He also has good speed and uses it on the base paths well, as he disrupts the pitcher’s rhythm because he is a threat to steal a base at any time. Lane plays the game the right way and he is a fun player to watch.

-Parker Fronk
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Tournaments | Story | 1/9/2026

PG Leaderboard: Class of 2030
Jheremy Brown
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Complete PG Leaderboard Database PG Leaderboard: Class of 2026 | Class of 2027 | Class of 2028 | Class of 2029 Today we wrap up our reviews of the 2026 thru 2030 class where we looked back on some of the eye opening metrics we saw from around the country, both in a showcase and tournament setting. To those not inside the youth baseball world, some of the metrics below would seem truly unattainable from current 8th graders, from the pair of 90 mph heaters courtesy of Amani Tuiasosopo and Kingston George, to upper-80s velocity from all over the field and multiple players north of 90 mph on the exit velocity testing (with wood), this 2030 class is one that has a chance to be special as we continue to watch it unfold moving forward.  Top Fastball Velocity  Rk Player FB Event School Hometown 1 Amani Tuiasosopo 90 2025 WWBA 14U World Championship Renton...
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Tournaments | Story | 1/8/2026

PG Leaderboard: Class of 2029

Jheremy Brown
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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...
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College | Story | 1/9/2026

LSU Reloads & Returns; Opens No. 1

Vincent Cervino
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“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...
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Press Release | Press Release | 1/7/2026

PG Announces Naming Rights in Chesterfield

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 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...
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College | Rankings | 1/8/2026

2026 Preseason Top 25

Vincent Cervino
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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...
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College | Story | 1/7/2026

Preseason Collegiate All-Americans

Vincent Cervino
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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...
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College | Recruiting | 1/6/2026

Recruiting Notebook: January 6

Michael Albee
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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,...
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Tournaments | Story | 1/7/2026

PG Leaderboard: Class of 2028

Jheremy Brown
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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...
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Showcase | Story | 1/6/2026

PG Leaderboard: Class of 2027

Jheremy Brown
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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...
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Draft | Mock Draft | 1/9/2026

MLB Mock Draft: January 9

Tyler Henninger
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As we turn the calendar to 2026, we move one step closer to draft day. With the lottery behind us and the order now set, we wanted to take one final stab at a preseason mock draft before players take the field. The talent at the top of this class stands out and feels as deep as it has been in quite some time. There is solid depth in the first round, with real value extending later into the round. While things are certain to shift once the season gets underway, this is how we see things going for now.  1.  Chicago White Sox: Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA The White Sox come away with one of the most polished profiles in the class and one of the better draft prospects we’ve seen in a while. Cholowsky gives Chicago a high-level college shortstop with a refined offensive approach, quality in-game power, and advanced defensive actions. There’s a strong blend of floor and...
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