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
PG Series  | PG Series Classic | 7/29/2019

Freshman PG Series Quick Hits

Photo: Riley Stanford (Perfect Game)

Gilbert Saunders III (2022, Gilbertsville, Pa.) started on the mound for Northeast and showed some overpowering stuff. Saunders had a short outing, only throwing one inning, but he struck out the side. His fastball was up to 87 mph and had some arm-side run. When he was ahead of the count he liked to go to his 11-to-5 breaking curveball at 73 mph. His curveball was his strikeout pitch and hitters were swinging and missing at it during his outing. Saunders has a big frame at 6-foot-3, 220-pounds and has good strength in his lower half. Saunders was able to throw a lot of strikes and keep hitters off balance going with his off-speed for his strikeouts.



Starting on the mound for Central on Monday was righthander Gabriel Rodriguez (2022, Thornton, Colo.). Rodriguez threw a lot of strikes as he pitched to contact and let his defense work behind him. His fastball was 83-84 mph and pounded the zone with it. He also has a curveball at 75 mph and elicited a lot of weak contact when he threw it. He was able to throw both of his pitches to both sides of the plate, which kept hitters off balance. He controlled the pace of the game as he threw 3 1/3 innings while not giving up a run and striking out two.



Coming out of the ‘pen and reliving Rodriguez was Nicolas Yard (2022, Erie, Colo.). He threw strikes right out of the gate and went right at hitters. His fastball was overpowering at 88 mph as he threw it all over the zone. Yard has a very fluid arm action and makes 88 look easy. Yard is 6-feet, 170-pounds and has plenty of room to fill into his body. Yard threw two innings allowing only one hit and striking out four. Also at the plate he went 2-for-3 with a triple and a run scored.

Lefthanded pitcher Shane Thorson (2022, Zebulon, N.C.) started on the mound for Coastal on Monday. Thorson was dominant as he had his fastball up to 84 mph which had good natural lefty movement to it. He also has a tight-breaking curveball that made hitters look silly. He pounded the zone throwing a lot of strikes and going right at hitters. Thorson is 5-foot-11, 170-pounds and has plenty of room to continue to grow and get stronger. Thorson threw 1 1/3 innings not allowing a hit and striking out three.



The biggest standout on Monday was righthander for Southeast, Riley Stanford (2022, Gainesville, Ga.). Stanford did it both offensively and on the mound on Monday, but heads really turned once he stepped on the mound. He had his fastball up to 95 mph and was sitting 91-93. His fastball was very heavy as every pitch resulted in weak contact when it was put in play. His fastball was absolutely overpowering as hitters looked scared when they stepped in the box. His slider has sharp break when he keeps it down in the zone at 77 mph. His changeup was also very effective at 84 mph as it had very good movement to it. At 6-foot-4, Stanford is very long and lengthy and shows very good athleticism on the field. He threw two innings and struck out six while not allowing an earned run. Also at the plate he went 2-for-5 with a double and some loud outs.

First baseman for South on Monday was Jalen Seward (2022, Albuquerque, N.M.). He looked very good at the plate finding consistent barrels in every at-bat. He has very quick hands through the zone and has good extension through the baseball which allows him to elevate balls into the gaps. Seward has an open stance with calm hands as he looks for pitches early in counts to hit hard. Seward handled velocity very well and let his hands work through the zone. Seward, at 6-foot-4, 210-pounds, showed good athleticism at both first base and third base. Seward went 3-for-4 on the day with two towering doubles, two RBI and one run scored.



Starting on the mound for Northeast was righthander Matthew Grabmann (2022, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada). Grabmann ran his fastball up to 90 mph and it had some great life to it. His fastball had good run to it as he would throw it in to hitters jamming them and then throw it away also getting called strikes as it would run back over the plate to righties. He also has a tight 12-to-6 curveball that elicited a lot of swing and misses. Grabmann worked very fast and he controlled the pace of the game. He has a high leg kick and loads well onto his back hip and explodes down the mound. Grabmann threw four innings allowing only two hits and striking out seven.



On the bump for Deep South was starting pitcher Yoel Tejeda Jr (2022, Davie Fla.). Tejada threw 2 1/3 innings not allowing and earned run and striking out three. Tejeda has a long and lengthy frame at 6-foot-6, 195-pounds and he also shows good athleticism. His fastball, which had very good arm-side run, was up to 87 mph while he was sitting 83-84. Tejeda, who is committed to the University of Florida, works quick and also works on both sides of the plate keeping hitters off balance. He also showed a curveball at 71 mph and a changeup that he liked to throw in any count at 77 mph. Tejeda will be a player to keep your eyes on over the next couple of years.

– Parker Fronk




PG Series | PG Series Classic | 8/2/2019

Deep South captures Series

Autumn Jones
Article Image
FORT MYERS, Fla. – A gloomy Friday afternoon in Fort Myers unified more than merely individuals contesting collectively, but two talented Freshmen teams that displayed a great deal of sportsmanship. Deep South slid past Puerto Rico in the title game of the Freshman PG Series Classic, 5-1. Considering their rough start in pool play, going 0-3, Deep South came out relentless in the playoffs defeating opponents in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds and closed the feat with a championship victory against Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico was up first on the board in the bottom of the first scoring their single run in the game that came from Jose Torres Rivera (2022, Puerto Rico).  Deep South doubled that shortly after in the top of the second with runs scored by Yoel Tejeda Jr (2022, Davie, Fla.) and Xavier Vergne (2022, Miramar, Fla.). Tejeda Jr and Vergne each went 2-for-3 in the game...
Press Release | Press Release | 1/16/2026

Perfect Game Hires Blakeley As Regional Dir.

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 HIRES ERIC BLAKELEY AS REGIONAL DIRECTOR    Sanford, Florida (Friday, January 16, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced the hiring of Eric Blakeley as a Regional Director. Blakeley brings more than two decades of experience in elite baseball and softball events, along with an accomplished background as both a collegiate and professional player.    Blakeley joins Perfect Game after building the highly respected Crossroads Baseball Series, where for more than 20 years he developed and operated baseball...
College | Story | 1/14/2026

2026 College Preview Index

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
From Preseason All-Americans to a Top 25, make sure to check back daily as we will continue to pump out content as a staff. Every conference preview will include a Preseason All-Conference Team as well as Draft/Prospect lists for each of the next 3 years (2026, 2027, 2028) while also breaking down every team within each conference. Publish Date Content Wednesday January 7 Preseason All-Americans Thursday January 8 Preseason Top 25 Monday January 12 Top 100 Freshmen Tuesday January 13 Top 100 Sophomores Wednesday January 14 Top 100 Juniors Thursday January 15 Top 100 Seniors College Conference Previews Publish Date Conference Friday January 16 Atlantic Coast (ACC) Monday January 19 Southeastern (SEC) Tuesday January 20 Oregon State Preview Wednesday January 21 Big 10 Thursday January 22 Big 12 Friday January 23 American (AAC) Monday January 26 Atlantic Sun (ASUN)...
Softball | Softball Tournament | 1/14/2026

Perfect Game Softball Turf Wars

Ashley Mears
Article Image
2026 Perfect Game Softball Turf Wars January 9-11 Ashley Mears   The 2026 season kicked off in impressive fashion at the Fun City Dome in Burlington, Iowa, featuring a highly competitive field across both age groups. The 18U division was loaded with talent, including over 20 Division I and II commits and several high-upside prospects, leading to intense bracket play and multiple walk-off finishes. Iowa Nationals claimed the championship over a well-rounded Iowa Prospects Gold team. The 14U division brought together quality programs from Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois. The tournament championship was an exciting matchup where Southeast Iowa Swarm edged a tough Black Dragons squad. 18u Lauren Hagedorn (2026, Adel, IA) of Iowa Nationals and future Iowa State Cyclone earned weekend MVP honors after a strong two-way performance. In the circle, she consistently kept hitters off balance...
College | Rankings | 1/15/2026

Top 100 Collegiate Seniors

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
Top 100 Collegiate Freshmen | Top 100 Collegiate Sophomores | Top 100 Collegiate Juniors This senior board is one of the deepest we’ve assembled in years. From experienced weekend arms with power stuff, to proven position players coming off loud 2025 spring seasons, to former prospects returning from injury and looking to reestablish their status, impact players are scattered throughout the group. Headlining the board is Maika Niu, now at Arkansas after a strong season at Marshall and an MVP summer on the Cape. Nui is a high-level athlete in center field and a legitimate offensive force who should slide seamlessly into the heart of the Razorbacks’ lineup. Close behind are two premium arms in Ole Miss’s Hunter Elliott and Kentucky’s Jaxon Jelkin. Elliott is coming off a monster 2025 spring, going 10–3 with a 2.94 ERA and 104 strikeouts, and...
College | Rankings | 1/14/2026

Top 100 Collegiate Juniors

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
Top 100 Collegiate Freshmen | Top 100 Collegiate Sophomores As we look ahead to another season of college baseball and continue our week of class-by-class lists, we look at the Junior class and we’ve got our Top 100 Juniors in the 2026 college season. This list aligns with the PG Draft lists we compiled at the top, with Roch Cholowsky, Drew Burress, and AJ Gracia rounding out the top three. There’s a litany of storylines to follow this year, with players who have tons of draft upside or players looking to be impactful players among their respective programs. These are the players who we feel are in a position to make some serious noise during the 2026 season. Talent is present all across the board, with players who could make some serious statements this year. Looking all the way up and down the board, there are impact bats, players primed for a breakout, Friday...
College | Rankings | 1/13/2026

Top 100 Collegiate Sophomores

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
Top 100 Collegiate Freshmen As we creep toward opening day here in a month or so, the draft team has put together the Top 100 sophomores on campus this spring.  This list is chalk full of talent, with future draft prospects littered top to bottom. The headliner of this group is Derek Curiel, a draft eligible sophomore that took the SEC by storm last spring. The Perfect Game All-American posted a .990 OPS over the course of a full season and is projected to vault himself further up the board during his ‘26 campaign. An electric arm in Dax Whitney follows up Curiel, with Strosnider, Lawson and Franco rounding out the top five.  Keep tabs on the draft eligible sophomores in this group come the summer. The rest of the pack are eligible for next year’s draft and figure to feature at the top of many draft lists in ‘27.  Rk. Name Level Pos. B-T School Hometown...
Draft | Rankings | 1/12/2026

Top 100 Collegiate Freshmen

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
As we creep toward opening day here in a month or so, the draft team has put together the Top 100 freshmen on campus this spring.  Three high-end arms lead the way, starting with Jack Bauer. The Mississippi State left-hander reached triple digits as a prep and is sure to make an immediate impact this spring. UCLA right-hander Angel Cervantes was selected in the 2nd round of last year’s draft but held firm on his commitment and should be an impact arm for the Bruins. Following the arms, a collection of bats rounds out the Top 10. There is loads of upside to the group with the potential and they should draw considerable playing time as freshman.  As the list gets deeper, there are plenty of players that should pop up and make significant contributions both this year and years down the line. The class has both depth and talent, making for a very intriguing group of...
Tournaments | Story | 1/9/2026

PG Leaderboard: Class of 2030

Jheremy Brown
Article Image
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...
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...
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...
Loading more articles...