THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,384 MLB PLAYERS | 15,804 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,384 MLB PLAYERS | 15,804 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Create Account
Sign in Create Account
Tournaments  | Story | 7/20/2018

15u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 7

Jheremy Brown
Perfect Game Tournament Staff
Vincent Cervino
Greg Gerard
Photo: Nick Anello (Perfect Game)

15u WWBA National Championship: Event Page | Daily Leaders
Scout Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6


.

Brody Drost (2020, Sulphur, La.) has shown all week that he is one of the top hitters in the class of 2021 and the LSU commit continued that on Friday. Drost, getting plenty of looks having played three games in the same day, delivered big results from start to finish. One hit in particular really stood out as Drost got the barrel extended and hit the baseball out in front for a long home run. The verbal commitment to LSU has the frame combined with the strength to make loud contact when on time to the baseball and he is on time a lot. It is a smooth and fluid lefthanded swing that Drost has and it is fun all around to watch him hit, not to mention he pitched in game two and was up to 86 mph from his left arm on the mound.




One of the more promising arms of the summer who has been able to show his talent at nearly all age groups of WWBA events is Louisiana-Lafayette commit Hayden Durke (2020, Abbeville, La.). Getting a short one inning look on Tuesday, Durke offered each of his pitches giving a glimpse to this scout of what was to come in this viewing. In game three of the day for Sheets Baseball, Durke came into the game in the seventh frame and delivered an electric pair of innings where he sat 88-92 mph with his fastball and struck out a batter. His three pitch mix is advanced for his age as well. His changeup one day may very well be a plus pitch as he can throw it for strikes with maintained fastball arm speed in the upper-70s. The pitch is already a swing and miss pitch to lefthanded hitters. His curveball is good as well in the low-70s as he can land it at the knees as well for strikes. Durke earned the win in the game as his team came from behind to win the quarterfinal matchup and advance to the semis on Friday morning.

The third Sheets Baseball player of the day that showed nice potential was Connor Simon (2021, Mandeville, La.). The righthanded hitting shortstop is as smooth and fluid in the infield as they come making routine plays looking as flashy as he wants them to. His hands are smooth and his actions are so athletic that it is hard not to enjoy watching him play defense. As a pitcher, you would love having Simon behind you because he makes all routine plays as well as above average plays on top of that. At the plate, the LSU commit bats in the two hole for Sheets, and can swing the stick some as well. His barrel whips through the hitting zone and the ball comes off the bat well when squared. The glove is the carrying tool at present but with some added strength, his hit tool should continue to trend upward as well.

A pair of young 2020 graduate righthanders were sent to the mound for the Cincinnati Spikes on Thursday during playoff action. Justin Hornschemeier (2020, Cincinnati, Ohio) made the start in the first game of the day for the Spikes as he ran his fastball up to 86 mph in the contest and pitched a complete game with three strikeouts. Hornschemeier is a large framed 6-foot-4, 200-pound righthanded pitcher who is able to command the strike zone with his fastball and curveball while challenging hitters up in the strike zone. His fastball consistently ranged from 82-86 mph and had some angle from a long arm action.

The next game of the day belonged to Cade Boxrucker (2020, West Chester, Ohio) on the mound as the Cincinnati Spikes showed their depth on the bump. Boxrucker sat 83-86 mph with his fastball early in the contest and gradually climbed in velocity as his fastball ultimately peaked at 89 mph. Boxrucker has drop and drive actions on the mound with a deep reach in the back as he comes to the plate. The command started to get away from him in the third inning of the game, but the fact that his arm is live enough to continue to climb in velocity the more it is used is certainly worth noting.

Crafty lefty Victor Loa (2021, Los Fresnos, Texas) took the mound for Banditos Scout Team on Thursday and pitched a gem while carving hitters with a fastball and curveball combination. His fastball ranged mostly in the 82-84 mph range while bumping 85 a couple of times with natural lefthander’s life to the pitch. The pitch repeatedly tailed away from righthanded hitters keeping them from barreling the baseball up. His curveball has depth and 2-to-8 shape in the upper-60s. Loa is not overly physical on the mound standing at 5-foot-7, 170-pounds, but the arm speed is very quick and the lefty knows how to pitch and setup hitters nicely to get outs. Loa collected 8 strikeouts in the 6 2/3 innings he was on the mound before having to be pulled due to pitch count regulations. Loa gets downhill well from a full arm action and an easy arm stroke. There is certainly more to come from Loa on the mound and with some continued growth, Loa could make that next jump and be a dominant force on the mound.

Ian Kennedy (2020, Douglasville, Ga.) is an extremely raw primary first baseman who can generate tremendous bat speed at the plate. Kennedy has an explosive swing and the ball can fly off of his barrel at a high rate when squared on time. Kennedy did just that as he ripped a single to his pull side in the Georgia Roadrunners playoff game Thursday. He also shows solid speed out of the righthanded batter’s box as he burned down the line for a 4.29-second home to first base time with a slight pull up and later topped that with a 4.22-second time that was a full out sprint. Kennedy is an interesting hitter at the plate with some tools to work with as he continues to grow.

Garrett Madliak (2021, Carrollton, Ga.) is a standout defender behind the plate while blocking extremely well on top of already showing elite catch and throw ability. Madliak showed all day long in 21 innings of action behind the plate that he has plenty of flexibility as well as the skills to transfer the baseball quickly from his mitt to his hand to nab runners on the basepaths. Madliak, on one instance in particular, threw a would be base stealer out at second with an in-game pop time of 2.01 seconds. The catching prospect puts his throws on the correct side of the bag repeatedly as it helped him throw out multiple would-be base stealers on the day. The uncommitted catcher not only catches well, but he can swing the bat as well. He can get the barrel to the baseball quickly and hit the ball out in front. His swing is simple with a toe tap trigger used for timing and a direct hand path to the baseball.

One of the heavy hitters of the day who can impact the baseball and drive it with ease is Mid-Atlantic Red Sox first baseman Joshua Black (2021, Smithsburg, Md.). Multiple times during the double header for the Red Sox, Black hit the ball with lots of strength that was followed through with through contact creating a serious amount of jump off of the barrel. Black had a big day at the plate particularly in the first game as he went 2-for-3 with a triple and a ground-rule double. Black went up to get the pitch as the pitch was high and possibly out of the zone as he still managed to get on top of it to rip the ball down the right field line for a triple. He later delivered the game-winning hit on a ground-rule double deep to left-center field that many fans thought left the park. Black has big-time strength in his swing and when hit on the nose the ball can be launched with serious pop.

Payton Allen (2021, Rogers, Ark.) showed good defensive skills in Academy Select’s triple header on Friday as his team advanced to the semifinals of the WWBA National Championship. Allen has shown his smooth actions in the middle infield during the Jr. National Showcase and now has done so during a long week of action. Allen has smooth hands and clean footwork to the baseball. His arm strength across the diamond is noticeable as well as he creates plenty of carry to the bag on a line. Allen is the leadoff bat for a loaded Academy Select team and he is a large part of it as he mans the shortstop position as well as the top of the lineup.

– Gregory Gerard



Lefthander Robert Fortenberry (2021, Frisco, Texas) was handed the ball for Academy Select in their opening round playoff game and the uncommitted rising sophomore certainly didn’t disappoint. Making his third appearance of the tournament and first start, Fortenberry carried a no-hitter deep into his five inning outing and more impressively maintained his velocity and stuff over his workload as well.

Strongly built at 5-foot-11, 180-pounds, Fortenberry has shown an uptick in velocity since we last saw him at the Sunshine South in the beginning of June where he topped out at 83 mph, a mark he rarely showed Thursday morning. Instead, Fortenberry ran his fastball up to 87 and lived in the 83-86 mph range, still showing 86 on the gun in his final inning of work with a full arm stroke from which he consistently worked on top of the ball to generate some heavy life down. His arm stroke overall is clean through the backside and the ball comes out well, showing subtle running life to his arm side while also mixing in a two-seamer in the low-80s which he replicated his release point well with. On top of the fastball Fortenberry showed a present feel for his curveball, a pitch that showed 1-to-7 shape up to 72 mph with some depth and the ability to land it during left-on-left matchups.

Countering Fortenberry was another uncommitted lefthander in Carter Holton (2021, Guyton, Ga.) who proved to be just as effective on the mound aside from a single pitch in the fourth inning. As expected with young arms, Holton continues to make strides every time we see him and this look was no different as he impressed during his five innings of work, maintaining his arsenal while filling the zone.

Working mostly in the 84-87 mph range with his heater, Holton bumped an 88 or two and showed an 89 in his third inning of work, proving the velocity is there when he needs it throughout a start. His delivery features a deeper arm stroke through the back though there’s plenty of arm quickness to work on top of the ball well from a higher slot, creating both angle and plane to his fastball while showing running life when working the arm side. There’s more velocity in the tank for Holton too given the ease of which he throws, his projectable 5-foot-11, 155-pound frame, and the fact he utilizes a short stride currently and can continue to implement additional lower half to drive down the mound. The young Georgia native mixed in a curveball up to 76 mph with tight spin and flashed a changeup at 76 mph, both of which leave his hand from a similar release point.

In a game that proved to be dominated by pitching in the early going, it was uncommitted catcher Nathaniel Price (2020, Fort Worth, Texas) who delivered the big hit for Academy Select, ultimately paving the way for their advancement into the Final Four. Hitting out of the six-hole Price picked a good time to connect for his first home run of the tournament, sending a towering shot off an 87 mph fastball from Holton over the left field fence for a no-doubt three-run shot. It was his lone hit of the game but he was certain to make it count while playing a solid defense behind the plate as well.

Making his second appearance on the tournament for Building Champions, uncommitted righthander Carson Liggett (2021, Overland Park, Kan.) finished his five innings without allowing a run which includes his most recent 3 1/3 inning start in the playoffs. Appearing bigger and stronger on the mound than his listed 6-foot, 180-pounds, the broad shouldered Liggett ran his fastball up to 89 mph early in the game while showing a very quick arm stroke in the back which continued to produce mid- to upper-80s fastballs until the end of his outing. He made not have had his best command as he walked four but he still managed to punch out six and induced plenty of off-the-barrel contact with a fastball that featured downhill plane and projects to only add velocity as he continues to refine his delivery and develop physically. On top of the fastball Liggett also showed solid potential with his curveball, a pitch that features plenty of power and downer life up to 76 mph with 11-to-5 shape and late bite. Keep an eye on this young arm out of Kansas as he’ll only continue to develop and improve, though he already has the attention of college recruiters.

Full of quick-twitch muscle, uncommitted outfielder Tyler Collins (2021, McKinney, Texas) had himself a day in the Dallas Tigers’ opening playoff game Thursday, going 3-for-4 at the plate while playing a clean center field and utilizing his big speed tool. Collins, who hit out of the two-hole, showed the handle for the barrel and the ability to execute whatever the situation calls for, beating out an infield single while also laying a perfect bunt down the left field line. While his first three at-bats may not have been hit far or made it out of the infield for that matter, his final trip to the plate certainly did as he showed plenty of quickness to his hands to turn on a 94 mph fastball which he one-hopped to the center field wall with an exit velocity of 94 mph, putting an exclamation mark on an eye opening game for Collins.

While they didn’t get the victory, Team Elite sent plenty of big arms to the mound in the trio of Grant Taylor (2021, Florence, Ala.), Logan Wood (2020, Macomb, Mich.), and Carson Montgomery (2020, Windermere, Fla.). Both Taylor and Montgomery have been written in detail throughout the summer as they show two of the biggest arms in the tournament with Taylor (an LSU commit) bumping 93 mph with his fastball while showing a continually improving curveball getting the start. Montgomery, who is committed to Florida State, threw the final inning and brought a fastball that quickly captured everybody’s attention as he sat in the 94-96 mph range, stringing together four consecutive 96s while showing a fast and rather easy right arm.

Wood, a lefthander committed to Michigan, may not have shown the velocity of the other two arms he was sandwiched between, but he did show the most life on his pitches and any arm in the game and filled the strike zone with a quality 3 pitch mix. His delivery features some moving parts but his athleticism allows him to repeat well while hiding the ball, which when combined with the hard and consistent cutting life to his fastball, helps the 84-87 mph pitch play up even more on hitters. The fastball proved to be an effective pitch for Wood as he punched out four in three innings, but both his slider and curveball were offerings he was able to land as well. Throwing in the upper-70s, Wood’s slider featured tight rotation and late-tilting life with maintained arm speed while his 74-77 mph curveball offered more depth and 1-to-7 shape, creating a clear distinction between the two while still pounding the zone.

Ryan Johnson (2021, Red Oak, Texas) did a little bit of everything in helping his Dallas Tigers take down Team Elite in the opening round of Thursday’s playoff action. A long and projectable 6-foot-6, 175-pounds, Johnson made his presence felt both with his lefthanded bat and his right arm on the bump as he worked the final 1.1 innings for the Tigers. Utilizing an up-tempo delivery with moving parts and deception throughout, Johnson ran his fastball up to 89 mph and lived in the mid- to upper-80s while mixing in a short and tight slider which bumped 80 mph early on. His swing in the final inning may have been the most impressive part of his day though as he barreled up a 96 mph fastball from Montgomery, showing quick hands and strength off the barrel to clear the left fielder’s head for a two base hit.




Thursday night proved to be just another outing for righthander Irving Carter (2021, Boynton Beach, Fla.) who continues to establish himself as a big game pitcher for Elite Squad, consistently rising to the occasion regardless the situation. Given the ball against a talented KBC 15u Prime club, Carter carried a shutout through six innings before a weather delay had the coaching staff go to the bullpen for the final frame. But over his time on the mound Carter did a nice job of pounding the zone, working comfortably in the 85-87 mph range with his heater showing both 88s and an 89 on the gun while still showing 87s in his final inning of work.

Working from a high three-quarters slot Carter did a nice job of generating plane on his fastball, the pitch he worked almost exclusively off of in this outing. Then again it proved to be an effective game plan as he was able to consistently challenge hitters on the inner half of the plate and only allowed two base hits on the day. He did show his curveball up to 75 mph and even tried a quick-pitch overhand curveball at 67 mph to try and get the hitter off balance and chasing down in the zone. The 15u WWBA proved to be a fruitful tournament for Carter on the bump once again as he logged 10 innings on the mound and struck out 16 and didn’t allow a run.

The duo of Luke Leto (2021, Portage, Mich.) and Thomas Dilandri (2021, Las Vegas, Nev.) and their abilities with the bats have already been written about in plenty of detail leading up to the playoffs, but it’s worth mentioning again as they have continued to establish themselves as two of the best hitters in the country at the 2021 level. Both committed to wear purple at the next level, Leto (LSU commit) opened the game by turning on a 3-2 fastball for a triple to the right-center field gap, registering 102 mph off the barrel while showing incredibly fast hands and a fluid barrel path through the zone. Dilandri, who recently committed to TCU, generates some of the best bat speed in the tournament and continually impacts baseballs, first picking up a line drive single past the shortstop which registered 104 mph off the barrel before doubling down the pull side line which came off at 97 mph. There’s no doubting the tandems ability with the bat and both made their presence felt throughout the tournament.

– Jheremy Brown



15u WWBA National Championship playoff day featured numerous top-flight pitching matchups, including one right out of the gate as Elite Squad and Nick Anello (2021, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) matched up against Texas Twelve and Jack Hamilton (2021, College Station, Texas).



Anello was, simply put, superb over five strong innings on the mound where he struck out eight batters, allowed only one hit and was pretty dominant against Twelve. The righthander allowed no hits over his first start, and the strikeout stuff was working again as the stuff was fairly electric and he has very good control of his pitches too. The delivery is very up-tempo and athletic, though with effort at release, and he drives down the mound effectively and asserted his presence on the pitcher’s mound from the get-go in the first inning of work. In that frame, Anello struck out two while sitting 90-92 mph and topping out at 92.4 mph via TrackMan. The fastball velocity didn’t dip much from there as he still sat 87-90 mph for the majority of the game touching 90 mph whenever he needed it late in the fifth inning. The breaking ball was his go-to secondary pitch and the breaker worked in the 68-71 mph range with soft 11-to-5 shape that he could land effectively and would also sweep off the table, while the changeup also showed impressive life to the arm side in the mid-70s. The Miami commit was geared up to go from the first pitch and put his Elite Squad National team on his back as they ended up advancing to the final four on Friday.




Hamilton lasted three innings on the mound for Texas Twelve but still showed plenty of projectable pitching tools with a fast arm, feel for a breaking ball, and a fastball recorded up to 89 mph in the first inning of work. There are a lot of positive components to the delivery with fluidity, a good hip turn at the gather point, and Hamilton drives down the mound well albeit with some effort at release. The arm stroke is online, loose, and repeatable, while Hamilton had a similar first inning to Anello as he struck out two batters and sat 86-89 mph. The fastball eventually settled in more of an 84-87 mph range on the day and he releases the ball on top well to create some downhill plane when leveraged in the lower third of the strike zone. The curveball is a pitch that flashed potential for Hamilton, located in the mid-70s with true 12-to-6 shape. He didn’t always land the breaker consistently, he spiked it a couple times early, but he showed tight rotation on the pitch and ultimately, Hamilton has the tools to be a high-end pitching prospect for the class.

Showing he had the strikeout stuff working on Thursday was ELEV8 Banditos righthander Darian Fumero (2020, Hialeah, Fla.) as he struck out eleven batters in a complete game shutout effort to advance the Banditos into the next round. The righthander has a fairly low effort and clean delivery, with some rigidity to the landing, but overall the arm comes through well and he worked up to 87 mph with the fastball. Everything works well and on time while getting downhill to create some angle upon release into the strike zone; that being said there were two solid secondary pitch offerings in a good-shaped curveball that projects nicely and a good changeup that was used to neutralize opposite handed bats.

Proving to be the hero of the first playoff game, and still contributing offensively throughout, was Andre Arthur (2022, Nassau, Bahamas). The outfielder is a younger player for the 15u event, however the tools are real and he put almost all of them on display during the playoff affair. The speed immediately stands out with his ability on the base paths, 4.37 turn time from the right side, and with his long, graceful strides he is able to get to almost anything in the outfield whether he be playing right or left field. The route running and reads are still a bit raw, but often his speed allows him to make up for any mistakes. There is some jump and carry out of the hand in terms of arm strength too, and the bat played large in Elite Squad’s winning efforts. The first hit was a clutch, opposite field triple in the first game that left the barrel at 89 mph and drove in the first run of the game. He found that opposite field alley often on the day and also showed the ability to turn the barrel over on a line to pull the ball. The tool package is certainly exciting and Arthur looks to be an extremely talented player for the 2022 class.




Starting out eXposure Prime’s first game on the day was physical righthander James (Jay) Dill (2021, Dayton, Tenn.) and the primary third baseman is listed at 6-foot-4, 200-pounds with plenty of present physicality but room throughout to add some strength. The arm stroke is loose and quick, though a bit inconsistent as is can allow Dill to throw across his body and cut it too far at times. The fastball worked up to 87 mph but lived in the 82-85 mph range with lots of sinking and boreing life on the fastball. The profile and stuff both suggest a sinker-slider type approach on the mound as he will run the fastball in on the hands to break a couple bats and then mix in a short slider with mostly biting, horizontal life that looked similar to the fastball out of the hand until the pitch broke into the opposite direction. He spiked a couple changeups but the fastball-slider combination was very good on Thursday afternoon and bodes well moving forward for Dill.

eXposure Prime is full of physical bats and one in the middle of the lineup who had a good day was the lefthanded hitting Keaton Ray (2021, Evensville, Tenn.). The physical middle-of-the-order type of hitter has a fairly clean swing and a presently physical build at 6-foot-1, 180-pounds. There’s lots of balance to the starting point and trigger into the swing with some natural loft, though at times the swing will get a tad rotational, particularly when trying to go the opposite field. The best contact comes to the pull side for Ray and that’s when he really gets his hips involved in the swing and drives the ball forward through the point of contact. He laced a 96 mph single early on and the strength, pull side power, and swing path overall all project nicely.

One of the stronger pitching performances of the day came from the right arm of Jack Walker (2021, Lake Charles, La.) as his complete game, shutout effort against HitFactory PRO sent the Louisiana Knights Black to the final four and onto Friday’s action. The righthander worked up to 86 mph with his fastball and allowed only four hits on the evening while allowing zero runs to cross. The delivery itself is fairly athletic, with a clean take back and drive down the mound with a solid release point as well. The fastball was located very well in the lower third of the strike zone and what stood out about the performance was his ability to be consistent with commanding the strike zone and executing his pitches. This allowed for primarily weak contact, on the ground mostly, while missing some bats as well and mixing in a low-70s breaking ball that he could land for strikes.

One of the upstarts of bracket play was the Atlanta Warriors and they made it to the quarterfinals off the pitching performance of Samuel Simpson (2021, Carrolton, Ga.). The uncommitted righthander worked his fastball up to 86 mph on the day and tossed a complete game while allowing only one earned run. There is some stiffness to the landing, but he throws from a fairly low-effort delivery that he repeats well to pound the strike zone consistently. The arm stroke is fairly clean and his threw his breaking ball for strikes too. The pitch is more of a 10-to-3 shaped frisbee slider that he could land effectively with primarily horizontal break to the pitch. Simpson showed a lot of projectable pitching tools and put forth a dominant performance on a big stage for his Atlanta Warriors.

– Vincent Cervino



As the 15u WWBA National Championship playoffs got under way Thursday morning, Samuel Dutton (2021, Rainbow City, Ala.) turned in a gem to propel the Louisiana Knights Black on to the next round. Dutton tossed a complete game shutout, striking out five batters and scattering just four hits. Dutton worked up to 87 with a good fastball before working at 82-85 for the rest of his outing. Dutton has a repeatable lower half and a clean and loose arm action that is consistently in sync. Dutton is an athletic 5-foot-11, 175-pounds, and he has plenty of room to grow into his body in the next three years. Dutton is young for the class of 2021, and his ability to throw two quality pitches (fastball, curveball) for strikes makes him an exciting arm to follow during his career.

Next door on Field 11, Dallas Patriots catcher Cayden Phillips (2021, Amarillo, Texas) had a strong at and behind the dish. Phillips was 2-for-4 with an RBI during the game. The run-scoring single came after a gritty eight-pitch at-bat. Phillips was able to wait back on a good curveball and line it into left. Phillips was also vey impressive behind the plate on Thursday. Phillips had good actions behind the plate and received the ball at an advanced level for the age. A highlight of Phillips’ day behind the plate came on a quick exchange and great throw to nab a runner trying to take second. The arm strength and defensive skills are there, and there is potential in the bat.

In the other dugout, Cole Russo (2021, Tampa, Fla.) continued what was an impressive display of hitting this week. Russo was 2-for-4 in Hit Factory PRO’s first game of the day, and he also made a pair of really nice plays at third base. Russo is a physical 6-foot-1, 200-pound athlete that really has raw power at the plate. Russo sees the ball well, and was able to make some loud outs throughout the day as well. Russo is one of those players with a knack for hitting, and he plays with good agility for his size at a corner infield spot. One of the best plays Russo made on Thursday was a diving stop toward the line. Russo was able to field it cleanly and make a strong throw to first from his knees.

Later in the day, Hit Factory PRO also got a strong performance on the mound from starter Alden Segui (2021, Tampa, Fla.). Segui worked up to 86 with a good fastball before settling in with a low-80’s fastball he could get to both sides of the plate. Segui has a long arm action and some mechanical adjustments that will make the action more loose and clean, but the frame and stuff project well as his career moves on.

KBC Prime 15u made a nice run in the playoffs Thursday, and starting pitcher Mason Moore (2021, Morehead, Ky.) delivered an outstanding performance to get this group to the round of 16. Moore pitched in the low-80s for most of the day, running it up to 85 in the first couple innings of his outing. Moore did not allow an earned run in his 6 1/3 innings on Thursday, and he was able to keep hitters off balance with a good mix of a running fastball and curveball. Moore had a funky arm action that generated some good natural run on the fastball when working to either side of the plate. The 6-foot-4, 165-pound righty needs to clean up some things in the lower half, but the frame projects well to add velocity with the mechanical adjustments necessary.

At the plate, Jacob Heighton (2021, Greenup, Ky.) was 2-for-3 in the KBC Prime 15u victory. Heighton’s hits were a pair of hard-hit balls to both sides of the field. In the first inning, Heighton drove a ball for a double over the head of the second baseman. Heighton has good bat speed and raw power for his frame, and he was able to use that bat speed to sit back and drive a good pitch on the outer half. Heighton’s second hit of the day was a double that left the bat at 85 mph. Heighton’s ability to hit will only continue to get better, and he is an interesting player to follow in the state of Kentucky.

Brady Patterson (2021, Auburn, Kan.) and Jackson Green (2020, Blackwood, N.J.) had long home runs for BC Navy 15u and All Out Scout Team 15u respectively on Thursday. In BC Navy 15u’s playoff game, Patterson was 2-for-4 with the home run, and his 6-foot-1, 185-pound frame projects well behind the plate. Patterson has quick hands and good bat speed at the plate, and the primary catcher played a good first base during Thursday’s action.

Jackson Green came alive in the playoffs for All Out Scout Team 15u. Green had a grand slam and finished with five RBI in the team’s round of 16 win. The grand slam let Green’s bat at 96 mph, and it traveled an impressive 370 feet over the wall in right. Green was also able to collect a pair of doubles in the quarterfinal matchup; one double was down the right field line, and the other double beat the shift to the gap in left-center field. The Nebraska commit heated up as the day went on, and he played a strong third base in both contests.

Elite Squad 15u National is on to the semifinals of this year’s 15u WWBA National Championship, and it is not without the help of a pair of bats in their lineup. Giovanny Cueto (2021, Miami, Fla.) had a strong day out of the leadoff spot. Cueto started two games in a row with a barreled single to center, and immediately stole second base on both occasions. Cueto is an electric player that makes things happens for his team, and he is a catalyst in any lineup at the next level.

Bryan Loriga (2021, Hialeah, Fla.) was 3-for-3 in Elite Squad 15u National’s quarterfinal win. Loriga collected two RBI in the contest that included a roped double to the gap in left-center field in the first inning. Loriga has a 6-foot, 195-pound frame, and the rising sophomore generates a lot of power with his strength and good bat speed. Loriga has a knack for hitting as well, and he looked very comfortable and athletic in the box. The Florida International commit is a name to follow in the next three years and beyond, and his hitting tools project at the next level.

– Nate Schweers
Give us your feedback
Tournaments | Story | 2/5/2026

Most Organization Champs. in 2025
Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
With the 2025 season in the rear view mirror, let's take a quick look back and see which organizations, as a whole, took home the most Perfect Game championships. Across all ages, from coast-to-coast, it was 5 Star Mafia leading the way with an impressive 145 first place finishes, though both the Wildcatters and Canes were right on their heels with 136 and 133 titles of their own, respectively. Taking a look down the list, highlighting every organizations with at least 10 tournament wins, you can see how alive youth baseball is as teams from all over the country are represented, some winning national titles and others within their region.  Name Titles 5 Star Mafia 145 Wildcatters Baseball 136 Canes Baseball  133 SBA (Showcase Baseball Academy) 112 USA Prime Baseball 102 East Cobb 80 Twelve Baseball 61 Wow Factor Baseball 60 Banditos Baseball Club 52 Lonestar Baseball Club 46...
Read More
High School | General | 2/5/2026

Georgia HS All Region & Top Tools

David Rawnsley
Article Image
Georgia has its usual depth of high-level athletes and Perfect Game All-Americans, although three 2027 players did make the All-Region team.  There are an unusual number of two-way prospects among the All-Region players, a testament to the big arms that the state has right now. Two Georgia high schools are ranked in the top 10 of the PG Pre-Season High School Top 50 rankings and the Georgia high school ranks are annually among the most competitive in the country.  Etowah is the highest ranked team at 5th overall, while Blessed Trinity Catholic checks in at 8th.  Parkview is the only other Georgia team in the top 50, holding down the 34th spot.   OF-RHP Dexter McCleon Jr will be fixture on the Georgia All-Region team for the next two years but the top ranked prospect in the 2028 class will have to take a back seat to his elders this year.  McCleon’s absurd...
Read More
High School | Rankings | 2/4/2026

Florida Region Top Teams

Tyler Russo
Article Image
Florida All Region Team & Top Tools   Rk School Record 1 Stoneman Douglas 31-2 2 Tampa Jesuit 25-10 3 Trinity Christian Academy 30-5 4 South Walton 31-4 5 IMG Academy 24-1 6 Venice 29-5 7 Bishop Verot 32-3 8 American Heritage (Plantation) 29-6 9 St. Thomas Aquinas 29-6-1 10 Doral Academy Charter 27-8-1 11 North Broward Prep 23-8 12 Lincoln 24-11 13 Mater Academy 25-9-1 14 The First Academy 30-4 15 Alonso 21-13 16 St. John's Country Day 26-9 17 Bishop Snyder 23-8 18 Spruce Creek 30-4 19 Buchholz 33-3 20 Lake Mary 15-15 21 Miami Springs 28-3 22 Jupiter 25-10 23 Plant City 16-12 24 Berkeley Prep 25-10 25 Winter Park 25-6
Read More
College | Story | 2/4/2026

Conference Preview: Northeast

Jason Phillips
Article Image
2026 College Preview Index | Preseason Top 25 | Preseason Collegiate All-Americans For all of Perfect Game's conference previews as part of the 2026 college baseball preview content, the 2025 records and all-conference teams are available for free. The conference top prospects and individual team breakdowns can be viewed with a subscription. 2025 Records Teams are listed in alphabetical order* Team W L W L CCSU 23 7 31 17 Coppin State 13 17 15 34 Delaware State 6 24 7 34 FDU 16 14 16 37 LeMoyne 17 13 20 28 LIU 24 6 35 23 UMES 6 24 7 41 Mercyhurst 15 15 17 35 New Haven* 12 12 24 20 Norfolk State 4 26 4 38 Stonehill 18 12 20 32 Wagner 23 7 31 22 *Member Northeast-10 DII Preseason All Conference Team Pos. Name School Stats/Notes C Frankie Ferrentino CCSU .281-13-35, 9 2Bs, (Merrimack), Double digit HR all 3 years at Merrimack 1B Jayden Walker Mercyhurst .314-12-40, 10...
Read More
Press Release | Press Release | 2/4/2026

Baseball Meets Hollywood For Great Cause

Jim Salisbury
Article Image
BASEBALL MEETS HOLLYWOOD FOR A GREAT CAUSE    There’s no crying in baseball, but there is laughing, and there was lots and lots of it -- for a great cause -- last Saturday night in Hollywood, California. Perfect Game and its Believe in Baseball Foundation assembled a star-studded cast of comics and guests for the inaugural “In the Spirit of the Game” dinner and auction. The event was held at the iconic Laugh Factory, a historic venue that, in baseball terms, would be equivalent to Dodger Stadium or Wrigley Field. Late-night superstar Jay Leno took a turn on stage. So did comedic aces Tiffany Haddish, Nikki Glaser, Dustin Ybarra and Gary Cannon. “It was 4 ½ hours of straight laughter,” said PG commissioner Dennis Gilbert, still beaming a couple of days later. “It was a really nice success.” No one kept score at the event, but...
Read More
College | Story | 2/5/2026

Conference Preview: Western Athletic

Scott Rankin
Article Image
2026 College Preview Index | Preseason Top 25 | Preseason Collegiate All-Americans For all of Perfect Game's conference previews as part of the 2026 college baseball preview content, the 2025 records and all-conference teams are available for free. The conference top prospects and individual team breakdowns can be viewed with a subscription. 2025 Records Teams are listed in alphabetical order* Team W L W L Abilene Christian 34 23 15 9 Cal Baptist 30 27 12 12 Sacramento State 32 26 15 9 Tarleton State 24 32 12 12 UT Arlington 21 33 11 13 Utah Tech 24 31  9 15 Utah Valley 29 29 13 11 Preseason All-Conference Team Pos. Name School Stats/Notes C Mason Strong Utah Valley 1st team All-WAC in ‘25 hitting .366 and leading the conference in hits.  Also hit 11 Home Runs 1B Grant Watkins Abilene Christian .292 with 14 Home Runs and drove in 48 runs in...
Read More
High School | General | 2/4/2026

West Region High School Sleepers

Joey Cohen
Article Image
Talking and debating sleeper prospects might be my favorite part of scouting. It’s where context, projection, and conviction matter most—whether it’s an underrated performer who keeps producing on the circuit, a raw but explosive athlete you can dream on, or an arm with starter traits that hasn’t quite made the stuff jump yet. These are the players who tend to separate evaluators, reward patience, and make the spring HS season really fascinating. Below are several West Region prospects outside the T100 who fit that mold and deserve serious attention as the spring unfolds. Jet Berry, Queen Creek HS, Arizona There’s a lot to like with Berry. He’s one of the more explosive, twitchy athletes in the country, and it shows consistently in all facets of his game. From a tools perspective his easy plus run and bat-to-ball ability stand out. He’s been a...
Read More
College | Rankings | 2/4/2026

Preseason NAIA Top 25

Nick Herfordt
Article Image
The 2026 NAIA Baseball Rankings arrive with the familiar weight of expectations and a few fresh storylines that make the new season feel electric from top to bottom. At the very front of the pack, perennial power Tennessee Wesleyan stands tall once again, a program that has turned sustained excellence into something bordering on routine. The Bulldogs are not just ranked highly, they set the tone. Year after year, they combine elite talent, veteran leadership, and a culture that refuses to blink under pressure. It says everything about the depth of this year’s field that it was genuinely difficult not to slide LSU Shreveport back into the top spot yet again. After all, how in the world does a team stay that good after losing so many impact players? The answer is simple and timeless. Success breeds success. Programs that live in championship air know how to reload, not reset, and...
Read More
College | Story | 2/6/2026

Conference Preview: Missouri Valley

Blaine Peterson
Article Image
2026 College Preview Index | Preseason Top 25 | Preseason Collegiate All-Americans For all of Perfect Game's conference previews as part of the 2026 college baseball preview content, the 2025 records and all-conference teams are available for free. The conference top prospects and individual team breakdowns can be viewed with a subscription. 2025 Records Teams are listed in alphabetical order* School W L W L Belmont 26 34 13 14 Bradley 16 35 12 15 Evansville 17 37 10 17 Illinois-Chicago 22 33 16 11 Illinois State 28 28 15 12 Indiana State 24 31 12 15 Murray State 44 17 17 8 Southern Illinois 37 20 16 11 Valparaiso 10 40 5 22 Preseason All-Conference Team  Pos. Name School Stats/Notes C Ryan Bakes Illinois State Talented transfer to the MVC this season. Standout performer in the Northwoods League over the summer hitting .313 with 4 HR, 8 XBH and 24/18 BB/K. 1B...
Read More
College | Story | 2/3/2026

Conference Preview: Patriot

Anthony Gambardella
Article Image
2026 College Preview Index | Preseason Top 25 | Preseason Collegiate All-Americans For all of Perfect Game's conference previews as part of the 2026 college baseball preview content, the 2025 records and all-conference teams are available for free. The conference top prospects and individual team breakdowns can be viewed with a subscription. 2025 Records Teams are listed in alphabetical order*  Team W L W L Army West Point 25 25 14 11 Bucknell 18 27 10 15 Holy Cross 31 27 17 8 Lafayette 14 35 9 16 Lehigh 24 26 11 14 Navy 26 25 14 11 Preseason All Conference Team Pos.  Name  School  Stats/Notes  C  Ty Deperno  Navy  Named PL Rookie of the Year & to 2nd Team All-PL in ‘25; batted .307 w/ 33 runs & 32 RBI  IF  Thomas Schreck  Army West Point  Named to 1st Team All-PL in ‘25; batted .335 w/ 40...
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.