THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,420 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,420 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Sign in Create Account
Sign in Create Account
Tournaments  | Story | 5/25/2019

6-4-3 DP: Bigger than baseball

Cory Van Dyke
Photo: Drew Miller (Perfect Game)

MARIETTA, Ga. – When 6-4-3 DP Athletics was established in 2007 by founder Danny Pralgo, he knew the great baseball players in the greater Atlanta area, the place he called a “baseball mecca”, needed another option.

Right away, 6-4-3 DP started two teams in its inaugural year at the 9u level and the 16u level. It was on these teams where Pralgo created his tried and true standard of fundamentals and life lessons through the game of baseball that have endured today.

For Pralgo and Co., it wasn’t about winning at all costs, but creating a place of positive energy where kids can do what they love to do on the diamond. As a result, the teams in the beginning stages of the 6-4-3 DP program took its fair share of lumps.

“Those two teams really did the greatest thing for us,” Pralgo said. “How those kids and parents handled themselves with how they were willing to learn the game of baseball even though we were losing a lot early on, they were understanding how to handle a fundamental ground ball. Understanding how important bunting is and understanding what a good out means… A lot of the little things of learning how to handle failure and what a team player is.”

While the focus on these intricacies of baseball defined 6-4-3 from the beginning, there was also some unconventional methods that paved the way for future success.

“The first ever team we ran back at 9 years old, I made every kid swing both lefty and righty,” Pralgo said. “So that they learned how to switch hit. That whole fall we didn’t worry about winning and losing. It was to see who could do it. Out of that first 9-year-old group, seven of them became switch hitters in high school. Right now we still have a few of those guys who are left who are switch hitters in college.”

And so the rough patches when the program first began made the process all that much sweeter to its current stage. So far, 6-4-3 DP has produced a staggering 433 college commitments and 29 drafted players and counting. There’s a bevy of 6-4-3 DP teams competing at the 2019 Southeast Memorial Day Classic this weekend. However, those success stories are just the tip of the iceberg for Pralgo.

Just as much as he wants to celebrate the player in his program who was drafted, he also wants to recognize the scrappy player who helps his team win and makes it to the next level, even if it’s not at the Division I level.

“Nobody has preferential treatment,” Pralgo said. “I think that’s very important. We have a lot of guys who go SEC, ACC and get drafted out of high school, but that’s not more important than our Division III academic kid who signs. Or our junior college kid who gets an opportunity. Or the kid that gets to the NAIA or Division II. It’s just as important to each kid and family. That’s what everyone understands out here is it’s about every kid and every family.”

And just like Pralgo makes sure every player on the team is honored, even those who pass up a baseball opportunity to go somewhere else academically, he also makes sure that the under-appreciated segments of the Marietta area are reached through the 6-4-3 Foundation.

The 6-4-3 Foundation is a charitable independent entity where the players help reach the community through service projects and initiatives.

“When we got on this stage, it’s got to be more than baseball,” Pralgo said. “It’s got to be bigger than baseball.

“That’s why we started that 6-4-3 Foundation here so that we can do something for kids in need and for the fire department and the police department and for the hunger… Whether it’s raising money for childhood cancer, if it’s the Adopt-A-Soldier, we’ve got so many stories.”

It all revolves back to Pralgo’s aforementioned mantra of teaching life lessons that kids can hold onto for years to come. Sometimes the greatest perspective shift on the field is caused by something that occurs completely outside the lines.

“[The 6-4-3 Foundation] makes them appreciate life,” Pralgo said. “It makes them realize how lucky they are for the opportunities that they have. But then, don’t not look at the people who don’t have those. Let’s go help them and let’s go try to provide and then open up some opportunities for them. It humbles a kid. It truly makes them then become set up for being the next group of people later on to do the same stuff.”

Pralgo undoubtedly is a believer of continual learning. That’s why he coaches the game with an enthusiasm down the third base line where he walks up to the rest of the team between batters and explains a learning moment from the previous at bat that can be applied to everyone.

There’s a certain aura on the field that spreads to all the players in the 6-4-3 DP program.

“We have to make it where [the baseball field] is everybody’s favorite place,” Pralgo said. “I believe in tough love. I believe in working their tails off and teaching a lot, but they’ve got to have fun. There’s too many kids out there not having fun in baseball anymore… When there’s people and coaches taking the fun out of it, they’re not going to get that best kid.”

The baseball field can be a brief escape from the pressures of the world around. Pralgo worked in the real world for some time, grinding and working seven days a week while waking up at 5:30 in the morning, but in the end, he always found himself coming back to the baseball field.

It’s that same drive and love for the game that he’s extending to his players and the 6-4-3 DP Athletics program today.

“Plain and simple, it’s always been my happy place,” Pralgo said. “We try to preach that to all the kids and families. Life is too short. Make sure you’re around things that make you happy.”
Give us your feedback
Tournaments | Story | 4/21/2026

Southeast Super NIT #2 Scout Notes
Jason Phillips
Article Image
Chase Jelks (‘30 GA)- with a long double to deep CF. Huge day from the primary SS, 5-for-6 w/ 4 doubles & 6 RBI. #SESuperNIT @TheDreamBall @PG_Georgia https://t.co/biFSzXCrUt pic.twitter.com/HCQMduedb5 — Perfect Game Youth (@PGYouthBB) April 20, 2026 Chase Jelks (’30, Atlanta, Ga.)- the left-handed hitting Jelks was all over the barrel on Sunday in a pair of games for The Dream 14U Black. He finished the day with five hits in six at-bats which included four doubles and six runs batted in. His two doubles and four runs batted in played a big part in the Gold Playoffs Round 1 victory over the talented BPA squad out of California. He backed up that performance with three more hits in a quarterfinal’s loss to the East Cobb Astros 14U Orange to finish the tournament with a .600 batting average and 1.636 on-base plus slugging percentage. A primary utility infielder,...
Read More
Leagues | Story | 4/28/2026

Iowa Spring League Notebook: Week 5

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Dawson Weller (2027, Ottumwa, IA) showcased his two-way potential with a strong performance this weekend. On the mound, worked two clean innings while striking out 3 consistently living in the zone and getting ahead with first-pitch strikes. Showed the ability to control tempo and attack hitters throughout the outing. At the plate made a big impact in the same game, collecting two doubles and a home run. Displays quick hands through the zone with the ability to connect on an uphill path and generate carry off the barrel. A well-rounded showing that highlighted impact on both sides of the ball. Will Frederiksen (2026, Bettendorf, IA) had a loud weekend at the plate, launching 2 home runs and showing real impact with the bat. Generates plenty of juice in the swing with a simple, controlled load that allows him to stay on time. The swing works clean through the zone and produces strong...
Read More
College | Story | 4/28/2026

College Players of the Week: April 28

Craig Cozart
Article Image
April 28th Perfect Game/Player of the Week:  Jarren Advincula, IF, Georgia Tech  It is well documented how good the Georgia Tech offense was in 2025, so when the Yellow Jackets added Jarren Advincula from the transfer portal in the off-season, the expectations went through the roof for ’26.  Somehow, the team and Advincula have not only met but exceeded those expectations in virtually every way.  Advincula, the 6-2/195 infielder from Santa Clara, CA, has been a fixture in the middle infield and is an elite defender with the leather.  He shows natural instincts for the game and as the season has progressed, he has found himself inserted into the 3-hole in their powerful lineup.  Hitting from the left-side of the plate, Advincula put together an impressive week as Tech took down Georgia in the mid-week and swept Wake Forest on the weekend.  He was...
Read More
College | Rankings | 4/26/2026

College Top 25: April 27

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
It was another weekend of upsets, upheaval and consequential series victories across the nation.  After the dust settled, the UCLA Bruins (39-4) remain the No. 1 team in the nation after their (3-1) week stepping outside Big Ten play, taking a series against Sacramento State.  Their perfect (21-0) start in conference play is still intact with three weekend series to go.  UNC (36-8) sticks at No. 2 this week after they went across town to take on archrival Duke, winning that series and finishing the week with a (3-1) record.  The No. 3 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (36-7) showed their moxie by coming back from large deficits multiple times and swept conference foe Wake Forest, extending their lead in the ACC standings to 2-games.  The Texas Longhorns (32-9) are No. 4 in the poll this week after winning a tightly contested series on the road against Vanderbilt. ...
Read More
Draft | Prospect Scouting Reports | 4/24/2026

2026 MLB Draft Reports: Top 100

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
PG Draft: Top-100 Reports (April Update) 1. Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA R-R, 6-2/202, Chandler, AZ Previously Drafted: Never Drafted Roch Cholowsky has consistently ranked at the top of the class throughout the cycle due to the safety and upside of the profile. Defensively, he is a plus defender at shortstop with soft hands, consistent actions, and quality range. Not only should he stick at the position long term, he should excel there at the next level. Offensively, there is a strong mix of hit and power potential from the right side of the plate. The swing is a bit unorthodox with a shorter finish, but Cholowsky consistently finds the barrel and drives the ball with authority to all fields. He has strong bat to ball skills with impact. He has walked more than stuck out during his collegiate career, giving him a high on-base ability. The run tool is the only tool that doesn’t jump...
Read More
Draft | Rankings | 4/24/2026

2026 MLB Draft Board: Top 400

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
Rk. Name Level Pos. B-T School Hometown State Commitment 1 Roch Cholowsky C SS R-R UCLA Chandler AZ 2 Grady Emerson H SS L-R Fort Worth Christian Argyle TX Texas 3 Vahn Lackey C C R-R Georgia Tech Suwanee GA 4 Jackson Flora C RHP R-R UC Santa Barbara Pleasanton CA 5 Jacob Lombard H SS R-R Gulliver Schools Miami FL Miami 6 AJ Gracia C OF L-L Virginia Monroe NJ 7 Ace Reese C 3B L-R Mississippi State Canton TX 8 Eric Booth Jr. H OF L-L Oak Grove Bassfield MS Vanderbilt 9 Justin Lebron C SS R-R Alabama Miramar FL 10 Drew Burress C OF R-R Georgia Tech Perry GA 11 Gio Rojas H LHP L-R Marjory Stoneman Douglas Coral Springs FL Miami 12 Ryder Helfrick C C R-R Arkansas Discovery Bay CA 13 Chris Hacopian C SS R-R Texas A&M Potomac MD 14 Cameron Flukey C RHP R-R Coastal Carolina Egg Harbor Township NJ 15 Cole Carlon C LHP L-L Arizona State Tempe AZ 16 Jared Grindlinger H LHP/OF L-L Huntington...
Read More
Press Release | Press Release | 4/23/2026

Kash Shaikh Named Perfect Game CMO

Article Image
  667 Progress Way | Sanford, FL 32771 | 319-298-2923 www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   PERFECT GAME NAMES KASH SHAIKH CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER AND HEAD OF INTERNATIONAL   Sanford, Florida (Thursday, April 23, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced that Kash Shaikh has been named the company’s new Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and Head of International. In this role, Shaikh will serve on Perfect Game’s executive leadership team, overseeing global marketing, brand strategy, creative, partnerships and sponsorships, while leading the company’s international P&L and expansion. Shaikh brings more than two decades of experience building brands, businesses and communities across sports, media and consumer...
Read More
Softball | Softball Tournament | 4/22/2026

PG Softball Battle for the Belt

Article Image
Perfect Game Softball Battle for the Belt April 18-19, 2026 Des Moines, Iowa It was a cold and very windy weekend, but the girls still came out and put in their best efforts. If you wanted the place to see some of the state’s top talent, this was the tournament to be at. The 18u division was quite the slugfest! The Ankeny Centennial 18U -Kennedy team took down a tough Iowa Alliance Select-Benge team in the championship. Both teams had double digit homeruns on the weekend. In the 16u division the Iowa Aries CE Fire Black took control of the game from the start and never let up on the gas, taking down a solid Alliance Select- Harper team. 18U Division Kori Lincicum (2026 Ankeny, IA) of the Centennial Jaguars- Kennedy and Drake Bulldog softball commit was the weekends MVP Pitcher. Lincicum defeated a tough Alliance team in the championship game finishing with that game with 11...
Read More
High School | General | 4/23/2026

Northeast High School Notebook

Jheremy Brown
Article Image
In a season that has already had many exciting matchups across various events, we as a staff would like to highlight or “Shout-Out” notable performers along with an Uncommitted Spotlight and Team Spotlight.  Uncommitted Spotlight: Mason Rosenberg, 1B, 2027, Bishop Eustace Prep  Uncommitted Mason Rosenberg (2027, NJ) has been an absolute force within the Bishop Eustace lineup, as the left-handed hitting slugger is hitting .481 through eleven games including six homers. The strength has vastly improved, allowing for Rosenberg to impact the baseball with authority to all fields. Couple that with improved speed and athleticism, this uncommitted 2027 can be a welcomed addition to a class looking for offense.  Team Spotlight: Northern Burlington (9-0) Northern Burlington is once again off to a hot start, as the Greyhounds sit at 9-0 thus far and have continued to...
Read More
Juco | Rankings | 4/22/2026

JUCO Top 25: April 22

Blaine Peterson
Article Image
Another week down and Johnson County continues their torrid run to remain at number 1. They're 46-2 on the season with multiple hitters over 25 bombs which is astonishing for the level as the Cavs have announced themselves as title favorites. Just a couple of weeks left heading down the stretch and our field remains mostly the same with the two additions of midwest powerhouse Iowa Western and the Warriors of East Central who will have a tough test Wednesday in Poplarville against fellow Mississippi adversary Pearl River in a mid-week double header.   Rk. School Record 1 Johnson County (KS) 46-2 2 Gaston (NC) 47-3 3 Walters State (TN) 42-10 4 McLennan (TX) 38-8 5 Southern Nevada (NV) 33-9 6 Chipola (FL) 39-9 7 Blinn (TX) 33-12 8 Florida Southwestern (FL) 32-13 9 Florence-Darlington (SC) 42-10 10 Pearl River (MS) 39-9 11 Cloud County (KS) 40-4 12 Cochise (AZ) 39-11 13 Midland (TX)...
Read More
College | Story | 4/23/2026

Coppy's Corner: April 23 POY Deep Dive

John Coppolella
Article Image
Each week I huddle with Vinnie Cervino and Craig Cozart  to discuss Top-25 rankings and Players of the Week. In Coppy’s Corner, I dive deeper into these Players of the Week, providing analysis from 20+ years working in baseball front offices at the highest level.     Player of the Week: Tague Davis – University of Louisville  Between 2016-2022, the University of Louisville produced 14 players taken in the Top 5 Rounds of the MLB Draft, seven of whom were taken in the 1st Round. The Cardinals haven’t produced a Top 5 Rounds pick since 2022, but that will change soon with Davis. Still only 20 years old and not draft-eligible until 2027, Davis continued his assault on college baseball this weekend with a 7-for-12 performance that included 5 HR. On the 2026 season, Davis is hitting .389 AVG / .489 OBP / .911 SLG / 1.392 OPS. That’s a 400+...
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.