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
Tournaments  | Story | 7/5/2019

Team Elite wins 14u WWBA

Jack Nelson
Photo: Team Elite 14u National (Perfect Game)

HOOVER, Ala. – Team Elite left no doubt on Friday. The only team to leave Hoover undefeated put an exclamation point on their week with a 12-1 win over Canes National to claim the 2019 WWBA 14u National Championship.

It seemed the Canes and Team Elite were on a collision course all along. While we got the matchup we expected, the outcome of the game was entirely unexpected.

The Canes led 1-0 through two innings, but that would soon change as Team Elite used a 12 run third inning to effectively put the game out of reach. Team Elite benefitted from many walks and hit batters, scoring 12 runs on just four hits in the inning. Still, highlights were Ryan Strachan with a two RBI single and Drew Kennedy knocking in two more on a base knock of his own.

Tyler Williams pitched all five innings for Team Elite, holding the Canes potent offensive attack to just two runs on six scattered hits. Williams worked quickly and changed speeds effectively, allowed his defense to make plays behind him. He pitched out of trouble in multiple innings, never allowing the Canes back in the game.

Overall, Team Elite finished the tournament 9-0-1. But what is most impressive is they seemed to be playing their best baseball at the very end. In the first semifinal on Friday, they blitzed the East Coast Sox, 8-0. In their quarterfinal on Thursday, they defeated the top ranked 14u team in the country, Banditos Scout, by a score of 6-4. Every team shows up expecting to win, but the pure dominance showed today left everyone in attendance fully understanding who the best team was.

It’s one thing to win. It’s another to mercy rule two of the top teams in the nation.

“We definitely didn’t think it was going to go the way it did,” said Willits. “But we expected to win, and came out and played hard. When you do that, good things seem to follow.”

On the final day of this weeklong tournament, most teams are thin on pitching and players are banged up after a long week on the boiling turf. It is often the team that makes the least mistakes and stays mentally engaged that will take home the trophy. Team Elite coach Mike Gearhardt said that was the key today.

“Both those clubs are very good (EC Sox and Canes),” said Gearhardt. “They made it this far for a reason. But we were able to capitalize on mistakes, and we’re just playing really well right now. I expected close games today, but sometimes you get the breaks and good things happen.”

Team Elite was slated seventh when the bracket play seeds were announced. That low seed lit a fire under this squad, and they played like a team that had something to prove. They competed like a group that wanted to send a message to the rest of the country.

“I thought we were kind of the underdog, having come in as the seven seed,” said MVPitcher Bransen Powell. “And we came just showed out all tournament.”

Powell earned the most valuable pitcher honor after throwing nine shutout innings this week. He used a low 80s fastball and hammer curveball to strike out 10, allow just one hit, and most impressively, walk no one.

“My curveball was on,” said Powell. “I could bounce it in the dirt as an out pitch, but I could also throw it for a strike. I was able to pick the corners with my fastball and throw up in the zone when I needed to.”

Coach Gearhardt was beaming pride at how much Powell has developed this year, and for him to perform on such a big stage made it all the more meaningful.

“Bransen actually hasn’t pitched much over the years,” said Gearhardt. “But he’s just gotten better and better. Now, he’s starting to get some notice by colleges and scouts are asking about him. He didn’t have any walks, and that is where it all starts. If you control the strike zone, you are going to be successful and that is what he did.”

Jaxon Willits earned MVP honors after hitting .462 with three doubles and three triples. He added 14 RBIs, eight walks, and scored 14 runs. 116 teams came to Hoover this week, yet the Oklahoma commit proved he was the top position player. Despite many high points, Willits will always remember one at-bat in particular.

“I had a big hit in that quarterfinal game against the Banditos,” said Willits. “They were supposed to be the No. 1 team in the country. To beat them was really cool. That’s a moment I’ll always remember.”

Willits does it all for Team Elite. He can switch hit, and plays just about everywhere on the field, including on the mound. Gearhardt says he is as dedicated to the game as anyone. He’s just a grinder, a baseball player in every sense of the word. This week, all the practice paid off.

“Jaxon Willits is an excellent hitter,” Gearhardt said. “He works on his swing every day and it shows. His reward is coming out to these top tournaments against high level pitching and being successful. I’m so proud.”

While Team Elite finished undefeated, they did tie Allstars Academy Elite in their sixth pool play game. It wasn’t a bad game, but it also wasn’t the kind of game you wanted to have with the playoffs looming. That lackluster performance didn’t sit well with Gearhardt, who quickly addressed his concerns and righted the ship.

“I thought we got pretty comfortable after four or five games here,” said Gearhardt. “So we had a little meeting after pool play ended just to get refocused on who we are and what we’re here for. And they certainly responded.”

“I always talk to them about the grind,” he continued. “Baseball is about staying as even keeled as you can. No mountains or valleys. One strikeout doesn’t matter. Two strikeouts don’t matter. It’s all about what happens next.“

Team Elite is one of the blue bloods of travel baseball. They seem to be amongst the finalists everywhere they go. But the nature of summer baseball is that every year it is a new team that is playing. Yes, it is the same organization, but a new crop of kids gets their chance to cement their legacy, that gets to add their names to Team Elite lore. For coach Gearhardt and his players, this is their first title. And it may not be their last.

“This is my first national championship,” said Gearhardt. “I’ve been close before. This is right up there across the board. Our 16u team won the WWBA last year, and we have some BCS titles. But that was in the past. Every year we look to start new and prove ourselves again and again. So this championship is certainly right up there for us.”

Powell expressed his joy in simpler terms.

“It’s one of the best moments of my life,” he said.


2019 14u WWBA National Championship runner-up: Canes National 14u



2019 14u WWBA National Championship MVP: Jaxon Willits



2019 14u WWBA National Championship MV-Pitcher: Bransen Powell
Give us your feedback
Tournaments | Story | 1/20/2026

Back-to-Back MLK East for Phillies
Hannah Jo Groves
Article Image
TBT Phillies Scout run rules for second straight MLK East Championship The 14U TBT Phillies Scout Team overtook A3 Academy Futures 14-6 in the final game to win their second straight 2026 MLK East Championship. Though the skies were blue and the sun was out in Fort Myers, Florida, the air was very chilly. The wind whipped through the palm trees as players, parents and friends piled into the 5-Plex Player Development Complex bundled up in blankets, hoodies and beanies.  The A3 Academy Futures were first up to bat - and the TBT Phillies struggled through the first frame. The first run came across on a balk; the second came soon after off a double from Gabriel Messing. “I was surprised that they scored right away off the jump,” Kingston George said, an outfielder for TBT Phillies Scout and this year’s MVP of the 14U East MLK championship. “We were kind of quiet...
Read More
General | Blog | 1/21/2026

Wolforth Throwing Mentorship: Article 61

Ron Wolforth
Article Image
Demystifying the Curveball, Pitch Counts, and Weighted Balls- Part 1 You know what I love about the holidays? Good food, time with family, and the unspoken rule that nobody brings up religion or politics at the dinner table.   Why? Because they're powder kegs. Topics that bring out deep-seated beliefs and strong emotions.  Well, I accidentally lit one of those powder kegs recently, except it wasn't at the dinner table. It was on social media.   Our team posted a short clip of me at Boot Camp making what I thought was a pretty straightforward point: simply avoiding the curveball is far from a guarantee of arm health.   I wasn't trying to be provocative. I was just stating what I believed to be obvious after 30 years of doing this work.  But boy, did a few people have problems with it.   It became one of the most discussed posts in Ranch history....
Read More
College | Story | 1/21/2026

Conference Preview: Big 12

Tyler Henninger
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 Arizona 44 21 18 12 Arizona State 36 24 18 12 Baylor 33 22 13 17 BYU 28 27 10 20 Cincinnati 33 26 16 14 Houston 30 25 12 17 Kansas 43 17 20 10 Kansas State 32 26 17 13 Oklahoma State 30 25 15 12 TCU 39 20 19 11 Texas Tech 20 33 13 17 UCF 29 26 9 21 Utah 21 29 8 22 West Virginia 44 16 19 9 Preseason All-Conference Team Pos. Name School Stats/Notes C Jackson Natili Cincinnati .338/9/53; well-rounded bat with bat to ball skills and strong catch and throw 1B Brady...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 1/20/2026

A New Path to the Next Level

Jim Salisbury
Article Image
A New Path to the Next Level: Inside Perfect Game’s College Instructional Series An important new PG event will help aspiring college players grow, get noticed COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The changing environment of college baseball has led to an innovative new event at Perfect Game, one that will connect high school players looking for an opportunity at the next level with the coaches who may be able to provide one. On top of it all, there will be plenty of expert instruction along with the spirited, tournament-style competition that PG is known for. The College Instructional Series will take place at six regionalized venues starting this summer. “This event will serve an important purpose for players and coaches,” said Adam Revelette, PG’s senior director of events. “Everybody we’ve talked to is very intrigued about the platform.” The event is geared...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 1/20/2026

MLK West Scout Notes: Days 3-4

Steve Fiorindo
Article Image
MLK West Scout Notes: Days 1-2 Markus Chandler, RHP, Westside HS Class of 2027 A little on the undersized side as a sub 6 footer, but Chandler can generate some velo and spin.  Spun 3 frames of hitless ball for Spects National with zero walks and 6 strikeouts.  Committed to Kansas State, the righty ran the fastball to 92, living 89-92 pumping the zone with 75 percent strikes.  Looked like two different breaking balls, with the SL 80/81 (spin in 2500’s) and curveball 75/76.  No hard contact, little contact at all off the righty in this dominant outing. To follow up the pitching performance, Chandler swung the bat well on Championship Monday (Trademark Pending) with 5 RBI and three hits on the day, regularly on the barrel.  Trevor Alons, RHP, Centennial HS Class of 2028 Lean framed sophomore with a quick, whippy arm.  Playing up a few classes, you might...
Read More
College | Story | 1/20/2026

Conference Preview: Oregon State

Tyler Henninger
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 Record W L T Oregon State 48 16 1 Impact Player: Easton Talt, OF Impact Pitcher: Dax Whitney, RHP Impact Freshman: Mason Pike, RHP/MIF 2026 MLB Draft Prospects 1. Ethan Kleinschmit, LHP 2. Eric Segura, RHP 3. Zach Edwards*, RHP 4. Easton Talt, OF 5. Jacob Kreig, 1B 6. Wyatt Queen, RHP 7. AJ Singer, IF 8. Eli Gries-Smith, OF 9. Noah Scott, RHP 10. Paul Vazquez*, IF 11. Nyan Hayes, OF 12. AJ Hutcheson, RHP 13. Tyler Inge*, 3B 14. Bryson Glassco, IF 15. Jacob Galloway, C 2027 MLB Draft Prospects 1. Dax Whitney, RHP 2. Adam...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 1/18/2026

MLK West Scout Notes: Days 1-2

Steve Fiorindo
Article Image
Cole Migaki (‘29 WA) w/ one of his 5 K’s thru 2-innings. FB 84-86 coupled w/ a firm BB that has 11/5 shape sitting 77-77. Balanced operation w/ a live, loose arm. Athletic frame at 6-ft, 170 that projects #MLKWest @PG_PacificNW pic.twitter.com/iBgAoajNUM — Perfect Game Four Corners (@PG_FourCorners) January 16, 2026 Cole Migaki (2029 Vancouver, WA) Was lights out in his start on Friday at MLK West, only needing 42 pitches to get thru three-innings and did not allow a hit or run while punching out 8.  Migaki overwhelmed opposing hitters, running his fastball up to 86 and mixing in a firm breaking ball at 75-77 with 11-5 shape and depth.  The athletic 6-foot, 170-pound right-hander is the top ranked third base prospect in the state of Washington for the class of 2029, collecting a couple of hits in his five at-bats and drove in a run.  Excellent start to...
Read More
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...
Read More
College | Story | 1/16/2026

Conference Preview: ACC

Kyler 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 Boston College 28 29 11 19 California 24 31 9 21 Clemson 45 18 18 12 Duke 41 21 17 13 Florida State 42 16 17 10 Georgia Tech 41 19 19 11 Louisville 42 24 15 15 Miami 35 27 15 14 North Carolina 46 15 18 11 NC State 35 21 17 11 Notre Dame 32 21 14 16 Pitt 28 27 10 20 Stanford 27 25 16 15 Virginia 32 18 16 11 Virginia Tech 31 25 12 18 Wake Forest 39 22 16 14 Preseason All-Conference Team Pos. Name School Stats/Notes C Vahn Lackey Georgia Tech...
Read More
College | Story | 1/19/2026

Conference Preview: SEC

Vincent Cervino
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 Alabama 41 18 16 14 Arkansas 50 15 20 10 Auburn 41 20 17 13 Florida 39 22 15 15 Georgia 43 17 18  12 Kentucky 31 26 13 17 LSU 53 15 19 11 Ole Miss 43 21 16 14 Mississippi State 36 23 15 15 Missouri 16 39 3 27 Oklahoma 38 22 14 16 South Carolina 28 29 6 24 Tennessee 46 19 16 14 Texas 44 14 22 8 Texas A&M 30 26 11 19 Vanderbilt 43 18 19 11 Preseason All-Conference Team Pos. Name School Stats/Notes C Carson Tinney^ Texas .348-17-53; power hitting RHH...
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.