THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,384 MLB PLAYERS | 15,805 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,384 MLB PLAYERS | 15,805 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Sign in Create Account
Sign in Create Account
Tournaments  | Story | 7/8/2019

'Dudes Everywhere' for Team Elite

Cory Van Dyke
Photo: Brady House (Perfect Game)

MARIETTA, Ga. – Take one glance at Team Elite’s official Twitter page and the mantra #DudesEverywhere will likely appear in one of the recent postings.

Now focus your attention to the 2019 WWBA 16u National Championship and Team Elite 16u Scout Team does indeed have dudes everywhere. With a 5-0 start in pool play, Team Elite is rolling towards bracket play that begins in two days.

Loaded, stacked, talented. All could be used to describe Team Elite’s roster at the 16u WWBA. In Monday’s 6-1 victory over Scorpions 2021 Select Kelly, the infield alone featured third baseman Izaac Pacheco, the No. 8 player in the 2021 class, shortstop Luke Leto (No. 3), second baseman Brady House (No. 1), and first baseman Cole Wagner (No. 54).

“It means a lot being out here with these great group of guys,” said House, who finished Monday’s game 2-for-3 at the plate with a double off the wall. “Our team, we just come together and play together as a team. To me, that’s just a lot of fun and what baseball is all about.”

The roster also includes Christian Little (No. 2), Thomas Dilandri (No. 10), Ian Moller (No. 15), Grant Taylor (No. 22), Joshua Hartle (No. 31), and Ryan Spikes (No. 51) among others. It puts head coach JB Brotherton is a quandary at times, but he insists it’s the character of the players that allows for smooth sailing.

“It’s tough,” Brotherton said. “All these guys are used to being three, four, or five hitters in the middle of the lineup. 

“We’re fortunate enough to look at the lineup and decide which Division I player is going to sit the bench. The guys buy in. We’re lucky enough and blessed to have some really quality kids this year and in the past. Their ability to be good teammates and want for their teammates to do well allows it to be easy.”

For Pacheco, it adds an element of competition that’s rarely found within a team. And so far, so good for the 6-foot-4, 210-pound infielder. In five games, Pacheco is hitting .385 with four home runs and 11 RBIs.

“It’s pretty cool,” Pachecho said. “It makes us each better. We try to compete with each other. Seeing someone hit a bomb is going to want to make you do the same. It’s going to make us better players in the future.”

While most of the players on Team Elite are from all over the country, with players like Pacheco from Texas, House from Georgia, and Leto from Michigan, they are no strangers. The vast majority of the roster has played together at different showcase events throughout the country over the years. 

There’s familiarity that is cultivated during this homecoming with Team Elite.

“These guys play nationwide for the past three or four years,” Brotherton said. “It’s honestly almost like a high school reunion for many of these high profile guys.”

For House, who’s also been on a tear this week with a .600 batting average and three doubles, it’s the time spent together now on Team Elite that offers him a glimpse into these players that he’s grown up with, but never truly gotten to know on a deeper level.

“To me it’s fun being out here playing with them, but also just hearing their stories and how they got here,” House said. “Just playing with them and competing against other teams, we’re now competing with each other on the same team at the same time. It’s a lot of fun to come out here with these guys.”

It’s allowed for an uncommon team chemistry for players who are usually separated by hundreds of miles. It’s also a testament to the type of 16 year olds that these players are with the spotlight shining on them so brightly at such a young age. 

“They handle it well,” Brotherton said. “They’re very mature young men. 16 years old, for the hype they get and the abilities they have, their ability to stay humble and grind away is pretty impressive to watch these guys.”

It even showed in House’s answer to the question, ‘What does he want to see from himself the rest of the week?” He could have talked about continuing to stay hot at the plate or fixing up some things on the mound after allowing one run in his one inning of relief, but instead he veered down a different path.

“What I want to see from myself is just getting better each day,” House said. “If I go 0-for-3, then I need to work on my attitude. How am I walking back to the car? Because everyone is looking at you 24/7 no matter how you play or how good you do. My attitude and growing as a person with these other guys.”

With all the bats that Team Elite can roll out in the lineup, it’s really been the team’s pitching that has carried the load thus far. In the five games, the pitching staff has surrendered just two runs. There’s also been two no-hitters as Carter Holton and Grant Cherry combined for one in the opening game, while Cale Lansville and Aeden Finateri combined for another Saturday morning.

Last year in the 15u WWBA with much of the same roster, Team Elite entered bracket play as the No. 1 overall seed, but was bounced early in the second round of the playoffs. 

Team Elite 16u Scout Team will likely enter bracket play on the same path, but Brotherton and Co. are undoubtedly expecting a different result. There might be dudes everywhere, but for Team Elite to reach the goal of a championship, it will take all those dudes continuing to play for the name on the front of the uniform as one cohesive unit.

“It means a lot to wear the ‘TE’ across the chest,” Pacheco said. “To represent these amazing coaches and the organization is definitely amazing.

“If we play as a team together, we’re going to make it to the top.”
Give us your feedback
Tournaments | Story | 1/27/2026

MLK East Scout Notes Recap
Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
‘28 OF Jakob Groeschel (OH) continues to impress with the bat on the circuit, picked up 2 2Bs in the first game today. Really athletic, went 4.4 on turn; easy to dream on all the traits. #MLKEast @PG_OhioValley pic.twitter.com/wOIwnGKnkg — Perfect Game Florida (@Florida_PG) January 17, 2026 2028 OF Jakob Groeschel (Springfield, Ohio) broke out at this event last year hitting a casual .909, and although he didn’t turn in quite the same performance, he hit a strong .462 with 4 extra-base hits, 5 walks, 5 bags and only struck out once. He’s a pretty dynamic athlete who can do a lot of things well, but the bat is the calling card as he just lives on the barrel and has no problem handling all kinds of pitching. It’s a simple swing, but he’s got fast hands and he can really impact the ball without being overly physical yet.  2030 RHP Michael Vazquez...
Read More
College | Recruiting | 3/23/2026

Recruiting Notebook: March 23

Ryan Miller
Article Image
High speed look at the FF-SL from '27 SS/RHP Harry Chubb Jones Jr. (GA)... #BeastoftheEast @PG_Uncommitted @PG_Georgia https://t.co/zXWgDJjU0y pic.twitter.com/GUIUN4tWmw — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) June 25, 2025 Harry Chubb Jones Jr., RHP/SS, Class of 2027 Commitment: Alabama Jones recently flipped his commitment from Clemson to Alabama, landing Rob Vaughn and staff a high-end two-way talent in the ’27 class. The Georgia native possesses tremendous upside on the mound, working from a long and lean right-handed frame that displays projection and athleticism. Jones starts over the face before working to the belt and into a higher pronounced leg lift. He fires down the mound via a standard-length arm action and high three-quarters slot. Chubb’s fastball/slider combination and feel for the zone, with the heater showcasing run/ride traits and power into the high-90s....
Read More
College | Rankings | 3/22/2026

College Top 25: March 23

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
Time flies when you are having fun and the fact that we are almost to the halfway point of the 2026 season, proves just how entertaining things have been to this point. In what was an ultra-impactful week on the national landscape, there are some clubs fading out of the limelight while others are emerging from the shadows and showing they are a force to be reconned with. Conference play always makes the big picture come into view and we are now getting a feel for who the true contenders may be as the grind begins. The UCLA Bruins (21-2) keep their stranglehold on the top spot in the land as they remain unchallenged since the start of Big Ten play and finished the week with a (4-0) record. The Texas Longhorns (20-3) did lose back-to-back games this week but showed their resilience by winning an intense road series against now No. 7 Auburn (19-4). Georgia Tech (19-5) also had a (2-2) week...
Read More
Draft | Rankings | 3/20/2026

2026 Draft Board: Top 300

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
The 2026 MLB Draft class is shaping up to be one of the better in recent memory and, potentially, the best class in the last decade. It’s led by UCLA superstar shortstop Roch Cholowsky, a true five-tool prospect who’s the early favorite for 1:1. One of the most popular pieces of industry feedback when constructing this list was some variation of “Roch is too low” or “go up on Roch” and he’s the best college prospect since 2019 when Adley Rutschman (Oregon State, Orioles) was the consensus No. 1 prospect. Similarly to 2019, there’s a superstar Texas prep shortstop at No. 2, in 2019 it was Bobby Witt Jr. (Colleyville Heritage, Royals) and this year it’s Grady Emerson. Both Emerson and Alabama’s Justin Lebron would have been solid 1:1 candidates in years where Roch Cholowsky is not eligible and both have All-Star potential....
Read More
High School | General | 3/23/2026

High School Notebook: March 23

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Talon Brown (‘29 CA) showing some intriguing stuff over 2.1 IP running the FB up to 89, living 86-88 while mixing in a BB at 77. FB heavy on the day w/ a limited pitch count. 6-4, 205-lb w/ an athletic operation working down the bump #PGHS pic.twitter.com/HkLmJHrB1W — Perfect Game California (@California_PG) March 14, 2026 Talon Brown 2029 RHP, Christian Brown features an advanced 6-foot-4, 205-pound, athletic, projectable frame.  The freshman has made two appearances on the young season working four-innings without allowing a hit or run and has struck out seven opposing hitters.  It’s an easy, downhill operation and the ball jumps out of the hand, using the four-seam often that has ride through the zone, sitting 85-88 and topping out at 89.  The breaking ball showed 11-5 shape with depth spinning it at 1900 RPM+.  Brown features an athletic...
Read More
Press Release | Press Release | 3/19/2026

PG Teams Up with OZ Ball Tournaments PTY

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 NAMES OZ BALL TOURNAMENTS PTY AS OFFICIAL AREA DIRECTOR IN AUSTRALIA, EXPANDING GLOBAL FOOTPRINT   Sanford, Florida (Thursday, March 19, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced that it has entered into a new international partnership with Oz Ball Tournaments Pty, naming the organization as an official Perfect Game Area Director in Australia. The agreement establishes Perfect Game-licensed tournaments and showcases across major Australian markets, including Sydney, Brisbane/Gold Coast, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.     Australian events will operate under the Perfect Game brand, delivering the same...
Read More
Press Release | Press Release | 3/18/2026

PG Introduces Individual Player Entry

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 INTRODUCES INDIVIDUAL PLAYER ENTRY, EXPANDING ACCESS TO ELITE NATIONAL EVENTS   Athletes Can Now Compete in Select National Tournaments Through Structured ‘Team PG’ Rosters   Sanford, Florida (Wednesday, March 18, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced the launch of Individual Player Entry, a new initiative designed to provide athletes the opportunity to compete in select national events even if their primary team is not attending.   Through the program, players can now register individually and be placed on a structured “Team PG” roster, allowing them to participate fully in...
Read More
Juco | Rankings | 3/18/2026

JUCO Top 25: March 18

Blaine Peterson
Article Image
This week brings a new top team to the rankings as Johnson County (KS), on the strength of 10 consecutive wins and a 26-2 record, claims the overall number 1 spot. The Cavaliers have made 3 consecutive trips to the JUCO World Series and have the talent to make it back there again this spring. Florida Southwestern and Chipola have seemingly separated themselves as the most consistent teams in Florida. Welcome to the top 5 to the Gaston Rhinos who will be one of the first teams to 30 wins this spring. Pearl River stays as the top NJCAA D2 team and Fresno City stays as the top Juco team in California; both are coming off undefeated 2 week stretches. Welcome back to the top 25 to John A. Logan who is now 20-7 overall and have played one of the toughest schedules of anyone. And for the first time in several years welcome to the top 25 to the College of Southern Idaho, the Golden Eagles have...
Read More
High School | General | 3/18/2026

Class of 2026: Preseason HS All-Americans

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Read More
College | Rankings | 3/18/2026

DII/DIII/NAIA Rankings Update: March 18

Nick Herfordt
Article Image
In every major sport, the championship is decided in the postseason. You can lose games all year, get hot at the right time, and walk away with the hardware. The regular season is a rehearsal. The playoffs are the show.  The championship belt changes that. Borrowed from professional wrestling, boxing and ultimate fighting, the belt travels the moment the holder loses — no brackets, no seeding, no second chances. A random Tuesday non-conference game in Milledgeville, Georgia  becomes a title fight. A spring trip to Florida becomes a gauntlet. The defending national champion can lose the belt before February is over.  We’re tracking three belts this season — NCAA Division II, NAIA, and NCAA Division III — each starting with the defending national champion. The results have been exactly as chaotic as you’d expect.  Worth noting along the...
Read More
High School | Rankings | 3/17/2026

High School Top 50 Update: March 17

Tyler Russo
Article Image
We have another update to the National Top-50 after two weeks of even more games being played in the southern states along with seasons just starting to kick off across the country. We’re quickly approaching another stellar high school event, the NHSI in Cary, and with that will come even more movement in these rankings. St. John Bosco (CA) continues to hold firm at the No. 1 position after a 4-0 start to their season. Venice (FL) has been rolling throughout the early portion of the year and jumps up to No. 2 in the country. One of the biggest movers in this update is The Bennett School (TX) jumping from unranked to No. 8 in the country after beating a handful of top ranked programs to start the year. Some other big movers inside the top-10 are Barbe (LA), who jumps from No. 18 to No. 5 in this update as well as Aledo (TX) who jumps from No. 20 to No. 9. The rest of the top-10...
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.