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
Tournaments  | Story | 7/11/2019

Cangelosi seizes semifinals berth

Photo: Adam Brouwer (Perfect Game)

EMERSON, Ga. -- Adam Brouwer had pitched a masterpiece into the bottom of the seventh, but things suddenly got dicey with one out remaining to complete the game and advance to the semifinals at the 2019 WWBA 16u National Championship. Scorpions 2021 Founders Club had the tying run on second and the go-ahead run on first, trailing Cangelosi Sparks 2021 Black 2-1.

Brouwer worked ahead and had a 2-2 count on Scorpions’ hitter, lefty Ricky Reeth. He then unleashed an 86 mph fastball, trying to paint the outside corner. Reeth connected and sliced the ball the opposite way, deep into the corner down the left field line.

The ball floated for what felt like an eternity. The game was literally hanging in the balance.

“I was praying it was foul,” said Cangelosi Sparks extra hitter Matt Maloney.

Eventually the ball landed.

‘FOUL BALL.’

The Cangelosi Sparks fans, players, and coaches collectively exhaled. The Scorpions were incredulous. Brouwer gathered himself, knowing he’d just been given a second life. After bouncing a changeup in the dirt to make the count 3-2, the righthanded hurler brought the heater one final time and induced a ground ball to second to end the game. Sparks 2, Scorpions 1.

“It’s super relieving because I thought it was fair off the bat,” Brouwer said. “I thought that was the end of the game.

“We play really good together as a team. Defense helped me a lot today.”

On Thursday night, it truly was a game of inches, and the baseball gods were in favor of the Cangelosi Sparks. One or two inches to the right, and the team’s elation quickly turns to devastation.

“Good team chemistry, that’s why the ball was foul,” said Cangelosi Sparks head coach Dean Anna. “I believe in that. If the chemistry is bad, maybe the ball is fair. These guys just pull together and it was foul for a reason.”

While the foul ball certainly provided the most drama of the entire game, it shouldn’t outshine Brouwer’s overall performance on the bump. The 6-foot-1, 185-pounder tossed a complete game, surrendering one run, five hits, and one walk along with four strikeouts. Brouwer needed just 79 pitches over seven innings, throwing 77 percent for strikes.

“He was throwing strike after strike after strike,” Anna said. “He just kept going after the hitters and kept them off balanced with the off-speed. It was very impressive today. He works quick. It was very nice for our defense.”

Perhaps most impressive was Brouwer’s ability to mix his fastball that lived in the mid-80’s inside and out. 

“Definitely my fastball,” Brouwer said of his go-to pitch. “Off-speed wasn’t the best, but locating my fastball with first pitch strikes and getting ahead of hitters was really great.”

The Cangelosi Sparks jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a Ryan Kraft RBI. After the Scorpions tied the game with a run in the bottom of the third, the Sparks immediately responded.

Kraft led off the inning with a walk and Maloney stepped to the plate. He smacked a double inside the left field line for the go-ahead RBI.

“I just wanted to do a job for my team and get that run in,” Maloney said. “I was just lucky enough to get that RBI down the line.”

That was the only other run that the Sparks needed, as Brouwer pitched the team into the semifinals. Meanwhile, Ryan Moerman and Landen Looper each collected two hits in the game.

The Cangelosi Sparks are now one of four teams remaining in a tournament that began with 392 teams. It took three wins on Thursday for the team based out of Lockport, Illinois to improve to 10-0 on the week. 

“We’re resilient,” Maloney said. “We fight. Not a lot of people know about us, but we fight to the end.”

The day began with a with a 4-2 triumph over Banditos Scout Team 16u. Reed Gannon fired a complete game, striking out seven along the way. Next, the Sparks defeated East Cobb Astros 16 X, 5-3, once trailing by three runs going into the bottom of the second.

“The guys are all pulling together,” Anna said. “We’ve been down in a lot of the games, and they just stay in the game. They stay in the game and don’t get down. They’re just grinders.

“Our pitching staff holds it together and we come up with some timely hits, but no one ever gives up on this team. That’s what I want to see.”

Kraft pitched four innings in the win and Looper added three scoreless innings in relief, setting up the noteworthy victory in the quarterfinals. The Sparks needed only four pitchers over the three games which is critical in a tournament like the 16u WWBA where any team’s pitching depth will be tested late in bracket play.

“It went as the blueprint described,” Anna said of the efficient pitching by his bunch. “Very impressive and it’s definitely going to help us for tomorrow.”

Tomorrow the Sparks will face Academy Select 16u Ingram, another team who sits with a 10-0 record, at 10:30 am at LakePoint. On the other side of the bracket, Team Elite 16u Scout Team and Wilson Sandlot will meet with the winners advancing to the championship.

Anna and Co. find themselves two wins away from being crowned the top 16u team in the country. It’s a daunting task ahead, but in a game of inches, anything is possible.

“I’m so excited for these guys,” Anna said. “I’m very happy for them. I just think if they stay together, we’re going to have a really good chance.” 


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...
Draft | Story | 3/13/2026

PG Draft: Under the Radar Preps

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
PG Draft: Under the Radar Preps As the spring season gets underway, the showcase circuit and early high-level tournaments have already provided our scouts with some intriguing first looks at this year’s crop of prospects. At the same time, we’ve been tracking the buzz among team evaluators, listening closely to the names that keep coming up in conversations and the players clubs are making sure they get eyes on this spring. Every year, a handful of prospects quietly slip beneath the radar during the fall and winter months, only to reemerge once the games start counting again. Sometimes it’s the result of a productive offseason in the weight room, a noticeable jump in velocity, or a step forward in skill development. Other times, it’s simply a player finally getting the opportunity and the stage to show what’s been building behind the scenes. The spring has a...
College | Rankings | 3/11/2026

DII/DIII/NAIA Rankings Update: March 11

Nick Herfordt
Article Image
Allendale Doesn't Rhyme With Knoxville or Danville. The Baseball Does. Meet the Three Coaches Turning Small College Programs Into National Contenders. There's something happening in small college baseball right now that doesn't get nearly enough attention. Three programs — separated by hundreds of miles and spread across three different governing bodies — are in the middle of the kind of rebuilds that make you wonder why anyone ever counted them out in the first place. One is in a Michigan lakeside college town. Two are in places that end in 'ville. All three have coaches who looked at a program and saw something nobody else did. The Perfect Game small school rankings noticed. You should too. See where Grand Valley State, Johnson U, Centre and the rest of the schools are positioned in the latest Perfect Game Top 25 Small School Rankings. NCAA DII For a generation of DII...
High School | General | 3/12/2026

High School Notebook: March 12

Steve Fiorindo
Article Image
Trey Rangel (‘26 TX) with some early morning fuzz. Goes 3.2 IP on 7ks. Fastball 92-96 T97 (2508 RPM) late life ASR. Curve 79-83 (2900 RPM) sharp 10-4 shape; power curve. Cutter low-90s. Change flashed at 89 (1405 RPM); kick change. Elite arm talent. #PGHS @PG_Draft #HookEm… pic.twitter.com/Xn3WaTJoVH — Perfect Game Texas (@Texas_PG) February 19, 2026 Trey Rangel (2026, The Colony, Texas) worked through 3.2 quality innings while striking out 7 batters for his opening season look here. Fastball opened up 93-96 with heavy arm side run out the gate. He would proceed to settle into the mid-90s range beyond his first inning of work while topping out at 97 once in the second and then closed out his final inning of work with a strikeout swinging on 96. Velo range varied throughout his outing and command came and went but was still dominant for the most part. He forced a ton of...
College | Story | 3/10/2026

College Players of the Week: March 10

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
March 10 Perfect Game/Player of the Week:  Lorenzo Carrier, OF, Pitt  The Pitt Panthers (12-2) are off to one of the best starts in recent program history and their offense has performed as one of the best in the country.  For the season, they are averaging almost 12-runs per game and on their recent trip to the West Coast, Lorenzo Carrier went on the kind of hot streak that is hard to comprehend.  The 6-5/215 senior from Bear, DE was a one-man wrecking crew in their 4-wins last week, starting with the fact that he reached base safely in 17 of his 19 trips to the plate.  He collected 13 hits in 14 official at-bats, scoring 10 runs, with 4 walks, 2 triples, 4 home runs and he drove in an insane 19-runs.  Carrier has refined his approach, simplified his bat path and is creating massive power that has him putting up career numbers.  For the season, he is...
College | Rankings | 3/9/2026

College Top 25: March 9

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
Collegiate Player Report Database While there will not be any new faces in this weeks Top 25, there is quite a bit of shakeup as the season, somehow, becomes even more unpredictable.  There were several teams in the poll that dropped weekend series and, in some cases, registered losing records in the last seven days.  There is sure to be more chaos this week as virtually every conference starts league play and the race for regular season titles begins.  The UCLA Bruins (13-2) remain No. 1 as their sizzling hot bats led the way to a perfect (4-0) week and they swept their first Big Ten series of the year.  As one of only two remaining undefeated teams in the nation, the Texas Longhorns (15-0) jump to No. 2 before they open SEC play this weekend in Austin.  No. 3 Georgia Tech and No. 4 Mississippi State both (14-2) hold their spots in the poll after both dropped a...
Press Release | Press Release | 3/7/2026

Debut: Contreras YouTube Feature

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 DEBUTS NEW YOUTUBE FEATURE FOLLOWING JOSEPH CONTRERAS ON HISTORIC DAY BEFORE WBC   Behind-the-scenes access captures the youngest player in the World Baseball Classic preparing for the global stage   Sanford, Florida (Friday, March 6, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced the debut of a new original YouTube feature spotlighting right-handed pitcher Joseph Contreras, as PG cameras followed him throughout the day of his final high school start before departing to join Team Brazil in the World Baseball Classic.   The feature provides exclusive, behind-the-scenes access to one...
Softball | Softball Tournament | 3/4/2026

Perfect Game Softball March Madness

Ashley Mears
Article Image
2026 Perfect Game March Madness February 27-March 1st Ashley Mears What a weekend at the Fun City Dome in Burlington, Iowa! The energy was electric from first pitch to final out towering home runs, edge-of-your-seat battles, dramatic comebacks, and extra-inning thrillers with some unpredictable endings, it was a great weekend all around. The Top Performers list welcomed some exciting new names, while seasoned seniors continued to cement their legacies, delivering standout performances week after week. For some, this may have been their final appearance on a Perfect Game stage, and they made sure it was unforgettable. In the 18u division a tough Nebraska Gold 319 Berning team outlasted the Southeast Iowa All Stars in the championship. In 16u the Top Gun 2028- Strange completed their weekend by beating the Iowa Aries 16U CE Fire Black. 18U The weekend’s Most Valuable Player award...
High School | General | 3/5/2026

High School Notebook: March 5

Steve Fiorindo
Article Image
Full BP & pregame I/O from ‘26 SS Keon Johnson. Whippy hands and lifted to the middle of the field throughout the rounds, athletic mover on the dirt & enough arm strength to stick on the left side. #4 in @PG_Georgia & #50 on the @PG_Draft Board. #PGHS @FPDVikingSports https://t.co/vYvReQKTVh pic.twitter.com/BksHJtA09X — Cam McElwaney (@CamMcElwaneyPG) February 20, 2026 Keon Johnson, SS, First Presbyterian Day Johnson has long been near the top of the 2026 rankings and it all culminated in being a PG All-American last August. He heads into the spring as one of the names to know in the upcoming MLB Draft and is drawing crowds to his high school in Macon. It’s a well-built 6-foot-2, 200-pound frame with good actions up the middle. The defensive acumen has continued to improve over the last few years and now looks comfortable at shortstop and even projects there...
College | Rankings | 3/4/2026

DII/DIII/NAIA Rankings Update: March 4

Nick Herfordt
Article Image
The 2026 college baseball season is starting to reveal its early storylines, and across the Division II and Division III landscape a few programs have already forced their way into the spotlight. From the blistering start by the Pittsburg State Gorillas baseball that rocketed them to the top of the rankings, to the steadily rising championship ambitions of the Taylor Trojans baseball, the national picture is beginning to take shape. In Division III, heavyweight programs like the Trinity Tigers baseball and the Wisconsin–Whitewater Warhawks baseball have already traded blows in one of the season’s first statement series, while emerging challengers such as the Keene State Owls baseball are looking to turn early momentum into a breakout year. With many teams still just getting their seasons underway, the rankings remain fluid, but the early results are already giving us clues...
Juco | Rankings | 3/4/2026

JUCO Top 25: March 4

Troy Sutherland
Article Image
Another week down as we get into conference play in parts of the nation. This week is led by Chipola at No. 1 with an impressive 24-1 record. Walters State drops to No. 2 at 16-3 and Florida SouthWestern State College (17-5) follows closely behind. Powerhouse programs  McLennan Community College (11-2) and Johnson County Community College (18-2) round out the top five, while one-loss teams Fresno City, Ohlone, and Cloud County are quickly climbing into the national conversation. With traditional Texas powers, West Coast contenders, and deep Florida Juco rosters all in the mix, the race for Grand Junction is already taking shape.   Rk. Team Record 1 Chipola (FL) 24-1 2 Walters State (TN) 16-3 3 Florida Southwestern (FL) 17-5 4 McLennan (TX) 11-2 5 Johnson County (KS) 18-2 6 Gaston (NC) 20-2 7 Blinn (TX) 12-6 8 Florence-Darlington (SC) 18-5 9 Northwest Florida (FL) 16-8 10...
Loading more articles...