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 | 7/12/2019

Team Elite escapes with 16u title

Cory Van Dyke
Photo: Team Elite 16u Scout Team (Perfect Game)

EMERSON, Ga. -- It’s one thing to enter a tournament of 392 teams as one of the favorites to win the championship. It’s an entirely different thing to bend but never break, living up to those expectations along the way.

That was the case for Team Elite 16u Scout Team as they defeated Academy Select 16u Ingram, 5-4, to win the 2019 WWBA 16u National Championship. Team Elite escaped the weeklong tournament unscathed with a perfect 12-0 record, while Academy Select finished 11-1 as runners up.

“It just seemed like every game one of these guys stepped up and did something big,” said Team Elite head coach JB Brotherton. “The testament is with these guys, everyday it was somebody different.”

Trailing the entire game, Brady House gave Team Elite the 4-3 lead, their first lead of the championship, when he doubled in two runs down the line in the bottom of the sixth. In the top of the seventh Gavin Perryman tied the game with a clutch two-out single for Academy Select.

Team Elite could have easily been depleted, but instead the team immediately responded.

“There were a couple times this week that we were down, but when you have the offense we have, it makes it a little more relaxing,” Brotherton said. “They come up big in big situations.”

In the bottom of the seventh, catcher Ian Moller led off with a single to left field. Moller stole second base and advanced to third on Mason Cooper’s fly ball to deep center. Eventually with the bases loaded and one out, Moller saw his opportunity on a passed ball and scampered home for the game-winning run. 

Madness and pure exhilaration ensued. Moller had just caught four games in two days, but still mustered the speed and energy to dash home, just beating the tag at the plate. His teammates mobbed him, embracing Moller in the bottom of the dogpile.

“I’m not going to lie, I was really tired,” Moller said with a chuckle. “But I knew I just had to run 90 feet to get that run for our team.”

What makes the whole situation even more insane is that typically Moller garners a courtesy runner when he gets on base. However, Brotherton had run out of substitutes the inning before.

“That just shows how gutty Ian was this week,” Brotherton said. “He wanted it as bad as anybody. We didn’t have a pinch runner there. I ran out on the bench. He said he could do it… It’s the capping on a great week.”

It’s now the second year in a row that a Team Elite team has won the 16u WWBA title. In 2018, Team Elite Prime 16u defeated MWE 16u, 5-2. However, for this particular group of players, this tournament marked some unfinished business from last year.

In the 2018 WWBA 15u National Championship, the Team Elite 15u Prime team was made up of the majority of the same players as this year. That group also entered bracket play as the No. 1 overall seed, but was bounced in the second round of the playoffs. One year later, Team Elite 16u Scout Team rode the road to redemption all the way to a championship.

“It just shows that this group is special,” Brotherton said. “Our staff has done an outstanding job of putting a team together to make a run like this. They were the No. 1 seed last year… for them to bounce back and come out and get a W here at the end, it makes it even more tasteful.”

Team Elite eviscerated the competition in pool play, outscoring opponents 67-6. After a first round bye in the playoffs, Team Elite was promptly tested by facing Canes National 16u. Izaac Pacheco powered Team Elite to the 6-4 triumph with two bombs and four RBIs. Pacheco batted .321 over the week with six home runs and 17 RBIs to earn MVP honors, but he offered most of the praise to his teammates.

“It means a lot, but I’m just so proud of my team,” Pacheco said. “We made it all the way. I couldn’t have done it without them. They’re amazing teammates, and I’m glad we made it to the top.

“A lot of people said we wouldn’t have a lot of chemistry because we’re all over from different states, but right when we got here we had a lot of chemistry. We played well together and it was amazing.”

After a 10-2 win over Georgia Bombers 16u in the third round of the playoffs, Grant Taylor pitched a gem en route to Team Elite’s 2-0 win over Molina Stars in the quarterfinals. Taylor tossed six scoreless innings, scattering two hits and two walks along with seven strikeouts. The hard-throwing righty finished the tournament with 14 strikeouts over nine innings and was named MVPitcher.

“It feels great,” Taylor said. “There was a lot of great pitchers here. I’m just happy to be recognized as the MVPitcher.”

The championship wasn’t the only game where Team Elite had a flair for the dramatic. In the semifinals against Wilson Sandlot with the game locked in a 5-5 tie in extra innings, Luke Leto started the bottom of the eighth with a triple. After two intentional walks to load the bases, Benny Montgomery singled past the five-man infield to send Team Elite into the championship.

Like Brotherton mentioned, it was seemingly a different player who stepped up for Team Elite every game. Lead-off hitter Ryan Spikes hasn’t even been noted, and he led the team with 16 hits over the course of the week. It epitomizes the collective unit that was gathered in the Greater Atlanta area. One that shouldered the expectations, let their talent do the talking, and was ultimately crowned the best 16u team in the country.

“Let’s look at it in ten years and see how good this group is and the bright future they have,” Brotherton said. “This might be one of the best teams they’ve ever played with and it might in the future too… They bought in and we found a way to win a championship.”


2019 16u WWBA National Championship runner-up: Academy Select 16u Ingram



2019 16u WWBA National Championship MVP: Izaac Pacheco



2019 16u WWBA National Championship MV-Pitcher: Grant Taylor
Give us your feedback
Tournaments | Story | 1/9/2026

PG Leaderboard: Class of 2030
Jheremy Brown
Article Image
Complete PG Leaderboard Database PG Leaderboard: Class of 2026 | Class of 2027 | Class of 2028 | Class of 2029 Today we wrap up our reviews of the 2026 thru 2030 class where we looked back on some of the eye opening metrics we saw from around the country, both in a showcase and tournament setting. To those not inside the youth baseball world, some of the metrics below would seem truly unattainable from current 8th graders, from the pair of 90 mph heaters courtesy of Amani Tuiasosopo and Kingston George, to upper-80s velocity from all over the field and multiple players north of 90 mph on the exit velocity testing (with wood), this 2030 class is one that has a chance to be special as we continue to watch it unfold moving forward.  Top Fastball Velocity  Rk Player FB Event School Hometown 1 Amani Tuiasosopo 90 2025 WWBA 14U World Championship Renton...
Read More
College | Story | 1/14/2026

2026 College Preview Index

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
From Preseason All-Americans to a Top 25, make sure to check back daily as we will continue to pump out content as a staff. Every conference preview will include a Preseason All-Conference Team as well as Draft/Prospect lists for each of the next 3 years (2026, 2027, 2028) while also breaking down every team within each conference. Publish Date Content Wednesday January 7 Preseason All-Americans Thursday January 8 Preseason Top 25 Monday January 12 Top 100 Freshmen Tuesday January 13 Top 100 Sophomores Wednesday January 14 Top 100 Juniors Thursday January 15 Top 100 Seniors College Conference Previews Publish Date Conference Friday January 16 Atlantic Coast (ACC) Monday January 19 Southeastern (SEC) Tuesday January 20 Oregon State Preview Wednesday January 21 Big 10 Thursday January 22 Big 12 Friday January 23 American (AAC) Monday January 26 Atlantic Sun (ASUN)...
Read More
Softball | Softball Tournament | 1/14/2026

Perfect Game Softball Turf Wars

Ashley Mears
Article Image
2026 Perfect Game Softball Turf Wars January 9-11 Ashley Mears   The 2026 season kicked off in impressive fashion at the Fun City Dome in Burlington, Iowa, featuring a highly competitive field across both age groups. The 18U division was loaded with talent, including over 20 Division I and II commits and several high-upside prospects, leading to intense bracket play and multiple walk-off finishes. Iowa Nationals claimed the championship over a well-rounded Iowa Prospects Gold team. The 14U division brought together quality programs from Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois. The tournament championship was an exciting matchup where Southeast Iowa Swarm edged a tough Black Dragons squad. 18u Lauren Hagedorn (2026, Adel, IA) of Iowa Nationals and future Iowa State Cyclone earned weekend MVP honors after a strong two-way performance. In the circle, she consistently kept hitters off balance...
Read More
College | Rankings | 1/14/2026

Top 100 Collegiate Juniors

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
Top 100 Collegiate Freshmen | Top 100 Collegiate Sophomores As we look ahead to another season of college baseball and continue our week of class-by-class lists, we look at the Junior class and we’ve got our Top 100 Juniors in the 2026 college season. This list aligns with the PG Draft lists we compiled at the top, with Roch Cholowsky, Drew Burress, and AJ Gracia rounding out the top three. There’s a litany of storylines to follow this year, with players who have tons of draft upside or players looking to be impactful players among their respective programs. These are the players who we feel are in a position to make some serious noise during the 2026 season. Talent is present all across the board, with players who could make some serious statements this year. Looking all the way up and down the board, there are impact bats, players primed for a breakout, Friday...
Read More
College | Rankings | 1/13/2026

Top 100 Collegiate Sophomores

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
Top 100 Collegiate Freshmen As we creep toward opening day here in a month or so, the draft team has put together the Top 100 sophomores on campus this spring.  This list is chalk full of talent, with future draft prospects littered top to bottom. The headliner of this group is Derek Curiel, a draft eligible sophomore that took the SEC by storm last spring. The Perfect Game All-American posted a .990 OPS over the course of a full season and is projected to vault himself further up the board during his ‘26 campaign. An electric arm in Dax Whitney follows up Curiel, with Strosnider, Lawson and Franco rounding out the top five.  Keep tabs on the draft eligible sophomores in this group come the summer. The rest of the pack are eligible for next year’s draft and figure to feature at the top of many draft lists in ‘27.  Rk. Name Level Pos. B-T School Hometown...
Read More
Draft | Rankings | 1/12/2026

Top 100 Collegiate Freshmen

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
As we creep toward opening day here in a month or so, the draft team has put together the Top 100 freshmen on campus this spring.  Three high-end arms lead the way, starting with Jack Bauer. The Mississippi State left-hander reached triple digits as a prep and is sure to make an immediate impact this spring. UCLA right-hander Angel Cervantes was selected in the 2nd round of last year’s draft but held firm on his commitment and should be an impact arm for the Bruins. Following the arms, a collection of bats rounds out the Top 10. There is loads of upside to the group with the potential and they should draw considerable playing time as freshman.  As the list gets deeper, there are plenty of players that should pop up and make significant contributions both this year and years down the line. The class has both depth and talent, making for a very intriguing group of...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 1/8/2026

PG Leaderboard: Class of 2029

Jheremy Brown
Article Image
Complete PG Leaderboard Database PG Leaderboard: Class of 2026 | Class of 2027 | Class of 2028 These players below are just entering their freshmen year's of high school, a scary though as you scroll through the 11 categories and see some of the eye opening numbers from the fastballs to the infield and outfield velocities, down to the Diamond Kinetic testing and their three sub-categories.  Top Fastball Velocity Rk Player FB Event Commitment School Hometown 1 Brody McCorkle 92 2025 18U PG Mid-Atlantic Fall Elite Championship Uncommitted Ranney Forked River, NJ 1 Caleb Polk 92 2025 14U Perfect Game Select Festival Uncommitted IMG Academy Dallas, TX 1 Knox Myers 92 2025 PG WWBA Freshman World Championship Uncommitted East Bay Riverview, FL 2 Alex Bello 91 2025 16U PG Fall World Series Uncommitted Montverde Academy Orlando, FL 2 Alex Bello 91 2025 14U Perfect Game...
Read More
College | Story | 1/9/2026

LSU Reloads & Returns; Opens No. 1

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
“How do you get to success? You have to honor the process that you built to get to that success…The standard is how we operate, train, and get better each day.”” Process-oriented leadership is a popular coaching strategy here in the mid-2020s but no one exemplifies that more than LSU head coach Jay Johnson. He’s won the Tigers two national titles during his time in Baton Rouge and expectations won’t be any lower in 2026 as LSU is the No. 1 team in the country in Perfect Game’s Preseason Top 25.  Johnson is heading into his fifth season at the helm in Baton Rouge and it’s fair to say that he has already experienced enormous success. There have been two national titles in four years (2023, 2025), a Golden Spikes winner (Dylan Crews, 2023), a first overall MLB Draft pick (Paul Skenes, 2023), and five first-round MLB Draft picks during...
Read More
Press Release | Press Release | 1/7/2026

PG Announces Naming Rights in Chesterfield

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 AND FIRST COMMUNITY CREDIT UNION ANNOUNCE CHESTERFIELD ATHLETIC COMPLEX    Landmark Partnership to Center on Community, Inclusion and Youth Sports    Chesterfield, Missouri (Wednesday, January 7, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, along with the City of Chesterfield, today announced  an exclusive naming rights partnership with First Community Credit Union (FCCU) for the Chesterfield Valley Athletic Complex. Effective immediately, the venue will be known as the “Chesterfield First Community Athletic...
Read More
College | Rankings | 1/8/2026

2026 Preseason Top 25

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
With an interesting and action-packed fall behind us, a new college season is just around the corner. The college game continues to prove it is alive and well as the Division 1 team count has now ballooned to 308 teams for the 2026 season. With new legislation allowing teams 5-weeks to prepare for opening day, many student athletes have returned to campus and will begin skill related workouts soon. Opening Day, as usual, will fall on Valentine’s Day weekend and it is just six weeks away. After a fall of evaluation and months of research and discussion, we are ready to release our annual Perfect Game pre-season Top 25 poll. After winning 53-games, hosting the NCAA Regional and Super Region, and sweeping their way through the College World, the LSU Tigers will debut the 2026 season as our No.1 ranked team. Head coach, Jay Johnson, has now led the Tigers to two national titles in the...
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.