THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,384 MLB PLAYERS | 15,804 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,384 MLB PLAYERS | 15,804 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Create Account
Sign in Create Account
Tournaments  | Story | 5/23/2021

East Cobb Astros 17u Ready for Summer

Photo: Dylan Cupp (Perfect Game)
ATLANTA, Ga. -- It’s no secret that the East Cobb Astros 17u team is loaded with talent. Historically, East Cobb’s ranks have been among the nation’s elite, and the program itself has produced scores of collegiate and professional prospects. This year’s team willingly fits that profile.

East Cobb’s 2022 roster boasts 32 total college commits from 15 different states, with more names sure to sign next year following their performance this summer. Among those 32 signees are Vanderbilt commit Dylan Lesko and Miami commit Termarr Johnson, ranked second and fourth overall, respectively, in the 2022 class.



Alongside them are 22nd-ranked Dylan Cupp, 28th-ranked Michael Gupton, and a slew of the top-500 players that collectively form a team well-known for its capabilities. And as the summer season resumed this weekend, so did the Astros’ winning ways.

Through their first two pool play games of the North Atlanta Open, this year’s first large core Perfect Game tournament event, East Cobb fielded nine college commits including Johnson, en route to two run-rule victories and a plus-24 run differential. The Astros also feature nine of the top-10 ranked players in this weekend’s tournament, a kind of warm-up for events in later months.

Although talented, the team recognizes the necessity to apply that skill with sound fundamentals and a willingness to out-work the competition.

“This is my first time back, and I played in the fall, but it’s a lot different in summer ball, so it just feels really good to be able to come out here,” said one of Saturday’s starters, Logan Quales. “I just really want to work on locating and building velocity, that’s really what I’m working for.”

Quales, a Bristol, Tenn. native and relatively new member of the team, has settled into a starting position with the Astros, a role that he has embraced despite the early jitters of playing for a nationally-ranked club.

“You can get really nervous at first, but then you realize that all of the guys are really cool, and that you play at the same level as them, and you kind of calm down,” Quales said. “It’s amazing just playing with guys that know how to play the game the right way.”

Combine passion and performance and you get an on-field product that East Cobb strives to produce on a day-to-day basis. Although early, coaches and players alike are optimistic about what this summer holds for the orange and blue.

Johnson, the team’s highest-ranked player and de facto leader, has his sights set on several lofty goals through the next three months. Although personally excited for the Perfect Game circuit events, Johnson remained firm in his commitment to his team’s accomplishments.

When asked what a successful season would like for the Astros, Johnson was blunt.

“We want to be the best team in the nation for sure,” said Johnson. “I feel like we could even go two loses at most through the whole season, and I feel like we have a great team, and we’ll be ready for it.”

There are plenty of good 17u baseball teams around the nation, battling the Astros for titles, trophies, and eyes, but few can compare to East Cobb’s blend of discipline, execution and relative on-field enjoyment. The coaches are constructive and the players uplifting.

The team stressed the importance of their unique chemistry, especially on a team that pulls from multiple regions of the country in an effort to create the best team possible. It’s not often that a pitcher from the Bronx develops an on-field connection with a second baseman from north Georgia, but that ability to connect quality players is what separates East Cobb from the competition.

But the Astros don’t consider themselves a normal baseball team. No normal teams are perennial champions.

“It’s so fun. You’re with great guys, top guys and guys who know how to play the game and play it the right way. We just have fun, pick up each other, and combine as a team to be great,” Johnson said. “I’m ready to have some fun and get [the season] going with my guys.”

Quales echoed his infield colleague, in an additional nod to the team’s bond, and how its tenacity has already begun to rub off on himself.

“We just want to come out here, go to work and play the game,” Quales said. “We have some of the best talent around, so if we just keep playing our game, it should be a great summer.”

For East Cobb, the North Atlanta Open really is just that: the beginning of a three-month summer slate of contests, headlined by Perfect Game’s Southeast Elite Championships and WWBA Championships, two events that draw massive fields.

Although we don’t yet know how the East Cobb Astros 17u team will fare come mid-season form, one thing is for certain. The Astros possess more than enough talent to put together title runs deep into July, and have a legitimate opportunity to add to their already-cluttered hardware collection.

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...
General | Blog | 2/20/2026

Wolforth Throwing Mentorship: Article 63

Ron Wolforth
Article Image
Wolforth Throwing Mentorship: Article 62, Part 1 | Part 2 Demystifying the Curveball, Pitch Counts, and Weighted Balls - Part 3  We've made it to Part 3…the final installment of our series on baseball's most misunderstood and debated topics.   In Part 1, we tackled the curveball. The takeaway: the pitch itself isn't what’s dangerous. Decades of awful and ineffective coaching cues, ”snap your wrist," "turn the doorknob”…exacerbated and even in many causes caused some of the problems. Teach it correctly, when the athlete is ready, and it's no riskier than a fastball.  In Part 2, we examined pitch counts. The takeaway: they're a useful tool, but a limited one. Treating a single number as a universal measure of safety ignores everything...
Softball | Softball Tournament | 2/20/2026

18U PG Winter Elite Showcase Indoor

Dave Durbala
Article Image
SPRINGFIELD, IL - 2026 Perfect Game Softball Winter Elite Showcase, February 6 - 8, 2026.  Twenty teams rolled into Springfield to showcase their talents in this 18u, four-game guarantee, pool-into-bracket play,  at the newly opened 170,000-square-foot domed facility at Scheels Sports Park at Legacy Pointe. In the Silver Bracket, it was the 09 Midwest Sluggers taking home the championship over the CR Blue Devils 18u National. In the Gold Bracket, a championship game that featured the tournament's top two pitchers, it was the Iowa Dynamite 18u with the win over GTS 15u Elite-Herrick, by a score of  2-1. The tournament, with a mix of committed players, and those young ladies striving for the next level,  was loaded with talent.  Below are some of the players that excelled on the field and made their way onto the tournament’s Top Performers list. Earning...
Softball | Softball Tournament | 2/19/2026

14U PG Winter Elite Showcase Indoor

Erica Beach
Article Image
PG Winter Elite Showcase Indoor 14U January 17-18, 2026 Springfield, IL   SPRINGFIELD, IL- It may be cold outside, but there was some hot competition going on at the PG Winter Elite Showcase Indoor tournament. Six team converged on the Scheels Sports Park at Legacy Pointe and the Texas Glory IL 29 walked away with the hardware after a close 7-6 ballgame. Below we highlight some of the impressive athletes who competed on the weekend.     Lila Rafferty (2029, Leroy, IL) of the Texas Glory IL 29 was an unstoppable force at the plate over the weekend. She showed great tenacity in the box, proving to be one of the most consistent hitters in the tournament. She finished her weekend batting an incredible .750, tallying nine hits and scoring five times. She flashed her speed on multiple occasions, stealing two bases and legging out two doubles and two triples. She came in clutch,...
High School | General | 2/19/2026

Pacific Northwest All Region & Top Tools

David Rawnsley
Article Image
NORTHWEST REGION (WA, OR, ID, WY, AK, MT, HI)    The biggest change in the Northwest Region for 2026 is the addition of Hawaii, which has always been overlooked due to being lumped with California in the former Pacific Region.  This also coincides with an increased Perfect Game presence in the islands in the form of additional events and scouting.  And Hawaii certainly contributed in it’s first year, placing four players on the All-Region team, including slugging 2026 outfielder Judah Ota. The powerhouse Puyallup HS team is the only Northwest Region team to be represented in the PG Pre-Season Top 50 National HS Rankings, beginning the year ranked 26th.  C – Teagan Scott (Sr., South Salem HS, Ore.) Scott has been on the prospect map since he played in the 2023 PG 14U Select Festival and is signed with Oregon State.  A right-handed hitter with lots...
Showcase | Story | 2/20/2026

PG ID Camps Help Build Baseball Resume

Jim Salisbury
Article Image
PG ID Camps Help Youngsters Build a Baseball Resume There was still snow on the ground in a lot of places last weekend, but that didn’t stop more than 200 young players from going indoors to participate in the first round of Perfect Game Select Fest ID Camps for the 2026 season. John McAdams, PG’s national crosschecker and Northeast scouting director, ran the event in Farmingdale, New Jersey, and was impressed with his group’s energy and desire to improve at the game. “We’re giving young players the opportunity to build their baseball resumes and chart their growth and progress over a span of years,” he said. In addition to New Jersey, Select Fest ID Camps were held in Lake St. Louis, Missouri; Rossford, Ohio; Marietta, Georgia; and Kent, Washington. The ID camps debuted in 2025. Twenty-two of them were held around the country with nearly 700 young...
Draft | Story | 2/19/2026

Then vs. Now: '26 Class Look Back

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
One constant across our scouting staff is the volume of in-person looks we get at prospects during their high school years. With assignments at national tournaments and showcases throughout the calendar, we’ve built a deep library of reports and video on many of today’s top college prospects dating back to their prep days. This week, we took a step back to revisit what those players looked like as high school prospects. Which tools stood out? What was missing from the profile at the time? And what, if anything, did we overlook that ultimately helped shape the player they’ve become? Below, we break down 10 players in a “Then and Now” reflection. Justin Lebron (23 FL) finishes off the tournament getting in on the hit parade with a single to the pullside. #PGShowdown #Bama commit pic.twitter.com/C4Irym2ZTR — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) March 4, 2023...
High School | General | 2/18/2026

High School Notebook: Feb. 18

Cam McElwaney
Article Image
Grady Emerson (‘26 TX) laces this ball to right for a walk off single. Clean lefty stroke. Looks the part both sides of the ball. Checks all the boxes. Will be scouted heavily this Spring. #PGHS #HookEm commit. #PGDraft pic.twitter.com/wXvdHdgqME — Perfect Game Texas (@Texas_PG) February 6, 2026 Grady Emerson (2026, Argyle, Texas) had a strong showing throughout the opening week of high school baseball out here in Texas. Works good at-bats and is always a tough out in general. Makes all the plays at short and just has the look of a future big leaguer. He does all the little things right. Bat to ball will play at a high level and there is still a lot more power to project on here. There is a reason why Emerson is one of, if not the most highly coveted high school prospect in the 2026 class and it’s easy to see why. Currently committed to Texas, but has the potential to...
High School | Rankings | 2/18/2026

Midwest Region Top Teams

Tyler Russo
Article Image
Midwest All Region & Top Tools Rk Midwest 2025 Record 1 St. Thomas Aquinas (KS) 27-4 2 Edmond Memorial (OK) 30-8 3 Muskego (WI) 27-10 4 Lawrence Free State (KS) 28-2 5 Mill Valley (KS) 22-6 6 Valley View (AR) 29-5 7 Platte County (MO) 29-8 8 Liberty North (MO) 19-14 9 Millard North (NE) 23-13 10 St. John Vianney (MO) 38-2 11 Owasso (OK) 40-3 12 Olathe East (KS) 22-6 13 Staley (MO) 38-4 14 Shawnee Mission South (KS) 10-11-4 15 Blue Springs South (MO) 27-7 16 Blue Valley (KS) 21-10 17 Edmond Santa Fe (OK) 37-7 18 Skutt Catholic (NE) 24-7 19 Howell (MO) 35-4 20 Olathe West (KS) 25-3 21 Creighton Prep (NE) 16-15 22 Rogers (AR) 26-4 23 Fayetteville (AR) 26-7 24 Blue Valley West (KS) 17-10 25 Cretin Derham Hall (MN) 19-5-1
Softball | Softball Tournament | 2/18/2026

PG Softball Winter One Day Tournament

Dave Durbala
Article Image
BURLINGTON, IA - Perfect Game Softball Winter One Day Tournament, February 15, 2026. Twelve teams, split between the 16u and 18u divisions, participated in this event.  With two pool games, and then a move into single elimination bracket play,  some players used this tournament as  their last warm-up before kicking off their high school seasons, while others were tuning up for the busy Spring and Summer travel season. In the 16u division, it was the Iowa Aries 16u Ce Fire Red taking the championship, with Southeast Iowa Allstars 18u Gold Miller earning the crown in the 18u division. Below are write-ups from observations made during the day, as due to a software glitch, there were no stats available to complete a Top Performers list. 16U Division  Earning the MV-Pitcher Award, as selected by her coaches, was Aurora Widlund (2029 Altoona, IA) of tournament champion Iowa...
College | Rankings | 2/18/2026

DIII Rankings: February 18

Nick Herfordt
Article Image
Every spring, Division III baseball begins as a wide-open map. Cold mornings turn into long bus rides, non-conference gauntlets test resolve, and by the time the dust settles, only a few teams are still standing with a clear line to the NCAA Division III baseball tournament. The 2026 Perfect Game Division III Baseball Rankings capture that moment before the stretch run, highlighting the programs that have separated themselves through depth, durability, and an ability to win in a variety of ways. These eight teams are not simply piling up wins; they are shaping identities built to survive the grind and thrive when the margins narrow.  The destination is familiar, even if the journey never is. Once again, the final chapter will be written at Classic Park, where timing, composure, and roster balance matter as much as raw talent. The teams ranked here enter 2026 with more than ambition....
Loading more articles...