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Tournaments  | Story | 6/13/2021

Close Calls For 5 Star Nothing to Sweat

Photo: Kenny Manresa (Perfect Game)
FORT MYERS, Fla. -- For over a decade, the 5 Star Outlaws have been a stalwart in the South Florida baseball scene. In the summer of 2021, nothing has changed for the Miami Lakes-based organization. Remaining one of the more successful programs in the region, the Outlaws pride themselves on winning close baseball games, and the 5 Star Outlaws 2023 showcased that at CenturyLink Sports Complex in Fort Myers on Saturday.
 
On the first day of the 2021 16u Perfect Game Florida Select Championship, the Outlaws secured two victories that both went down to the wire. In their first matchup, first baseman Justin Breitenstein shot a single into shallow right field that scored Christopher Carroll and Noah Alburquerque in the bottom of the fifth, giving the Outlaws a walk-off win over Prospects Showcase Team 2023. In their second, Devin Catoni came on in the sixth to shut down Knights Knation Florida 2023 for two innings as the Outlaws took home another one-run victory. Outlaws Head Coach Alex Catoni said that gritty wins are now second nature for the 2023 squad.
 
“The team never quits,” Alex said. “That’s always been our motto. We don’t give up until the last out.”
 
The Outlaw perseverance has paid dividends for the team so far in 2020-2021, accumulating a 15-4 Perfect Game record since September and beginning this summer season 5-1. While the Outlaws’ roster features some of the top talents in South Florida, Catoni believes that camaraderie is a driving force in the team’s success.
 
“What leads to success is the chemistry of this team,” Catoni said. “They gel together, they glue, and that helps them fight to the end.”
 
While the Outlaws are no stranger to adversity, the team faced a more formidable challenge than usual on Saturday. David Davila (Florida State commit), Gian De Castro, Antonio Jimenez and Keanu Rodriguez (Miami commits) were just some of the Outlaw standouts missing from the roster on Saturday, as many of them are participating in the 2021 Perfect Game Jr. National Showcase. However, the Outlaws rose to the challenge and didn’t back down, which Catoni believes speaks significantly to his team’s character.
 
“It’s a struggle when you don’t have those big guys here,” Catoni said. “But we have guys that can pick up the pieces and keep battling. When these guys are not there, we have guys that can step up and take those roles.”
 
Throughout the day, many Outlaw players filled those roles when they needed it most. In their first matchup, the Outlaws quickly fell behind after Prospects Showcase Team 2023 plated three runs in the top of the first. From there, the Outlaw bats began to chip away. In the bottom of the first, the Outlaws got on the board with a Damian Hernandez RBI double.  Andy Hernandez then evened the game in the second with a bases-loaded two-RBI single, scoring Catoni and Jeymel Estrada. Prospects retook the lead in the third on another RBI single, and then both offenses went stagnant.
 
As time was running out for the game, the umpires announced that the fifth inning would be the last, giving the Outlaws a shortened opportunity to overcome the deficit. However, the Outlaw bats did not waste their last chance. Andy Hernandez led off the inning with a walk, but the Outlaws quickly found themselves on their final out after a fielder’s choice and a failed steal attempt. Carroll and Alburquerque then gave the Outlaws life as they hit back-to-back singles. After a passed ball, Breitenstein found himself a chance to win the game with runners on second and third. He didn’t squander the opportunity, lining a single to right field to score both runners and secure a 5-4 victory for the Outlaws. Despite the implications, Breitenstein said he didn’t let the moment get too big for him and kept his approach simple. 
 
“I saw a big gap between first and second and knew that’s where I wanted to put the ball,” Breitenstein said. “I didn’t try to do too much with it, and it worked out in the end.”
 
The Outlaws then carried their high emotions into their second bout, using them to create an offensive outburst in the bottom of the first. After two hit-by-pitches and an Andres Cruz single, Manuel Henriquez drove home two runs with a fielder’s choice. Andy Hernandez then drew a walk and scored from first on a Catoni two-RBI double, giving the Outlaws a 4-0 lead. The Outlaws bats quieted in the second, but Damien Hernandez was able to make the lead five as he drove home Alburquerque with another RBI double. 
 
Kenny Manresa was dominant on the mound for the Outlaws, tossing 2 2/3 innings of shutout ball while striking out four. However, the Knights’ bats woke up in the fourth, plating four runs of their own in the inning. Catoni then snuffed out the Knight’s hope, striking out two over two innings and not allowing a single baserunner, securing the win for the Outlaws. Breitenstein believes that the team’s attitude was a significant factor in pulling out the close victories on Saturday.
 
“We’re just fighters,” Breitenstein said. “We stay in the game. Even if we get down at some points, we’re able to keep ourselves in it and push to keep working hard.”
 
After delivering two tight victories on their first day, the Outlaws will look to continue their success throughout Championship pool and bracket play. While the game may be over, Catoni believes Breitenstein’s clutch performance will remain a factor throughout the tournament.
 
“That walk-off probably sets the tone for the rest of the tournament,” Catoni said. “That’s a big comeback right there. Coming up with that big hit, that’s something special that sets a tone and hopefully puts us deep into the playoffs.”

Tournaments | Story | 1/27/2026

MLK East Scout Notes Recap

Perfect Game Staff
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‘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 | Rankings | 3/20/2026

2026 Draft Board: Top 300

Vincent Cervino
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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....
Press Release | Press Release | 3/19/2026

PG Teams Up with OZ Ball Tournaments PTY

Perfect Game Staff
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  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...
Press Release | Press Release | 3/18/2026

PG Introduces Individual Player Entry

Perfect Game Staff
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  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...
Juco | Rankings | 3/18/2026

JUCO Top 25: March 18

Blaine Peterson
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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...
High School | General | 3/18/2026

Class of 2026: Preseason HS All-Americans

Perfect Game Staff
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College | Rankings | 3/18/2026

DII/DIII/NAIA Rankings Update: March 18

Nick Herfordt
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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...
High School | Rankings | 3/17/2026

High School Top 50 Update: March 17

Tyler Russo
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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...
College | Story | 3/17/2026

College Players of the Week: March 17

Vincent Cervino
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March 17th Perfect Game/Player of the Week: Vahn Lackey, C, Georgia Tech The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (17-3) came into the season with the highest external expectations in decades based on the anticipation of their offensive potential. To this point they have not only met those lofty expectations, but twenty games in they may have exceeded them. While there are plenty of high-level prospects up and down the lineup, with all that star power Vahn Lackey has stood out. Sure to be one of the first catchers selected in this year’s MLB Draft with his comprehensive skillset, he projects well as an everyday backstop at the next level. However, his overall athleticism stands out as we saw this week when he had a game where he played every defensive position on the field except pitcher. At the plate over four games including a series victory at Clemson last week, he went 9 for 15, scoring...
College | Rankings | 3/16/2026

College Top 25: March 16

Vincent Cervino
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Collegiate Player Report Database As each week of the college baseball season passes, we continue to be entertained at an incredible level with high level drama at every turn.  Conference play is under way and the national landscape is starting to make a bit more sense.  The development and strength of individual players is on full-display and there continue to be upsets on occasion that sends the message no team can relax for one moment.  For the most part, the Top 10 remains unchanged with some reshuffling as No. 1 UCLA (17-2) holds on to the top spot with yet another perfect (4-0) week after sweeping Michigan.  The No. 2 Texas Longhorns (18-1) did drop their first game of the season in Game 1 of SEC play but won the series against Ole Miss and finished the week with a (3-1) record.  The Georgia Tech Yellowjackets (17-3) passed their first real road test of the...
Draft | Story | 3/13/2026

PG Draft: Under the Radar Preps

Tyler Henninger
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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...
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