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Tournaments  | Story | 6/21/2021

National Select Crowns Three Champs

Photo: Canes American 16u (Perfect Game)
MARIETTA, Ga. -- Canes American 16u took home the inaugural National Select Championship in a thrilling 5-4 affair against the Cincinnati Spikes on Sunday, at a rainy TOP Chops East Cobb Complex in Marietta, Ga.
 
It was Daylinh Nguyen-Brown’s sixth inning RBI single that was the deciding factor in a game that saw three lead changes through a full seven innings of action. With runners on second and third and title rights hanging in the balance, the speedy righty stepped into the box and sent a line drive into right field that evaded the Spikes’ diving first baseman and plated a runner from third.
 
“I just wanted to be calm and do my job,” Brown said of his thoughts during the at-bat. “I got a pitch to hit, and I just went with it and got a big hit. It feels great, and was really just an energy booster, I think for the whole team.”
 
Up a run exiting the frame, the Canes went on to secure their first tournament championship in their second try of the summer and etched their names as the event’s first ever 16u champs.
 
But their win was not always so certain. Despite opening the scoring in the bottom of the first inning following a fielder’s choice, the Canes found themselves down 3-1 entering the third inning. Wild pitches and passed balls were an issue for the pitching staff on turf that had witnessed nearly 24 hours of constant rain.
 
Then in the bottom of the third came Cameron Nelson for the Canes. He took advantage of earlier-inning pitching inconsistencies and singled home Brown, who had reached on a walk two batters earlier. Koy Swanson followed Nelson with an RBI hit of his own, sending a double to the left field wall. 
 
Through three the Spikes had assumed a two-run lead, but Canes fought back to even the score at three apiece with four innings still to play. 
 
Nelson was not only a valuable hitter in the game, but also flashed his talents on the mound, carrying his team as their third arm of the game, for 4 2/3 innings. Nelson stopped the bleeding from the game’s first two innings and allowed only one run and one hit from the third inning on. 
 
“For me, I just need to be able to attack, that was one main thing that I kept reminding myself out there, especially with my fastball,” Nelson said. “My off-speed was there sometimes, but I knew with my fastball, I had to locate, and like I said, just attack.”
 
Even in the last half inning of the game, the Canes had to work for their hardware. Following a two-out error and subsequent walk, Nelson found himself in a jam with runners on the corners, just one out away from history.
 
But with nobody warming, it was the Wake Forest commit’s game to finish. And end it he did, when he forced the following hitter to ground into a tournament-sealing ground ball to third base.
 
“I’m just going out there and playing ball, taking deep breaths and reminding myself that it’s me out here on the mound and that I can control the game,” Nelson said. 
 
Sunday’s final was not the only close game the Canes found themselves in this week. Three of their four playoff games, including the championship, were decided by two runs or less. But for Nelson and his team, that is just a testament to their scrappy attitude and never-give-up mentality against particularly stiff competition.
 
“We were competing all weekend,” Nelson said. “I know the first day we got a loss, but right after that, we were able to bounce back and compete again. We just kept our energy up, that was something that we did really well. All weekend, energy was definitely the full-on drive.”
 
Solely from the batter’s box, Brown too noticed a team aura and concentration during every pitch, that had extended from pool play to Sunday. The game-winner, currently ranked as a ‘high follow’ on Perfect Game’s national ranking composite, is positive that attitude will endure throughout the season. 
 
“The boys never really stayed down even though we got down a few times, and we just made our way back. It was a great team effort, and I think we just keep going. I mean, this was our second tournament and we got a win, but next we’ll be trying to get another one.”
 
The Canes will begin their Perfect Game title defense on June 26, when they travel to Hoover, Ala. to take part in the 16u National Elite Championship. Their following contests also include the 16u WWBA National Championship and Perfect Game 16u World Series. 
 
It’s one thing to be a highly-ranked team entering the height of the season, but exiting this weekend with tangible proof to back that ranking, is something not many teams can claim.
 
“People are going to have a target on us now since we’ve won this tournament. They’re going to be coming after us, so we need to keep the same intensity.”

Canes' Brayden Buchanan was named the MVP of the 16u event, as he hit .471 with six runs scored and another seven driven in throughout the course of the tournament. He also contributed five scoreless innings on the mound with five strikeouts.



Griffen Paige, pitching for the Cincinnati Spikes, was the MV-Pitcher, as he threw eight scoreless innings across two appearances with seven strikeouts compared to only one walk.



Perfect Game 15u National Select Championship

Canes Florida 2024 pulled away and won the 15u title at the inaugural Perfect Game National Select Championship against Diamond Gold on Sunday, by a score of 9-0.

A seven-run fifth inning ended the drama in the championship game, as Canes held a slim 2-0 leading into the frame. All seven runs were scored with two outs, with Anthony Tralongo starting the scoring with an RBI single and Jason Bello busting the game wide open with a bases-clearing three-RBI double two batters later.

Bello also toed the rubber for Canes in the title game, tossing all five scoreless innings, striking out two and working around five walks with a fastball that touched 85 mph.

Riley Luft, who walked twice and scored in the championship game, was named the MVP of the 15u bracket for his work. Luft hit .636 and drove in 11 runs at the National Select Championship, while also tossing 4 1/3 scoreless innings.

Diamond Gold's Carson Hoffmeister won MV-Pitcher honors, as he threw 7 1/3 scoreless innings across two outings, striking out seven and allowing only one hit.



Perfect Game 14u National Select Championship

Hunter Richardson went the distance on the mound for Wow Factor 14u - National Black in the championship game of the 14u National Select Championship, besting GBG San Diego 14u by a score of 5-2.

It took Richardson only 90 pitches to complete his outing, relying on his defense throughout the championship game to make plays behind him.

A Quinn Bentley two-RBI double in the bottom of the third got Wow Factor on the board, and base hits by Hunter McLemore, Thomas O'Connell, and Eric Fleetwood helped push across three more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to close out the scoring for Wow Factor.

Bentley, who hit .643 for the tournament with six runs, six RBI, and four doubles, was named the MVP.

Richardson's work on the mound in the title game helped earn him MV-Pitcher honors. He threw a total of 11 2/3 scoreless innings across three outings during the tournament, striking out nine total.




Tournaments | Story | 4/21/2026

Southeast Super NIT #2 Scout Notes

Jason Phillips
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Chase Jelks (‘30 GA)- with a long double to deep CF. Huge day from the primary SS, 5-for-6 w/ 4 doubles & 6 RBI. #SESuperNIT @TheDreamBall @PG_Georgia https://t.co/biFSzXCrUt pic.twitter.com/HCQMduedb5 — Perfect Game Youth (@PGYouthBB) April 20, 2026 Chase Jelks (’30, Atlanta, Ga.)- the left-handed hitting Jelks was all over the barrel on Sunday in a pair of games for The Dream 14U Black. He finished the day with five hits in six at-bats which included four doubles and six runs batted in. His two doubles and four runs batted in played a big part in the Gold Playoffs Round 1 victory over the talented BPA squad out of California. He backed up that performance with three more hits in a quarterfinal’s loss to the East Cobb Astros 14U Orange to finish the tournament with a .600 batting average and 1.636 on-base plus slugging percentage. A primary utility infielder,...
Draft | Prospect Scouting Reports | 4/24/2026

2026 MLB Draft Reports: Top 100

Vincent Cervino
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PG Draft: Top-100 Reports (April Update) 1. Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA R-R, 6-2/202, Chandler, AZ Previously Drafted: Never Drafted Roch Cholowsky has consistently ranked at the top of the class throughout the cycle due to the safety and upside of the profile. Defensively, he is a plus defender at shortstop with soft hands, consistent actions, and quality range. Not only should he stick at the position long term, he should excel there at the next level. Offensively, there is a strong mix of hit and power potential from the right side of the plate. The swing is a bit unorthodox with a shorter finish, but Cholowsky consistently finds the barrel and drives the ball with authority to all fields. He has strong bat to ball skills with impact. He has walked more than stuck out during his collegiate career, giving him a high on-base ability. The run tool is the only tool that doesn’t jump...
Draft | Rankings | 4/24/2026

2026 MLB Draft Board: Top 400

Tyler Henninger
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Rk. Name Level Pos. B-T School Hometown State Commitment 1 Roch Cholowsky C SS R-R UCLA Chandler AZ 2 Grady Emerson H SS L-R Fort Worth Christian Argyle TX Texas 3 Vahn Lackey C C R-R Georgia Tech Suwanee GA 4 Jackson Flora C RHP R-R UC Santa Barbara Pleasanton CA 5 Jacob Lombard H SS R-R Gulliver Schools Miami FL Miami 6 AJ Gracia C OF L-L Virginia Monroe NJ 7 Ace Reese C 3B L-R Mississippi State Canton TX 8 Eric Booth Jr. H OF L-L Oak Grove Bassfield MS Vanderbilt 9 Justin Lebron C SS R-R Alabama Miramar FL 10 Drew Burress C OF R-R Georgia Tech Perry GA 11 Gio Rojas H LHP L-R Marjory Stoneman Douglas Coral Springs FL Miami 12 Ryder Helfrick C C R-R Arkansas Discovery Bay CA 13 Chris Hacopian C SS R-R Texas A&M Potomac MD 14 Cameron Flukey C RHP R-R Coastal Carolina Egg Harbor Township NJ 15 Cole Carlon C LHP L-L Arizona State Tempe AZ 16 Jared Grindlinger H LHP/OF L-L Huntington...
Press Release | Press Release | 4/23/2026

Kash Shaikh Named Perfect Game CMO

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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 KASH SHAIKH CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER AND HEAD OF INTERNATIONAL   Sanford, Florida (Thursday, April 23, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced that Kash Shaikh has been named the company’s new Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and Head of International. In this role, Shaikh will serve on Perfect Game’s executive leadership team, overseeing global marketing, brand strategy, creative, partnerships and sponsorships, while leading the company’s international P&L and expansion. Shaikh brings more than two decades of experience building brands, businesses and communities across sports, media and consumer...
Softball | Softball Tournament | 4/22/2026

PG Softball Battle for the Belt

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Perfect Game Softball Battle for the Belt April 18-19, 2026 Des Moines, Iowa It was a cold and very windy weekend, but the girls still came out and put in their best efforts. If you wanted the place to see some of the state’s top talent, this was the tournament to be at. The 18u division was quite the slugfest! The Ankeny Centennial 18U -Kennedy team took down a tough Iowa Alliance Select-Benge team in the championship. Both teams had double digit homeruns on the weekend. In the 16u division the Iowa Aries CE Fire Black took control of the game from the start and never let up on the gas, taking down a solid Alliance Select- Harper team. 18U Division Kori Lincicum (2026 Ankeny, IA) of the Centennial Jaguars- Kennedy and Drake Bulldog softball commit was the weekends MVP Pitcher. Lincicum defeated a tough Alliance team in the championship game finishing with that game with 11...
High School | General | 4/23/2026

Northeast High School Notebook

Jheremy Brown
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In a season that has already had many exciting matchups across various events, we as a staff would like to highlight or “Shout-Out” notable performers along with an Uncommitted Spotlight and Team Spotlight.  Uncommitted Spotlight: Mason Rosenberg, 1B, 2027, Bishop Eustace Prep  Uncommitted Mason Rosenberg (2027, NJ) has been an absolute force within the Bishop Eustace lineup, as the left-handed hitting slugger is hitting .481 through eleven games including six homers. The strength has vastly improved, allowing for Rosenberg to impact the baseball with authority to all fields. Couple that with improved speed and athleticism, this uncommitted 2027 can be a welcomed addition to a class looking for offense.  Team Spotlight: Northern Burlington (9-0) Northern Burlington is once again off to a hot start, as the Greyhounds sit at 9-0 thus far and have continued to...
Juco | Rankings | 4/22/2026

JUCO Top 25: April 22

Blaine Peterson
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Another week down and Johnson County continues their torrid run to remain at number 1. They're 46-2 on the season with multiple hitters over 25 bombs which is astonishing for the level as the Cavs have announced themselves as title favorites. Just a couple of weeks left heading down the stretch and our field remains mostly the same with the two additions of midwest powerhouse Iowa Western and the Warriors of East Central who will have a tough test Wednesday in Poplarville against fellow Mississippi adversary Pearl River in a mid-week double header.   Rk. School Record 1 Johnson County (KS) 46-2 2 Gaston (NC) 47-3 3 Walters State (TN) 42-10 4 McLennan (TX) 38-8 5 Southern Nevada (NV) 33-9 6 Chipola (FL) 39-9 7 Blinn (TX) 33-12 8 Florida Southwestern (FL) 32-13 9 Florence-Darlington (SC) 42-10 10 Pearl River (MS) 39-9 11 Cloud County (KS) 40-4 12 Cochise (AZ) 39-11 13 Midland (TX)...
College | Story | 4/23/2026

Coppy's Corner: April 23 POY Deep Dive

John Coppolella
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Each week I huddle with Vinnie Cervino and Craig Cozart  to discuss Top-25 rankings and Players of the Week. In Coppy’s Corner, I dive deeper into these Players of the Week, providing analysis from 20+ years working in baseball front offices at the highest level.     Player of the Week: Tague Davis – University of Louisville  Between 2016-2022, the University of Louisville produced 14 players taken in the Top 5 Rounds of the MLB Draft, seven of whom were taken in the 1st Round. The Cardinals haven’t produced a Top 5 Rounds pick since 2022, but that will change soon with Davis. Still only 20 years old and not draft-eligible until 2027, Davis continued his assault on college baseball this weekend with a 7-for-12 performance that included 5 HR. On the 2026 season, Davis is hitting .389 AVG / .489 OBP / .911 SLG / 1.392 OPS. That’s a 400+...
College | Rankings | 4/22/2026

DII/DIII/NAIA Rankings Update: April 22

Nick Herfordt
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The final weeks of the college baseball regular season have a way of separating programs that are genuinely postseason-ready from those that have simply been good enough for long enough. Conference tournaments loom, selection committees are paying close attention, and every game on the schedule carries weight that it simply didn't in February. This week's action, combined with the latest Perfect Game Top 25, paints a picture of a college baseball landscape where the top is clearly defined — and where the middle is a genuine battle. What follows is a cross-level look at teams across the NAIA, NCAA Division II, and NCAA Division III ranks who find themselves in that uncomfortable space: not safely in, not clearly out, but firmly on the bubble. Some have built compelling résumés that should hold up under scrutiny. Others have excellent records against soft competition...
High School | Rankings | 4/21/2026

High School Top 50 Update: April 21

Tyler Russo
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Another few weeks have wrapped up this high school season as we’re flying through the spring and most southern states are starting playoffs right around the corner. With the end of the regular season, we have another National Top 50 update to bring to you, along with this will be the start of the weekly editions of our National Top 50. We have a change at the top of the rankings as Venice (FL) takes over the top spot after just dominating their competition in the state of Florida this year. Orange Lutheran (CA) drops one spot to No. 2 after dropping a series but still holds firm at No. 2 in the country. Barbe (LA) has continued to dominate and holds onto the No. 3 spot while Tomball (TX) skyrockets in this update to No. 4 in the country, currently holding an incredible 30-0-1 record. The rest of the top-10 is names we’ve become accustomed to see with Aledo (TX) at No. 5, IMG...
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