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2,434 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Tournaments  | Story | 7/26/2021

Valley opens its arms to 17u PGWS

Photo: Chase Shores (Shaye Martinez)

SURPRISE, Ariz. – After taking a detour through Tomball, Texas, during the messed-up summer of 2020, the Perfect Game 17u World Series returns to its roots this week in Phoenix’s Valley of the Sun for its five-day run Tuesday through Saturday (July 27-31).

The 10th annual PG 17u World Series will play out this week at the Surprise Spring Training Complex, the MLB Cactus League spring training facility used by both the Rangers and Royals; everything about the complex and its practice fields screams “first class”.



The Arizona desert has experienced record-breaking heat throughout most of the summer but over this past weekend was treated to the much-anticipated and much-needed monsoon season, which brought rain (and even flooding) to the area.

The forecast for this week is what can be expected in the Valley this time of year, with plenty of sunshine and temps approaching triple-digits. In other words, just about perfect conditions for high-end, prep upperclass baseball teams to perform as the summer travel ball season comes to its close.

Thirty-five of the top 17u teams from 10 states will compete for the PG National Championship banner, with most calling Arizona, California and Texas home. There are, however, very capable entrants – this is an invitation-only PG national championship – from Illinois, Massachusetts, Ohio and Virginia along with squads from Colorado, Utah and Washington.

Southern California-based BPA 17u, fresh off of an 8-1-0, quarterfinal round finish at the PG WWBA 17u National Championship in Marietta, Ga., two weeks ago, comes into the week as the defending champion.

Always strong and stout and always a championship threat, BPA is led by to top 2022s Oliver Santos (No. 65-ranked, Duke commit) and Gavin Turley (No. 110, Oregon State), and top 2023 Cooper Pratt (No. 110, Ole Miss).

The Twelve Baseball 2021 Maroon finished as runner-up while performing in their home state a year ago and the Texas Twelve 17u Maroon are back in this year’s field with a loaded roster.

Top-500 2022s crowd the roster, and Jace LaViolette (No. 39, LSU), Anthony Silva (No. 127, TCU), Justin Vossos (No. 156, Texas A&M) and Jax Traeger (No. 188, TCU) have the chops to be scene-stealers.

Another team coming into the tournament with a head of steam is SoCal-based CBA Marucci National, which finished 6-1-1 in Marietta after a 1-0, second-round playoff loss to BPA. This is another roster stacked with top-500 prospects from the ’22 class, including Justin Crawford (No. 73, uncommitted), Ryan Ward (No. 103, Arizona) and Xavier Cardenas III (No. 152, San Diego State), and ’23 Brady Reynolds (No. 165, Stanford).

And there’s more, a whole lot more in fact. California’s Alpha Prime 2022 boasts a roster on which every prospect is ranked at least a top-1000 with 18 top-500s are higher; all but three have already committed to D-I schools.

It’s a collection of talent that includes Malcolm Moore (No. 13, Stanford), Nick Dugan (No. 14, Stanford), Joe Brown (No. 128, California) and Jacob Krieg (No. 198, Oregon State).

NorCal Baseball 2022 Black counters with highly regarded 2022s like two-sport standout Robby Snelling (No. 25, LSU), Nic Bronzini (No. 105, uncommitted), Grant Selig (No. 144, uncommitted) and 2023 Sebastian David (No. 146, Stanford).

Cali’s Trosky National 2022 is another team with a roster stockpiled with top-300 to top-500 talent, led by Jackson Cox (No. 40, Oregon) and Jose Vargas (No. 197, uncommitted). Same can be said for the GBG Navy National out of SoCal with top 2022 Jacob Reimer (No. 109, uncommitted) and 2023 Jet Gilliam (No. 115, Long Beach State).

2022s Chase Shores (No. 30, Oklahoma State), Cade Climie (No. 132, Texas A&M) and Tracer Lopez (No. 201, Texas Tech) are part of another deep and talented roster for the Texas-based Banditos 17u Scout Team.

Stars Baseball 17u Carroll out of Haymarket, Va., will look to make some noise behind top 2022s like Jack O'Connor (No. 68, Virginia) and Kevin Jaxel (No. 95, Virginia) and 2023 Conner Bennett (No. 79, Vanderbilt).

Carrollton, Texas-based USA Prime National 17u will look to heat things up behind the efforts of a foursome of top-71 2022s including Calvert Clark (No. 54, Clemson), Nicolas Perez (No. 63, Florida State), Garrison Sumner (No. 71, Utah) and Wilburn Furniss (No. 87, Ole Miss).

Another top 2022 expected to be attendance is 3D Gold’s Demitri Diamant (No. 79 Georgia Tech). Other top 2023s include 3D Gold’s Owen Egan (No. 30, UCLA) and Duce Robinson (No. 83, uncommitted); the San Diego Show’s Dean West (No. 10, UCLA) and TB SoCal Easton’s Gavin Grahovac (No. 78, Arizona State); the Show’s roster also includes 2023 Duke Ekstrom (No. 125, Vanderbilt).

This is the 10th annual PG 17u World Series and already 64 of its alumni have made their debuts in Major League Baseball. The Dodgers' Cody Bellinger (2012 17u PGWS), the Cardinals' Jack Flaherty (2013), the Red Sox's Alex Verdugo (2013), the Reds' Jonathan India (2014) and the Blue Jays' Bo Bichette (2015) are among the most prominent to date.


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,...
High School | General | 5/7/2026

High School Notebook: May 7

Cam McElwaney
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Ryder Bell, LHP, Hamilton (AZ) Bell got the ball for Hamilton in the first round of playoff action and did not blink. The young left-hander tosses 6 2/3 strong innings with four strikeouts and just one walk. Bell faced some adversity at times with runners on, but consistently competed and found a way out of most jams. An athletic operation with intent is shown on the mound. Bell throws from a lower 3/4 slot that can create a tough angle. The fastball worked 82-85 mph with armside run. It paired well with a sweeper at 70-72 mph. Bell attacked the zone with both pitches often and landed the sweeper arm side consistently. The stuff has already shown it can play against quality lineups. Bell should be a fun name to monitor over the next couple years.    Cory Wuttke (‘27, AZ) hammers this out to LF for solo 💣. Multi-hit performance. Stays compact with strength at contact....
College | Story | 5/7/2026

Coppy's Corner: May 7 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: Tyce Armstrong – Baylor University  Armstrong is a big man with a big bat that produces big power. Just the second player in the history of Baylor to reach 20 HR in a single season – if you knew the other one was Charley Carter in 1998, you get the gold star – Armstrong brings an impact bat that can turn the game around with one swing. Listed at 6’4 / 228 he is Texas-strong and has been tearing up the Big 12 this season. Armstrong spent his first three season at the University of Texas – Arlington before transferring to Baylor for the 2026 season. He had a...
High School | Rankings | 5/6/2026

High School Top 50 Update: May 6

Tyler Russo
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Another week of high school baseball has come and gone across the country, and we have another update as we continue to roll to the finish of the high school seasons in the southern states in just a few weeks. Regular seasons are wrapping up across the country and playoffs are deep in progress down south, with every update there’s some movement inside the High School Top 50 along with a few new names breaking in. The top-10 remains very similar at the top with Venice (FL) holding onto the No. 1 position for the third straight update. Tomball (TX) jumps up to No. 2 as they continue to rattle of wins with Orange Lutheran (CA), Aledo (TX), and IMG Academy (FL) rounding out the top 5. Trinity (KY) and Harvard-Westlake (CA) sit at No. 6 and No. 7 respectively with a trio of new teams inside the top-10 in Magnolia Heights (MS) at No. 8, Norco (CA) at No. 9, and South Walton (FL) and No....
College | Rankings | 5/6/2026

DII/DIII/NAIA Rankings Update: May 6

Nick Herfordt
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Records and rankings tell you who has won. Résumé tells you who can win. Every season when the final regular season rankings are released the natural instinct is to point at the team sitting at number one and label them the favorite. That instinct is understandable — those programs have earned their place at the top of the table, and none of them should be dismissed.   Alas, college baseball has a way of humbling the polls when the bracket opens. The teams that survive the NCAA Tournament and the NAIA World Series are rarely the ones with the prettiest record — they are the ones who have been tested repeatedly by elite competition and passed those tests at the highest rate in the country. Winning streaks built against soft schedules tend to dissolve the moment the opponent is worth a damn.   In each of the three small-school divisions, there is a...
College | Story | 5/5/2026

College Players of the Week: May 5

Vincent Cervino
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May 5th Perfect Game/Player of the Week:  Tyce Armstrong, IF, Baylor  The Baylor Bears still have some work ahead of them if they want to extend their season beyond the Big 12 Tournament but if Tyce Armstrong stays on his heater, they could be in business.  For the second time this season, Armstrong, the 6-4/228 senior from Magnolia, TX is our Perfect Game Player of the Week.  It was a record setting week for Armstrong as he became just the second player in Baylor program history to hit 20 home runs in a season and tied the all-time single season record with his 21st round-tripper on Sunday.  For the week, he collected 9 hits in 16 at-bats, scoring 5 runs, lacing 4 doubles, 5 home runs and drove in a total of 9 runs.  It has been a career year for the hulking first baseman who in his first season at Baylor, transferring from UT Arlington.  For the...
College | Rankings | 5/4/2026

College Top 25: May 4

Vincent Cervino
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One of the keys to putting together a historical season is not purely talent, but the ability to win games by any means necessary.  The No. 1 UCLA Bruins (43-4) have demonstrated that all year, often riding the strength of their pitching and defense to victory but at other times, slugging their way to a win.  The latter is what kept their perfect (24-0) record in Big Ten play intact, as they overcame an 8-run deficit in the last 3-innings yesterday to defeat Michigan State on the road by a score of 13-11.  The Bruins have already clinched the Big Ten Regular Season title and only have two series remaining in their quest for an undefeated conference record.  UNC (37-9) had an off week and remain at No. 2, while No. 3 Georgia Tech (39-8) won an out-of-conference series against Xavier.  The Texas Longhorns (35-10) stick at No. 4 this week after a huge home series...
High School | General | 5/1/2026

Texas High School Notebook

Jay Vossler
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Cullen Scott (‘28 TX) strikes out 8 over 6 IP. 4-Seam 94-97 T98 carry up. 2-Seam 90-93 ASR. And it’s easy velo out the hand; held velo into 6th. Slider 78-81 (2400 RPM) short and tight tilter. Curve 76-79 (2400 RPM) power depth varies between 10-4 and 11-5. Change 82-83 rolls out… pic.twitter.com/aFCQ6m70Ax — Perfect Game Texas (@Texas_PG) April 18, 2026 Cullen Scott (2028, Melissa, Texas) was as advertised in this look as he went 6 innings while striking out 8 batters. Throws 2 different fastballs and holds velo well throughout outing. 4-seam works 94-97 and topped out at 98 with carry up just jumps out of hand. 2-seam works 90-93 with good arm side run. Held velocity into the 6th. Slider 78-81 plays short with tilt and late bite getting upwards of 2400 RPM. Curve 76-79 with power depth that varies between shape 10-4 to 11-5. Change 82-83 rolls out of hand with...
Draft | Mock Draft | 5/1/2026

MLB Mock Draft: May 1

Tyler Henninger
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Pick Team Player Position School 1 Chicago White Sox Roch Cholowsky SS UCLA 2 Tampa Bay Rays Grady Emerson SS Fort Worth Christian 3 Minnesota Twins Vahn Lackey C Georgia Tech 4 San Francisco Giants Jackson Flora RHP UC Santa Barbara 5 Pittsburgh Pirates AJ Gracia OF Virginia 6 Kansas City Royals Eric Booth Jr. OF Oak Grove 7 Baltimore Orioles Ace Reese 3B Mississippi State 8 Athletics Jacob Lombard SS Gulliver Schools 9 Atlanta Braves Ryder Helfrick C Arkansas 10 Colorado Rockies Drew Burress OF Georgia Tech 11 Washington Nationals Jared Grindlinger LHP/OF Huntington Beach 12 Los Angeles Angels Cameron Flukey RHP Coastal Carolina 13 St. Louis Cardinals Cole Carlon LHP Arizona State 14 Miami Marlins Gio Rojas LHP Marjory Stoneman Douglas 15 Arizona Diamondbacks Tyler Bell* SS Kentucky 16 Texas Rangers Justin Lebron SS Alabama 17 Houston Astros Chris Hacopian SS Texas A&M 18...
High School | General | 4/30/2026

High School Notebook: April 30

Jordan Gates
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Slo-mo look at the swing by Jordan Ransom (‘26, AZ) #PGHS @QCHS_Athletics @PG_Draft https://t.co/fyPaOimF5k pic.twitter.com/T7yH6a1qRI — Perfect Game Four Corners (@PG_FourCorners) April 29, 2026 OF Ryan Harwood, Casteel (Ariz).  Harwood is one of the premier draft names in the state and showed why in the regular season finale. The Texas A&M commit collected a pair of hits and also threw a runner out at home from left field. Harwood possesses impressive physicality that can produce big impact at the plate. The profile has middle of the order upside. Defensively, Harwood profiles best for a corner outfield spot long term. The arm strength may allow him to slide over to right field, as he can produce strong on-line carry. Harwood showed off that arm strength on the mound, where he threw the last inning and ran the heater up to 91 mph. IF Jordan Ransom, Queen Creek...
High School | Rankings | 4/29/2026

High School Top 50 Update: April 29

Tyler Russo
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With another week in the books across the country in the high school baseball season, we have another update to the National Top 50. The southern states are rolling through the playoffs as the weeks unfold along with northern states starting to get to the back half of their schedule as the summer is quickly approaching. The top-10 holds firm in this update as Venice (FL) continues to hold onto the top spot after rattling off W’s since returning home to Florida. Barbe (LA) comes in at No. 2 this week after being ranked at No. 3 a week ago and sport a 37-1 record with 36 straight wins. Orange Lutheran (CA) drops one spot to No. 3 and a pair of Texas schools round out the top-5 as Tomball is at No. 4 and Aledo is at No. 5. 5-9 is the exact same this week as last as IMG Academy (FL) comes in at No. 6, Trinity (KY) is at No. 7, Harvard-Westlake (CA) is at No. 8 and Grapevine (TX) is at...
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