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2,422 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Tournaments  | Story | 12/24/2021

Regional Review: California

Photo: Marcelo Mayer (Perfect Game)
Regional Review: Texas

With the Perfect Game scouting staff spread throughout the country and another action-packed season in the books, we'll take a look back at some highlights from individual states over the next couple of weeks, from the 13u level all the way up through the collegiate ranks and the MLB Draft.

Biggest 13u/14u Breakout Player
Zach Strickland is someone to keep an eye on as we enter the new year, as he won this year’s National 14u Pitcher of the Year. He features a tall, lean, athletic build with plenty of room to add more muscle as he matures. The right-handed pitcher can run his fastball up to 89 mph with good life and swing-and-miss ability. When I first saw Strickland in March his velocity was dominating his competition, but was still trying to find the strike zone here and there. He kept his head down and kept working and started to climb in the rankings, earning himself an invite to the 2021 14u Select Festival, where he was named the National Pitcher of the Year and is currently ranked the No. 1 right-handed pitcher in California and is nationally ranked No. 2. The UCLA commit has a promising future and will be fun to watch over the years.



Biggest Moment in College
Stanford hosted a regional for the fourth straight season, dominated their bracket, then had to travel to Lubbock, Texas to face No. 8 Texas Tech, where they dominated as well and took the series in the first two games to advance to the College World Series. In game one of the CWS they faced a tough loss to NC State, but came back strong and took it to the Arizona Wildcats to advance. Next facing Vanderbilt, they battled and took the lead early, but ultimately fell to the Commodores. The pitching staff dominated all year and got stronger as the season went on. Offensively, the team was led in every offensive category by sophomore Brock Jones, a strong, physically-built outfielder with great power and a lot of speed that played well on both ends of the ball.

Biggest Breakout/Ranking Riser
Ethan Hedges had a big summer, as he made some noise in the PG 17u World Series. He caught the attention of scouts early as he crushed the ball all weekend to all fields and had several home runs, pitched well, and made some awesome plays defensively. He came to the tournament under the radar, with not many scouts knowing who he was, and left with a few college scholarships offers. The USC commit features a lean athletic build with a very projectable body and room to add more muscle. He has a violent, compact swing that stays long through the zone, consistently generating line drives to all fields. Defensively, he moves well and has good range to both sides of the ball with good arm strength. When he gets on the mound, he'll get his fastball to 92 mph with good arm-side run.

Biggest Draft Moment
The first prep player picked in the 2021 MLB Draft came from California in shortstop Marcelo Mayer, who was taken by the Boston Red Sox with the No. 4 overall pick. Marcelo was ranked the No. 1 shortstop and overall player in California per Perfect Game, where he finished ranked No. 2 nationally in the final player rankings installment. He is very athletic, very smooth defensively, and offensively could do it all with good speed. Mayer was set to attend USC prior to getting drafted and he'll continue to rise and excel at whatever level he plays at and will be a good one to follow in this year’s season.

Top Travel Teams
There are a few organizations that rank in the top-five programs in California in a few age divisions. CBA Marucci National is ranked No. 1 in both the 18u and 17u divisions. The San Diego Show holds a top-five position in three different age groups, as they are ranked No. 5 in both the 18u and 14u age groups and ranked No. 2 in the 17u division. Alpha Prime is another top contender, as they are ranked top-three in four age groups; ranked No. 1 in 16u and 15u and No. 3 in 18u and in 17u. BPA has a top-five ranking in three different age groups. They are ranked No. 5 in 17u, No. 2 in 16u, and No. 3 in 15u. The MVP Hustle is ranked No. 2 in both 15u and 14u divisions. The ZT Prospects have a few teams in the top-five in the younger divisions, as they are ranked No. 1 in both 14u and 13u divisions and have a third place team in the 14u division as well. All these programs have great coaches across the board that produce good athletes years after year. These teams compete and usually have a top finish in the tournaments they play in.

A Look Ahead:



College

Youth may prevail at UCLA in 2022 as they had their best recruiting class in recent memory and there are many holes to fill. The Bruins return just 6 starts from last year’s staff, but they are armed with a bevy of talented arms in the freshman class, including Thatcher Hurd, currently the top-ranked collegian in the 2024 draft class. From the left side, Gage Jump came off an outstanding senior campaign at JSerra and looks primed for an impactful role. Ethan Flanagan, Alonzo Tredwell and Luke Jewett all had some injuries in their senior years of high school and could have roles in 2022.



The Bruins lost a lot of at-bats from last year’s squad to the draft and they have some freshman that could step in right away. Cody Schrier (ranked No. 5 in 2024 draft class) looks primed to have an early impact somewhere on the dirt (they have a lot of talent that can play multiple positions). In the outfield, Malakhi Knight and Nick McLain were both starting in fall looks.  



Long Beach State

Coach Valenzuela and his staff have recruited and developed a team that has gotten them back to their true Dirtbag roots, featuring pitching and a blue collar approach to the game. Luis Ramirez and Jack Noble return to anchor the weekend rotation and Team USA reliever Devereaux Harrison returns as closer and could also be stretched out to a longer role. Juaron Watts-Brown and Marques Johnson are two arms that impressed in fall looks. Connor Burns returns behind the dish, a standout defender that can handle the staff and can really throw. Sophomore Jonathon Long can swing the bat and is expected to be one of their key hitters in the middle of the lineup.
 
High School

In California the high school discussion generally starts in the Trinity League, and once again it will be loaded with talented teams and draft talent. Perennial power Orange Lutheran has three of the top-10 ranked players in California, led by Perfect Game All-American Mikey Romero (ranked No. 3), lefty Oliver Santos (ranked No. 4) and catcher Karson Bowen (ranked No. 9). Add 2023 infielder Casey Borba and Derek Curiel (No. 1 in nation for 2024 class) to that group and you have a very deep and talented squad. The Trinity League is a gauntlet with tough series every week. Look for Santa Margarita to make some noise with a young nucleus of talent. JSerra will plug in a new batch of talent and rely on some youth and two big arms in David Horn and Tyler Gough. Servite has some big arms and a deep lineup featuring 2022 Jarrod Hocking and Roman Martin.

Some of the usual suspects outside of the Trinity League that are expected to have big years, CIF Champions Harvard Westlake reloaded for 2022 and will have a pair of 2024 arms to lean heavily on in Bryce Rainer and Duncan Marsten to eat up innings. Huntington Beach has depth and talent led by Raffaele Velazquez (No. 13 in the state), one of the most pure hitters in the class. Yucaipa is loaded once again, with commits all over the field, including Jacob Reimer (No. 20 in state for 2022), Owen Egan (No. 14 in state for 2023) and Daniel Arambula (No. 22 in state for 2024). Corona will have one of the deeper lineups with three committed sophomores joining seniors Andrew Walters and transfer Troy McCain.

Further north, Buchanan is locked and loaded for 2022 with D-I commits all over, headlined by 2022 RHP Sam Tookoian (No. 34 in the state), an Ole Miss commit. Twin brothers Jared Lewis (No. 22 in state) and Jordan Lewis (No. 26 in state) headline a talented San Ramon Valley team chalked with D-I commits.

Some up-and-coming teams that will be exciting to follow for the next few years are San Dimas, which had nine freshmen on their varsity roster last year, five which are now committed (along with one 2025 commit). Aquinas, led by Eric Bitonti (No. 2 in state), is another young team establishing themselves as one of the better private programs in the Inland Empire.

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 | 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...
Juco | Rankings | 4/29/2026

JUCO Top 25: April 29

Troy Sutherland
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Two teams reached the 50 win mark this past week and both are in the top two spots of this weeks ranking. Pearl River continues to win and represents our top ranked D2 JUCO team. Welcome to the top 10 to Cloud County, who is putting together an outstanding season at 43-5. Fresno City, Palomar and Ohlone are the top teams in California. And welcome back to the top 25 to the NWAC and Lower Columbia. Check back next week as teams head into postseason play.  Rk. School Record 1 Johnson County (KS) 50-2 2 Gaston (NC) 50-3 3 Walters State (TN) 45-10 4 Blinn (TX) 37-12 5 Pearl River (MS) 43-9 6 Southern Nevada (NV) 35-10 7 Florence-Darlington (SC) 46-10 8 Florida Southwestern (FL) 35-15 9 Chipola (FL) 40-11 10 Cloud County (KS) 43-5 11 McLennan (TX) 39-11 12 John A Logan (IL) 44-8 13 Midland (TX) 44-6 14 Georgia Highlands (GA) 41-11 15 Fresno City (CA) 37-3 16 Cochise (AZ) 40-13 17 Harford...
College | Rankings | 4/29/2026

DII/DIII/NAIA Rankings Update: April 29

Nick Herfordt
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Across all three divisions of college baseball, the teams making the most noise heading into the postseason share a common trait — they score runs, and they score them relentlessly. Along with the updated rankings, this week we take a look at the top run-producing programs in DII, DIII and NAIA baseball, spotlighting a trio of teams from each division whose offenses have separated themselves from the field. The numbers tell a compelling story. Whether it's the defending NAIA champion LSU Shreveport Pilots reloading with a new roster yet still posting 10+ runs per game, the Pittsburg State Gorillas hanging blowout after blowout on opponents, or the Lynchburg Hornets making a case as the most complete team in Division III baseball, the formula is largely the same — deep lineups, disciplined at-bats, and the ability to keep pressure on a pitching staff from the first pitch to...
College | Story | 4/30/2026

Coppy's Corner: April 30 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: Jarren Advincula – Georgia Tech  Last week, Fernando Mendoza was taken with the first pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Mendoza transferred from the University of California – Berkeley (Cal) to Indiana University in advance of his draft year. Upon transferring, he won the Heisman Trophy and led the Hoosiers to a national championship. Advincula also transferred from Cal in advance of his draft year, but he took his talents to Georgia Tech. And, while there is still time left in the season, Advincula has positioned himself to be in the conversation for College Baseball’s...
Leagues | Story | 4/28/2026

Iowa Spring League Notebook: Week 5

Perfect Game Staff
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Dawson Weller (2027, Ottumwa, IA) showcased his two-way potential with a strong performance this weekend. On the mound, worked two clean innings while striking out 3 consistently living in the zone and getting ahead with first-pitch strikes. Showed the ability to control tempo and attack hitters throughout the outing. At the plate made a big impact in the same game, collecting two doubles and a home run. Displays quick hands through the zone with the ability to connect on an uphill path and generate carry off the barrel. A well-rounded showing that highlighted impact on both sides of the ball. Will Frederiksen (2026, Bettendorf, IA) had a loud weekend at the plate, launching 2 home runs and showing real impact with the bat. Generates plenty of juice in the swing with a simple, controlled load that allows him to stay on time. The swing works clean through the zone and produces strong...
College | Story | 4/28/2026

College Players of the Week: April 28

Craig Cozart
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April 28th Perfect Game/Player of the Week:  Jarren Advincula, IF, Georgia Tech  It is well documented how good the Georgia Tech offense was in 2025, so when the Yellow Jackets added Jarren Advincula from the transfer portal in the off-season, the expectations went through the roof for ’26.  Somehow, the team and Advincula have not only met but exceeded those expectations in virtually every way.  Advincula, the 6-2/195 infielder from Santa Clara, CA, has been a fixture in the middle infield and is an elite defender with the leather.  He shows natural instincts for the game and as the season has progressed, he has found himself inserted into the 3-hole in their powerful lineup.  Hitting from the left-side of the plate, Advincula put together an impressive week as Tech took down Georgia in the mid-week and swept Wake Forest on the weekend.  He was...
College | Rankings | 4/26/2026

College Top 25: April 27

Vincent Cervino
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It was another weekend of upsets, upheaval and consequential series victories across the nation.  After the dust settled, the UCLA Bruins (39-4) remain the No. 1 team in the nation after their (3-1) week stepping outside Big Ten play, taking a series against Sacramento State.  Their perfect (21-0) start in conference play is still intact with three weekend series to go.  UNC (36-8) sticks at No. 2 this week after they went across town to take on archrival Duke, winning that series and finishing the week with a (3-1) record.  The No. 3 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (36-7) showed their moxie by coming back from large deficits multiple times and swept conference foe Wake Forest, extending their lead in the ACC standings to 2-games.  The Texas Longhorns (32-9) are No. 4 in the poll this week after winning a tightly contested series on the road against Vanderbilt. ...
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...
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