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All American Game  | Story | 8/29/2024

All in the Family at PGAAC

Photo: Ethan Holliday (Perfect Game)
PHOENIX, Arizona – Standing just a few feet away from the batter’s box in which he stroked the championship-clinching hit in the 2001 World Series, Luis Gonzalez shook his head in amazement as he watched pre-game workouts at the 22nd annual Dick’s Perfect Game All-American Classic.
 
“The talent here is astonishing,” Gonzalez said.
 
He looked over at third baseman Ethan Holliday, brother of 2022 No. 1 overall MLB draft pick and current Baltimore Orioles rookie second baseman Jackson Holliday.
 
“You thought the last one was good,” Gonzalez said with a laugh. “This one might be better.”
 
Gonzalez was honorary chairman for the PGAAC, played at Chase Field, where his retired Arizona Diamondbacks No. 20 hangs in the rafters. He was one of many former big-leaguers who roamed the ballpark, some, like Tom “Flash” Gordon and Clint Hurdle, in official roles, some just as dads for the contest that featured the top 62 rising seniors in the country.
 
“The bloodlines,” Gonzalez said. “It’s fun to watch."
 
“There are some guys that you don’t recognize at first, then you start putting the names together, then you start seeing their dads walking around here and you realize that’s their son. It’s pretty cool. A lot of former big leaguers have come out here to support because their kids have come through here. It’s just fun to see these guys because they’re the future of major league baseball. They’re rising so fast. Some of them sign right out of high school and get to the big leagues a couple years later.”
 
Matt Holliday, seven-time major-league All-Star, 2007 National League batting champ and 2011 World Series winner, was at the event, supporting son Ethan, who could follow in his brother’s footsteps as a high first-rounder in the summer of 2025.
 
Benny Agbayani, whose distinguished big-league career included stops in New York (Mets), Boston, Colorado and Japan, was in town supporting his son, Bruin, a shortstop and South Carolina commit.
 
The list of prospects with big-league ties didn’t stop there. It included shortstop Eli Willits, son of former Los Angeles Angel Reggie Willits; shortstop Brady Ebel, son of Los Angeles Dodgers third base coach Dino Ebel; third baseman Quentin Young, nephew of former big-leaguers Dmitri and Delmon Young; and shortstop Jayden Stroman, brother of New York Yankees starting pitcher Marcus Stroman.
 
“The best of the best, they send their kids to Perfect Game for a reason,” Hurdle said. “There’s a lot of noise on the street which one is best, but the best of the best send them here.”
 
Hurdle managed the East team, which beat Gordon’s West team, 8-7, in the PGAAC. The former Colorado Rockies and Pittsburgh Pirates manager became involved with PG in 2020. He now serves as a senior adviser.
 
“Until 2020, I had always been in the pro space,” Hurdle said. “The youngest kid I saw was 20, maybe 19, in the instructional league with the Pirates and the Rockies years ago. Before that, I hadn’t seen much amateur baseball.
 
“Quickly, my attention was taken. I’m watching 13-year-olds do some specific things. I’m watching 14-year-old kids doing it. Over the years, I’ve seen it continue to grow and evolve, and the strength and the speed, the structured skill sets, they’re probably at an all-time high. I love the energy.” 
 
Both Hurdle and Gonzalez were impressed with the size of the players at the PGAAC. 
 
“The physicality gets your attention,” Hurdle said. 
 
“These guys are just bigger and stronger,” said Gonzalez, whose son Jacob played in the PGAAC in 2017. “For 19 years, my maximum weight I played at was 205. These guys are coming at 215, 225. They’re just bigger.”
 
Gonzalez, winner of the 2001 Major League Home Run Derby, was impressed with the left-side power display put on by Texas A&M commit Josiah Hartshorn, winner of Perfect Game's annual AAC Home Run Challenge. The 6-2, 210-pound Hartshorn is a natural right-handed hitter. He did some switch-hitting until he was 13 then got away from it. He only went back to it this summer because of a back injury.
 
Hurdle was also impressed with the power at the event, but he was not shy about reminding hitters that line drives to the gaps matter, too. During the East team’s batting practice session, he coached hitters to use the middle of the field.
 
“They are very receptive,” he said. “We have an opportunity to share with them some insight on community and different parts of the game.”
 
During batting practice, Hurdle observed Stroman’s smooth swing – from both sides of the plate. Stroman is ticketed for Duke, his brother’s alma mater. The younger Stroman also does some pitching and said he may get on the mound in October at PG’s event in Jupiter, Florida. 
 
“It’s nice to see,” Hurdle said of Stroman’s offensive work on both sides of the plate. “Switch-hitting used to be a thing. We’ve lost a lot of that. People say it’s too hard to swing both ways. I say, let ‘em swing. They will find their way or they won’t.”
 
After his East team took batting practice, Hurdle watched the Holliday family’s latest talent take BP for the West team. Hurdle managed the Rockies when Ethan Holliday’s dad was bashing balls around Coors Field.
 
“This is déjà vu because Jackson just went through here, too,” Hurdle said. “I had them both in the clubhouse in Colorado when they were little, had them both on the field for family day. It’s really special seeing them come through here and put together their talents.”

All American Game | Story | 4/2/2026

All American Classic Heading to Citizens Bank

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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 DICK’S ALL-AMERICAN CLASSIC HEADED TO CITIZENS BANK PARK IN 2026   Perfect Game makes debut at iconic Phillies venue during America’s 250th birthday celebration   Former Phillies Manager Charlie Manuel named Honorary Chairman of All-American Classic   Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Thursday, April 2, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced that the 2026 Perfect Game DICK’S All-American Classic will be played at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, marking the first time a Perfect Game event has ever been held at the iconic home of the Philadelphia Phillies.   The game will take place on...
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...
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...
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