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All American Game  | Story | 8/21/2025

Gomez-Gudino’s Courageous Journey to PGAAC

Photo: Alain Gomez-Gudiño (Perfect Game)
SAN DIEGO -- No player at the DICK’s Perfect Game All-American Classic traveled a longer or more arduous road to get there than Alain Gomez-Gudino.

Two years ago, on August 5, 2023, Alain, his mom, Lislen, his stepdad, Joel, and his sister, Victoria, left their hometown of Caracas, Venezuela, with their dreams and a few belongings stuffed into their backpacks.



Alain, just a few weeks shy of his 16th birthday at the time, made sure to leave some room in his backpack for his well-worn catcher’s mitt. 

The family rode buses and made long walks through Central America. They survived rain forests and downpours, crossed mountains and dangerous, swollen rivers on foot. They slept outside under tarps and in bus shelters -- all to chase a better, safer life. Along the way, they saw people who succumbed during similar journeys. They were robbed and what items that were spared in their backpacks became soaked with rain and river water.

But through the miles, through the sweat and through the tears, a couple of things survived – the family’s love for each other and Alain’s catcher’s mitt.

“I packed my glove because I knew wherever I ended up I was going to play baseball,” he said. “It was the only thing that didn’t get wet.”

Last weekend, two weeks before his 18th birthday, Gomez-Gudino was in Petco Park, the picturesque home of the San Diego Padres, one of 62 players invited to the All-American Classic, PG’s signature event. His family’s dream of a better life is alive and well. His dream of playing in the major leagues, like his idol and countryman, Kansas City Royals catcher Salvadore Perez, is also alive.

Gomez-Gudino had been a top prospect in Venezuela and was drawing attention from big-league organizations. In less than two years in the United States, he has made an impressive rise on PG’s prospect rankings. He is the No. 2 rated catcher in the 2026 draft class and has committed to the University of South Carolina. He helped the West squad beat the East squad, 9-4, in the All-American Classic. The West trailed 4-0 early and rallied to tie the game in the fifth inning. Gomez-Gudino, a sturdy 6-0, 215-pound switch-hitter, had an RBI single from the left side during the uprising.

After a workout the day before the Classic, Gomez-Gudino looked around Petco Park and admitted a need to pinch himself to believe it was all real.

“This is my dream to play on a big-league field and do what I love, play baseball,” he said. “It’s incredible.”

Chasing dreams was the reason his family departed Caracas. It took 34 days to reach Mexico City, where they stayed for three months and started the immigration process that eventually permitted them to cross the border – near San Diego. How’s that for a full-circle moment?

The family headed to Scottsdale, Arizona, where an aunt lived. Alain and his sister enrolled in school and began the process of learning English. Lislen and Joel found work.

“I spoke no English when we got here, just ‘hello,’ and ‘how are you?’ ‘’ said Alain, who now speaks the language quite well.

Alain and his family have received much help as they chase the American dream. Elvin Soto, a former minor-league catcher, is Alain’s Phoenix-based adviser and an outstanding baseball resource. Brian Bratspis, the father of one of Alain’s teammates at Saguaro High School in Scottsdale, has been what Soto calls “a guardian angel,” to the family.

“We are very grateful for everything,” Alain said.

As a sophomore at Saguaro, Gomez-Gudino had the good fortune of catching lefty Cam Caminiti, a 2023 PG All-American and a 2024 first-round draft pick of the Atlanta Braves. Scouts couldn’t help but notice Gomez-Gudino as they monitored Caminiti.

Gomez-Gudino laughed as he recalled one of the first times he caught Caminiti in a game.

“He broke my glove,” he said. “The one I brought with me from Venezuela.”

Today, the glove is sitting on a shelf, high and dry, back in Scottsdale, Alain Gomez-Gudino’s new home, the perfect reminder of how far he’s come.

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...
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...
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...
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