THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,031 MLB PLAYERS | 14,466 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,031 MLB PLAYERS | 14,466 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Create Account
Sign in Create Account
PG Select Baseball Festival  | General | 8/31/2019

14u Fest duo doubles down

Jeff Dahn
Photo: Manuel Beltre, Termarr Johnson (Perfect Game)

See also: Fun-filled Friday at 14u Fest

FORT MYERS, Fla. – They arrived here from different countries and different cultures but also while sharing a love for the game of baseball and a passion to make it their life’s work.

And in that respect, at least, Manuel Beltre from the Dominican Republic and the state of Georgia’s own Termarr Johnson have much more in common than any differences that might exist on the periphery.

Beltre and Johnson are two of the top shortstop prospects from the class of 2022, although Beltre’s status as an international free agent prevents him from being included in Perfect Game’s national prospect rankings. Johnson, on the other hand, comes in at No. 3 overall and No. 1 at his position.

And by being here at this weekend’s 4th annual PG 14u Select Baseball Festival, they also share another rare distinction as top prospects who have been invited to this prestigious all-star event two consecutive years, both having been here last Labor Day Weekend, as well.

“I was excited because it’s such a fun, prestigious event,” Johnson told PG Saturday morning when asked what his feelings were after being extended a second straight invitation to the Select Fest. “Many people don’t get the chance to actually be a part of this event, so for me to do it two times, it’s like a blessing.

“I’m just excited to be here,” he added. “I did this last year and got a chance to play on TV, and now I get to do it again, so that’s just what I’m thinking.”

Beltre said that he, too, was really pleased to be invited back to the 14u Select Fest especially because he was unable to attend this year’s 14u PG National Showcase after earning Top Prospect List recognition at that event a year ago.

“When I first found out that I was coming back to the PG Select Festival, I was so excited because it’s a (great) experience,” he told PG on Saturday during a second practice session at the jetBlue Park Player Development Complex. “They treat you like you’re in the big leagues, you play in a big league spring training stadium; the experience is awesome.”

The two standout shortstops are similar physically, with Beltre, who is from Santo Domingo, coming in at 5-foot-11, 160-pounds, and Johnson, from Atlanta, checking in at 5-9, 145. They’re known primarily for their glove-work in the field but both can also get it done at the plate, with Beltre hitting from the right side and Johnson from the left.

Consider the pre-event scouting reports filed by PG National Crosschecker Jheremy Brown that seemingly mirror one another. This is what he wrote, in part, on Beltre, an FIU commit:

“(Beltre’s) defensive actions are among the best in attendance with silky smooth hands and footwork and the feel for the barrel comes naturally.”

Brown basically repeated himself when reporting his observations on Johnson, who is uncommitted:

“(Johnson) features some of the fastest hands in the country offensively and some of the smoothest defensively, exuding confidence in everything he does. While flashy in the infield, his left-handed stroke and natural feel for the barrel are what have attracted the likes of every college recruiter.”

Johnson made his PG debut at a 12u One Day Showdown tournament in 2017, an event at which he was named the Most Valuable Player. He’s been rostered at 35 other PG events since that debut, and his trophy room is crammed with 15 all-tournament team selections and Top Prospect List recognition from the 2017 14u PG National Showcase.

He speaks confidently of a three-year regimen that has involved an endless cycle of development-baseball, baseball-development and, finally, development-baseball.

“That’s been my daily journey, waking up, going to sleep and then just baseball (in between),” Johnson said. “I’ve been trying to develop and I’ve been trying to keep myself in position to even be looked at by these Perfect Game guys because they’re so selective. For me to be good enough to even be looked at by them, it’s just a blessing for me.”

At last year’s PG 14u Select Baseball Festival Awards Dinner, Johnson was named the 14u Rawlings Defensive Player of the Year and had a legitimate shot at receiving that honor again at Saturday night’s 2019 Awards Dinner. He takes a lot of pride in his play defensively, as well he should.

“Every day I just try to work on getting more athletic, staying on my feet and getting my hands working through the baseball and following through with the baseball so I can make very accurate throws so the first baseman or anyone else I’m throwing it to doesn’t have any problems,” he said.

Simply by being invited back to the Select Fest this Labor Day Weekend is proof aplenty that Beltre and Johnson were among the youngest participants at the 2018 event; they both celebrated their 15th birthday two months ago.

“I just tried to do my best,” Beltre said about performing at the 2018 Select Fest. “I was a year younger and I didn’t have the same power as the older kids, so I just tried to hit the ball in the gaps. This year I’ve got more experience and I’m more relaxed because I know all the (PG) people.”

He was speaking specifically of guys like PG Vice President of National Development and 14u Select Baseball Festival founder Ben Ford and the PG National Crosschecker Brown, both of whom have been and still are recognizable figures at all four Select Festivals to date.

Like almost all the top guys here, Beltre and Johnson have spent almost their entire PG careers to date playing up an age-group or two. Beltre has found that experience to be nothing but beneficial.

How so? Well, when a 13-year-old is facing a 16-year-old who is throwing his fastball in the low 90s, just think how accustomed the 13-year-old is going to be seeing that pitch when he, too, is 16. If valuable lessons are learned early on and used wisely, an international free agent prospect like Beltre – he’s eligible to sign with MLB teams on July 2, 2020 – can pocket considerable bonus money moving forward.

Beltre is a Dominican native and the city of Santo Domingo is where he makes his home, but he spends a lot of his time in the States, just playing baseball; he attends school at the Sports Academy back home. He has been rostered at 40 PG events since debuting at the 2017 WWBA 14u East Memorial Day Classic, and has earned 17 all-tournament selections, most while playing with Resmondo FTB teams.

He has also been included on the Top Prospect List at the 2018 14u Florida Showcase, the 2018 14u National Showcase and the 2019 PG World Showcase, held in January in Kissimmee, Fla.

The showcase environment is something that Beltre is very comfortable in simply because – as cliché as it might be – he feels like being around the best will only bring out his best, and the competition, regardless of how friendly it may be, can also be intense.

“When you’re at shortstop, you want to (field) it clean and throw to first with all of your arm (strength), and when you’re at the tee and doing the Diamond Kinetics stuff, you want to swing hard and see what your exit velo is,” Beltre said. “When you’re playing like that you get more experience and you get better every single day.”

By growing up and still living in the Dominican Republic, Beltre has become immersed in a baseball culture that churns out high-level prospects on a disproportionate level for its population, at least when looking at major league rosters.

Dominicans play the game with a lot of emotion and an almost unrivaled passion that makes the sport a tremendously exciting pursuit for players and fans alike.

But, it also needs to be pointed out that the Georgia high school baseball scene is as vibrant as any in the country, producing high draft picks and future college stars on an annual basis, and Johnson is a product of that; he is a sophomore at Mays High School in Atlanta.

Having risen to No. 3 in the national rankings has shined a bigger slice of the spotlight on Johnson, but he embraces whatever challenge that bright light might present. In fact, that lofty ranking he enjoys just short of the top spot serves as motivation.

“I’m always like, all right, I’m good enough to be No. 1, I need to be No. 1 and I need to work harder to be No. 1,” he said. “My mind-set has basically been nobody can beat you but you’ve got to do better because you’re never good enough. Just keep doing what you’re doing and try to be better every day.”

The thing that both Beltre and Johnson are enjoying the most about their second go-around at the PG 14u Select Baseball Festival is the camaraderie they enjoy with the other attendees, even if it is an entirely new collection of prospects this year, save each other.

Johnson talked about how just being around all these other talented players shows him why he has to continue to work at getting better every day. But he also talked about just how much fun it is to be around them, hanging out and feeding off of each other’s youthful energy.

“We’re very relaxed and we try to be kids as much as we can,” he said. “When we’re off the baseball field we’re always trying to socialize with each other but when it’s time talk baseball, that’s when we talk baseball.”

They’re from different countries but they have been brought together in the world of PG, and they both speak the language of baseball fluently.
Give us your feedback
PG Select Baseball Festival | General | 8/31/2023

14u Select Festival Roster Preview: West
Jheremy Brown
Article Image
The game that started it all. Back in 2016, Perfect Game announced the birth of the Perfect Game Baseball Select Festival, better known now as the Select Festival, the Festival or simply "the Fest" and since the original iteration some things have changed, but the core of the weekend has remained the same. The 2023 14u Select Festival marks the 8th chapter in the game's history, returning to JetBlue Park in Fort Myers, Florida just as it has in each of the prior seven years. At the center of it all, even in 2016, was the philanthropical side of the weekend and the 52 players chosen for the 2023 14u game will once again raise funds for the Golisano Children's Hospital while visiting the hospital and spending the afternoon with some patients. At the time of writing the players have collected over $72,000, all of which will help the children and families in Southwest Florida who are...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 9/27/2023

Midwest Invitational Scout Notes

Tyler Kotila
Article Image
Creighton Tuzzio (2024, Clarinda, Iowa) took the ball in the semi-final game and was able to get on the bump and carve for his team. Tuzzio is a taller 6-foot-6, 210-pound frame with plenty to like in the operation. The right-handed pitcher has a slower and more controlled operation as he works through the delivery. He lifts the leg up around the belt and then works through a three-quarters release with good whip through it. The fastball worked up to 86 mph on the fastball and held in the low- to mid-80s. He creates some angle on it with the taller & projectable frame. It runs arm-side and can be a problem for right-handed hitters. He also showed a low-70s curveball with a bigger 11/5 tilt to it and good depth to miss some bats. The Iowa Western commit threw 5.0 innings, allowing just 1 run, with 4 walks and 6 strikeouts to his credit.   There’s no surprise here, but...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 9/26/2023

WWBA World Championship Pool Preview

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Pool A Team Top Pos. Player RK Class Top Pitcher RK Class Location Boston Red Sox Scout Connor Lane 500 2024 Tague Davis 59 2024 Boston, MA Cangelosi Sparks Tyler Bell  122 2024 Brady Chambers 500 2024 Lockport, IL Dirtbags National 2024 Dalton Wentz 74 2024 Riley Leatherman 251 2024 Sedalia, NC Florida Burn Colton Schwarz 214 2025 Presley Woodson 500 2025 Sarasota, FL Projected Pool Winner: Dirtbags National 2024 With one of the deepest and most physical lineups in the nation, the Dirtbags National 2024 club have been putting up runs in bunches. No hitter is hotter than Austin Irby, as the ECU commit is While sluggers Dalton Wentz, Will Craddock and Palmer Hornick won’t be in attendance, Lee Sowers, Will Brooks, Jon Young Jr. and spark plug Carter Richardson lead an offense that averages over 7 runs per game. They can cover ground on...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 9/26/2023

Coastal Soph. Fall Invite Scout Notes

Todd Coffey
Article Image
Michael Flores (2026, NC) looking great through 4 innings pitched with 11 k’s. Great command and completely missing barrels. #2023WWBACoastalSophmoreFallInvatational pic.twitter.com/Oqd3WD0E05 — PG Coastal Scouting (@PG_Coastal) September 24, 2023 Michael Flores (2026, Mooresville, NC) put on an electric performance to watch for the SBA Futures 2026 in their matchup versus the Carolina Reds. The 5-foot-10, 175-pound, RHP did his job for his team today to keep them in the game. Flores throws with a high leg lift and creates some good motions towards the plate with his whippy action. Flores has a great feel for the zone and pounded strikes at a 66% rate. Flores generated swing and miss after swing and miss and it was clear he was in control out there on the mound. He sat in the 70-mph range to 79-mph range with his fastball with the ability to pinpoint it wherever he pleased....
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 9/26/2023

Fall Frenzy Scout Notes

Jason Phillips
Article Image
James Sherry (’26, Aiken, S.C.)- the 6-foot-1, 155-pound right-handed pitcher tossed a complete game for Xtreme Xposure Baseball-Bennett in an 8-1 win over 2 Way Athletics 16U. A primary outfielder, Sherry finished with 15 strikeouts and just one walk while controlling the zone at a 65% strike rate. Appearing in only his second PG tournament, Sherry turned in another great pitching performance after being selected to the All-Tournament Team at the 2023 16U PG Southeast Labor Day Classic. Aidan Petrocco (‘24 GA)- singles here into LF to load the bases for @643DPAthletics Primary MIF 2-for-4 w/ run scored on the day. #FallFrenzy @PG_Uncommitted pic.twitter.com/Ly7zEuRwyg — Perfect Game Georgia (@PG_Georgia) September 24, 2023 Aidan Petrocco (’24, Johns Creek, Ga.)- the 5-foot-9, 160-pound right-handed hitter for 643 DP Cougars 18U led the 18U Southeast Fall Frenzy...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 9/27/2023

Sophomore WWBA Scout Notes: Day 3-5

Kyler Peterson
Article Image
A high speed look at this 2B from Keon Johnson... #WWBAWorlds @PG_Georgia https://t.co/Ejl8GirIgk pic.twitter.com/ate7ro35cp — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) September 24, 2023 Keon Johnson (2026, Macon, Ga.) started off the morning loud, going down to get a pitch down and smoking a double that split the opposite field gap at a 92 mph exit velocity. The shortstop has one of the best hit tools in the class and has tremendous feel for the barrel. The swing is quiet and simple, staying loose through the zone. The ball jumps and the parts really work. At short, Johnson looked silky with good actions, range, and plenty of arm strength across. The game comes easy for the Georgia native, and still just 15, the all-around game is very well-refined for the age.  Jaxson Wood (2026, Hoover, Ala.) finished batting .500 over the tournament, including three extra-base hits. The primary...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 9/25/2023

Deep South Fall Invitational Scout Notes

Alex Dorso
Article Image
Patrick Kovacs (2026 Knoxville TN) was dominant in his outing in game two of pool play for Exposure National. The southpaw tossed three scoreless innings allowing two hits while striking out eight. He showed plus command of the fastball dotting it to both sides of the plate while working off the corners at times. Patrick sat 75-78 topping at 79 multiple times throughout. He mixed in a tight breaking ball with two plane movement that he had no problem mixing in any count keeping the opposing hitters off balanced in the box. Coming from a mid 3/4s slot there was some deception within the operation making it tough to pick the fastball up out of the hand. The frame has plenty of athleticism within with plenty of more room for additional strength as he continues to mature. Kovacs should be a fun follow as he continues to progress through high school. Ryan Riojas (‘26 TN) drives this...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 9/24/2023

Sophomore WWBA Scout Notes: Day 3

Troy Sutherland
Article Image
Sophomore WWBA Scout Notes: Days 1-2 Extended look at Gunnar Garrison... 7 IP, 1 H, OER, 13 K, 1 BB (70% K) #WWBAWorlds @PG_FourCorners https://t.co/V89oASpD8r pic.twitter.com/tsP1mWCoNz — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) September 21, 2023 Colorado right-hander Gunnar Garrison (2026, Eaton, Colo.) was magnificent in his start for Slammers Anderson 2026’s. The big and physical 6-foot-4, 210-pound arm threw a complete game, seven inning, one-hit shutout, striking out 13 and walking one. The fastball had downhill life to it, sitting in the 85-88 range for the entirety of the game. Garrison held the velocity and reached back for his fastest bullet of the game, at 89, in the seventh inning. Finishing the outing with 70% strikes, he filled up the zone and went right at hitters. He also induced swing-and-miss on a curveball, featuring late...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 9/22/2023

Northeast Qualifier Scout Notes

John McAdams
Article Image
Jack Harley (2024, Mendham, NJ) put together a dominant performance at the plate in the WWBA NEQ, leading his team to a coveted Jupiter bid while also earning MVP-honors. The 6-foot-1 left-handed hitter showcased his advanced bat-to-ball skills on several occasions. He batted .643 with two doubles, a home run and six stolen bases. Harley utilizes a repeatable, synced-up stroke with clean separation into launch. He has a great feel for the barrel and creates good strength at impact to all parts of the diamond. The future Hokie recorded a hit in all six of his games and proved to be a reliable bat at the top-of-the-order for Clubhouse 2024 EvoShield. Harley’s build offers a good balance of strength and athleticism, making him a well-rounded prospect with intriguing upside moving forward.  .#VandyBoys commit Aiden O’Connell (‘24, NH) is back on the bump in the #NEQ...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 9/23/2023

Sophomore WWBA Scout Notes: Days 1-2

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
Nathan Caldwell (2026, Columbia, S.C.) looked the part in the batter’s box as the Team Elite three-hole hitter had one of the hardest hit balls of the day. There’s really impressive bat speed and the ability to create violence and rotational acceleration through contact. He missiled a single during the game and there looks like there’s going to be pretty significant impact potential long term. He’s a strong kid with good indicators and offensive tools to like. Drew Borkowski (2026, Huntley, Ill.) showed plenty to like in the arm as he got the start in game one on the day for GRB. At 6-foot-1, 170-pounds he’s got a lanky frame with long limbs and plenty of room for physical projection. It’s a quick arm with solid arm speed throughout and he opened up sitting 85-87 mph with the fastball. The fastball showed good sinking life and he used it to get a lot...
Read More
College | Story | 9/22/2023

Cape Cod Top 2025 Prospect List

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
Earlier this week we debuted our Cape Cod Top 100 Prospect List and mixed amongst the 100 names were some 2025 graduates who will be eligible for the upcoming 2024 MLB Draft. Below, each of the 50 names are eligible in 2025 and those listed with an "^" are continuing their careers at a new school this fall.  Name Pos. Team School Hometown State Adonys Guzman^ C Bourne Arizona Valley Cottage NY Aidan Jimenez RHP Chatham Oregon State Elk Grove CA Anthony Martinez 1B YD UC Irvine Fairfield CA Ben Jacobs LHP Bourne UCLA Huntington Beach CA Bradley Hodges LHP Hyannis Virginia Fleming Island FL Brady Neal C YD LSU Tallahassee FL Brody Donay^ C/1B Hyannis Florida Lakeland FL Caden Bodine C Bourne Coastal Carolina Haddon Heights NJ Cam Leiter^ RHP Orleans Florida State Island Heights FL Cannon Peebles^ C Cotuit Tennessee Mechanicsville VA Drew Faurot^ SS Orleans Florida State Tallahassee FL...
Read More
Loading more articles...
About Perfect Game :: Contact us :: Terms of Use :: Privacy Policy :: Testimonials :: Job Opportunities
Copyright 1994-2025 by Perfect Game. All rights reserved. No portion of this information may be reprinted or reproduced without the written consent of Perfect Game.