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Tournaments  | Story | 7/22/2020

Canes on cruise early at 14U PGWS

Jeff Dahn
Photo: Zach Edwards (Perfect Game)

SANFORD, Fla. – The high level of baseball being played at the 14 and under age level these days is absolutely through the roof with 14U teams from across the country showcasing teenaged prospects whose skill levels often match those of players two or three years their senior.

This week’s invitation-only Perfect Game 14U World Series is a PG national championship tournament that includes a collection of 28 teams and those top 28 have rosters stocked with 13, 14 and 15-year-olds who fans can expect to watch perform at a high level for many, many years to come.



And no organization does a better job of providing those young prospects with an opportunity to compete for national championships then Virginia-based Canes Baseball.

The Canes National 14U is at the BOOMBAH Sports Complex this week looking to improve on the semifinal-round finish they picked up at the PG WWBA 14U National Championship in Hoover, AL, just over a week ago.

The PG 14U World Series is a different animal from the WWBA 14U mega event and that’s by design. Every team here as earned its elite status based on past performance which dramatically levels the playing field. No days off here, folks, and if today was a bad one the players’ and coaches’ memories have to be short because it won’t be any easier tomorrow.

“It’s just baseball and on the days you struggle you just get to comeback,” Canes 14U top 2023 prospect Campbell Smithwick said on Wednesday. “That’s what you want because you get another chance right away the next day. In football, you’ve got to wait a week but in baseball you get right back at it the next day. It’s good and I think it helps out everybody getting to play day after day.”

The first two days here were good ones for the Canes 14U. They topped the Team Colorado Braves, 7-0, on Tuesday with 2024 lefthander BJ Etheridge throwing 3 innings of one-hit, six strikeout ball (no walks) and 2023 righthander Cade Cosper following with 3 2/3 innings of work without allowing a hit and striking out four (one walk); Will Dart singled and drove in two runs, Drake Piersall doubled and drove in one.

On Wednesday, the Canes rallied to beat Team Orlando 14U, 7-3, with Zach Edwards belting a three-run home run in the bottom of the fourth that erased a 3-2 deficit. Smithwick doubled and drove in a run and Dillon Adkins and Coy James both contributed singles and RBIs; PJ Morlando doubled and singled.

Winning the championship at any exclusive PG World Series event, regardless of age group, is a tall order. But it may also come as a surprise that winning titles – however satisfying that may be – isn’t what drives the Canes Baseball program and its players, especially at the 14U level.

The biggest thing that Canes Baseball founder and 17U head coach Jeff Petty and the other coaches within the organization, like National 14U head coach Dan Gitzen, talk about with their players are the many steps they’ll have to take along the way in terms of their development as top prospects.

Gitzen expects that many people look at what organizations like Canes Baseball can provide and they think it’s only about exposure to college coaches and pro scouts. In fact, it goes well beyond that.

“We really hit the development side of it,” Gitzen told PG Wednesday morning. “We feel like whether it’s 14, 15, 16 or 17 years old, if this is the biggest step in these kids’ life, then we’re doing them a disservice. They should be developing to go play baseball beyond their high school careers and beyond their amateur careers. And when we have kids at this level, we talk to them about (how) you’re going to hit bumps in the road along the way.”

The top guys on this young roster have so far managed to keep those bumps in the road to a minimum; Andre' Modugno, a 6-0, 190 pound 2024 third baseman from Upper Saddle River, NJ, is a good case in point.

Just a month shy of his 15th birthday, the alumnus of the 2019 PG 13U Select Baseball Festival has already committed to Duke and has risen to the No. 3 spot overall in the PG class of 2024 national prospect rankings.

“Being a part of the Canes program is really a blessing,” Modugno told PG Wednesday. “Playing with all these amazing kids that are already committed to different schools and things like that, it’s really fortunate for me to be able to play here. … It’s really a privilege.”

Edwards, a 6-2, 190 pound righthander/utility out of Riverton, Utah, is up to No. 10 in the 2024 prospect rankings. Smithwick, a 2023 catcher/outfielder from Conway, SC, is an Ole Miss commit ranked No. 93 nationally; Morlando, a 2024 catcher/utility from Landon, SC, has committed to Mississippi State; Litarris Murray, a 2023 outfielder/infielder is ranked No. 137 nationally.

“We really approach the field with a lot of energy,” Modugno said of the mindset he and his Canes 14U teammates try to maintain. “Keeping the dugout nice and loud and keeping (all) the players in the game at all times. We really take the game seriously and whatever happens in the end happens in the end; it’s baseball.”

It’s obvious that this particular group of 2023 and 2024 grads (there are also a couple of 2025 grads rostered) is very talented, an assertion that can be made just by looking at the prospect rankings alone. But is it, from a coach’s perspective, an easy group to work with?

“From a character standpoint, absolutely,” Gitzen said without hesitation. “With any 14-year-old group it’s 14-year-old baseball; they’re going to make mistakes just because they’re 14 years old. But from a character standpoint I don’t have a kid who doesn’t want to work and get better. … There’s never a kid who doesn’t want more swings, there’s never a kid who doesn’t want more instruction, there’s never a kid who doesn’t want to play hard.

“When you have 20 competitors who want to compete, it’s very easy to coach in that retrospect. The hardest thing to do is to figure out which 10 you’re going to put in the lineup.”

This is the third summer that the Canes have fielded a 14U national team beginning with the 2022 grad class, which has now won three straight PG WWBA National Championships (14U in 2018, 15U in 2019 and 16U just last week).

Gitzen explained that it’s relatively easy to find the talented kids who want to come in and be a part of the Canes program. It’s much more difficult to make the decision as to which ones are the right players that should come in, especially at the 14U level when there are still so many unknowns.

“When we bring in a certain type of kid, we try to make the right decision the first time,” Gitzen said. “We really do our homework on what the kid’s ‘fit’ level is. Obviously, we want them to be really good baseball players but we also want it to be a really good fit.”

The Canes National 14U’s experience at the PG WWBA 14U National Championship was bittersweet in some ways. They zipped through pool play, earning the No. 6 playoff seed in the process, and advanced all the way to the final four where they were beaten by the eXposure 14U Prime, 14-10, to finish with a 9-1-0 record.

“Tip the cap to those guys from eXposure – we couldn’t get them out,” Gitzen said. “There aren’t a whole lot of baseball games where you score 10 runs and put up 15 hits and lose. … We talked to (our players) about that, that the next opportunity we’ve got to do something a little bit different … and when it comes to be your turn, you’ve got to be ready to go.”

There’s no catch-phrase for that philosophy, nothing like the “Canes Way” or anything like that. It’s just a culture built on player development starting at a young age and if some PG national championship trophies are collected along the way – and there have been dozens – then, well, that’s all the better.

“The coaches want to develop us players just like they want to develop every other (age group) player in the organization,” Modugno said. “It’s really a blessing to have that type of a coach that cares.”
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Tournaments | Story | 9/27/2023

Midwest Invitational Scout Notes
Tyler Kotila
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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...
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Tournaments | Story | 9/26/2023

WWBA World Championship Pool Preview

Perfect Game Staff
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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...
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Tournaments | Story | 9/26/2023

Coastal Soph. Fall Invite Scout Notes

Todd Coffey
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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....
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Tournaments | Story | 9/26/2023

Fall Frenzy Scout Notes

Jason Phillips
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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...
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Tournaments | Story | 9/27/2023

Sophomore WWBA Scout Notes: Day 3-5

Kyler Peterson
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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...
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Tournaments | Story | 9/25/2023

Deep South Fall Invitational Scout Notes

Alex Dorso
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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...
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Tournaments | Story | 9/24/2023

Sophomore WWBA Scout Notes: Day 3

Troy Sutherland
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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...
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Tournaments | Story | 9/22/2023

Northeast Qualifier Scout Notes

John McAdams
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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...
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Tournaments | Story | 9/23/2023

Sophomore WWBA Scout Notes: Days 1-2

Vincent Cervino
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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...
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College | Story | 9/22/2023

Cape Cod Top 2025 Prospect List

Vincent Cervino
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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...
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