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Tournaments  | Story | 9/2/2021

The Meadows gears for Midwest LDC

Photo: Tommy Specht (Perfect Game)

MARION, Iowa – Once the Prospect Meadows Sports Complex got up and running in earnest during the fall of 2019, the eight-field facility began hosting what is now called the Perfect Game Midwest Labor Day Classic.

The event has grown exponentially over its three-year history, and when the 2021 rendition begins its four-day run on Friday (Sept. 5), 74 teams from eight centrally located states (primarily Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin) will compete for championships in the Upperclass (18u), Underclass (17u), Sophomore (16u) and Freshman (15u) age divisions.



And while this year’s field will be dominated by the presence of 24 teams from the ever-expanding Iowa Select Baseball organization, it’s impossible to look past the entrants from Racine, Wis.-based Midwest powerhouse Hitters Baseball, a championship-level program under the direction of RJ Fergus.

“Every year since [PG] has put this event together we’ve liked to go out to Cedar Rapids with all of our teams and get them on the road – for a lot of guys, for the first time,” Fergus told PG during a telephone conversation this week. “You’ll have the whole organization at Prospect Meadows at the same time which is really good for us.

“The younger guys can see the older guys, the older guys can see the younger guys and it’s kind of like a family affair; we all stay at the same hotel,” he said. “It’s a great way for us to kick off our fall season in a competitive environment.”

The 24-team Upperclass division looks to be especially competitive with the Hitters 2022 Navy and Iowa Select 2022 Obermueller standing out heading into the tournament; they are one of two Hitters teams and one of six Iowa Select teams in the field. There are also numerous teams from the Minnesota-based P2P Millers and the Illinois-based Cangelosi Sparks programs that always promise to be highly competitive.

The Hitters 2022 Navy roster will be nearly intact, led by outfielders Michael Lippe (No. 163-ranked, Louisville commit) and Jonathan Kim (No. 468, Michigan); right-hander Mitch Voit (No. 394, Michigan) and catcher Will Vierling (No. 456, Louisville); eight other 2022 Navy prospects are ranked as top-500s.

The most notable absence will be that of PG All-American shortstop Gavin Kilen (No. 25, Louisville) who is in the Sarasota/Bradenton, Fla., area competing at the USA Baseball 18U National Team Trials.

The Iowa Select Obermueller roster is loaded to the gills with D-I talent right out of Eastern Iowa high schools, including six from Iowa City’s City High School. The most prominent player is 2021 PG All-American outfielder Tommy Specht, the No. 39-ranked national prospect from the class of 2022, a Kentucky commit out of Dubuque.

There are also six top-500 prospects on the roster who have committed to the in-state Iowa Hawkeyes: middle infielder Gable Mitchell, catcher Reese Moore, outfielder Cade Obermueller, left-hander Drew Proskovec, right-hander/third baseman Aaron Savary and infielder/outfielder Kellen Strohmeyer.

Twelve teams will compete for the MW Underclass MWLDC crown including three Iowa Select squads and a Hitters 2023’s team that features outfielder JT Kelenic (No. 235, uncommitted), the younger brother of former PG All-American and current Seattle Mariner Jarred Kelenic.

Catcher Thomas Curry (No. 448, uncommitted), shortstop Alex Alicea (No. 463, Louisville) and top-500s Zachary Olson, Evan Shapiro and TJ Schuyler (Indiana) are also rostered with the Hitters 2023’s. The top-ranked player at the event is outfielder AJ Garcia (No. 190, uncommitted) from Illinois-based Elite Baseball Training Lugo.

PG tournament director Mike Bonwell has also put together a 21-team field for the Sophomore division, including eight more Iowa Select squads, three more from the P2P Millers program and the Hitters 2024’s. Another 17 will compete in the Freshman division, featuring seven more Iowa Select teams, two more P2P Millers’ squads and, yes, the Hitters 2025’s.

The most highly-regarded prospects from the class of 2024 playing in the Sophomore MWLDC are Iowa recruits in shortstop Myles Davis (No. 145) from Marion and right-hander Joey Oakie (No. 180) out of Ankeny; Davis is with the Iowa Select 2024 Remington, Oakie with Iowa Select 2024 Murphy.

Fergus pointed out many of his younger players, the ‘24s and ‘25s, did experience travel ball over the summer so they won’t come in not knowing what to expect. They have taken a good chunk of August off, of course, and with a lot of guys now playing football, the rosters will be thinner.

That means less depth, which in turn means players will be asked to do more over the course of the long holiday weekend. Guys who may not have pitched a lick all summer could find themselves toeing the rubber at Prospect Meadows.

“The biggest thing is to get out and be outside of home and then learn to play a little bit,” Fergus said. “And a lot of it is to support Mike [Bonwell] and his group of PG guys in Iowa. [PG] has been great to us over the years and we’ll continue our support with you guys there...This is the opening weekend to see what you’ve got and now you’re putting it together to go out to win.”

The PG Midwest Labor Day Classic is among the most prominent of the six Labor Day Classics being held this weekend, with the five-class, 63-team WWBA East Labor Day Classic being held in Fort Myers also deserving of a shout-out.

With only a handful of exceptions, the teams at the East LDC are all based in Florida, with a few outliers from Puerto Rico, New Jersey and Connecticut. Other four-day Classics will be held in Sanford, Fla. (East, 10u-13u) and Memphis (Mid-South).


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...
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...
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....
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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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