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Tournaments  | Story | 9/30/2020

WWBA Under World ready to rumble

Photo: Cole Young (Perfect Game)

FORT MYERS, Fla. – When the Perfect Game WWBA Underclass World Championship was in its infancy in the early 2000s, the East Cobb Astros were the undisputed masters of the universe. EC Astros teams won four of the first five PG WWBA Underclass World titles from 2002 through 2006 with the championship claimed by Chet Lemon’s Juice in 2003 as the only outlier.

Over the last 13 years, as other travel ball organizations began establishing themselves and there was more parity among the ranks, it became increasingly difficult for one program to win back-to-back WWBA Underclass World titles, let alone three in a row like the Astros won from 2004-06. The lone exceptions came in 2010 and 2011 when Marucci Elite squads went back-to-back.



The 19th annual PG WWBA Underclass World Championship begins its five-day run on Thursday, Oct. 1 with nearly 200 teams competing for the championship. Games will be played at MLB Spring Training complexes and on various other fields in both Lee and Sarasota counties.

While it’s true no program has won consecutive championships at the WWBA Under World in nine years, there is one nationally prominent program that feels like it has the firepower to end that streak this year.

The Canes National 17u won this event a year ago in walk-off fashion with a 1-0 championship game victory over the Scorpions 2021 Founders Club. It was the first WWBA Underclass World championship for Canes Baseball, an organization that won three straight WWBA World Championship (Jupiter) titles from 2013-15.

The Virginia-based Canes program has two prominent entries in this year’s 197-team field with the Canes American and the Canes National. While both rosters feature a boatload of highly regarded class of 2022 prospects, it is the National’s that jumps off the page with 17 of the rostered prospects ranked  in the top-159 nationally and 10 of those ranked in the top-57.

Canes National head coach Brian Hucks is wrapping up his fourth year with Canes Baseball. He spent the three previous seasons working for the Canes South program and 2020 is his first on the National side.

“When (Canes owner) Jeff (Petty) called me about taking over this program, obviously I was very excited about getting the chance to coach some extremely talented players,” Hucks told PG during a telephone conversation late last week.

“You always worry when you’ve got players that are all nationally ranked players … but I was just blown away from the first tournament at how well these kids play together,” he said. “They generally care about each other and they want to win.”

The Canes National class of 2022 teams have played at an exceedingly high level over the last three summers, claiming titles at the 2018 PG WWBA 14u National Championship, 2019 PG WWBA 15u National Championship, 2019 PG 15u World Series and, most recently, the 2020 PG WWBA 16u National Championship.

Lefthander Tristan Smith (No. 8-ranked, uncommitted), outfielder Roman Anthony (No. 27, Ole Miss), outfielder Nathan Fink (No. 48, Virginia), righthander Matthew Matthijs (No. 104, North Carolina), catcher/corner-infielder Lamar King (No. 159, East Carolina) and catcher/outfielder Adam (AJ) Shepard (t-500, Indiana) played on all five of those PG national championship teams.

Other highly ranked 2022 prospects on the Canes National roster include lefthander Jackson Ferris (No. 15, uncommitted), shortstop Cole Young (No. 17, Duke), first baseman/outfielder Xavier Isaac (No. 18, uncommitted) and infielder Dominic Hellman (No. 24, Oregon). Young was named the MVP at both the 2019 WWBA 15u and 2020 WWBA 16u national championships.

“There’s no egos with this group,” Hucks said. “It’s been an absolute pleasure just to be around these kids and there’s a reason why they’re so successful.”

Success is certainly not guaranteed here this weekend, with dozens of other teams poised to challenge for the WWBA Underclass World Championship title.

The FTB/SF Giants Scout Team 2022 – a program that won the Underclass World in 2016 – comes in with top 2022s like catcher/corner-infielder Luke Heyman (No. 20, Florida), outfielder Mason Neville (No. 41, Arizona) and middle-infielder JeanPierre Ortiz (No. 42, FIU), and 2023 third baseman Walter Ford (No. 16, Alabama).

The East Cobb Astros 17u boast the talents of outfielder Kaden Martin (No. 25, uncommitted), middle-infielder Alvin Keels (No. 50, Miami) and righthander Sullivan Brackin (No. 64, Florida), all 2022s, and 2023 outfielder TayShaun Walton (No. 5 Miami).

Other highly ranked 2022s in action this week include Cannons Baseball Academy 2022 American lefthander Brandon Barriera (No. 5, Vanderbilt), Georgia Bombers 17U Magliozzi outfielder Riley Stanford (No. 10, Georgia Tech), Gamblers Elite 2022 shortstop Nazier Mule (No. 12, uncommitted) and Dirtbag TapOut third baseman Tucker Toman (No. 14, LSU).

Also, South Charlotte Panthers 2022 righthander Eli Jerzembeck (No. 23, South Carolina), Eagles Baseball outfielder Roman Anthony (No. 27, Ole Miss), Trosky National 2022 righty Jackson Cox (No. 30, Oregon), Flood City Elite-2022’s outfielder Paxton Kling (No. 34, LSU), Sandlot Scout Team 2022 shortstop Jackson Holliday (No. 36, Oklahoma State) and On Deck O’s outfielder Calvert Clark (No. 40, Clemson).

There are also younger teams boasting rosters of top 2023s and 2024s that expect to contend as well. 5 Star 16u White, fresh off a playoff appearance at the PG WWBA Sophomore World Championship, features third baseman Cam Collier (No. 2, Louisville), righthander James Hays (No. 8, Georgia), outfielder Drew Burress (No. 15, uncommitted) and catcher Riley Jackson (No. 17, Florida State), all from the class of 2023.

The East Cobb Astros 16u Texas Orange come in with 2023 infielder Dylan Cupp (No. 13, Mississippi State) and 2023 first baseman Jackson McKenzie (No. 49, Mississippi State) on board along with 2024 outfielder Michael Mullinex (No. 13, uncommitted) and 2024 corner-infielder Jax Phillips (No. 53, Georgia).

Power Baseball 2023 shortstop Braden Holcomb (No. 9, Vanderbilt), South Charlotte Panthers outfielder Walker Jenkins (No. 10, North Carolina), Tri State Arsenal 2022 Founder’s Club outfielder Owen Egan (No. 19, UCLA) and CBA Bulldogs National shortstop Austen Roeling (No. 20, Arizona) are among the many other standouts from the class of 2023.

Banditos Scout Team 2022/23 catcher Cade Arrambide (No. 5, Florida), Eagles Baseball third baseman Anthony Tralongo (No. 17, uncommitted) and Texas Twelve Maroon 2022 catcher Nolan Traeger (No. 27, TCU) join Mullinex from the EC Astros 16u Texas Orange as the other top-30 2024s in the field.

There is just going to be a whole lot of talent in one place for five days running, more than enough to keep the hundreds of scouts in attendance hopping from field to field.

“For me, this is the equivalent of the WWBA (national championships) in the summer,” the Canes’ Hucks said. “It’s a really large event and anytime you have an event that big it’s going to draw out all the big names. I look forward to seeing my guys compete against the very best so I’m really excited about it.”


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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