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General  | General | 11/1/2003

East Cobb Tradition Continues to Grow

WWBA World Wood Bat Championship Latest Success

The East Cobb Yankees, Astros and Braves have won numerous National Titles, but until this year the only PG WWBA title the East Cobb teams had under their belt was the 2002 Underclass World Championship. 2003 was another big year for East Cobb Baseball. The Yankees failed to make the final round of the Senior WWBA Championships, but went on to win the prestigious Connie Mack World Series title in Farmington, NM. The Astros once again won the 16 & Under National Championship. The Braves were crowned champions of the PG WWBA Junior Division. And then came the grand daddy of them all and the toughest of all to win, the PG/BA World Championship in Jupiter, FL.

Other than a third place finish 4 years ago the East Cobb teams had never done well in this tournament, labeled the largest scouting attraction in baseball. Some 600 scouts and college coaches on hand to see the best high school talent in the world. East Cobb put to rest all the skeptics as both the Braves and the Astros made the final 8. The Braves lost a 2-0 heart breaker to an inspired North Carolina On Deck O?€™s. The Astros, who made the final 16 as the only team not to win a pool, just kept winning and winning. After disposing the O?€™s they earned the right to play the Dallas Tigers in the Championship game. The Tigers were also the lowest seed in their bracket, but won two extra inning (tie breakers) against the #1 seed Wisconsin Blazers and again in the semi?€™s against a very strong Houston Heat club.

The Astros won the rings with a 5-2 victory in the final. Many wondered how two teams from the Atlanta area could be so strong. First of all, it should be mentioned that the Atlanta area might just be the #1 hot bed of high school baseball talent these days. A quick look at the East Cobb rosters is all it takes to substantiate that view. The Astros roster included tournament MVP Taylor Harbin (SC) who was picked up to fill the shoes of East Cobb star and one of the nation?€™s very best prospects in Chris Nelson. Nelson was the MVP of the nationally televised AFLAC Classic. Two other highly ranked East Cobb players Dexter Fowler and Brad Emaus also were selected as AFLAC All-Americans. The deep Astro pitching staff included nationally highly regarded prep stars like Tim Ladd, Michael Schlact, Luke Putkonen, Stephen Brock, Tyler Musselwhite, Ryan Schwartz and top juniors like Buster Posey, Nick Desilvio, Geoff Vandel and Brett Wiggins. Nearly all of these pitchers throw in the 90s. ?€?05?€? Posey was consistently in the low 90s, up to 93, in his 3 hit complete game shutout in the quarter finals. Add to the above that these guys are not just a bunch of hard throwers, but all have good secondary pitches and know how to pitch.

For any team to win the WWBA World Championship it takes some luck. No team has ever breezed through the tournament in dominating fashion. Often the team who has been crowned champions has just barely made the final playoff field. Pre-tournament favorites Baseball America and Team Florida USA found that out again this year. Both rosters were chuck full of some of the top prospects in all of high school baseball. Baseball America was soundly defeated in their first pool game by the SE Marlins Scout Team 9-2. BA played three good games after that, but were denied a spot on the playoffs when RHP John Lalor (TN) and the Dulins Dodgers played them to a 1-1 tie in the final game of pool play. Team Florida USA played very well until meeting co-pitching MVP Sean Morgan and the Houston Heat in the final 8. Morgan dominated the game throwing a 2 hit shutout against the powerful Team Florida hitting lineup. Another star studded roster was All Star Baseball Academy. The #1 nationally ranked prospect RHP Nick Adenhart (MD) had to match up against another top nationally ranked prospect in RHP Eric Hurley (FL) in their first pool game. Some 300 scouts watched Hurley?€™s Hitmaster team and Adenhart?€™s ASBBA play to a tie. Both Hurley and Adenhart were throwing up to 94 mph. Then All Star had the misfortune of being paired up against Team Florida in the playoffs. All Star?€™s lineup included several highly ranked prospects including SS Justin Upton (VA) who is the #1 ranked prospect in the ?€?05?€? class. Many of the best teams on paper made the final 16, but others besides Baseball America were edged out of the playoffs. Norcal (CA) had a star studded lineup that included many 90+ mph pitchers. They played well, but their 3-1 pool play record didn?€™t quite make the playoffs. So very much, the winner each year of the World Wood Bat Championship is a very talented club that was also very fortunate along the way.

East Cobb?€™s strong tradition and talented roster deserved to take home the rings by playing their best baseball during the 16 team single elimination playoffs. It takes 4 straight in the playoffs and none come easily. It would have been even better if East Cobb star pitcher and shortstop Chris Nelson were on hand. Nelson was rated the #1 prospect in the nation and he was named the MVP of the nationally televised Aflac Classic before undergoing Tommy John Surgery. Even without their star, it was the depth; talent and a few key pick ups that led East Cobb to the title.

Here is the East Cobb Astros World Wood Bat Championship roster:

Tim Ladd LHP Kell HS Marietta, GA
Brett Wiggins LHP Cross Creek HS Augusta, GA
Ryan Schwartz RHP McIntosh HS Fayetteville, GA
Geoff Vandel LHP Shaw HS Columbus, GA
Buster Posey RHP/SS Lee County HS Leesburg, GA
Stephen Brock RHP/3B North Gwinett HS Buford, GA
Tyler Musselwhite RHP Gainesville HS Gainesville, GA
Nick Desilvio LHP/1B Etowah HS Woodstock, GA
Luke Putkonen RHP Walton HS Marietta, GA
Michael Schlact RHP Wheeler HS Marietta, GA
Josh Clendenin C Harrison HS Acworth, GA
Jonathan Egan C/OF Cross Creek HS Hephzibah, GA
Neil Casey C Northgate HS Sharpsburg, GA
Ryan Peisel 1B Lassiter HS Marietta, GA
Brad Emaus MIF East Coweta HS Senoia, GA
Brandon May MIF Lassiter HS Marietta, GA
Taylor Harbin MIF Travelers Rest HS Travelers Rest, SC
Brad Feltes 3B Chattahoochee HS Alpharetta, GA
Andrew Crisp MIF Riverside HS Greer, SC
Adam Crisp OF/MIF Riverside HS Greer, SC
Eddie Prasch MIF/OF Milton HS Alpharetta, GA
Kieron Pope OF East Coweta HS Gay, GA
Dexter Fowler OF Milton HS Alpharetta, GA
Garrett Bullock LHP JH Rose Greenville, NC

As we continue to sift through some 170 games worth of score sheets and scouting notes, more information about this year?€™s PG/BA World Championship will become available. Most of this information can be seen at our sister WWBA site.

www.worldwoodbat.com

General | Press Release | 5/25/2023

Perfect Game & Launch Hydrate Team Up

Perfect Game Staff
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850 Twixt Town Rd. NE | Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52402 | 319-298-2923 www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Introducing Launch Hydrate: The Official Sports Drink of Perfect Game, Powering Athletes with Next-Gen Hydration CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (Thursday, May 25, 2023) – Perfect Game, the world’s premier youth baseball and softball organization dedicated to hosting the highest quality amateur events while providing meaningful opportunities and information to players, coaches, and families, is excited to announce its official partnership with Launch Hydrate, a leading innovator in the sports nutrition industry. This partnership will provide Perfect Game participants access to Launch Hydrate’s revolutionary sports drink as well as exclusive events, promotions, and products. Launch Hydrate’s Sports Drink sets itself apart with...
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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