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All American Game  | Story | 7/18/2019

Vukovich wins with mentality

Photo: AJ Vukovich (Perfect Game)

MARION, Iowa – There’s been a lot of buzz at the new Prospect Meadows Sports Complex at the 17u WWBA National Championship. But one player has garnered attention and accolades like no other.

AJ Vukovich sure has the talent to be named a PG All-American. The 6-foot-5, 210-pounder plays both the infield and outfield corners. His bat is a thing of beauty; his hands travel to the ball and fire it right back.

It’s inside? He’ll single into the five-six hole.

Outside? He’ll fire it into the right field alley for a stand-up triple.

Right down the middle? He might just fire it over the fence.

"He sets the tone every time he gets up to the plate,” Hitters 2020 head coach Brendon Hayden said. “The team expects something good to happen, which is a good thing for a guy in the middle of the order.”

It’s not just what he does at the plate, though. The East Troy, Wis. rising senior is the top-ranked player in the state of Wisconsin and ranked No. 28 in the nation. He boasts an outfield velocity of 93 mph and 92-mph from the infield. His 90 mph fastball ranks in the 98th percentile of the 2020 class.

At the WWBA 17u Prospect Meadows National Championships in Marion, Iowa, Vukovich showed not only his All-American talent but his All-American mentality. Against the Illinois Indians, Vukovich struck out in his first two at-bats. However, when the bottom of the sixth came along, he was more than prepared.

Leading off the inning, in a 1-1 count Vukovich fired the next pitch over the fence, breaking a 2-2 tie and helping Hitters win, 5-2.

“When I was younger, it was definitely tough. No one wants to be that out at the plate,” Vukovich said. “It’s really helped me realize you’re not going to get ahead every time. The ups and downs make the successes a lot better. It’s an imperfect game. The struggles bring out the greatness in you.”

Vukovich’s greatness just keeps piling up. He committed to Louisville, following Hitters alumni Jarred Kelenic and Alex Binelas, who was named a first-team Freshman All-American by five organizations, including Perfect Game. Vukovich also was one of eight semifinalists in the Home Run Derby during MLB All-Star weekend.

In the semifinals, Vukovich hit 18 home runs across two rounds, second only to fellow PG All-American Blaze Jordan, who shot 20 over the fence. Jordan barely edged Vukovich 7-6 in the finals.

“A couple months ago if you had said I’d been in that position, I wouldn’t have believed you at all. Being on that field with 40,000 fans, going up against Blaze Jordan, who’s another great hitter, it was amazing,” Vukovich reflected. “It didn’t even feel real. You dream of that as a kid, taking batting practice out on a major league field, and doing it at All-Star weekend was incredible.”

In addition to the home run derby, Vukovich was selected to play in the PG All-American Classic out in San Diego. Just a week ago, he learned that his best baseball was enough to earn him a spot on the 27-man West roster.

“It’s a great feeling, just because I grew up watching the game on TV, watching Gavin Lux and Jarred Kelenic play in it,” he said. “Now that I get a chance to do it and play with the best kids in the country on TV, it’s going to be a great experience and I’m excited to be a part of it.”

Vukovich has only one year left until he begins fighting for a starting spot at Louisville. But, if you ask his coach, he’ll fit right in with the rest of them.

“They’re a perennial power and he’s another piece of the puzzle for them,” Hayden said. “Having all of this attention with the pro scouts and being committed at a very young age, he holds himself to a higher standard. His approach to the game is advanced compared to a lot of high school guys. It’s very good for him, especially because he’ll be playing at that high level, to learn all of this as such a young age. He’s only going to go up from there.”




All American Game | Story | 8/18/2023

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Hannah Jo Groves
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When an unknown number called Aukai (Jaydon) Kea's phone, he wasn't sure if he should pick up. "I just got this call from somebody in Arizona," Kea said. "And I was like, 'Who’s that? Should I answer?' But then I answered it. He told me, ‘Yeah, congratulations, man.’ I was really shocked. Going into the summer, this was one of the events I wanted to be in. I’m very thankful that I got this opportunity." The 17-year-old Kea hails from Kapolei, Hawaii. He's grown up boogie boarding on the islands, but during summers, he's been playing travel ball on the main land.  "One of the big challenges is being away from home," Kea said. "Every summer, I’ll be away from home for at least two months with no stop - because there’s no sense in flying home for a day - you gotta fly, like, 10 hours. Being away from all my friends, my family - that’s...
Tournaments | Story | 9/27/2023

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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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WWBA World Championship Pool Preview

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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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Todd Coffey
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Jason Phillips
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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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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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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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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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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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Vincent Cervino
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