2020 Perfect Game All-American Classic Staff Takeaways

The Prospects Live Draft staff banded together and took in the game as a team. These are our takeaways from the 2020 Perfect Game All-American Classic from our remote viewing. Below are the players who made the biggest impression positive or negative during the annual classic.

Pitchers

Jackson Jobe - Jackson Jobe was arguably the most impressive pitcher at Perfect Game National in June and he parlayed that appearance with another dominant outing on Friday. Everything we thought we knew about Jobe was reaffirmed as the heater was cookin’ and the slider was churning. the fastball was 95-96 once again, the slider a firm 82-83. The highlight of his one-inning appearance was striking out Brady House on a diabolical 3100 RPM slider low-and-away. House wasn’t within two feet of the offering.

Michael Braswell put a really good swing on a tough slider for a base hit up the middle. Outfielder James Wood would pop-out to centerfield and he’d walk slugger Tommy White. Catcher Rene Lastres would be his fourth opponent and he, like House, was completely undressed by the slider. It’s important to note, Jobe flashed one 55-grade changeup against Wood in his appearance. The changeup has struggled to find consistency, but it’s progressing. If the changeup is consistently an average offering next July, and the FB/SL combo doesn’t regress, there’s very real first round talent here. At his best, Jobe might be a 70 slider, 60 fastball, 55 changeup guy with fringe-average to average command.

Christian Little: Little, who recently made waves in the scouting community after his decision to head to Vanderbilt instead of the draft got the nod to start the PG All American Classic for the West. Little’s fastball velocity on Friday was right around where it was expected to be (92-94 range), though he had trouble commanding it. One thing of note that will have the Vanderbilt staff licking their chops is the fact that Little, already an elite arm, can pick up more fastball velocity right now, due to a mechanical issue. Little plants late, with the heel coming down after the backside has started coming forward. While the backside fire is on time, he would pick up velocity from planting earlier- it would allow him to get maximum energy output into the pitch; a firm planted front side results in the energy firing forward (from the back) to all come into use upon release. With adjustments, Little will easily be sitting 95-96, making him an easy first round candidate.

Outside of the two HBP (both fastballs), Little did manage to get the fastball to play well up in the zone, generating some whiffs. The most impressive aspect of the outing were his offspeed pitches. He attacked the zone with his breaking ball (particularly late in counts), with the pitch sitting in the 77-78 range. The curve had outstanding late bend, and the changeup looked good as well. 

Andrew Painter: The number one question with Painter going into the day was whether or not he could keep his fastball velocity in the 94-96 range, and he did just that, topping out at just over 97mph. Painter spotted up the fastball extremely well on the day, as he has over the course of the past year. The offspeed pitches were not biting however, which created problems for Painter. He gave up a knock to Jordan Lawlar on what was a very good piece of hitting, and hung a curveball to McGuire, resulting in another hit. All in all his stuff wasn't at its best on the day, though the fastball velocity helped reaffirm the type of prospect that he is- he should be on pace to go mid first round next year.

Cale Lansville - Lansville was one of the more underrated arms in the class until he broke out at PG National. While his velocity wasn’t quite at the same level, he still showed the same traits this week that made him appealing a few months ago. For starters, Lansville generates above-average vertical break on his FB to go with above-average extension thanks to his feel for drifting down the mound and extending his trunk forward at ball release. The intersection of above-average vertical break and extension leads to a FB that has good ride coming from a low release height; this intersection makes his FB appear to play better than probably similar pitches at the same velocity and vertical break but with a higher release height. What’s interesting about Lansville is that he also flashes a high spin, gyro heavy slider which is somewhat unusual given his excessive trunk tilt - guys who implement that tend to throw with less spin/depth on their breaking balls which is what makes Lansville unique; he doesn’t have crazy low spin, and actually has high spin and solid depth (on his curveball, his slider is gyro heavy so it doesn’t move a whole lot). Lansville is sound mechanically with an efficient lead leg block (juxtaposing his lead leg block with Christian Little’s is pretty illuminating) and an on time arm. Lansville could have some reverse projectability, as he’s still physically immature and might stand to gain velocity as he gets rid of some baby fat.

Chase Petty - Petty has been rising up draft boards thanks to the purely electric stuff in his arsenal. This weekend saw his fastball once again get up to 99 MPH. He paired that with his changeup and a few sliders to work a pair of strikeouts, though he did walk two batters as well. The fastball looks like it explodes out of his hand. The slider, while good, was inconsistent. Keep in mind, he’s running it up there at 90 MPH, so there’s quite a bit of potential with that pitch. A lot of the power for Petty comes from his ability to generate from the lower half. The pure stuff that Petty has makes him one of the more fun players to watch in this class.

James Peyton Smith - James Peyton Smith probably has the most violent operation in the 2021 class, but it’s hard to find many guys with better pure stuff. JPS’s FB probably doesn’t have desirable movement characteristics, but it should still have no problem competing for whiffs up in the zone given his release characteristics and velocity - he sits in the mid-to-upper 90s, and has a Max Scherzer-esque low ¾ arm slot. The key for JPS will be accepting that his fastball will probably be optimized up in the zone, and not down which might be hard considering the movement characteristics of the pitch resemble more of a two-seamer, so he might think the pitch plays well down. To go with his FB, he shows innate feel for shifting the spin direction of his CH laterally past 2:00. This isn’t too surprising given his arm slot, as vertical movement on CHs tend to go down (this is what’s happening when the spin direction shifts laterally) as releases get lower. So his CH might not be incredibly deceptive, as guys with his release characteristics usually are able to achieve similar movement profiles, but it nevertheless profiles as an above-average offering.

JPS rounds out his arsenal with a slider that appears to be heavy gyro, and should be optimized considering his release traits - very oriented towards 3B, making his SL play up glove side (the movement numbers might not be gaudy, but the pitch’s horizontal approach angle is more drastic than the actual spin induced movement due to the lateral nature of his release). While the stuff is electric, JPS definitely has some issues mechanically; he has a pretty nasty head whack and his arm is late at foot plant. He unsurprisingly displays great horizontal shoulder abduction which shouldn’t come as a shock given his velocity. It will be interesting to see how he trends this season, as he’s up there with the top arms in the class in terms of pure stuff, but the violent nature of his operation might see him get to school.

Drew Gray - Drew Gray may have the most two-way upside of any player in this draft class. He’s a lanky kid at 6’3, 180 pounds and he showcases a very smooth swing at the dish with good bat-to-ball skills. At the plate, Gray did draw a walk against Chase Petty, but struck out following a nasty sequence from Mason Albright. He does have a lot of potential on the mound as well. While he did allow a home run to Harry Ford, he showed off a solid fastball with run in the low-90’s and a downer curveball in the high-70’s that he controls well. The upside is immense at both sides of the game and he could very well be a Day 1 pick.

Brock Selvidge - Selvidge is one of the more fun arms on the circuit this summer. He did struggle with fastball command at first, walking Rob Gordon on five pitches, but settled in nicely afterwards, striking out Joshua Baez and Michael Braswell and garnering a loud flyout from Thaddeus Ector to end the inning. The fastball primarily sat 90-92 MPH with good movement to it and has high spin (~2,400-2,500 RPM) to it. The slider is a bit of an oddball, as it does have low spin to it (~2,000-2,100 RPM), but he tunnels it well with the fastball and threw it for strikes. He has a quick arm action and repeatable mechanics. He has showcased a change-up in the past that he has shown a good feel for, but it is used sparingly.

Mason Albright - Southpaw that has serious helium after a stellar summer circuit. He dazzled at the Perfect Game National Showcase in June and continued it in the Area Code Games, showcasing a three pitch mix that is deadly. But his performance in Oklahoma City may have been his best of the summer. In a very quick and efficient inning, he only faced three hitters, inducing a shallow flyout and two strikeouts of Carter Jensen and Drew Gray. The fastball already showcases plus potential, with late armside life in the 88-91 MPH range. His curveball and change-up aren’t far behind, as the curveball has big downward movement in the 76-77 MPH range and located it very well, with the change-up in the same speed range with good fade and sink. He recently enrolled at IMG Academy and has become the second best prep lefty in the class, in my mind. 

Shane Panzini - Electric arm from New Jersey that has a really good FB/SL combo and a good four pitch mix in his arsenal. While he did give up two hard hit singles to Camden Hayslip and Marcelo Mayer, Panzini showcased a quality fastball in the 92-95 MPH range with run, getting one of his strikeouts swinging with the pitch. His best pitch is a tight slider that has good command to both sides of the plate and is set up well by his fastball. He does have a curveball that he did throw a couple of times in the high-70’s that does morph with the slider at times, but does have more vertical movement. He is still developing his change-up, but he has shown a nice feel for the pitch throughout the summer. 

Carter Holton - This guy’s inning may go down as the most impressive one in my book. Earlier this summer, Holton was sitting in the low-90s with his fastball and the breaking ball fluctuated between slider and curveball. In OKC, he came out guns blazing with the fastball sitting 94-96 MPH with run to it and paired it with a slider and curveball that had more definitive shapes to them. While he did give up a single to Alex Mooney to start off the inning, he came back with strikeouts of Jordan Lawlar (95 FB) and Ian Moller (96 FB) and got Max McGwire to ground out on another fastball. The heater was a lethal pitch, but some work with his command is definitely needed, particularly on the slider. The slider is a low-spin pitch that, while it has shown improvement, needs more refinement in the near future. 

Eric Hammond - He’s been a fun arm to watch this summer. At PG National, Hammond sat in the low-90’s with a high spin fastball and showcased a quality curveball and change-up combination. Hammond’s secondaries would end up being the star of his outing, with the curveball in particular garnering all three of his strikeouts. The pitch sat in the high-70s with very solid spin to it (~2,600 RPM) and tunneled it well with the change-up, which sat in the low-to-mid 80s with great fade to it. The fastball was just as electric too, sitting 92-93 MPH with late life to it, helping set up his secondaries really well. He has great arm speed as well and he could be the top Texas prep arm in this class if this continues.

Josh Hartle - Coming into the event, Hartle was the top prep lefty on the circuit, and he did nothing to lose that spot. There’s a lot to like about him, plenty of projection to a 6’5, 200 pound frame, a fluid and deceptive delivery, and an arsenal that has three potentially above average pitches. While Hartle did allow a bloop double to Daylen Lile, which Thaddeus Ector nearly caught, he did garner two impressive strikeouts of Joe Mack and Izaac Pacheco. He did not showcase all three pitches, as he was mainly utilizing the fastball and the slider. The fastball was consistent and pounded gloveside, with the velocity mainly sitting 89-90. The slider was a sweeper that showcased added velocity, as it was in the 80-81 range. The changeup has been a weapon throughout the summer, sitting in the mid-80’s with good fade to it. If he can add velocity to his fastball before next April, he could find himself as a Day 1 pick.

Hitters

Braden Montgomery - Much of the hype in the ‘Montgomery’ category goes to Benny, but Braden is every bit the exciting player and oozes polish on the diamond. His skillset was on full display Friday night again. Montgomery got his first at-bat in the second inning, getting deep into a count against flamethrower Chase Burns. He’d sit back on a 77mph curveball and smoke it deep into the right-centerfield gap. The ball was run down by Malakhi Knight, but the maturity to sit back on a good breaking ball certainly stands out. He’d draw a walk in his second at-bat. His third plate appearance was another impressive showing, scorching a come-backer right at pitcher Cale Lansville with a big exit velo. It was caught, but the approach and barrel control was undeniable all night.

Benny Montgomery - You’d be hard-pressed to find a more sublime athlete than Benny Montgomery in the 2021 class. The speed, the power, the arm -- it’s premier. The pop was on display as Montgomery won the Perfect Game All-American Classic Home Run Derby to start the night. The bat speed this kid exhibits is truly next-level. The game itself was a little more uneventful for the Lewisberry, Pennsylvania native. The first inning saw a weak pop-out to right field against RHP Christian Little. He’d go on to draw a couple walks in uncompetitive at-bats the rest of the way. He’d also steal a base on the night. He did have the opportunity to show off his arm talent from centerfield on one occasion as well. The biggest question on Montgomery’s game the rest of the way will be his hit tool, a piece of his game he didn’t get the chance to showcase most of Friday night.

Malakhi Knight - Knight is a guy who’s arguably gone from a top-five round talent to a potential Top 50 pick next July. The bat has really popped this summer and it showed out well again Friday night. He’d get his first plate appearance in the second inning against Chase Burns. After a long battle, Knight smoked a ground ball to the third baseman for a groundout. It was by no means routine, showing off another big exit velo batted-ball-event for the Marysville, Washington native.

The bottom of the second inning allowed Knight to show off his wheels in the outfield. Braden Montgomery smoked a ball deep into the right-centerfield gap that Knight was able to chase down at full-speed. It was awfully impressive. Knight’s second plate appearance was another well-struck ball deep to right field that was caught. He’d strike out in his third at-bat against righty Pierce Coppola. It wasn’t the best night results-wise, but as a whole, Knight showed well for his stock.

Edwin Arroyo - Arecibo Baseball Academy’s Edwin Arroyo is a name that the casual prep fan might be aware of, but scouts have been keeping a keen eye on this summer. A switch-hitter, Arroyo has sneaky pop from both sides of the plate and plays some exciting middle infield defense. The arm is undeniable too. He struck out in his first plate appearance of the night, but that was really the only wart on an otherwise outstanding night. His second at-bat resulted in a double absolutely smoked up the middle into the centerfield. The speed was on full display as he stretched what generally would be a single into an impressive extra-base hit. The third at-bat was even more noteworthy, going the other way with a fastball low and away into left field for a picturesque base hit. Arroyo was one of the standouts for the event.

Michael Braswell - It’s a tough summer to be a prep shortstop. The position is deeper than I can remember it being in any draft in recent memory. Any other year, Braswell might be a headliner at the position. This year? He might be the 4th or 5th best guy. That being said, Braswell did well for himself Friday night. His first at-bat was against Jackson Jobe. He fell behind in the count but stayed back on a really, really good slider and drove it back up the middle with authority for a base hit. He’d then promptly steal a base. Braswell above average defense was on display as well, keeping an errant throw from going into centerfield with a diving stop at the cut of the grass, saving a run. Braswell may not get the press that guys like Brady House, Jordan Lawlar or Marcelo Mayer get, but an organization is going to be getting a very good player if selected next July.

Josh Baez: The Boston native was one of the most intriguing names at the PG All American Classic. With arguably the best power tool in the draft (70/80), an arm topping out at 97mph from the outfield, and plus speed (50/60 range), the raw tools that make a superstar corner outfielder are there. As a result, he is widely considered to be a first round pick by the time the 2021 draft rolls around. After reaching the finals of the Home Run Derby pregame, Baez showed out during the classic as well.

In his first at bat of the day, Baez adjusted brilliantly to a Max Debiec curveball left up in the zone, blasting the ball to deep right center for a triple. The speed was on full display as he legged it out, and then subsequently scored on a passed ball later in the inning. The rest of Baez’s day was mostly forgettable, though scouts saw everything they needed to see with Baez. He projects first round.

James Wood: Wood entered the All American Classic as one of the top power bats in the 2021 prep class. The IMG product has a very simple and easy swing, allowing for his 6’6’’ frame to utilize the easy power he gets without being as feast or famine of a power bat. At 230lbs, many believe that he will end up shifting over to his secondary position, first base in order to put on some more weight and further bolster the power numbers. This has been accentuated by the fact that Wood’s lower half on his throws from the outfield is not outstanding, and he has a lot of work to do on his transition and release. On the flip side, Wood gets very good jumps in the outfield, and moves very well for someone of his size- he could easily project into a corner outfield spot. 

At the All American Classic, Wood participated in the home run derby, reaching the final rounds on Classic day. During the game itself, Wood had a pretty forgettable day, striking out on three pitches to Ryan Ginther after working a walk in his first at bat against Christian Little. Wood projects out very well due to the clean, crisp swing and ability to move in the field.

Marcelo Mayer - Mayer had been under the radar prior to this week, so it was interesting to finally get some eyes on a guy who has been one of the bigger names in the class for a few years. He had a good night with a firm base hit up the middle and some impressive actions on the dirt. The immediate thing that stands out about Mayer is the ease in which he goes about his business; his operation offensively is ridiculously smooth, and is sure to garner some Robinson Cano comps in the lead up to the draft. Mayer displays a rhythmic set up with a smooth, controlled load. He doesn’t create huge separation at foot strike, as his hips don’t aggressively initiate rotation in the same way that some of the elite hitters do. This will likely limit his ability to produce upper echelon exit velocities for the time being, however he has a ton of physical projection remaining so he might see an improvement in this area as his body continues to mature.

Mayer has a pretty steep swing path which bodes well for projecting out his hit tool, and shows feel for hitting with flexion in his lead arm - a good sign pertaining to the adjustability present in his swing. He’s a no doubt shortstop, with the arm and actions to profile at the position. How Mayer’s body trends coupled with hopefully creating more torque in the future will be what determines his future outcome as a prospect. 

Harry Ford - No other positional group showed as loudly as the prep catching class this weekend, and Ford was arguably the best of the bunch. The All-American Classic was simply the culmination of a strong summer for the Georgia Tech commit. On the field Ford examplfied athleticism behind the dish, while showcasing his plus bat speed and simple setup both in batting practice and in game. The highlight of Ford’s night was taking two-way star - and left handed pitcher - Drew Gray to left field for a 10th inning homer.

It’s rather remarkable how much bat speed Ford generates with an incredibly quiet load considering the low placement of his hands in his pre-swing setup. His lack of a bat wrap is noticeable. Behind the plate, Ford is quick out of his crouch, and moves with smooth quick twitch motions. His highlight of the day defensively was handling a wild Maddux Bruns behind the plate. Which given Bruns command struggles was no small task. Ford is bound to be one of the big movers on our list in the coming update. 

Daylen Lile - One of the best contact hitters in the prep class, Lile didn’t do anything particularly loud at the AAC. That said it’s been a particularly strong summer for the Louisville commit making the tournament team at Area Code. He had his usual strong round of BP on Thursday, displaying his simple, clean, and balanced stroke. The highlight of his weekend was a great play he made in Thursday’s scrimmage to rob Braden Montgomery of a hit. He tested well in the Diamond Kinetics numbers as well, showing good barrel speed, impact momentum, and max acceleration.

Ian Moller - Our top backstop in a suddenly strong catching group at the top, Moller continued to make his presence known. Hitting a loud double off the bat, and working a walk in a late game battle versus Irv Carter. Few bats at any position in the class are as leveraged for power as Moller. He continued to murder fastballs in game and show good pitch recognition skills working deep into counts. He struggled with a few tough plays behind the dish early, but settled in and showcased his notorious defensive chops. As he handled some tougher arms to catch with relative ease. Check out our interview with Ian following PG National. 

Luke Leto - It’s been a tough summer for one of the most famous names on the summer showcase circuit. His swing has gone through some changes throughout the summer, even working with the Cubs Justin Stone to refine his stroke. He did show an improved swing in BP from the iteration earlier this summer. As he did a good job of toning down his hitch. The skills are still there at the plate, as metrically Leto grades out very strong. In fact some of the characteristics that make him a strong hitter, have led to his struggles in the field. Leto’s movement profile is stiff, and stiff hitters tend to be more compact in their swings with less wasted movement. Leto is able to generate above average bat speed despite his stiffness. That coupled with a consistent path to the ball gives Leto’s profile a nice baseline offensively. It’s simply a matter of further refining his abilities into game skills. There’s still very much a question as to where he lands defensively and the aforementioned stiffness has certainly contributed to his struggles in the dirt. He was tried as an outfielder during the summer as he’s grown out of shortstop and may best fit at an outfield corner. 

Alex Mooney - The game’s MVP showed out, getting on base five times including a mammoth triple that probably leaves most parks. He showcased strong defensive skills turning a tough double play on the pivot while manning second. As well as posting multiple plus run times including a sub-4.2 home to first. Mooney arguably solidified himself as one of the top three middle infielders amongst a strong prep class of potential shortstops.

The swing is simple and succinct, as Mooney does an excellent job of repeating his stroke and replicating the same mechanics against live pitching that he does in BP. He’s selective at the plate but not passive, and creates plus bat speed from his quick hands. Check out our interview with Alex from July. 

Cody Schrier - If you like consistency, Schrier is the bat for you. He has been a consistent performer on the circuit this summer with a powerful swing that has generated loud contact wherever he has gone. Hailing from SoCal powerhouse JSerra Catholic, the UCLA commit did not have the best game, as he struck out once and flew out twice after, but he did showcase well at shortstop with a strong arm and good instincts. He has great bat speed and has good power from the right side that plays well. His lone strikeout did come from Chase Petty’s cement mixer of a slider, but managed to make good contact against Mason Albright’s fastball and Irving Carter’s splitter.

Luke Heefner - Heefner is a bat that impressed very well at the National Showcase in June. A home schooler from the state of Texas, Heefner has shown an ability to find the barrel with ease and generate a lot of loud contact with an unusual setup at the dish. While he did not start for the West squad, he did get one plate appearance, resulting in a fly out to left field against a Drew Christo fastball at 91 MPH. Heenfer does have a good arm in the middle infield and has smooth actions to boot. The Dallas Baptist commit will definitely be one to watch as we progress through this draft cycle.

Jordan Lawlar - This is the kind of prep bat teams drool over. Throughout the summer, Lawlar has shown huge growth with the bat, showcasing a very smooth right-handed swing with good power and a great hit tool. That continued in Oklahoma City as he had a single and a double to go with a walk and a strikeout during the game.

The first hit came off a 94 MPH fastball from Andrew Painter, driving it to the opposite field with authority. He did it again off a Maddux Bruns fastball in the third inning, going to the opposite field gap for a double and scoring a run. He’s shown a strong ability to hit to all fields and has firmly cemented himself among the best bats in this class. In the field, he shows great defensive actions and moves well.

Tommy White - One of the many IMG Academy kids who attended the All-American Classic, White has carried a loud bat with him throughout the summer circuit. He’s vaulted himself into potential Day 1 consideration by showcasing big time power to all fields and a great feel for the barrel. To no one’s surprise, he made it the Home Run Derby final, where he hit 12 home runs, tying Joshua Baez and ultimately losing out to Benny Montgomery. In the first inning, he got to face Christian Little, but White struck out after swinging through three straight fastballs. He did manage to draw two walks to finish his day against Ryan Ginther and Jackson Jobe respectively. In the field, White has a strong arm from the hot corner and moves well for a kid at his size. The North Carolina State commit is going to be one to watch during the fall with the Florida Burn and in the spring.

Kahlil Watson - If there was an award for the biggest riser in this year’s class, it would go to Watson. All he has done is hit throughout the summer and showcase the makings of a premier defender in the dirt. While he is not the biggest player at 5’11, 170 pounds, he showcased 55 raw pull power during batting practice. In the game, he was held in check for the most part, striking out against a Christian Little curveball in the first inning and grounding out in his second plate appearance against Max Debiec. He did get a bloop single in his final appearance off a James Peyton Smith heater, but his main highlights came on defense. He made a heads up throw to home to seal an inning-ending double play in the first inning, saving a second run from scoring that inning. There’s a good chance Watson finds himself as a top five round pick come next July.

Max McGwire - This is one name that will get talked about because his bloodlines are pretty decent; son of Mark McGwire and all. The younger Mac doesn’t back down from it either, wearing no. 98 at the showcase in honor of his dad's big 1998 season. All comparisons aside, Max is player in his own right. He drew a couple of walks in four at bats at the showcase, and he got a hit in the first inning. With runners in scoring position he was able to make an adjustment on an offspeed pitch and turn on it for a single down the line. He’s got really quiet hands at the plate and covers most of the plate. As small a sample as it was, the PG All-American game showed he can hit, and there’s he’s got more than enough track record of power to suggest that’ll be a big piece of his game as well.