PG All-American Classic History Index
SAN DIEGO – The 15th annual Perfect Game All-American Classic will be played Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017 at Petco Park in downtown San Diego, with the first-pitch scheduled for 5:17 p.m. (PDT); the East vs. West all-star Classic will be televised live on the MLB Network and broadcast live on MLB Network Radio.
This year’s Classic showcases the extraordinary talents of 53 of amateur baseball’s most highly regarded prospects from the national high school graduating class of 2018. The prospects will arrive in San Diego on Thursday, Aug. 10, from 20 states, Puerto Rico and Canada and enjoy three days of both baseball and non-baseball activities leading up to Sunday afternoon’s games.
The first Perfect Game All-American Classic was played in August 2003 at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers, Fla.; Maryland right-hander Nick Adenhart made the start for the East Team while Texas righty Homer Bailey took the ball for the West Team.
More than 600 players have followed in their footsteps over the past 14 years, and as the list that follows this introduction so vividly illustrates, many of the Classic’s distinguished alumni have reached the highest rungs on the Major League Baseball ladder.
There are, however, numbers that supersede those representing all the on-field successes. This marks the ninth straight year beautiful Petco Park, the home of the San Diego Padres, will host the PG All-American Classic and the 11th time in 12 years beautiful San Diego has served as the host city (the game was held at Tony Gwynn Stadium at San Diego State University in 2006-07).
Perfect Game’s San Diego experience has led to a mutually rewarding relationship with Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego, and through individual fund-raising efforts by the PG All-Americans themselves and with all proceeds generated by the Classic going to Rady, the event has raised more than $950,000 for pediatric cancer research and treatment over the past decade, with the hope of surpassing $1 million this year.
That is, indeed, the most impressive number associated with the Perfect Game All-American Classic. On the baseball side of the ledger, what follows is another look at the Classic, by the numbers …
• 663 total participants
• 141 MLB players
• 188 first-round draft picks
• 561 total draft picks
• 42 U.S. states represented (plus Canada, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic)
No. 1 overall picks in the MLB Draft: 9
Matt Bush, 2004 (Padres)
Justin Upton, 2005 (Diamondbacks)
Tim Beckham, 2008 (Rays)
Bryce Harper, 2010 (Nationals)
Gerrit Cole, 2011 (Pirates)
Carlos Correa, 2012 (Astros)
Brady Aiken, 2014 (Astros)
Mickey Moniak, 2016 (Phillies)
Royce Lewis, 2017 (Twins)
Major League Baseball Most Valuable Players: 4
Buster Posey, National League, 2012
Andrew McCutchen, National League, 2013
Bryce Harper, National League, 2015
Kris Bryant, National League, 2016
Major League Baseball Cy Young Awards: 1
Rick Porcello, American League, 2016
Major League Baseball Rookies of the Year: 7
Buster Posey, National League, 2010
Jeremy Hellickson, American League, 2011
Bryce Harper, National League, 2012
Jose Fernandez, National League, 2013
Kris Bryant, National League, 2015
Carlos Correa, American League, 2015
Corey Seager, National League, 2016
Major League Baseball All-Stars: 52 (appearances in parenthesis)
Andrew McCutchen (5)
Buster Posey (5)
Bryce Harper (5)
Madison Bumgarner (4)
Dellin Betances (4)
Justin Upton (3)
Kris Bryant (2)
Jose Fernandez (2)
Freddie Freeman (2)
Gio Gonzalez (2)
Francisco Lindor (2)
D.J. LeMahieu (2)
Corey Seager (2)
Gerrit Cole (1)
Dexter Fowler (1)
Yasmani Grandal (1)
Sonny Gray (1)
Eric Hosmer (1)
Addison Russell (1)
Aaron Sanchez (1)
Chris Tillman (1)
Jordan Walden (1)
Jason Heyward (1)
Carlos Correa (1)
Lance McCullers (1)
First PG All-American All-Star: Justin Upton, 2009
Major League Baseball All-Star Game MVP: 1
Eric Hosmer, 2016
Major League Baseball World Series MVP: 1
Madison Bumgarner, 2014 (also won the NLCS MVP the same year)
Comeback Players of the Year: 3
Buster Posey, National League, 2012
Matt Harvey, National League, 2015
Rick Porcello, American League, 2016
Batting Champions: 2
Buster Posey, National League, 2012
D.J. LeMahieu, National League, 2016
Rawlings Gold Glove Award winners (number in parenthesis): 12
Jason Heyward (4)
Eric Hosmer (3)
Andrew McCutchen (1)
D.J. LeMahieu (1)
Jeremy Hellickson (1)
Buster Posey (1)
Francisco Lindor (1)
Silver Sluggers (number in parenthesis): 14
Andrew McCutchen (4)
Buster Posey (3)
Justin Upton (2)
Madison Bumgarner (2)
Neil Walker (1)
Bryce Harper (1)
Corey Seager (1)
Golden Spikes Award winners: 4
Buster Posey, 2008
Bryce Harper, 2010
Mike Zunino, 2012
Kris Bryant, 2013
Locations: 5
2003: Hammond Stadium, Fort Myers, Fla.
2004: Ripken Stadium, Aberdeen, Md.
2005: Ripken Stadium, Aberdeen, Md.
2006: Tony Gwynn Stadium (San Diego State)
2007: Tony Gwynn Stadium (San Diego State)
2008: Dodger Stadium
2009-present: Petco Park
Quick hits
• 99 mph – event’s peak fastball velocity (Tyler Kolek in 2013)
• 442 feet – the distance Joey Gallo’s home run travelled in 2011
• 7 – number of players to hit a home run in the Classic (Matt Bush, Chris Nelson, Ike Davis, Robert Stock, John Tolisano, Tyler Marlette, Gallo)
• 2 – number of players to hit a home run in the Classic at Petco (Marlette, Gallo)
• 4 hits – Andrew McCutchen
• 3 RBI games – Tim Beckham, Chris Nelson, Kyle Skipworth, Josh Vitters
• 3 runs – Chris Nelson
• 4 stolen bases – Jason Heyward
• 5 strikeouts – Nick Adenhart, Jay Rainville, Mark Rogers and Jacob Turner (Adenhart did so in 3 innings, the others in 2)