THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION

| 2,210 MLB PLAYERS | 15,134 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS

2,210 MLB PLAYERS | 15,134 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS

Create Account

Tournaments | Story | 12/13/2024

Finest in the Field: Class of 2029

Jheremy Brown

Finest in the Field: Class of 2025 | Class of 2026 | Class of 2027 | Class of 2028

Catcher: Nateo Victorio, Suisun City, CA

Victorio may be known more for his bat, and rightfully so given the fact he’s truly a barrel machine, but we can’t overlook what he brings to behind the plate. Playing for ZT Elite during the summer we’ve been able to see him handle big arms throughout any given tournament and he does so with confidence and consistency. Jump to the 13u Select Festival and we were able to see the arm, delivering accurate strikes down to second base to halt the running game, an element that’ll only continue to develop with additional strength.

First Base: Colton Windham, Lakeside, CA

It’s not hard to see the potential for Windham’s path to diverge in a variety of ways long-term given his overall athleticism, something that helps him land this spot at first base. A right-handed pitcher who works in the low-80s with low effort and a powerful left-handed stick, wherever Windham ultimately calls home, his athleticism will be a focal point. He moves well on his feet around the bag, showing softness to his hands that could lead to him playing on the left side of the diamond on top of the obvious arm strength he has at his disposal.

MIF: Brandon Manivong, San Ramon, CA

Whatever it is you’re looking for in a young, premium defender, Manivong is more than likely your guy. The winner of the Rawlings Gold Glove Defender of the Year at his year’s 13u Select Festival, Manivong does everything free and easy in the dirt, playing with a sense of free flowing athleticism that allows for ample range to either side, whether is a sliding play in the hole and a 360-jump throw up the middle. The internal clock is special as is his ability to manipulate his footwork on the charge play, always seeming to be in prime positions to make a strong throw across.

MIF: Paris Head, Chicago, IL

Head broke out this past summer circuit, his first on the national scene, and he currently finds himself situated within the top 20, partly on the strength of his defensive profile. A lean and mobile 5-10/160, Head will quickly draw you in with the snatch he possesses in his hands, picking the ball on the backhand with the same confidence his peers exude on the forehand, speaking to the overall level of his abilities. Couple the glove and footwork with an arm that already flirts with the mid-80s on the bump and this young Chicagoan is one you’ll need to know.

3B: Dylan Mercado, Houston, TX

Lauded for his two-way ability over the last couple of years, Mercado has really begun to take off as a power hitting third baseman, though he’s far from a bat-first profile at the hot corner. The same athleticism that allows him to pump the strike zone on the mound thanks to his body control and ability to replicate his operation transition well to third base where he moves around with balance and bounce. Mercado’s arm is a weapon as he’s capable of making both the flat footed and off balance throws while his agility allows him to play off the line a bit and cover more space in the dirt.

OF: Carter Nash, Dorman, SC

There’s no other way to put it; Carter Nash demanded the attention of everybody watching at this year’s 14u National All State Games for his display both in the batter’s box and out in center field. The home runs and loud contact have become somewhat expected to this point, but it’s the plays he made out in center field that are a big part of what helped him climb up the ranks into the top 10. His first step quickness, athleticism and closing speed were all consistently on display throughout the weekend as he was able to shrink the gaps with closing speed, stealing what looked like easy extra-bases off of the bat.

OF: Evan Thompson, Gilbert, AZ

Thompson could have very easily found himself down in the utility spot as we’ve seen him play in major events all over the diamond, from his primary position of outfield to first base and even behind the plate where he continues to make strides. A long and athletic, agile 6-foot-1, Thompson showed well in the outfield throughout the 2024 circuit and into the fall thanks to clean and repeatable actions, a testament to his overall athleticism. His arm action is loose and the ball comes out of his hand cleanly, showing accuracy to the intended base while making runners think twice about advancing on balls out his way.

OF: Brody Taylor, Mickelton, NJ

Despite it happening at one of the first big events of the year, the play Taylor made charging into foul territory along the right field line before going full extension at the Beast of the East won’t soon be forgotten for the sheer ground he covered, especially given his physicality. The pure strength in the left-handed batter’s box will be what people come to know Taylor for, but his abilities in right field, along with his arm strength, are weapons that can’t be overlooked as they show up in big spots time and time again.

P: Russell Nelson, Gilbert, AZ

Filling out the pitcher spot in an exercise like this is never the easiest as arms seeing enough of any one pitch make an impact defensively on the mound is a tough thing to do. But when you have somebody like Nelson who plays all over the field and does so with one of the bigger arms in the class, you can start to paint a picture. He’s both loose and athletic on the mound with his operation and his fastball is one of the bigger ones in the class, something that translates into the outfield where he’s a high energy defender and possesses some serious arm strength as we saw throughout the 14u National All State Games this fall with several accurate bullets to the intended target.

UTL: Peyton Lopez, New Caney, TX

The middle infield in this class is already looking to be a strong point and given Lopez’s overall athleticism and skill set (6.9 runner, 83 mph arm), we’ll stick him at the utility spot since he can play anywhere in the dirt at a high level. There’s no doubting the body control from Lopez as he has shown the lateral range to either side, as well as the balance to complete the charge play while throwing across his body. Lopez’s arm is one of the better ones in the class and it’s a weapon that allows him an extra second to gather and set his feet as opposed to rushing the process to speed up the release.

PERFECTGAME.TV

Give us your feedback

Class of 2028 Tourney All-American Team
It’s to no surprise that these teams are chalked full of talented young prospects as many of the players ranked in the Top 100 of this class fill up both sets of Tournament All-American teams, but there are many individuals on these lists that aren’t yet ranked and performed at a level this year that is recognized.

Class of 2029 Tourney All-American Team
We'll open up by saying this; putting together these two teams wasn't an easy task and we could've easily filled another 2 teams without breaking a sweat. There's a mix of Festivalers from last year's 13u game, top 100 ranked players and others who put together spectacular 2024 campaigns and are more than deserving of this recognition.

Class of 2027 Tourney All-American Team
A pair of PG Select Festival alum, Caden Dawson and Kaiden McCarthy, take home Player and Pitcher of the Year honors as we look into the Class of 2027 Tourney All-American list.

Class of 2026 Tourney All-American Team
Today we dive into the Class of 2026 Tournament All-Americans which saw lots of loud performances throughout the circuit.

PERFECTGAME.TV