It goes by a different name, but the Perfect Game All-American Classic still features some of the top rising senior baseball players in the United States.
Formerly called the Aflac All-American Game, the Perfect Game All-American Classic is now under the auspices of Perfect Game and is sponsored by Rawlings. This year's contest is set for PETCO Park in San Diego on Sunday, Aug. 14.
The contest features 46 of the top rising seniors as selected by Perfect Game. Stuart Chester of Cartersville (Ga.) guides the East squad while Andrew Nieto of Bishop Amat (La Puente, Calif.) heads the West squad.
The East features the top player in the state of New York in catcher Nelson Rodriguez of George Washington. He led the Trojans to the PSAL championship and was named the state MVP by the New York Sports Writers Association. He will be on the receiving end of the slants of Lance McCullers of Jesuit (Tampa, Fla.), who was the top pitcher in the Tampa area last season.
Others to watch include right-handed pitcher Taylore Cherry of Vandalia Butler (Dayton, Ohio), who was considered by some as the state's top pitcher last season. Addison Russell of Pace is the top slugging infielder while Hueytown outfielder Jameis Winston might be the best all-around athlete in the game. He figures to be one of the top quarterbacks in the country this year, as he recently committed to Florida State.
The West counters with plenty of pitching, including Utah state MVP Kayden Porter of Spanish Fork, Luca Giolito of Harvard Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.) and Hunter Virant of Camarillo (Calif.). The West might also have the edge at the plate thanks to the slugging exploits of infielder Joey Gallo of Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), who had 25 home runs last year, and Alex Bregman of Albuquerque Academy (N.M.), who had 19 homers.
Following is the roster for both teams.
East
Albert Almora, OF, Mater Academy Charter (Hialeah, Fla.), 6-2/175, R/R
Keon Barnum, 1B, King HS (Temple Terrace, Fla.), 6-4/224, L/L
Skye Bolt, OF, Holy Innocent's School (Woodstock, Ga.), 6-2/175, B/R
Taylore Cherry, RHP, Vandalia Butler HS (Dayton, Ohio), 6-9/260, R/R
Carlos Correa, IF, Puerto Rico Baseball Academy (Santa Isabel, P.R.), 6-4/190, R/R
Matthew Crownover, LHP, Ringgold HS (Ringgold, Ga.), 6-0/190, R/L
David Dahl, OF, Oak Mountain HS (Birmingham, Ala.), 6-2/185, L/R
Carson Fulmer, RHP, All Saints' Academy (Lakeland, Fla.), 6-1/190, R/R
Chris Harvey, C, Germantown Academy (Norristown, Pa.), 6-5/220, R/R
Josh Henderson, OF, Home Schooled (Suffolk, Va.), 6-0/185, L/L
Lance McCullers, RHP/IF, Jesuit HS (Tampa, Fla.), 6-2/200, L/R
Nelson Rodriguez, C, George Washington HS (New York City), 6-2/230, R/R
Addison Russell, IF, Pace HS (Pace, Fla.), 6-1/215, R/R
Clate Schmidt, RHP, Allatoona HS (Acworth, Ga.), 6-2/170, B/R
Corey Seager, IF, Northwest Cabarrus HS (Kannapolis, N.C.), 6-3/195, L/R
Tucker Simpson, RHP, Oxford HS (Oxford, Ala.), 6-7/220, R/R
Lucas Sims, RHP, Brookwood HS (Lawrenceville, Ga.), 6-2/195, R/R
Matthew Smoral, LHP, Solon HS (Solon, Ohio), 6-8/220, L/L
Duane Underwood, RHP, Pope HS (Marietta, Ga.), 6-2/205, R/R
Walker Weickel, RHP, Olympia HS (Orlando, Fla.), 6-6/205, R/R
Jesse Winker, OF, Olympia HS (Windermere, Fla.), 6-3/210, L/L
Jameis Winston, RHP/OF, Hueytown HS (Hueytown, Ala.), 6-5/200, B/R
Rhett Wiseman, OF, Buckingham Brown & Nichols School (Mansfield, Mass.), 6-1/195, L/R
West
Alex Bregman, IF/C, Albuquerque Academy (N.M.), 5-11/185, R/R
Ryan Burr, RHP, Highlands Ranch HS (Highlands Ranch, Colo.), 6-4/210, R/R
Austin Fairchild, LHP, St. Thomas HS (Deer Park, Texas), 6-0/175, R/L
Max Fried, LHP, Montclair College Prep (Encino, Calif.), 6-4/170, L/L
Joey Gallo, IF/RHP, Bishop Gorman HS (Henderson, Nev.), 6-5/200, L/R
Lucas Giolito, RHP, Harvard-Westlake HS (Santa Monica, Calif.), 6-6/230, R/R
Steven Golden, OF, Saint Francis HS (San Leandro, Calif.), 6-3/180, R/R
Jason Goldstein, C, Highland Park HS (Highland Park, Ill.), 5-11/190, R/R
Courtney Hawkins, OF/RHP, Mary Carroll HS (Corpus Christi, Texas), 6-2/215, R/R
CJ Hinojosa, IF, Klein Collins HS (Spring, Texas), 5-11/185, R/R
Ryan McNeil, RHP, Nipomo HS (Nipomo, Calif.), 6-3/210, R/R
Corey Oswalt, IF, James Madison HS (San Diego, Calif.), 6-4/200, R/R
Kayden Porter, RHP, Spanish Fork HS (Spanish Fork, Utah), 6-5/255, R/R
Cody Poteet, RHP, Christian HS (Bonita, Calif.), 6-0/178, R/R
Andrew Pullin, OF, Centralia HS (Centralia, Wash.), 6-0/185, L/B
Tanner Rahier, IF/RHP, Palm Desert HS (Indian Wells, Calif.), 6-2/205, R/R
Daniel Robertson, OF/IF, Upland HS (Upland, Calif.), 6-1/180, R/R
Rio Ruiz, IF/RHP, Bishop Amat HS (Covina, Calif.), 6-2/195, L/R
C.J. Saylor, C, South Hills HS (West Covina, Calif.), 5-10/180, R/R
Mitchell Traver, RHP, Houston Christian HS (Sugar Land, Texas), 6-7/235, R/R
Hunter Virant, LHP, Camarillo HS (Camarillo, Calif.), 6-3/172, R/L
Nick Williams, OF, Ball HS (LaMarque, Texas), 6-3/195, L/L
Trey Williams, IF, Valencia HS (Santa Clarita, Calif.), 6-2/206, R/R
