PG Junior National: 40 Standout Players For 2025

The Perfect Game Junior National Showcase is one of the premier events of the summer to get updated looks at some of the best players in the 2025 class.

Top 2025 prospects like outfielder Dean Moss, righthander Seth Hernandez, shortstop/righthander Billy Carlson and shortstop Kayson Cunningham were all there and showed why they’re highly-regarded players.

Several other players showed they have taken significant steps forward in their development this year and should start to garner more attention the rest of the summer and beyond as the 2025 MLB Draft approaches.

These were 40 players who stood out at PG Junior National, with reports and videos included.

Seth Hernandez, RHP, California

Hernandez is the No. 1 pitcher in the class and the Vanderbilt commit showed why at PG Junior National. He carved through hitters for two innings, with strikeouts against all three hitters he faced in his second inning that ended with a 95 mph fastball. Hernandez has a great pitcher’s frame (6-foot-4, 190 pounds) with more projection left, a fastball that has been up to 96 mph and was 89-95 mph here with good extension. Hernandez filled the strike zone and could have run through hitters with just his fastball, but he showed two swing-and-miss secondaries as well. His sharp curveball in the upper 70s had power and bite with spin in the 2,700 to 2,800 range. His low-80s changeup had good separation off his fastball with lively fade and sink, doubling up on it for back-to-back swinging strikes to put one hitter away. All the projection arrows are pointing the right way for Hernandez, who looks like a potential first-round pick in a couple of years.

Cannon Goldin, OF, Georgia

Goldin has been an arrow-up player to start the summer, ranking No. 19 in the 2025 class. He’s a lean but strong, athletic 6 feet, 180 pounds with a good mix of hitting ability, speed and instincts at a premium position. He’s a lefty who has quiet hands at the plate, taking a tight turn to the ball with a quick swing. Goldin is an aggressive hitter ready to attack the first pitch, but he takes mature, quality at-bats consistently with occasional home run power to his pull side and hard contact all over the field. A Mississippi commit, he’s a potential top-of-the-lineup hitter who can get on base and use his plus speed to his advantage both on offense and in center field, where he has a strong arm.

Bryden Bull, OF, Nevada

The No. 43 player in the 2025 class, Bull sticks out right away for his size (6-foot-4, 190 pounds) and fluid lefthanded swing. For a young, long-limbed hitter, Bull does a good job of keeping his swing relatively compact and adjustable with good feel for the barrel. He drilled a fastball for a double over the center fielder’s head, pulled a fastball for a line-drive single to right field and nearly had another extra-base hit when he sent a fastball on the outer third the opposite way for a fly out to the left field warning track. He’s a corner outfielder with a good combination of hitting ability and power that should continue to grow with room to add another 20-plus pounds to his frame. He’s uncommitted for college.

Kayson Cunningham, SS, Texas

Cunningham offers a polished look for his age both at the plate and in the field as the No. 13 player for 2025. He’s 5-foot-9, 170 pounds with short levers that help him stay quick and compact with his lefthanded swing. He took quality at-batsand showed the adjustability in his swing to barrel balls in all quadrants, including a single that he lined the opposite way off a fastball on the outer third. A Texas Tech commit, Cunningham is one of the more advanced hitters in the 2025 class with a hit-over-power profile. He’s also a plus runner who showed good defensive instincts, with his best play coming at shortstop sliding to field a grounder up the middle and getting up quickly for the throw to first base for the out.

Dean Moss, OF, California

Moss is a California native who plays at IMG Academy in Brandeton, Fla. and is one of the elite hitters in the 2025 class. Moss is playing up a level this summer with 2024s on the Canes National team, and he left the event early to join them for the USA Baseball 17U National Team Championships, but it didn’t take long for Moss to stand out. A Vanderbilt commit ranked No. 7 in the class, Moss is 6 feet, 175 pounds with some of the best bat speed in the class. That helps him produce raw power that’s on par with hitters in the class who outweigh him by 40 to 50 pounds, with Moss able to whip the barrel through the zone in a hurry and drive the ball for extra-base damage. It’s a good balance of hitting ability and power, with Moss showing a discerning eye for the strike zone to get on base at a high clip. He’s an average runner who should continue to develop in center field, though long term most likely fits in a corner.

Billy Carlson, SS/RHP, California

A Vanderbilt commit ranked No. 5 for 2025, Carlson had some of the best defensive actions at PG Junior National. He’s an explosive, springy athlete at shortstop with a good first step. He’s a fluid mover with quick feet, good body control and a swift transfer to a plus arm. All the attributes are there for Carlson to stick at shortstop, and while he didn’t collect any hits in his four at-bats, he showed impressive power in batting practice, driving a couple balls over the fence with additional deep shots to the warning track. At a lean 6-foot-1, 160 pounds, there’s plenty of physical projection for Carlson to grow into more power. Carlson also pitched in relief but only faced one batter before rain ended the game early. Even in a brief glimpse under suboptimal conditions, Carlson impressed as an athletic righthander with a fastball up to 92 mph and tight rotation on a 75-77 mph curveball with spin upwards of 2,800 rpm.

Sebastian Norman, 3B, Missouri

Norman is a behemoth for 16 at 6-foot-2, 225 pounds, built like a defensive end with extraordinary strength especially in his lower half. That physicality enables him to just flick his wrists and have the ball fly off his bat with some of the best raw power in the class. With the way his swing works, he doesn’t yet generate natural loft, so there should be even more game power to unlock with the right adjustments. The potential for plus to plus-plus raw power with Norman is obvious. What’s more startling to see is his speed. Norman ran the 60-yard dash in 6.50 seconds here and has clocked 6.4-second times before, making him a plus-plus runner underway. It’s jarring to see a player that size move the way he does, and his strong arm at third base (he was up to 92 mph on the mound) is another weapon for a player with some of the best tools in the class. He’s the No. 40 player in the class and an Oklahoma State commit. 

Josh Hammond, RHP, North Carolina

At 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, Hammond has a strong build, sinks deep into his legs in his delivery and generates fast arm speed to generate a fastball that reached 94 mph. It’s a lively fastball that rides up in the strike zone, helping him get swing-and-miss when he attacks hitters up with his heater. He leaned heavily on a hard slider in the low 80s with tight spin and sharp break, showing the properties to become a bat-missing pitch for him with more refinement of the shape of the pitch. It’s a power arsenal for the No. 18 player in the class and Wake Forest commit. 

Richie Swain, RHP, Missouri

Swain is an uncommitted pitcher who should generate plenty of interest from top college programs with some of the best stuff and projection in the class. He breezed through his two-inning outing, retiring all six hitters he faced with three strikeouts. Swain pitched at 88-92 mph, getting seven swings and misses on the 21 fastballs he threw. At 6-foot-4, 190 pounds, Swain has significant physical projection left to be able to throw harder with another 30-plus pounds he could add. The ball comes out of his hand from a low release height, creating difficult angle for hitters, with a head whack to finish his delivery. Swain showed feel to spin a mid-70s curveball, landing it for a strike on eight of the nine pitches he threw.

Sean Gamble, SS/OF, Iowa

Gamble is an Iowa native who attends IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. and was one of the best hitters on the team as a sophomore in a powerhouse lineup. The No. 2 player in the 2025 class, Gamble showed big tools and athleticism at PG Junior National. It’s a power/speed combination with plus speed and an extremely fast bat from an aggressive lefthanded swing that should give him at least plus raw power as well. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound Gamble also made an impressive defensive play at second base, ranging into the 4-3 hole on a ground ball to turn, spin and make a clean throw to first base for the out. He’s uncommitted for college.

Jackson Miller, OF, Florida

An Ole Miss commit, Miller has shown a good mix of athleticism, tools and hitting ability from a premium position. He’s 6 feet, 180 pounds and a quick-twitch athlete who ran the 60-yard dash in 6.44 seconds and showed a strong arm from the outfield. Miller has fast hands and makes hard contact from the right side of the plate—two of his 10 swings in batting practice resulted in baseballs landing over the left field fence—with an accurate barrel in games.

Everett Johnson, OF, North Carolina

Johnson is one of the most polished, instinctive players in the class with an excellent baseball IQ that’s evident in all facets of the game. The North Carolina State commit is 5-foot-9, 165 pounds with a small strike zone, good plate discipline and an accurate barrel from the left side to help him get on base at a high clip with a hit-over-power profile. He doubled in one of his two at-bats here, showing his plus speed on the play, with the range and quick reads off the bat that will allow him to stick in center field.

Mason Greenhouse, OF/RHP, California

A Miami commit, Greenhouse might have had the most spectacular tool at the event. He has a plus-plus arm, one that might end up an 80 on the 20-80 scale. He has outstanding physical projection at 6-foot-4, 185 pounds, tremendous arm speed and had his outfield throws clocked up to 99 mph in the workout. He then did it in the game, catching a fly ball in right field with a runner tagging up on second base. Greenhouse fired a laser to third base in the air and on target to erase the runner with plenty of room to spare. He’s a good athlete as well with above-average speed. It’s ideal physical projection, athleticism and arm speed for a pitcher, and while Greenhouse does have pitching experience, he didn’t pitch at this event. He has an uppercut righthanded swing with much more power that should come once he fills out.

Ryan Mitchell, SS, Tennessee

During both the workout and in games, Mitchell showed a well-rounded skill set. A Georgia Tech commit ranked No. 24 for 2025, Mitchell is 6 feet, 175 pounds, moved well at shortstop and drove the ball well to the middle of the field from the left side of the plate in batting practice. In his first trip to the plate, Mitchell faced one of the better pitchers at the event and drew a walk. They keep the hitter at the plate after a walk in the showcase setting, so Mitchell stayed at the plate and singled off a 90 mph fastball, getting the barrel into the hitting zone early to catch the ball deep and hit a line drive to left field. He attacked a first-pitch fastball for a single up the middle in his next at-bat, going 2-for-4 at the event.

Jacob Kendall, OF, Florida

Kendall has stood out from an early age as one of the most advanced lefthanded hitters for 2025. He’s a Florida commit ranked No. 8 for 2025 and showcased a direct, smooth lefthanded swing with good bat speed here. He’s 6-foot-1, 175 pounds with a knack for finding the barrel and driving the ball in the air in games, with hard contact now that should develop into even more power given the strength projection left in his frame.

Aidan West, SS, Maryland

West showed the ability to generate good loft and carry in batting practice. It’s his hittability from the left side that stands out the most for West, who is coming off a big spring campaign as a sophomore and starting to generate more national attention. At 6-foot-1, 190 pounds, West is an above-average runner who should continue to develop at shortstop but could fit at third or second base in pro ball. He’s a North Carolina State commit.

Eddie Zaun, SS, Florida

Zaun is off to a strong start this summer, hitting well from the right side at the National Program Invitational right before this showcase. A Miami commit, Zaun is 6 feet, 185 pounds and showed surprising power for his size right away, sending balls into the trees beyond left field on two of his 10 BP swings. It translated in games, too, as Zaun doubled to center field on a slider, pulled a fastball for a line drive to left field and stayed back on a changeup that he stung for hard contact the opposite way for a fly out to right field.

Micah Matthews, OF, Virginia

Matthews stood out at an early age for his size and athleticism. He’s 6-foot-3, 200 pounds and is running even better now than he did last summer, clocking in at 6.42 seconds in the 60-yard dash. That gives him a greater chance to stick in center field with a chance to be a power/speed threat. He took quality at-bats here as well, working a pair of walks in one game and drilling a 1-0 slider for a single to left field. Matthews is a South Carolina commit and the No. 49 player in the class.

Omar Serna, C, Texas

Serna (No. 35 in the class) had arguably the best raw power at PG Junior National. He’s physically advanced for his age with a big 6-foot-2, 225-pound frame, with that strength helping him launch three balls out of the park in batting practice. It’s big righthanded power and arm strength for Serna, an LSU commit who showed a plus arm clocked at 86 mph from behind the plate during the workout and reached 94 mph when he got on the mound in a game.

Gustavo Melendez, SS, Puerto Rico

At 5-foot-8, 150 pounds, Melendez is a smaller shortstop who is one of the younger players in the 2025 class, as he will still be 17 on draft day. He’s a fluid defender at shortstop, moving his feet well laterally with a strong arm for his age that should tick up more given his youth and arm speed. He’s a lefthanded hitter who showed good bat control and takes advantage of his small strike zone with a patient approach to help him get on base. Melendez is committed to Wake Forest.

Trent Grindlinger, C, California

At 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, Grindlinger is a tall, strong catcher with a mature tool set for his age. He made consistent hard contact from the right side in batting practice, sending one ball over the left-center field fence, and showed a solid-average arm behind the plate. He showed off his arm in-game with two caught stealings and continued making hard contact in-game with a double into the right-center field gap. Grindlinger is uncommitted for college.

Blane Metz, RHP, Indiana

An Indiana commit, Metz has a strong build (6-foot-3, 200 pounds), a sound delivery and a power fastball for his age that he ran up to 93 mph. His fastball had good carry, helping him get swing-and-miss when he elevated it. The fastball was the best pitch in this outing for Metz, who mixed in a 75-78 mph slider that he used for a swinging strikeout to end his outing, along with a firm changeup in the mid 80s.

Boston Kellner, SS, Colorado

Kellner (No. 34 in the class) is a physical slugger who showed off his power right away in batting practice, depositing a home run high up into the trees beyond the left field wall. A Louisville commit, Kellner moves well for his size with a tick above-average speed underway and he has a strong arm, likely fitting best at third base or in right field in pro ball.

Blake Ilitch, RHP, Michigan

The No. 42 player in the class, Ilitch pitched well here, striking out two without allowing a walk in his two innings. He’s 6-foot-4, 200 pounds and pitched at 89-93 mph from his high three-quarter slot. He threw two breaking balls—an upper-70s curveball with good depth and a harder slider at 81-84 mph—and showed feel for a changeup with good fade that should become a bigger weapon for him with more experience. Ilitch is a Duke commit.

Manny Lantigua, SS, Florida

One of the youngest players in the 2025 class, Lantigua doesn’t turn 16 until after the summer, but he’s already one of the best defensive shortstops for 2025. At 6 feet, 175 pounds and No. 45 in the class, Lantigua is not a burner runner, but he has a quick first step off the bat, is light on his feet with soft hands and fluid actions to go with a strong arm that should continue to tick up. Lantigua’s defense is his calling card, but he did a good job keeping his hands back on a slider that he lined for a single to center field from the right side of the plate. He’s a switch hitter who showed more pop from the right side. Lantigua is committed to Florida State.

Evan Hankins, 1B/OF, Virginia

At 6-foot-5, 215 pounds, Hankins is a physically imposing lefthanded slugger and the No. 39 player for 2025. He showed big-time strength and bat speed, with the leverage in his swing to drive the ball in the air with some of the best raw power in the class. It’s a power-over-hit profile, with Hankins restricted to an outfield corner or first base, with power that should fit at either spot. He’s a Tennessee commit.

Grant Wren, RHP, Arkansas

An Arkansas commit, Wren (No. 36 for 2025) is 6-foot-4, 190 pounds and attacks hitters with downhill plane from his high three-quarter slot. His fastball ranged from 86-91 mph and has been higher in the past with the projection for mid-90s or better velocity coming. While he didn’t have his best fastball command in this outing, the way his fastball moves should allow him to get more swing-and-miss when he pitches up in the zone. Wren’s fastball showed the most promise, but he was able to get three swings and misses on his mid-70s curveball as well.

Jackson Roper, SS, Florida

Roper showed well on both sides of the ball. At 5-foot-10, 185 pounds, Roper has a short, simple swing from the right side with gap power. It translated in games, where Roper attacked a first-pitch fastball for a double to left field and drilled a 1-2 fastball for an opposite-field line drive single to right. An average runner, Roper also showed good hands, footwork and body control at shortstop with a strong arm that will play at the position. He’s a Florida commit.

Lamar Edwards, OF, Florida

Edwards has a strong, powerful build at 6-foot-2, 190 pounds and showed some of the biggest raw power at the event. He’s a lefthanded outfielder whose BP was pull-heavy, but in-game against one of the better pitchers at the event, he hammered a fastball up on the outer third into the left-center field gap for a triple. He moves surprisingly well underway for his size with average speed, fitting best as a corner outfielder. Edwards is a Duke commit.

Zion Theophilus, RHP, Ohio

An LSU commit, Theophilus pitched out of the stretch only and operated at 88-91 mph. It’s a quick arm and an aggressive delivery, with the projection in his 6-foot-2, 180-pound frame for more velocity to come. He mixed in a solid slider in the low 80s that changed planes to help him miss bats.

Joe Forbes, C, Arizona

At 6-foot-2, 195 pounds, Forbes has a strong build and produced plenty of hard contact in batting practice. It carried over into the game as well when he pulled an 89 mph fastball in a 3-2 count for a double into the left-center field gap. He threw well in the workout as well with an average arm that could tick up in the coming years. He’s an Arizona commit.

Vincent DeCarlo, C, Florida

North Carolina State always has high-end catching talent and it has another quality recruit with DeCarlo. At 5-foot-11, 185 pounds, DeCarlo is one of the better defensive catchers in the 2025 class. He’s an athletic catcher with good actions behind the plate, soft hands, quick feet and an above-average arm.

Jax Bishop, RHP, Georgia

A Tennessee commit, Bishop showed a fast arm, easy operation and good physical projection as he struck out four batters in two innings. He’s 6-foot-2, 160 pounds, giving him a lot of space to fill out and grow a fastball that touched 91 mph in this look. It comes out of his hand with little effort in what should be a repeatable delivery to help him throw strikes and generate good extension. Bishop’s fastball was his most promising pitch, but he also used his curveball effectively, getting a four-pitch strikeout against a righty on four straight curveballs that finished with a swinging strikeout.

Carter Christenson, SS, Ohio

At 5-foot-10, 150 pounds, Christenson doesn’t stand out right away physically, but he showed impressive tools and explosiveness here. He’s a plus-plus runner with a quick first step who moved well at shortstop, where he showed a fast arm that’s strong for his age and should be a plus tool. He also stung the ball with surprising carry off his bat for his size during batting practice, including one shot over the left field wall. Christenson is a West Virginia commit.

Ethan Moore, SS, Illinois

Moore showed some of the better defensive actions among shortstops at the event. He’s 5-foot-11, 180 pounds with a strong lower half, moving his feet well with secure hands. A Louisville commit, Moore’s defense stood out the most in this look, but his switch-hitting ability will make him even more appealing to clubs at the next level.

Evan Damario, C, Missouri

Both offensively and defensively, Damario showed efficient movements, with tools that should take another jump once he layers more strength on to his 6-foot, 175-pound frame. A Missouri commit, Damario demonstrated good catch-and-throw skills for his age with a quick transfer and an accurate arm. He has a compact, balanced swing from the right side with little wasted movement, a stroke he showed when he kept his hands inside a fastball that he pulled for a home run over the left field wall.

Gavin Stedman, RHP, Florida

Stedman fired two perfect innings, retiring all six batters he faced with two strikeouts while matching up against some of the top hitters at the showcase. He’s an athletic righthander at 6 feet, 185 pounds who pounded the strike zone with an 87-90 mph fastball from a compact, efficient arm action. He helped separate himself with some of the better breaking stuff at the event, mixing both a curveball and slider that could blend together at times, but both had tight rotation and depth to miss bats. Stedman is uncommitted for college.

Caleb Barnett, 3B, Alabama

Barnett is 6-foot-5, 210 pounds with big power from the right side. An Alabama commit, Barnett has long levers that he will have to work to keep compact and make enough contact, but there’s potential for plus raw power. The results in-game were good as well in his four trips to the plate, with a walk, a single and a home run on a fastball at the belt that he pulled over the left field fence.

Ty Kennedy, SS, Florida

At 5-foot-10, 165 pounds, Kennedy has a simple swing from the right side geared for line drives. He walked and chipped in two hits during the games, pulling a slider down the line for a single that the third baseman was able to dive to prevent it from becoming an extra-base hit, along with a fastball that he lined for a single to center field. The most impressive moments for the Oklahoma State commit came on the defensive side. While playing shortstop, Kennedy made a nice play coming in on ground ball to his right to get the out at first base, then while playing second he ranged well into the 4-3 hole on a grounder to prevent a hit and get the out at first, showing good body control on both plays.

A.J. Terry, SS, New Jersey

Terry, a North Carolina commit, is 6 feet, 175 pounds and showed good footwork with fluid actions at shortstop in the workout, then looked smooth fielding his position well during the game. He hit well in the game, too, driving a first-pitch fastball for a double to left-center field.