To put it bluntly, the 2016 Perfect Game All-American Classic on Sunday night was a borderline disaster, at least from a competitive standpoint. The West ended up beating the East squad 13-0 in a game that saw the East commit six errors, issue six walks and look overmatched in every aspect of the game. Numerous times I saw multiple scouts look visibly uncomfortable by the talent disparity, and there was a great sense of relief when the proceedings came to an end.
Fortunately -- for me, anyway -- I was there to scout the game, not evaluate the fairness of the teams, and there were some good things on display.
Here’s a look at the players that stood out in the Perfect Game All-American Classic:
West roster
If it’s possible for a player to establish themselves as the best player in the class from just a summer, Hunter Greene from Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, California, might have done it. Greene started the game on the mound, and he was 94-97 mph with his fastball, showing an above-average slider -- though not consistently -- and average changeup. If that weren’t enough, he also put on a show during batting practice, and ended up winning the home run derby before the game. Add in the fact that he can hold his own at shortstop, and you have a special player. He’s almost assuredly going to be drafted as a pitcher, but if that doesn’t work out, a power-hitting middle infielder is a pretty nice fallback.