Future Games 'A True One-Stop-Shop' For Recruiting
August 4, 2023
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The 12th annual Future Games took place on July 26-29 at LakePoint in Emerson, Georgia. Top uncommitted prospects in the classes of 2025 and 2026 participated in one of the most popular events of the year.
There were 32 teams, including Team Canada, with players representing 44 states plus Canadian prospects. Each team played three games the final three days of the event after all position players were put through a showcase workout on Wednesday. More than 375 college coaches from across the country were looking on as approximately 500 players participated in this year’s event.
Team Canada went 1-1-1, defeating Team Connecticut on Thursday, tying Team Massachusetts on Friday, while losing to Team New York on Saturday.
Future Games ‘A True One-Stop-Shop’ For Recruiting
***To view all the stats/articles related to the 2023 Future Games, click here.
EMERSON, Ga. - The Future Games just keep getting better and better.
The Prep Baseball Report event that initially began in 2011 continues to draw more interest from college coaches, with a record 375 in attendance this year to watch 32 teams with players from 44 states and four Canadian provinces.
“The coaches are what stood out to me, 375 college coaches paid a visit to see the finest uncommitted underclassmen in the country,” related Shooter Hunt, vice president of scouting for PBR. “With the NCAA rule changes in effect, it was astounding seeing some of the premier programs in the country bringing FOUR coaches to cover the event. I think that more than quantifies the significance and importance of the event from the recruiting side. It was a true one-stop-shop.”
For the second year in a row, the schedules for each team featured different opponents from previous years at the Future Games.
“We are constantly reevaluating the process and trying to keep things fresh,” explained Hunt. “A significant amount of time goes into cultivating the scheduling of workout day and game schedule, and I don't think anything is off the table for 2024 including a potential lottery ball drawing … but I also understand the importance of rivalry games and wouldn't be surprised to see rivalries like the Ohio-Michigan battle back on the board for ’24.”
A year ago, Canada lost close games with Mississippi and Alabama while tying Arizona in an eight-inning game. This time around, Canada defeated Connecticut, tied Massachusetts following a lightning delay, and lost to New York.
“Of course in a big showcase event, the results on the scoreboard don’t matter quite as much but you always want to win all three,” explained Cam Black-Araujo, PBR Canada scout and one of the coaches for Team Canada at the Future Games. “Our team competed really well in the first two games, picking up a win and a tie. Our bats put the ball in play and our arms threw strikes, leading to a pair of highly-competitive games. The final game our bats were somewhat tamed by some solid New York pitchers but the arms once again impressed and kept the game within reach.”
Facing new teams was enjoyable according to the scout for PBR Canada.
“It was always fun to play under the old format due to our close ties with those states, but playing new states each year allows our players to get harder looks from the schools in the different states we now play,” pointed out Black-Araujo. “Typically the Canadian players like to play U.S. teams that are further from Canada - as they typically see players from Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania in tournaments - and this new format allows that to happen.”
As for how Team Canada showed at the event, Black-Araujo was more than pleased with what he saw.
“What stood out most to me this year on the Canadian side was the amount of underage players we brought to the event,” Black-Araujo said. “We had three 2026 players on the team and one 2027, compared to the one or two we typically have. All four looked the part and were not out of place at an event with some of the top 2025s in the U.S. and Canada.
“Another thing that stood out in the event as a whole was the talent on the Junior Future Games side. We saw and played against plenty of young players who no doubt could have taken the field on the Future Games side and fit right in.”
Team Canada had an enormous amount of strong performances during the workout day and the three games that followed during the event.
“I was excited with the players we were able to put together for this year’s Future Games and they didn’t disappoint,” Black-Araujo noted. “I was impressed with every single arm on our team that took the mound. They all flashed what they’re capable of with plenty of strikes, and showcased the velocities we were hoping and expecting. Our positional players balled out on Showcase Day and had schools excited for when gameplay began. The big moment of the event came on Friday night following a weather delay with Quinn Carson going deep off the scoreboard under the LakePoint lights.”
Hunt saw a lot to like in the team from Canada.
“Team Canada always brings it,” Hunt pointed out. “Shoot, they have an entire country to pull from! The bats did not disappoint, and a few of their arms are likely to have their phone batteries drained by college coaches on Aug. 1 and after.”
The new rule regarding contact between college coaches and players not being permitted until Aug. 1 was seen as a positive.
“I like the idea of the rule a lot,” Hunt explained. “Allowing the coaches to evaluate over a longer period will hopefully lead to better decisions and less need for the Transfer Portal. You cannot blame the coaches for the ‘arms race’ that the recruiting world had become where recruiting quantity held a quality on its own. However, now, with the luxury of time to evaluate, look for the process to be slowed down a bit. I see the Future Games playing an even more pivotal part in the process given its massive number of uncommitted players who have been evaluated by trusted PBR state directors and scouts.”
The Junior Future Games, featuring mostly 2027 and 2028 players, is also affected by the new rule which does not permit coaches to talk with players until Aug. 1 heading into junior year of high school.
“As for the Junior Future Games, the ability to get more looks in front of college coaches, or their trusted PBR sources, is of massive importance because while the recruiting process has been slowed down, the need for recruiters to ‘hit the ground running’ has sped up,” Hunt said. “Being added to a list as a follow helps college programs once they turn the page to each new class.”
For Black-Araujo, the rule change was not a big deal.
“We typically didn't see any players commit immediately after the event so it is not a big change there among Canadians,” Black-Araujo said.
Even without official contact, players can see who is interested in the world of social media.
“After I hit a homer in game two I had about seven coaches follow me on Twitter,” noted Carson, a 2025 from Oakville, Ontario.
Black-Araujo, along with PBR Canada Scouting Director George Halim, see a bright future for those that wore Canada across their chest.
“George and myself were extremely excited with the roster we put together this year,” Black-Araujo said. “We only had three Future Games eligible players who are committed, which helped create a loaded roster. We had over 10 schools comment on the depth of talent we brought to Georgia and even had a text from a PBR employee during Josiah Romeo’s start, saying ‘the college coaches in the tower are buzzing with chatter right now.’
“With the calendar now flipped to August, I would expect plenty of our arms and positional players to draw significant interest going forward at the college level.”
A PBR thank you to all that participated and a special thanks to the players on Team Canada that gave their thoughts about the event (including what schools have been in contact with them since Aug. 1):
***** If you were on Team Canada and did not share your thoughts, feel free to email us and we will get them included within this article.
The Arms
Shane Brinham LHP / OF / Handsworth, BC / 2025Rankings StateRank: 7 / POS: 1
PBR: What were your Future Games highlights? PBR: Assess your performance. PBR: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Canada and what stood out. PBR: Touch on the competition you faced at the event. PBR: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future? |
Austin Collins RHP / RHP / Foothills Composite, AB / 2025PBR: What were your Future Games highlights? PBR: Assess your performance. PBR: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Canada and what stood out. PBR: Touch on the competition you faced at the event. PBR: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future? PBR: What, if any, college coaches have you been in contact with since the event ended and the Aug. 1 deadline has been reached? |
Ben Goodacre RHP / Ancaster, ON / 2025Rankings StateRank: 3 / POS: 1
PBR: What were your Future Games highlights? PBR: Assess your performance. PBR: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Canada and what stood out. PBR: Touch on the competition you faced at the event. PBR: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future? PBR: What, if any, college coaches have you been in contact with since the event ended and the Aug. 1 deadline has been reached? |
William Labonte RHP / Okotoks Dawgs Academy, AB / 2026PBR: What were your Future Games highlights? PBR: Assess your performance. PBR: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Canada and what stood out. PBR: Touch on the competition you faced at the event. PBR: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future? |
Robert Scalzo RHP / Lambrick Park, BC / 2025Rankings StateRank: 2 / POS: 1
PBR: What were your Future Games highlights? PBR: Assess your performance. PBR: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Canada and what stood out. PBR: Touch on the competition you faced at the event. PBR: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future? PBR: What, if any, college coaches have you been in contact with since the event ended and the Aug. 1 deadline has been reached? |
Lucas St-Laurent RHP / 2B / Ecole Okotoks, AB / 2026PBR: What were your Future Games highlights? PBR: Assess your performance. PBR: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Canada and what stood out. PBR: Touch on the competition you faced at the event. PBR: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future? PBR: What, if any, college coaches have you been in contact with since the event ended and the Aug. 1 deadline has been reached? |
Alex Uher RHP / USS, ON / 2025Rankings StateRank: 10 / POS: 3
***Waiting to hear back |
The Two-Way Prospects
Josiah Romeo SS / RHP / Mayfield Secondary School, ON / 2025PBR: What were your Future Games highlights? PBR: Assess your performance. PBR: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Canada and what stood out. PBR: Touch on the competition you faced at the event. PBR: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future? |
Adyn Schell 3B / RHP / Martingrove CI, ON / 2026Rankings StateRank: 3 / POS: 1
***Waiting to hear back |
The Catchers
Benjamin Kautto C / OF / Western Technical Commercial, ON / 2025PBR: What were your Future Games highlights? PBR: Assess your performance. PBR: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Canada and what stood out. PBR: Touch on the competition you faced at the event. PBR: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future? PBR: What, if any, college coaches have you been in contact with since the event ended and the Aug. 1 deadline has been reached? |
Lukas Le Gras C / 3B / Lambrick Park, BC / 2025Rankings StateRank: 4 / POS: 1
***Waiting to hear back |
The Infielders
Justin Boisjoly SS / 2B / TNXL Academy, FL / 2026PBR: What were your Future Games highlights? PBR: Assess your performance. PBR: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Canada and what stood out. PBR: Touch on the competition you faced at the event. PBR: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future? PBR: What, if any, college coaches have you been in contact with since the event ended and the Aug. 1 deadline has been reached? |
Philip Cheong SS / 2B / Bill Crothers, ON / 2026Rankings StateRank: 2 / POS: 1
PBR: What were your Future Games highlights? PBR: Assess your performance. PBR: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Canada and what stood out. PBR: Touch on the competition you faced at the event. PBR: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future? |
Owen Gregg SS / 2B / Appleby College, ON / 2025Rankings StateRank: 9 / POS: 3
***Waiting to hear back |
Jordan Jacob 3B / SS / Bill Crothers, ON / 2025Rankings StateRank: 8 / POS: 2
PBR: What were your Future Games highlights? PBR: Assess your performance. PBR: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Canada and what stood out. PBR: Touch on the competition you faced at the event. PBR: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future? PBR: What, if any, college coaches have you been in contact with since the event ended and the Aug. 1 deadline has been reached? |
Joey Marino SS / 2B / Fleetwood Park Secondary, BC / 2025Rankings StateRank: 1 / POS: 1
***Waiting to hear back |
Robert Omidi SS / 3B / St. Martin Secondary, ON / 2027PBR: What were your Future Games highlights? PBR: Assess your performance. PBR: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Canada and what stood out. PBR: Touch on the competition you faced at the event. PBR: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future? PBR: What, if any, college coaches have you been in contact with since the event ended and the Aug. 1 deadline has been reached? |
Timothy Piasentin SS / 3B / Dr. Charles Best, BC / 2025Rankings StateRank: 14 / POS: 3
PBR: What were your Future Games highlights? PBR: Assess your performance. PBR: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Canada and what stood out. PBR: Touch on the competition you faced at the event. PBR: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future? PBR: What, if any, college coaches have you been in contact with since the event ended and the Aug. 1 deadline has been reached? |
The Outfielders
Quinn Carson OF / St. Ignatius of Loyola CSS, ON / 2025Rankings StateRank: 6 / POS: 2
PBR: What were your Future Games highlights? PBR: Assess your performance. PBR: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Canada and what stood out. PBR: Touch on the competition you faced at the event. PBR: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future? PBR: What, if any, college coaches have you been in contact with since the event ended and the Aug. 1 deadline has been reached? |
Landon Kauffman OF / LHP / Okotoks Dawgs Academy, BC / 2025PBR: What were your Future Games highlights? PBR: Assess your performance. PBR: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Canada and what stood out. PBR: Touch on the competition you faced at the event. PBR: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future? PBR: What, if any, college coaches have you been in contact with since the event ended and the Aug. 1 deadline has been reached? |
Ryan Stalony OF / Loyola Catholic, ON / 2025***Waiting to hear back |
***To view all the stats/articles related to the 2023 Future Games, click here.
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