Perfect Game is bringing its biggest summer stage to Philadelphia in 2026, and the roster is loaded.
The organization announced Wednesday the Team East and Team West rosters for the DICK'S All-American Classic, set for Aug. 16 at Citizens Bank Park. Sixty of the nation’s top high school baseball players will take part in the annual showcase, Perfect Game’s signature summer event.
California tops the list with 12 selections, while Florida and Texas each landed seven. Georgia and Tennessee added five apiece, and Louisiana had four. In all, players were chosen from 20 states, plus Puerto Rico and Canada.
The roster breakdown reflects just how many different ways these players can impact a game: 19 infielders, 17 pitchers, 15 outfielders and nine catchers. Several are also expected to work as two-way players.
Philadelphia-area fans will have a local name to follow in Jersey City, New Jersey, outfielder Finnian O'Loughlin, who gives the event a hometown tie for the region.
The list also includes a few familiar last names from the pro sports world. Team East first baseman/outfielder Frank Thomas III, from Sarasota, Florida, is the son of Hall of Famer Frank Thomas, one of the greatest hitters in Chicago White Sox history.
Team West right-hander Striker Pence is the nephew of former Philadelphia Phillies and San Francisco Giants outfielder Hunter Pence, and outfielder Drake Hawpe is the son of Brad Hawpe, a National League All-Star with the Colorado Rockies. Team East infielder Chase Fuller is the son of former NFL defensive back Corey Fuller, who spent 10 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens.
Perfect Game’s All-American Classic has become a reliable preview of future pro talent, and this year’s edition arrives with even more evidence behind it. Earlier this month, 59 former Perfect Game All-Americans were selected in the 2026 MLB Draft, including 16 first-round picks and six of the first eight players taken.
Citizens Bank Park will host the event for the first time, and it also marks the first time the All-American Classic has been played on the East Coast since 2005.
The weekend schedule starts with the PG All-Star Game on Aug. 14, continues with the Home Run Challenge on Aug. 15, and wraps with the All-American Classic at 1:35 p.m. ET on Aug. 16.
The event also carries a charitable angle. This year’s players will support Nemours Children's Hospital, and they are scheduled to visit the hospital before the festivities begin.
Admission is free, and the game will stream live on Perfect Game’s PGTV platform.
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