CORONA, Calif., June 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Perfect Game, the world's largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced that Perfect Game prospect Striker Pence, one of the most watched young prospects in amateur baseball, has officially reclassified from the Class of 2028 to the Class of 2027, making the 17-year-old eligible for the 2027 Major League Baseball Draft. Pence is currently the #2 ranked player on Perfect Game's national rankings and the top-ranked right-handed pitcher.
kAm!6?46[ 2 e\7@@E\e[ a`d\A@F?5 C:89E\92?565 A:E496C 2?5 =67E\92?565 9:EE:?8 7:CDE 32D6>2?[ 92D BF:4<=J 6DE23=:D965 9:>D6=7 2D 2 ?2E:@?2==J C64@8?:K65 E2=6?E E9C@F89 9:D A6C7@C>2?46D @? D@>6 @7 !6C764E v2>6VD 3:886DE DE286D] %96 r2=:7@C?:2 ?2E:G6 A2CE:4:A2E65 :? !6C764E v2>6VD `b& $6=64E u6DE :? a_ab[ E96 `c& $6=64E u6DE :? a_ac 2?5 62C?65 2 DA@E :? E96 AC6DE:8:@FD !6C764E v2>6 p==\$E2C v2>6 2E !6E4@ !2C< :? $2? s:68@ :? a_ad]k^Am
kAmp DEF56?E\2E9=6E6 2E $2?E:28@ w:89 $49@@= :? r@C@?2[ r2=:7][ !6?46 :D 2=D@ E96 ?6A96H @7 7@C>6C |{q p==\$E2C 2?5 (@C=5 $6C:6D 492>A:@? wF?E6C !6?46] (9:=6 9:D 72>:=J ?2>6 42CC:6D C64@8?:E:@? H:E9:? 32D632== 4:C4=6D[ 6G2=F2E@CD D2J 9:D E@@=D 2?5 FAD:56 92G6 >256 9:> 2 DE2?5@FE :? 9:D @H? C:89E]k^Am
kAm!6?46 92D 5C2H? D:8?:7:42?E 2EE6?E:@? 7C@> D4@FED 7@C 9:D C2C6 4@>3:?2E:@? @7 D:K6[ 2E9=6E:4:D> 2?5 A@H6C @? 3@E9 D:56D @7 E96 32==] ~? E96 >@F?5[ 9:D 72DE32== 92D C@FE:?6=J C624965 `_` >A9[ :?4=F5:?8 2E !6C764E v2>6VD ((qp (@C=5 r92>A:@?D9:A 6G6?E :? yFA:E6C[ u=2][ =2DE ~4E@36C[ A=24:?8 9:> 2>@?8 E96 92C56DE\E9C@H:?8 9:89 D49@@= A:E496CD :? E96 4@F?ECJ 7@C 9:D 286 8C@FA]k^Am
kAmQ$EC:<6C :D @?6 @7 E96 >@C6 F?:BF6 J@F?8 A=2J6CD H6VG6 6G2=F2E65 :? C646?E J62CD 3642FD6 E96 A9JD:42= EC2:ED :>>65:2E6=J DE2?5 @FE[ 3FE H92E D6A2C2E6D 9:> :D 9@H E9@D6 E@@=D EC2?D=2E6 :? 4@>A6E:E:@?[Q D2:5 y6C65 v@@5H:?[ ':46 !C6D:56?E @7 $4@FE:?8 2E !6C764E v2>6] QpE 9:D 96:89E H:E9 6=:E6 2C> DEC6?8E9[ 96 2=C625J A@DD6DD6D G6=@4:EJ E92E G6CJ 76H A=2J6CD 9:D 286 42? AC@5F46[ 3FE E96C6VD DE:== AC@;64E:@? C6>2:?:?8] w6 92D E96 2E9=6E:4:D>[ 4@>A6E:E:G6?6DD 2?5 @G6C2== FAD:56 E92E @C82?:K2E:@?D 4@G6E 2?5 9:D 56G6=@A>6?E EC2;64E@CJ 92D 366? 6I46AE:@?2=] #64=2DD:7J:?8 C67=64ED E96 AC@8C6DD 96VD >256 2?5 E96 =6G6= 96VD 42A23=6 @7 4@>A6E:?8 2E >@G:?8 7@CH2C5]Qk^Am
kAm%96 >@G6 E@ E96 r=2DD @7 a_af 2446=6C2E6D !6?46VD C64CF:E:?8 2?5 AC@76DD:@?2= 6G2=F2E:@? E:>6=:?6[ A@D:E:@?:?8 9:> 2=@?8D:56 @=56C AC@DA64ED H9:=6 @A6?:?8 E96 5@@C E@ 6=:8:3:=:EJ 7@C E96 a_af |{q sC27E]k^Am
kAmQ#64=2DD:7J:?8 :D 2 D:8?:7:42?E 564:D:@? 7@C 2?J J@F?8 2E9=6E6 2?5 DA62<D E@ $EC:<6CVD 56G6=@A>6?E[ >2EFC:EJ 2?5 C625:?6DD E@ 4@>A6E6 2E E96 ?6IE =6G6=[Q D2:5 !6C764E v2>6 r92:C>2? #:4< %9FC>2?] Q(6 =@@< 7@CH2C5 E@ 4@?E:?F:?8 E@ 7@==@H 9:D AC@8C6DD:@? 2D 96 E2<6D E9:D ?6IE DE6A :? 9:D 32D632== ;@FC?6J]Qk^Am
kAmpD @?6 @7 E96 ?2E:@?VD 6>6C8:?8 EH@\H2J E2=6?ED[ !6?46VD AC@8C6DD:@? H:== 4@?E:?F6 E@ 5C2H 2EE6?E:@? 7C@> 4@==686 AC@8C2>D 2?5 AC@76DD:@?2= @C82?:K2E:@?D 2=:<6]k^Am
kAmu@C >@C6 :?7@C>2E:@? @? $EC:<6C !6?46[ A=62D6 G:D:E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^6586]AC?6HDH:C6]4@>^4^=:?<^nEl_U2>Aj=l6?U2>Aj@lcf_cc`f\`U2>Aj9l`deffdcc_gU2>AjFl9EEADTbpTauTauHHH]A6C764E82>6]@C8Tau!=2J6CDTau!=2J6CAC@7:=6]2DAITbuxsTbsfehddgU2>Aj2l9:DZA=2J6CZAC@7:=6ZA286Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQm9:D A=2J6C AC@7:=6 A286k^2m @? !6C764E v2>6VD @77:4:2= H63D:E6]k^Am
More from this section
kAm|65:2 4@?E24Eik^Am
kAmvC68 r2DE6C:@E@ ^ k2 9C67lQ>2:=E@iv42DE6C:@E@oA6C764E82>6]@C8Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmv42DE6C:@E@oA6C764E82>6]@C8k^2m ^ WaefX ace\df_hk^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mkDA2? DEJ=6lQE6IE\564@C2E:@?i F?56C=:?6Qmp3@FE !6C764E v2>6k^DA2?mk^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAm!6C764E v2>6 :D E96 H@C=5VD =2C86DE 6=:E6 J@FE9 32D632== 2?5 D@7E32== A=2E7@C> 2?5 D4@FE:?8 D6CG:46[ AC@5F4:?8 ?62C=J `_[___ 6G6?ED[ 9F?5C65D @7 E9@FD2?5D @7 82>6D 2?5 D9@H42D6D 6249 J62C 24C@DD E96 4@F?ECJ] !6C764E v2>6 :D 565:42E65 E@ 8:G:?8 2>2E6FC A=2J6CD 6IA@DFC6 E@ E2<6 E96:C 82>6 E@ E96 ?6IE =6G6=[ H96E96C E92E 36 :? 4@==686 @C :? E96 AC@76DD:@?2= C2?<D] pE !6C764E v2>6 6G6?ED[ A=2J6CD A6C7@C> H:E9 E@A\=6G6= 4@>A6E:E:@? :? 7C@?E @7 4@==686 C64CF:E6CD 2?5 AC@76DD:@?2= D4@FED 7C@> 2== @G6C E96 4@F?ECJ] q642FD6 @7 E9:D[ E96D6 6G6?ED AC@G6 E@ 36 :?G2=F23=6 E@ 4@==686 4@2496D 2D H6== 2D |2;@C {628F6 q2D632==[ 2D E96J 42? D4@FE 2 =2C86 A@AF=2E:@? @7 E2=6?E65 32==A=2J6CD :? @?6 =@42E:@?] %@ 52E6[ @G6C a[c__ A=2J6CD E92E 92G6 A=2J65 :? 2 !6C764E v2>6 6G6?E 92G6 2=D@ A=2J65 :? |2;@C {628F6 q2D632==] $:?46 a__b[ `d[g_d !6C764E v2>6 2=F>?: 92G6 366? D6=64E65 :? E96 |{q u:CDE\*62C p>2E6FC !=2J6C sC27E] x? E96 a_ad sC27E[ 7@C 6I2>A=6[ ha A6C46?E @7 2== A=2J6CD D6=64E65 925 A=2J65 :? !6C764E v2>6 6G6?ED[ 2?5 6G6CJ A=2J6C D6=64E65 @? E96 sC27EVD 7:CDE 52J 925 AC6G:@FD=J 2EE6?565 !6C764E v2>6 6G6?ED]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQAC?E24QmkDA2?meef !C@8C6DD (2J M $2?7@C5[ u{ baff` M b`h\ahg\ahabk^DA2?mk^Am
kA 4=2DDlQAC?E24QmkDA2?mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^6586]AC?6HDH:C6]4@>^4^=:?<^nEl_U2>Aj=l6?U2>Aj@lcf_cc`f\`U2>Aj9laeehhb`edbU2>AjFl9EEATbpTauTauHHH]A6C764E82>6]@C8TauU2>Aj2lHHH]A6C764E82>6]@C8ZTfrZQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmkDA2?mHHH]A6C764E82>6]@C8 Mk^DA2?mk^2mk^DA2?m kDA2?mk2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^72463@@<]4@>^A6C764E82>6FD2Qm72463@@<]4@>^A6C764E82>6FD2k^2m Mk^DA2?m kDA2?mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^6586]AC?6HDH:C6]4@>^4^=:?<^nEl_U2>Aj=l6?U2>Aj@lcf_cc`f\`U2>Aj9l`ghaefaeghU2>AjFl9EEATbpTauTauHHH]A6C764E82>6]@C8TauU2>Aj2lTc_!6C764Ev2>6&$pQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmkDA2?mo!6C764Ev2>6&$pk^DA2?mk^2mk^DA2?mk^Am
k5:G 4=2DDlQ!#}0x>365565pDD6E#676C6?46Q :5lQs:GpDD6E!=246w@=56CaQmkAmk:>8 DC4lQ9EEADi^^>>I]AC?6HDH:C6]4@>^>65:2^|$``decab^!6C764E0v2>60q=F60{@8@];A8n:5l~paeef_bbQ E:E=6lQ!6C764E v2>6 &$p {@8@Q 2=ElQ!6C764E v2>6 &$p {@8@Q ^mk^Amk^5:Gm
kA :5lQ!&#{Qmk:>8 E:E=6lQr:D:@?Q H:5E9lQ`aQ 96:89ElQ`aQ 2=ElQr:D:@?Q DC4lQ9EEADi^^6586]AC?6HDH:C6]4@>^4^:>8^72G:4@?]A?8nD?lrvfeb`aU2>AjD5la_ae\_e\_cQ ^m ':6H @C:8:?2= 4@?E6?E E@ 5@H?=@25 >F=E:>65:2ik2 :5lQ!#}&#{Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQ 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]AC?6HDH:C6]4@>^?6HD\C6=62D6D^A6C764E\82>6\DE2?5@FE\DEC:<6C\A6?46\C64=2DD:7:6D\E@\4=2DD\@7\a_af\2446=6C2E:?8\A2E9\E@\>=3\5C27E\b_afh`fed]9E>=Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm9EEADi^^HHH]AC?6HDH:C6]4@>^?6HD\C6=62D6D^A6C764E\82>6\DE2?5@FE\DEC:<6C\A6?46\C64=2DD:7:6D\E@\4=2DD\@7\a_af\2446=6C2E:?8\A2E9\E@\>=3\5C27E\b_afh`fed]9E>=k^2mk^Am
kAm$~&#rt !6C764E v2>6 &$pk^Am
kAmk:>8 2=ElQQ DC4lQ9EEADi^^CE]AC?6HDH:C6]4@>^CE]8:7n}6HDxE6>x5lrvfeb`aU2>Aj%C2?D>:DD:@?0x5la_ae_e_c`a__!#0}t($0&$!#00000rvfeb`aU2>Ajs2E6x5la_ae_e_cQ DEJ=6lQ3@C56Ci_AIj H:5E9i`AIj 96:89Ei`AIjQ ^mk^Am
