The Lineup Card
Welcome to The Lineup Card, where we will be profiling some of the top recruits, college players, business owners, and draft prospects in baseball. Every two weeks, we will highlight a new player’s journey and tell readers about the next steps in their respective careers.
Meet the Writer
John Sparaco is a journalism major at SUNY New Paltz. He began writing articles about the Buffalo Bills for Cold Front Report in April 2020. There, he gained experience writing game previews and conducting interviews — including features with former NFL players George Wilson, Kamar Aiken and Stevie Johnson.
Since then, Sparaco has been published by TWSN and served as an editor for The Little Rebellion. He actively reports MLB news on Twitter and aspires to cover professional baseball as a beat writer once he graduates from college.
“I am so excited for the opportunity to help share these players’ stories at The Lineup Card. Sometimes, it can be easy for sports fans and analysts to forget that these athletes are human when critiquing their performance. One of my biggest goals is to help change that.”
Recent Posts
Indiana’s record-setting slugger Carter Mathison gets another crack at the MLB Draft
The lineup card (season 3; volume 2) Carter Mathison has been in this position before. Six years ago, the Fort Wayne native burst onto the ...
Tennessee signee Brayden Krenzel’s unique background brings limitless upside
The lineup card (season three; volume 1) Brayden Krenzel was often asked what his favorite sport was when he was a little kid. For a ...
Former MLB All-Star Ryan Klesko joins Perfect Game as special assistant
JKR exclusive news story In a move set to bolster its commitment to youth development, Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball scouting ...
Meet baseball’s next workhorse, Wake Forest signee Ryan Sloan
the lineup card: Season 2; vol 10 Ryan Sloan initiates his delivery on the mound with a fluid pivot of his front foot. As he ...
2024 LSU signee Kale Fountain’s maturity separates him as top MLB Draft prospect
the lineup card: Season 2; vol 9 Kale Fountain commands the spotlight on the field, and with good reason. Standing at an imposing 6-foot-5 and ...
Clemson LHP Noah Samol: Navigating Anxiety, Academics, and the Transfer Portal
the lineup card: Season 2; vol 8 In the college baseball landscape, Noah Samol stands tall—both literally and figuratively. At 6-foot-8 and 255 pounds, he ...
Razorback dreams delayed: How Arkansas pitcher Josh Hyneman overcame redshirting and Tommy John surgery in “difficult” first year
the lineup card: Season 2; vol 7 Without a unifying professional sports team to rally around, the heart of Arkansas beats to the rhythm of ...
From C-Team to Cincinnati: The meteoric rise of Brendin Oliver
the lineup card: Season 2; vol 6 In the not-so-distant past, right-handed pitcher Brendin Oliver was placed on the C-team at Mooresville High School, a ...
Top 2026 catching prospect Codey Gauff draws inspiration from family’s ‘dawg mentality’
the lineup card: Season 2; vol 5 Baseball fans have long argued about the ‘correct’ way to play the game. While some prefer to stick ...
Future Michigan shortstop Tyler Inge is ready to create his own legacy
the lineup card: Season 2; vol 4 After a divisional game between the Minnesota Twins and Detroit Tigers in 2007, three-year-old Tyler Inge waited in ...
Sir Jamison Jones and Ezra Essex lead next wave of baseball talent from Chicago
the lineup card: Season 2; vol 3 Growing up in the Chicago area instills a different level of toughness in young ballplayers. They bundle up ...
Nationals prospect Phillip Glasser brings relentless preparation habits to the pros
the lineup card: Season 2; vol 2 Back in High School, Phillip Glasser stumbled across a quote from former U.S. President Abraham Lincoln that stopped ...
Baseball’s next two-way stars: Jack Brown and Boston Bateman are raising the bar
the lineup card: Season 2; vol 1 Everyone knows the story of Babe Ruth, the Red Sox ace-turned Yankees slugger who set records both on ...
Future SEC stars Evan Damario and Ashton Larson share unique connection with JAW Bats
the lineup card: vol 10 In the age of ever-expanding online platforms, the world of baseball has witnessed a seismic shift in its next generation ...
Indiana pitchers Brayden Risedorph and Connor Foley reflect on their B1G freshman seasons
the lineup card: vol 9 In the aftermath of a losing season in 2022 and back-to-back years of missing the NCAA Tournament, freshman pitchers Brayden ...
What happens once you’re drafted? Roman Anthony and Cameron Decker share their first-year experiences
the lineup card: vol 8 Beginning on July 9, over 600 high school and college ballplayers will hear their names called by organizations in the ...
Indiana recruits Brayton Thomas and Hogan Denny gear up for their future as final summer circuit begins
the lineup card: vol 7 For young ballplayers all over, the summer travel season represents more than just a game. It means spending countless hours ...
Inside Purdue signee Bishop Letson’s rise from “average” player to serious draft prospect
the lineup card: vol 6 Just a few years ago, Bishop Letson’s vision for the future was simple – get a college degree, prepare to ...
How a summer ball team helped Penn State outfielder Billy Gerlott regain his form
the lineup card: vol 5 Prior to his senior season at Blue Mountain High School in Pennsylvania, Billy Gerlott was on top of the world. ...
Six most influential figures in travel baseball
the lineup card: vol 4 Over the past decade, travel baseball has taken the world of youth sports by storm. With its rigorous schedule of ...
Childhood friends RJ Cromartie and Jayce Lee headline Notre Dame’s 2024 recruiting class
the lineup card: vol 3 This past August, RJ Cromartie was playing mini-golf with two friends when he paused to call Notre Dame assistant baseball ...
VELO: Wichita State signee Ryan Geraghty is developing much more than a brand
the lineup card: vol 2 In preparation for his senior season at Mundelein High School in Illinois, flamethrowing right-handed pitcher Ryan Geraghty set out to ...
Martavius Thomas follows big league footsteps as college decision and MLB Draft loom
the lineup card: vol 1 Martavius Thomas stepped toward the dugout, clutching a blue Powerade in his left hand and a bag of Skittles in ...