Former Phillies Stars to Lead Nation’s Top High School Baseball Players on August 16 in Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA, July 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced that former Phillies All-Star outfielder Shane Victorino and former Phillies manager Joe Girardi will serve as managers for Team East and Team West, respectively, at the 2026 Perfect Game DICK’S All-American Classic, taking place on Sunday, August 16, at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pa.
Joining Girardi and Victorino on the coaching staffs will be an accomplished group of former MLB players, including 1995 American League MVP Mo Vaughn, Hall of Fame pitcher Trevor Hoffman, All-Star outfielder Ryan Klesko along with MLB veterans Todd Coffey, Denard Span and Jason Phillips. Additionally, Girardi’s son, Dante Girardi, who played in many Perfect Game events as a youth and high school baseball player, will be in uniform as a coach. Rounding out the coaching staff will be Phillies 1993 NL Champions Milt Thompson and Ben Rivera, 2008 World champions Kyle Kendrick and Tom “Flash” Gordon and 2010 & 2011 NL East Champion Jose Contreras. Former Phillies World Series-winning manager Charlie Manuel will also be in attendance and serve as Honorary Chairman of the game.
Fresh off a history-making MLB All-Star Game, Citizens Bank Park will feature many of the nation’s top high school baseball players, giving fans an opportunity to watch potential 2027 first-round MLB Draft selections compete on baseball’s biggest amateur stage. Since its inception, the DICK’S All-American Classic has featured hundreds of players who have gone on to professional and collegiate success.
“Bringing the DICK’S All-American Classic to Philadelphia is incredibly exciting, and having Joe Girardi and Shane Victorino lead this year’s teams makes the event even more special,” said Perfect Game CEO Rob Ponger. “Both Joe and Shane know the youth baseball circuit and have been around Perfect Game events for several years. Joe’s leadership and Shane’s passion for the game, combined with an outstanding coaching staff that includes several Phillies legends and former MLB stars, will create an unforgettable experience for our players and fans while celebrating one of baseball’s great cities during America’s 250th birthday celebration.”
Girardi managed the Phillies from 2020-22 after previously leading the New York Yankees to a World Series championship in 2009. During his 15-year Major League playing career, Girardi was a three-time World Series champion and earned a reputation as one of the game’s premier defensive catchers.
Victorino became one of the most beloved players in Phillies history during his eight seasons in Philadelphia, earning two National League All-Star selections while helping the franchise win the 2008 World Series, back-to-back National League pennants and five straight NL East Division titles. Nicknamed “The Flyin’ Hawaiian,” Victorino captured four Gold Glove Awards during his Major League career.
The Perfect Game DICK’S All-American Classic is free to attend, with first pitch scheduled for 1:35 p.m. ET at Citizens Bank Park. Fans unable to attend can watch the game live on the free PGTV app. Calling the action on PGTV will be veteran MLB broadcaster Daron Sutton, along with former Phillies outfielder Hunter Pence. A four-time All-Star, Pence played for the Phillies during their 2011 NL East Division-winning season and part of the 2012 season before being traded to the San Francisco Giants where he would go on to win two World Series titles.
For more information about the Perfect Game DICK’S All-American Classic, including rosters and event details, visit PerfectGame.org.
Media contact:
Greg Casterioto / Gcasterioto@perfectgame.org / (267) 246-5709
About Perfect Game
Perfect Game is the world’s largest elite youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, producing nearly 10,000 events, hundreds of thousands of games and showcases each year across the country. Perfect Game is dedicated to giving amateur players exposure to take their game to the next level, whether that be in college or in the professional ranks. At Perfect Game events, players perform with top-level competition in front of college recruiters and professional scouts from all over the country. Because of this, these events prove to be invaluable to college coaches as well as Major League Baseball, as they can scout a large population of talented ballplayers in one location. To date, over 2,400 players that have played in a Perfect Game event have also played in Major League Baseball. Since 2003, 15,805 Perfect Game alumni have been selected in the MLB First-Year Amateur Player Draft. In the 2025 Draft, for example, 92 percent of all players selected had played in Perfect Game events, and every player selected on the Draft’s first day had previously attended Perfect Game events.
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/shane-victorino-and-joe-girardi-named-managers-for-perfect-game-dicks-all-american-classic-at-citizens-bank-park-302837392.html
SOURCE Perfect Game USA
