COMPTON -- Major League Baseball and Perfect Game joined forces at MLB's Compton Youth Academy for the first West Coast Ways To Play tournament, featuring eight of the top travel teams and some of the top Draft prospects in Southern California and Las Vegas.
What makes the Ways to Play tournament unique is the rules to help speed up the games. Batters begin the at-bat with a 1-1 count and must keep a foot in the box.
Additional rules include no throwing the ball around the horn between outs and a maximum of only four mound visits per game. Should a game be tied after nine innings, all subsequent innings start with a runner on second base.
"An event like this is important because it's both of our missions to help grow the game and we believe that by trying new and exciting ways to speed the game up, it makes it more enjoyable for players at the amateur level," Perfect Game CEO Brad Clement said of his organization's partnership with Major League Baseball.
Darrell Miller, vice president of Youth and Facility Development for MLB, believes the tournament's unique rules quicken the pace of games and also alleviate wear and tear on young arms.
"This is an instant-gratification generation, they want things now and they want it quick, the idea is to make the adjustment in sports," Miller said. "For kids in these tournaments, they're able to play more games and throw less pitches, thereby reducing stress in the young arms, all in same amount of time."
The Ways To Play South tournament, which was first played last year in Atlanta, is joined this year by this weekend's tournament in Southern California. 
"This is the first time we've done this on the West Coast," Clement said, "and we're excited to have some of the top travel teams participating, and are especially glad to have the Compton Youth Academy team, as well as some of the top prospects in the next couple of years' drafts."
Those top prospects include first baseman Joseph Naranjo, who has committed to play next season for Cal State Fullerton, Thomas Dilandri, an outfielder who will play at TCU, and third basemen Jaden Agassi, son of tennis stars Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf who has committed to USC.
Also playing in the tournament was Kyle Karros, son of former Los Angeles Dodger Eric Karros, who was there watching and had some thoughts regarding the current speed of the game.
"For the average fan, especially in today's fast-pace society where it's now, now, now, it can be a bit of an issue. On the other hand, I'm a bit of a traditionalist, I like the thought of the game, the cerebral aspect," Karros said, adding that he wasn't opposed to trying new things.
"Events such as this, it can be applicable. They work at this level. I like the idea of not throwing the ball around the infield, that adds a little time. I like the idea of batters staying in the box. I think the experimentation at the youth level makes a lot of sense."
The reaction from players and families has been positive, according to Miller, and he believes it can help the future of baseball.
"People love the game, it's a great game," he said. "Let's teach the kids to play in a timely fashion. Hustle in, hustle out, stay in the batter's box."
Miller also likes seeing the catchers calling their own games, which isn't a tournament rule.
"Let the kids call their own game, they have enough information," Miller said. "They know the game better than we think they do."
The tournament consists of eight teams, each playing three games, two on the first day. Saturday's games are single elimination, with the losing teams moving on to the consolation bracket and winning teams advancing to the championship round. On Sunday, the first three games match Saturday's losing teams, with the two winning teams meeting for the championship.