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Sports

Prep Baseball Players Show Their Stuff

At a showcase event in Affton, players from Missouri and Illinois spend Presidents Day playing their favorite game.

Presidents Day means furniture sales and no mail, but this year, for some top high school baseball players, it meant a chance to loosen up the arm and try and impress some college coaches.

Prep Baseball Report held a prospect identification showcase on Monday at the St. Louis Sports Center, in Affton, and more than 50 players from around Missouri and Illinois came to throw, field, run and bat. Later, college coaches can see the results on the Prep Baseball Report website.

Ethan Silverman was in charge of the showcase. “We’ll grade all the guys out, we’ll evaluate them, we’ll put everything up on the website by the end of the week,” he said. “There’s a lot of boys to go through…a lot of good, real good talent.”

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John Combs, a Webster University assistant coach was looking for some good players. “Definitely some good guys here, yep,” he said. He said he’s been to five or six showcases so far this year.

“Just trying to get my name out there,” said SLUH sophomore Matt Clohisy, “for different opportunities in the future, and just to get ready for the high school season. I would love to play college baseball.”

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Nick McGraw, a senior pitcher from Freeburg, IL, is already being recruited by Missouri S&T, in Rolla and Maryville University, in St. Louis. Silverman shook McGraw’s hand after he threw for the radar guns. McGraw said Silverman just said, good job. “I mean, he’s just here to make people better. That’s the most important thing for today,” McGraw said. “It was just a nice day to throw, just get out and throw a little bit before baseball gets started.”

Scott Van Slyke, who went to John Burroughs and now plays for the LA Dodgers (and who also happens to be the son of Cardinal, Andy Van Slyke) was there to help out. “I went to a few of these things in high school,” he said. “I know what it’s all about. It’s fun to see kids out here that love baseball, coming out here and trying to impress some people.”

Silverman spent the morning aiming a radar gun at pitches, and said he saw a lot of good, live arms. He said he was really impressed with Calvin Munson, a Francis Howell sophomore.

Later, Silverman puts it all on the web for coaches to see. “It’s going to be a fun few days trying to break everything down, and sort out the top guys, the middle guys…I don’t think there are any bottom guys,” he said. “We got top guys, and guys that are just a little below those guys. All this goes on the site.”

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