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General | General | 4/5/2006

PERFECT GAME NATIONAL PRE-DRAFT SHOWCASE

Perfect Game Staff

The PG Predraft is for prospects who have a chance to become good draft picks this coming June. The event will feature 50 of the top prospects in the country and a couple free agents from the Dominican. Each year the PG National PreDraft draws hundreds of scouts, including many National Cross Checkers and MLB Scouting Directors. Many other draft decision makers have attended in the past including GMs and other key front office personnel from Major League organizations. The PG PreDraft is recognized as the biggest and very best pre-draft camp in baseball. Many players have helped their draft position greatly as a result of this event and the powerful decision makers who attend.

The annual Perfect Game Pre-Draft Showcase will be held this year on May 15 at Memorial Stadium in Cedar Rapids, IA.

The original purpose of the showcase, which was one of the first events that Perfect Game organized after its founding, was to give the necessary draft exposure to the top kids in the Upper Midwest, many of whom either don't have a spring high school season (Iowa and Wisconsin) or have abbreviated high school seasons and may have been missed by the professional scouts.

The Pre-Draft Showcase has since expanded to include premium players from across the country. If it weren't for the complication of unfinished high school seasons, the event could grow significantly from its current 40-50 prospects. The goal, however, is to help the professional organizations who do so much to help Perfect Game during the rest of the year get a read on some top prospects at an important time of the year (just before the draft).

In fact, the invite lists for this event are generated in large part from feedback from highest level scouts who feel they need to get a last look at certain players. The PG Staff is in constant contact with the scouting offices and scouting directors on key players to try to get to the event.

Often high draft prospects benefit greatly from attending the National PreDraft. Rather than go to several locations working out for the individual clubs these players can go to one event and be seen by all the MLB Clubs. This is especially true for pitchers who are unable to pitch for 30 clubs in the two or three weeks just before the draft.

Last year players came from 18 states plus Canada to attend the event. Prospects from such diverse locations as California, Maine and Puerto Rico showed their skills in front of the highest national level scouts from all 30 professional organizations.

One example of a player benefiting from the Pre-Draft was Tampa Bay Devil Rays All Star OF Carl Crawford. Crawford got on a plane the day after his high school season ended in 1999 to come to Cedar Rapids. Many scouting directors were wary of Crawford's signability, as he was committed to attend Nebraska as a highly touted quarterback. Although Crawford didn't especially shine on the field that day, his mere presence told the Devil Rays that baseball was his priority and they were able to ?€?steal?€? Crawford in the 2nd round with a $1.5M dual sport contract signing bonus that pales in comparison to his recent $15M+ contract.

Here?€™s just a few of the players who have attended the PG National Predraft in the past few years. Of course, there are many more who were drafted 2nd through 10th round.

Victor Diaz, IL Major Leagues NY Mets
Carl Crawford, TX    Major League All Star Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Wes Obermueller, IA Major Leagues Milwaukee Brewers
Brian McCann, GA    Major Leagues, Atlanta Braves
Lance Broadway, TX    1st round pick, Chicago White Sox
Jeff Clement, IA 1st round pick, Seattle Mariners
Trevor Crowe, OR    1st round pick, Cleveland Indian
Wade Townsend, TX    1st round pick, Baltimore Orioles
Thomas Diamond, LA    1st round pick, Texas Rangers
Jason Jaramillo, WI    2nd round pick, Philadelphia Phillies
Eric Cordier, WI    2nd round pick, Kansas City Royals
Ryan Sweeney, IA    2nd round pick, Chicago White Sox
Joel Hanrahan, IA 2nd round pick, Los Angeles Dodgers
Joey Votto, CAN    2nd round, Cincinnati Reds
Brandon Weeden, OK 2nd round pick, New York Yankees
Zach Hammes, IA    2nd round pick, Los Angeles Dodgers

If you are a player who is seriously considered a top 5-10 round selection in this years draft and you have a chance to be in Cedar Rapids on May 15, you should contact Perfect Game right away.

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