Perfect Game originally started the Pre-Draft Showcase as a means of showcasing the high school talent in Iowa that, without spring baseball, often had little chance of being exposed to most scouts, and particular the cross checkers and higher who make the draft decisions.

The Pre-Draft took a big turn in 1999, with what might have been the most talented group of prospects ever to attend the event. The big attraction was Texas high school multi-sport sensation Carl Crawford, who got a plane shortly after his last high school game and proved to scouts, and especially the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, that he really wanted to play baseball. Six other future big leaguers joined Crawford that day: Ryan Sweeney, Jeff Clement, Wes Obermueller, Brad Nelson, Matt Macri and Joel Hanrahan.

Since then, Perfect Game has sought to attract the best players from around the country to the mid-May event, often working with pro scouting departments in identifying hard to see prospects who would benefit from the exposure. Other future big leaguers such as Brad McCann, Victor Diaz, Bobby Livingston, Trevor Crowe, Thomas Diamond, Lance Broadway, Joe Bisenius and Tyler Clippard have played in the Pre-Draft, plus numerous others who are yet to play in the Majors but will over the next few years.

This year's Pre-Draft Showcase will be held on Perfect Game Field at Memorial Stadium in Cedar Rapids on Monday, May 18.  Scouts from virtually every Major League organization are expected to be in attendence.

The hardest thing about organizing the Pre-Draft is the uncertainty about whether many of the high school players can come, as their participation often hinges on losing playoff games just prior to the event. Even the most committed player is not considered “definite” until he picks up his shirt and hat at the ballpark and walks onto the field.

As usual, almost all the top high school players from Iowa will be in attendance, including top 2010 prospects IF Kellen Sweeney and RHP Jon Keller. The two top prospects from North Dakota, LHP Ryan Bollinger and SS Cole Frenzel will be playing and both could end up being drafted in June, a rarity for prospects from that state. There will also be approximately 15 college and junior college players at the event.

Some of the top prospects not mentioned above scheduled to attend as of Friday include:

LHP Chad James (Yukon HS, OK): James is one of the top high school southpaws in the country and a potential first round pick

LHP Ian Krol (Nequa Valley HS, IL): This will be a huge event for Krol, an Aflac All-American who did not pitch for his high school team this spring.

LHP Austin Kirk (Owasso HS, OK): Kirk is a two-way star who will likely throw in the low 90’s in Cedar Rapids

RHP Steve Turnbull (U. Iowa): Turnbull has been up to 96 mph but has been hard for scouts to see as Iowa’s closer.

RHP Matt Koch (Cherokee HS, IA): Iowa’s top high school prospect, Koch has been up to 92 mph recently.

RHP/OF Josh Mooney (American Fork HS, UT): A top athlete who could end up playing professionally either as a pitcher or outfielder.

IF L.J. Mazzilli (The Pendleton School, FL): Lee Mazzilli’s son played shortstop on one of the top prep teams in the country this spring.

1B Pat Savage (Greater Atlanta Christian HS, GA): Savage reminds us of another Georgia product, Georgia Tech star Luke Murton, who was at the Pre-Draft four years ago.

One player who scouts will have to bear down on, once they get over their collective surprise, is 6-11 right handed pitcher Chris Handke from Division III Cornell College in Iowa. Handke was a primary basketball player at Cornell and threw just 20 innings in three years of college baseball. He’s been throwing up to 93 mph in workouts at the Perfect Game facility in recent days after starting to get his mechanics cleaned up.