The Pitcher/Catcher Indoor Showcase is held every year in February at the Perfect Game Headquarters in Cedar Rapids, IA and is one of the oldest and most established Perfect Game sponsored events. Many top prospects from the Midwest and the rest of the country are in attendance each year, along with a strong contingent of scouts and college coaches. Top players who have attended the Indoor Showcase include Chad Billingsley, Jeff Clement, Ryan Sweeney, Jacob Turner, Brad Hand and Jeremy Hellickson.
Since 2001 the Pitcher/Catcher Indoor Showcase has produced over 530 college commitments, 162 drafted players and 22 players who have made their big-league debut.
The 2017 Pitcher/Catcher Indoor Showcase will once again produce high level prospects that will surely gather attention from coaches and scouts heading into the spring.
Nathan Burns (2017 RHP, West Bend, WI) The 6-foot-1, 170-pound right-handed pitcher impressed last year at the 2016 Pitcher/Catcher Indoor Showcase showing a fastball that ran up to 89 miles per hour from an extended three-quarters arm slot. The Oregon State commit also showed a tight spinning slider with big sweeping depth and a potential plus changeup. Burns most recent appearance was with the Chicago Scouts Association at the WWBA World Championship in Jupiter, Florida last October. Burns worked three solid innings flashing a changeup with incredible extension down the mound.
Jacob Campbell (2018 C, Janesville, WI) The Janesville, WI native is currently ranked as the #1 catching prospect in the state of Wisconsin. The Illinois commit stands at 6-foot 200-pounds with present strength throughout his frame. Campbell showed off his tools defensively and at the plate last year during the 2016 Midwest Underclass Showcase in Cedar Rapids, IA. The 2018 grad topped at 79 miles per hour from behind the plate resulting in a 1.94 pop time. Campbell also showed good feel from the barrel to all fields with present bat speed at contact (91mph exit velocity).
Ryan Hoerter (2017 RHP, Pleasant Prairie, WI) The 6-foot-6 Auburn commit is currently ranked as the #1 right-handed pitcher for the class of 2017 in Wisconsin (#2 Overall Prospect in WI). The 2017 Pitcher/Catcher will mark his first showcase, but Hoerter has been very impressive in the tournament circuit including a fine performance at the 2016 WWBA World Championships. Hoerter struck out six batters with 12 swings and misses though 3 2/3 innings in an outing while throwing for the Chicago Scouts Association at Jupiter. The Pleasant Prairie native featured a fastball that topped at 89 miles per hour and a big 10-4 breaking ball that flashed very good depth.
Mateo Martinez (2019 C, Wichita, KS) The 2019 catcher has continued to improve with each event dating back to his first showcase in 2015 at the National Underclass South Showcase in Tomball, TX. The #1 overall 2019 prospect in the state of Kansas most recently attended the National Underclass Main Event in Ft. Myers, FL. Martinez showed polished actions behind the plate with solid arm strength topping at 81 miles per hour during defensive workouts (1.88 pop time). The Wichita State commit also showed a smooth, line drive swing plane throughout batting practice that also proved to play very well in games at the Main Event.
Austin Mihlbauer (2017 LHP, Mukwonago, WI) The left handed, 6-foot-1 186-pound pitcher ranks as the top prospect in the state of Wisconsin for the class of 2017. The TCU commit attended the Spring Top Prospect Showcase (Named to Top Prospect List) and WWBA World Championship in 2016. Milbauer has most recently showed a full arm action with a low effort release. Fastball created good life through the zone and was up to 89 miles per hour at Jupiter in October.
Zach Argo (2018 RHP, Firth, NE) The Air Force commit is a solid RHP/C prospect that stands at 6-foot-2, 195-pounds. Argo, a 2018 grad, attended both the Pitcher/Catcher and Jr. National Showcases in 2016. The Nebraska native has shown a quick arm action in the past and aggressively attacks hitters with a fastball that has late running action at 86 miles per hour. Behind the plate, Argo has clean athletic actions with present arm strength popping a 1.91 at the Jr. National Showcase. Argo currently ranks as the #2 right-handed pitcher in Nebraska for the class of 2018, and the #4 overall prospect.
Jordan Wendel (2017 C, Schaller, IA) The 6-foot-1, 210-pound left handed hitter catcher will also be in attendance this weekend. The Butler commit last appeared at the 2016 Midwest Top Prospect Showcase where he showed off his impressive arm strength topping at 85 miles per hour to second base during defensive workouts. Wendel also brings a solid power presence to the plate recording a 92mph bat speed at impact and an 89mph exit velocity.
Ben Probst (2017 RHP, Urbandale, IA) The top ranked 2017 right handed pitcher in the state of Iowa will toe the mound this weekend as well. Probst, a Nebraska commit, features a fastball that ran up to 89 mph at the 2016 Spring Top Prospect Showcase and an 11/5 curveball that flashed hard, late bite. The Urbandale, IA native was named to the Top Prospect List in each of the two showcases he attended in 2016.