Baseball talent on display at Scaggs

By By Tony Krausz / assistant sports editor
November 1, 2004
Junior College sophomore baseball players from Mississippi had a chance to prove their worth over the weekend.
Mixed squads of Region XXIII top flight players participated in the 2004 Baseball Showcase at Meridian Community College's Scaggs Field on Saturday and Sunday.
The two days of fall baseball allowed scouts and the college and professional levels to see what some of the state's junior college sophomores had to add to their teams.
By bringing a large number of players to one place during the offseason, scouts are provided the opportunity to see players they may not get to during the spring season.
The sophomores played two nine inning games each day of the showcase, with the first pitch each day thrown at noon.
With 18 innings each day, position players had plenty of opportunities to show what they could do at the plate and in the field.
Pitchers had a little less time to showcase their abilities on the mound.
Most of the hurlers only pitched two innings in a game, and some pitchers were slated to pitch one inning.
Though a pitcher's time on the mound was limited, MCC assistant coach Chris Rose, who handles the Eagles' pitching staff, said everyone on the mound knew what they needed to do when they got the ball.
While Iannelli said he didn't think there were any high draft picks in this year's showcase, the Rockies scout did see some players that he thought could go professional.