Pitcher/Catcher Showcase

Highlights from Day One of the Pitcher/Catcher Indoor Showcase:

-- Two Iowa pitchers showed top level arm strength, although most of the high velocity arms aren’t scheduled to pitch until Sunday. RHP Dean McArdle (Sioux City North HS) showed the same stuff that he has at just about every event he’s ever been observed at, throwing 89-92 mph with a sharp 75 mph curveball and a hard diving low 80’s change up. McArdle’s small 5-10 frame and his scholarship to Stanford will discourage pro interest for the time being, but he should be an immediate success in the Pac 10 in 2010.

No one knew what to expect from fellow 2009 RHP Matt Koch (Washington HS, Cherokee, IA), as he’s been struggling lately with a sore hip flexor. It didn’t seem to hurt the Louisville signee, though, as Koch was steady at 88-89 mph from a loose mid ¾’s release point with excellent boring life. There’s plenty more velocity in his arm as his slender 6-3 frame fills out.

Iowa’s Jon Keller will be pitching on Sunday.

-- RHP Zach Beringer (2010/Harrisburg HS, MO) showed an 88 mph fastball and a good downer curveball, along with a strong 6-4, 220 lb frame. A scout said that Beringer was 92-93 mph a couple of weeks ago at another indoor event.

-- OF/RHP Seth Schwindenhammer (2009/Limestone HS, Bartonville, IL) is neither a catcher or primary pitcher (although he did throw 84-86 mph) but was at the showcase to show off his skills as one of the top hitting prospects in Illinois. The 6-2, 210 left handed hitter goes to the same high school that Jim Thome did and his father was a teammate of the White Sox slugger. Schwindenhammer has the raw tools to potentially join Thome as a big league alum of Limestone HS, as he has very good bat speed and obvious power potential. It’s worth noting that should the Illinois signee reach the Majors, he would have the longest last name in ML history, supplanting Jarod Saltalamacchia by one letter, 15-14.

-- Another left handed hitting outfielder who had an interesting day was Garrett Schlecht (2011/Belleville West Township HS, Millstadt, IL). Schlecht has a very projectable 6-2, 185 lb build and a crisp line drive swing with good bat speed. Schlect hit with the first group of hitters starting at 9 am, took his turn pitching (78-80 mph), took an open spot in a mid-day hitting group, then hit with the last hitting group. He said afterwards that he hit off 13 different pitchers and I had him figured for at least 50-60 at bats. That’s a day’s work. I joked with one of the scout’s sitting behind the cage, “We should put in our notes that his bat speed drops off a bit after he’s been hitting for a few hours.”

--Remember the name Tyler King, a 2010 LHP from Republic, Missouri. The 5-11 southpaw is a clone of another LHP, Buddy Baumann, at the same age. Baumann came to the Indoor Showcase four years ago as a mid 80’s left with an excellent curveball and nice change up, now he’s a potential Top 5 round pick at Missouri State. King has the same type of package and his curveball was the best breaking ball at the event.

-- Another southpaw to remember is Ryan Bollinger. Bollinger is 6-6, 190 lbs with very athletic actions. He was very steady at 86-87 mph, including from the stretch, and his 71 mph curveball had nice shape and spin. Bollinger is from the unlikely hometown of Minot, North Dakota and will give the scouts a good reason for a trip north late this spring. He’s signed with JC powerhouse Iowa Western.