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Highlands Today

FACA Classic Attracts Top Talent

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By Christopher  Hoffman | Highlands Today

Published: May 19, 2008

SEBRING –– Eric Hosmer. Adrian Nieto. Casey Kelley.

Let those names sink deep into your subconscious, because in a blink of an eye they just might be playing for your favorite Major League baseball team.

For now, those are just a few players scheduled to participate in the 30th annual Florida Athletic Coaches Association All-Star Baseball Classic at Firemen's Memorial Field May 22-24.

Five of the top 50 overall prospects in this year's talent pool for the upcoming MLB First Year Player Draft will be showing off their skills for the conglomerate of major league and college scouts and the fans that come from all over the state to see this amazing collection of a future who's who of baseball in the coming years.

"This event has become a haven for scouts and college coaches to get a last chance to scout these kids," FACA All-Star co-coordinator Travis Rapp said. "All the kids named to this team have proven themselves over the course of their careers, but I've seen so many players improve their draft position with a good showing here.

"Impress the scouts here and that could catapult them up a few rounds or land them that Division 1 scholarship that had eluded them."

Hosmer, who starred at first base and pitcher at American Heritage in Plantation, has been rated the No. 5 prospect by Scouts, Inc. The scouting report by Scouts, Inc. on the two-way player offers incredible insight and should wet the lips of many teams in the top part of the draft.

"Hosmer has incredible bat speed, plus-plus raw power and good athleticism for a corner player; he's above-average defensively at first with an above-average arm, and might be able to slide to right field for a team already locked in at first base. Hosmer gets his hands into great position to offer both contact and power, gets his arms extended on anything that's not in on his hands and accelerates his wrists from his loaded position get the bat to the ball extremely quickly," as reported by Keith Lee of Scouts, Inc.

That blend of power and contact, along with Casey Kelley (No. 21) of Sarasota, Adrian Nieto (No. 39) of American Heritage and Niceville's Bret Duvall (N0. 50) should make the 2008 event one of the best on record.

"This is a chance to see these kids before they become rich and famous," Rapp said.

The All-Star game has had a plethora of Hall of Famer's and future Hall of Famer's that included Alex Rodriguez of N.Y. Yankees, Milwaukee Brewer's star Prince Fielder, Chipper Jones of the Atlanta Braves and local kids in former Avon Park pitcher and current closer with the Philadelphia Phillies Tom "Flash" Gordon and former Blue Streak and big league pitcher Gabe White.

Rapp remembers when Rodriguez put on a show for the fans watching batting practice in '93.

"Alex came up with a wooden bat and was hitting balls on the pavilion," Rapp said. "We were all sitting there stunned at how powerful this kid was hitting the ball. We knew he was the top prospect coming into the event, but that moment showed that he was going to be great."

Lake Placid head coach Dan Coomes had the honor of being named the head coach for one of the squads back in 1997, when he was still the head coach for Bartow. His memories of working with the kids and other coaches still inspires him to this day.

"The whole atmosphere is one that is just electric," Coomes said. "Just being around those caliber of players and to think about where these kids are going to end up is mind-boggling. I spent two years as an assistant before I was a head coach and I learned how to better handle talent.

"As a coach, we don't try to do too much but let these athletes show off what they can do and do battle with the best. This is the one time that, as a coach, you get to be a fan at the same time."

For the local kids that participate in the event, they get their chance to measure themselves against the best collection of talent in the state and gather memories that could last a lifetime.

After playing college ball at Polk Community College and the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, Rapp was drafted in the 15th round by the Chicago White Sox in 1997.

The Sebring native spent the next four seasons as a professional baseball player in the minors with the White Sox, Anaheim Angels and Texas Rangers farm clubs before returning to Highlands County.

But Rapp still remembers the all-star game like it was yesterday.

"I still remember when I played in the event," Rapp said. "But the things that I most remember more than the game was the guys I met. The camaraderie you have with those guys and you see yourself following their career."

Sebring pitcher/infielder Adam Simmons and first baseman Tony Vazquez will represent Highlands County in the '08 Classic.

"I remember watching my brother Kiko playing in the all-star game and thinking that I would one day be playing in it," said Vazquez. "This is a special honor and is nice to see that all the hard work that you put in over the year's has paid off."

MLB.com caught wind of the event and had planned to be present to film the festivities, but had to put the coverage on hold until next year.

"They contacted us and showed genuine interest in coming here," Rapp said. "They couldn't make it work in such a short time so they said they'd make a point to be back next year.

"They plan on doing interviews with the players and coaches and film batting practice and hopefully the first round of games. I think it would a huge boost for this event and for Highlands County."

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