For many high school players across the country, January is often the off-season, a time for training and preparation off the field.  But this is not the case for all high school players. In fact, every January for the past six years the top players from across the country have traveled to Tucson, Arizona for the Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament. These high level athletes are selected based on strong performances at previous Under Armour Baseball Factory events or by recommendation from a professional scout. For these players, January is both a culmination of their dedication and hard work and a step towards reaching the next level.

This year marked the sixth annual Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament. The three day event returned to the Kino Sports Complex, former Spring Training Home of the Arizona Diamondbacks.  A total of 332 players from 43 states, the Bahamas and Canada represented their region in the 24-team tournament. Among the talented young players on this year’s roster were two 2011 Under Armour All-Americans, Teddy Stankiewicz and Carson Kelly.  For Kelly, this year’s tournament gave him a perfect four-for-four in Pre-Season All-American selections, putting him into an elite class of four-time Under Armour Pre-Season All-Americans. It was clear from the Opening Awards Ceremony that the 2012 Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament would be a great event for these talented young players, ready to showcase their skills and take their game to the next level.

Day 1
To kick off this year’s Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament, players and parents attended the Opening Awards Ceremony at the event headquarters. Baseball Factory’s staff of current and former professional players, coaches and scouts was on-hand to welcome families to the event. In keeping with tradition, players arrived in coat and tie, a distinction initially established to set a high standard throughout the duration of the tournament. In another tradition synonymous to this high level event, all players were outfitted in official Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Team uniforms, including Under Armour cleats, jerseys and hats. Along with the performance outfitting, each player received an official certificate commemorating their selection to the event. Steve Bernhardt, Baseball Factory’s Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations, led the welcome before each player was recognized in front of the audience of over 1,000 players, families and coaches.  The event’s keynote speaker Mike Toomey followed. Mike has spent 33 years working in professional baseball and currently serves as Special Assistant to Kansas City Royals General Manager Dayton Moore. He has worked for the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Texas Rangers, the New York Mets and the Kansas City Royals. In 1992, he was named Major League Baseball Scout of the Year. For his continued excellence as a professional scout, Toomey was inducted into the Mid-Atlantic Major League Scouts Hall of Fame in 2011. Mike signed on as a Scouting Consultant for Baseball Factory in 2006 and the Factory was thrilled to have him on hand to speak with players and parents.  His message really seemed to resonate with players and parents, and was a great way to end the first of this three-day event.

Day 2
Players took the field Saturday morning for the professional workout which included offensive and defensive showcases, as well as the 60-yard dash.  The workout was captured by Baseball Factory’s professional videographers to subsequently edit and place onto each player’s Baseball Factory Player Page.  Our scouts were impressed throughout the workout as the players demonstrated why they were selected as Under Armour Pre-Season All-Americans. Following the morning workout, tournament games began with each team playing in an afternoon match-up. For teams like the Midwest, North, Northeast and Atlantic, the mild Arizona weather was a welcomed opportunity to not only showcase in front of professional scouts but also to begin preparing for their spring season against top talent.  The professional scouts and college coaches in attendance made their rounds on Saturday, including an extended stop at Field 5 for the Texas v. California game. Teddy Stankiewicz (above), 2011 Under Armour All-American and starting pitcher, took the mound for Texas. The senior RHP sat consistently at 91 mph with his fastball, topping out at 93 mph and consistently throwing for strikes.

The warm afternoon sun gave way to cooler temperatures as the first round of tournament games came to a close. That evening, as in year’s past, Baseball Factory hosted a Scouting and College Recruiting Panel for all players and parents in attendance.  This year the panel featured experts with indispensable experience in the industry, including Rob Naddelman, Dan Mooney, Chad Addison & Mark Daniels. Rob Naddelman, Baseball Factory’s President, and Dan Mooney, Baseball Factory's Senior Director of College Recruiting, led the discussion in front of the large turnout of players and parents.  Each brought their personal experiences and knowledge of the recruiting process to the discussion. Also contributing their personal experiences and unique point of views to the interactive dialogue were Mark Daniels, Head Baseball Coach at Virginia High School and current Professional Scout, and Chad Addison, College Scout and former college baseball head coach. The invaluable information shared during the panel not only capped a great day on the field, but also provided players and parents with a better understanding of the complex recruiting process.

Day 3
Sunday brought unseasonable overcast skies and even some afternoon rain showers. Every team competed in two six-inning games over the course of the day, completing every game despite the late inclement weather. Throughout the tournament and particularly during games, players were able to take advantage of connecting with professional scouts as many worked the tournament as part of the coaching staff.  For a full list of college coaches and professional scouts in attendance, click here.

Strong performances were evident to coaches and scouts on the final day of the tournament, from notable pitching to above average catching performances. As part of the recognition owed to the outstanding talent present at the event, players who rated as having “Top Tools” will be receiving special mention on Baseball Factory’s web site over the coming weeks. In addition to top talent recognition, all players will receive additional exposure to college coaches and professional scouts, as Baseball Factory contacts every coach and MLB scouting department when the video footage and evaluation from the event becomes available through our online player database.  As the final day at the Kino Sports Complex came to a close, teammates said goodbye to their new friends and coaches shared parting advice before the lights went out on another great tournament.

Baseball Factory would like to congratulate all of the players who were selected to and participated in this year’s Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament. Since 2009, 120 Under Armour Pre-Season All-Americans have been drafted; over 15 players have been selected to the Under Armour All-America Game at Wrigley Field and hundreds more have gone on to play college baseball. Baseball Factory is proud the tradition of excellence continued at this year’s Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament.  As we look to the spring season, we also look forward to the 2012 Under Armour All-America Game.  For players like Carson Kelly, the Pre-Season event has not only served as an opportunity to impress scouts and showcase among other talented young baseball players, but also as the first step on the road to Wrigley.

Do you want to be considered for next year’s event?
Show our scouts you have what it takes at an Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout, coming to a ballpark near you in 2012.

For more information on the 2012 Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament, click here.

For more information on the Under Armour All-America Game, click here.