quote:Originally posted by Trepfan:
Perfect Game Web Site -- http://www.perfectgame.org/ and/or Baseball America (http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/highschool/)
Nation's Top High School Players to Compete in Fifth Annual All-Star Game in San Diego
COLUMBUS, Ga., July 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Aflac today announced the full player roster for the fifth annual Aflac All-American High School Baseball Classic, featuring the best high school baseball players in the country. The 2007 Aflac All-American Baseball Classic will be played at San Diego State's Tony Gwynn Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 11, airing live on FSN at 3 p.m. ET. Proceeds from the 2007 event will benefit San Diego's Rady Children's Hospital. Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith, a 15-time All Star and 13-time Gold Glove award winner, is this year's honorary chairman.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050721/CLTH055LOGO )
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20041202/CLTH019LOGO )
"This Aflac All-American class has a bit of everything, from amazing athletes to big power pitchers and hitters," said Jerry Ford, president of Perfect Game USA, which, along with Baseball America, is one of the game's selection partners. "Some of the fastest players in the country, the very best arms and serious power hitters will entertain the crowd in San Diego. This is perhaps the strongest group of kids we've ever selected to play in the Aflac Classic."
"I'm thrilled to join Aflac in honoring the stars of tomorrow -- the very best high school players across the country -- in San Diego, my first major league home," Ozzie Smith said. "I wish a game like this existed back when I was in high school, and I can only imagine how special it will be for these young men to get such national recognition and exposure."
The Aflac All-American High School Baseball Classic showcases the nation's top high school players in an East versus West match-up. Aflac All-Americans are chosen by official selection partners Baseball America magazine and prep scouting service Perfect Game USA. All participants must have just completed their junior year of high school, be in good academic standing and display redeeming qualities off the field that embody the ideals of the sport of baseball, including discipline, determination and hard work.
"Now going into our fifth year, we're proud that the Aflac All-American High School Baseball Classic has become the nation's premiere high school baseball event," said Jeff Herbert, Aflac's chief marketing officer. "The game is a terrific way for us to shine a spotlight on local kids in communities around the country, while raising money and awareness for pediatric cancer, a cause that's near and dear to us."
The Aflac All-American Classic boasts alumni who have had a huge impact in the past four Major League Baseball first-year player drafts. Overall, 42 alumni have been selected in the first round, including two No. 1 overall selections: Matt Bush (2004, San Diego) and Justin Upton (2005, Arizona). The 2007 draft saw a record 13 Aflac All-Americans drafted in the first round. Of the 38 players to play in the 2007 game, 34 were drafted. This year, Homer Bailey became the first Aflac All-American alumnus to play in the major leagues when he won his major debut for the Cincinnati Reds in June.
The players will be led by a stellar coaching staff as well. Mike Sheppard, Jr., head coach at perennial Seaton Hall Prep in West Orange, N.J., will manage the East team. He will be assisted by the manager of last year's East squad, Kevin Maris, of Oak Hall School in Gainesville, Fla. (and son of former Yankees slugger Roger Maris), and Bill Nicholson of Centennial High School in Sugar Hill, Ga.
Managing the West team will be legendary San Diego coach Manny Hermosillo of Montgomery High School. Rounding out the West coaching staff are former major leaguer Cecil Espy and Omar Washington, both of whom have coached in the classic since its inception.
The Aflac All-American High School Baseball Classic is endorsed by Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association as the country's marquee prep All-American event.
The full team roster is on the following page. To learn more about the Aflac All-American High School Baseball Classic, visit www.aflacallamerican.com.
About Aflac
For more than 50 years, Aflac products have given policyholders the opportunity to direct cash where it is needed most when a life-interrupting medical event causes financial challenges. Aflac is the number one provider of guaranteed-renewable insurance in the United States and the number one insurance company in terms of individual insurance policies in force in Japan. Our insurance products provide protection to more than 40 million people worldwide. Aflac has been included in Fortune magazine's listing of America's Most Admired Companies for seven consecutive years and in Fortune magazine's list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America for nine consecutive years. Aflac has also been recognized three times by both Fortune magazine's listing of the Top 50 Employers for Minorities and Working Mother magazine's listing of the 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers. Aflac Incorporated is a Fortune 500 company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AFL. To find out more about Aflac, visit aflac.com.
About Sports America
Sports America, Inc., is a sports marketing and event management firm based in Rockville, Md., which created and currently produces the Aflac Classic. Sports America also produces the McDonald's All-American High School Basketball Game.
East Team
No. Pos. Name Hgt. Wgt. High School (Hometown)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
77 RHP Jack Armstrong 6-7 200 Jupiter High School (Jupiter, FL)
5 OF Xavier Avery 6-0 185 Cedar Grove High School (Decatur,
GA)
3 INF Tim Beckham 6-2 191 Griffin High School (Kennesaw, GA)
45 LHP Brett DeVall 6-4 215 Rutherford High School (Parker, FL)
33 LHP Anthony Ferrara 6-1 170 Riverview High School (Riverview,
FL)
39 OF Wesley Freeman 6-4 210 All Saints Academy (Lakeland, FL)
2 RHP Sonny Gray 6-0 185 Smyrna High School (Smyrna, TN)
22 C Taylor Hightower 6-1 190 Cartersville High School
(Cartersville, GA)
1 OF Destin Hood 6-2 185 St. Paul's Episcopal High School
(Eight Mile, AL)
20 1B Eric Hosmer 6-4 210 American Heritage High School
(Cooper City, FL)
6 SS Garrison Lassiter 6-2 187 West Forsyth High School (High
Point, NC)
29 LHP Kyle Long 6-8 285 St. Anne's Belfield High School
(Ivy, VA)
18 RHP Daniel Marrs 6-3 200 James River High School (Midlothian,
VA)
13 3B Ethan Martin 6-3 200 Stephens County High School (Toccoa,
GA)
9 INF Harold Martinez 6-3 185 Braddock High School (Miami, FL)
14 RHP Quinton Miller 6-2 178 Shawnee High School (Medford, NJ)
17 C Adrian Nieto 6-0 195 American Heritage High School
(Hialeah, FL)
23 RHP Michael Palazzone 6-4 190 Lassiter High School (Marietta, GA)
21 LHP Scott Silverstein 6-5 205 St. John's College High School
(Brookeville, MD)
Manager: Mike Sheppard, Jr.
Assistant Coaches: Kevin Maris, Billy Nicholson
West Team
No. Pos. Name Hgt. Wgt. High School (Hometown)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 INF Chris Amezquita 6-2 190 Servite High School (La Mirada, CA)
8 INF Andy Burns 6-1 180 Rocky Mountain High School
(Ft. Collins, CO)
10 RHP Gerrit Cole 6-3 190 Orange Lutheran High School (Santa
Ana, CA)
12 RHP Jarred Cosart 6-3 175 Clear Creek High School (League
City, TX)
24 OF Isaac Galloway 6-3 190 Los Osos High School (Rancho
Cucamonga, CA)
7 OF Robbie Grossman 6-1 195 Cy Fair High School (Cypress, TX)
23 RHP BJ Hermsen 6-6 230 West Delaware High School
(Masonville, IA)
2 OF Aaron Hicks 6-1 160 Wilson High School (Long Beach, CA)
6 RHP Taylor Jungmann 6-5 180 Rogers High School (Temple, TX)
15 LHP Walker Kelly 6-0 188 Arlington Heights High School (Fort
Worth, TX)
9 RHP Tim Melville 6-5 205 Wentzville Holt High School
(Wentzville, MO)
17 RHP Alex Meyer 6-7 200 Greensburg High School (Greensburg,
IN)
18 1B Clark Murphy 6-3 200 Fallbrook Union High School
(Fallbrook, CA)
33 INF Ricky Oropesa 6-2 215 Etiwanda High School (Rancho
Cucamonga, CA)
5 RHP Ryan O'Sullivan 6-1 180 Valhalla High School (El Cajon, CA)
11 C Kyle Skipworth 6-3 195 Patriot High School (Riverside, CA)
3 C Jordan Swagerty 6-1 180 Prestonwood Christian Academy
(Sachse, TX)
21 OF Brent Warren 6-3 175 Xavier High School (Robins, IA)
44 LHP Austin Wright 6-3 210 Conant High School (Schaumburg, IL)
Manager: Manny Hermosillo
Assistant Coaches: Cecil Espy, Omar Washington
Media Contacts:
Tim Turner Jeff Heckelman
Aflac Incorporated Edelman Sports
706-243-5594 212-642-7718
trturner@aflac.com jeff.heckelman@edelman.com
