The Dirt Dandies Elite Showcase gives players an opportunity to find out where they stand against other players their age within the state of Kansas.

The state of Kansas is a winter state that plays a short high school baseball schedule which gives coaches and scouts a limited opportunity to see the wide array of talent that the state of Kansas/KC metro has to offer. In the past 20 years, thousands of talented Kansas baseball players have either been overlooked by college coaches or went unselected in the MLB draft due to the lack of reliable information available on Kansas student athletes.

The Dirt Dandies Elite Showcase provides college coaches, scouts, and major league officials the opportunity to have access to all of the best talent in the state of Kansas ages 14-18 in one location.

The Dirt Dandies Elite Showcase is open to participants ages 14-15 and 16-18. The showcase is staffed by former professional and college players, college and high school coaches and MLB scouts. The top performers from the workout’s will be invited to play in the Dirt Dandies Elite Showcase which includes a homerun derby, fastest player contest, pitcher with the highest velocity, skills challenge, and each selected player will play in two 9 inning games. 

Unlike any other camps or showcases the Dirt Dandies Elite Showcase has developed into one the most productive baseball recruiting events in the state of Kansas, for little league and high school players. Founded by former minor leaguer and Kansas Reviving Baseball in inner cities (Kansas RBI) Executive Director Cle Ross who reached out to select little league directors, college coaches, academic advisors, and Major League Baseball Scouts with over 40 years of experience scouting, running showcases, camps, and mentoring youth.

Dirt Dandies Elite Showcase “The latest show on turf”

LOCATION:

• Barton-Ross Complex (Turf Field): 5325 Parallel Pkwy Kansas City, Kansas 66102
• CommunityAmerica Ballpark: 1800 Village West Parkway Kansas City, Kansas 66111 

PHASE I – Workout:

1. 60 yard sprint in pairs.
2. Infielders field grounders and throw to first.
3. Catchers throw to second.
4. Pitchers throw in bullpen
5. Outfielders throw to third and home
6. Players bat/situational baseball.

PLAYER CHECKLIST — (what we look for in a player)

• CATCHERS: Arm strength, agility and quickness, soft hands, aggressiveness plus leadership.
• INFIELDERS: Arm Strength, speed, instincts, aggressiveness, soft hands, hitting ability (especially from the corners).
• HITTERS: Strength, bat speed, plane of swing, absence of fear, aggressiveness, top-hand extension, and follow-though.
• PITCHERS: Arm strength, velocity, movement, and a curveball with tight rotation, free arm action and proper delivery, complete extension on the follow-though (basically a live, quick arm, aggressiveness, and the ability to concentrate.
• MAKEUP: Strong desire to succeed, coach ability, maturity, temperament, improvement, drive, hunger, consistency, knowledge of the game, competitiveness, (how badly does the player want to reach college or the major leagues and how well he will work at.)
• PHYSICAL CHANGES: Has he reached his full height yet? Can he gain or lose weight? Will he become faster or slower? Has he filled out yet? Does he a have history of being hurt? How much has his skills improved from last year.
• Does the player have the physical tools plus the strong make up to play in college or the major leagues.

 

PHASE II – Showcase

The top performers from the Dirt Dandies Elite workouts are invited to compete head to head with other top performers competing in events that include live games, skills challenge, 0 to 100, fastest player, and a homerun derby.

• Live games – Each player will play in two 9 inning games displaying their skills against live competition. 
• Homerun Derby– select players in each age division will get a chance to prove they have the ability to hit the long ball and show whose bat has some pop.
• 0 to 100 (real quick)- select players in each age division will get an opportunity to throw 3 pitches from the mound to home plate with the pitcher with the highest velocity being crowned champion. 
• Fastest Player– select players in each age division with the fastest 60 times will go head to head to identify who is the “Dat’s what speed do” camp champs. 
• Skills Challenge– select position players in each age division will compete in our baseball version of the NBA skills challenge which will help us identify who the best athletes are in the showcase.

FORMER DIRT DANDIES PARTICIPANTS WHO HAVE BEEN DRAFTER:

In 2014, former Dirt Dandies player of the year Chase Radar was drafted in the 16th Round of the MLB draft by the Detroit Tigers.  Rader attended Coffeyville Community College and is currently a senior at Wichita State University.

Former Dirt Dandies Player of the Year Jonathan Perrin finished the 2013 season 4-0 for the Oklahoma State Cowboys who were a dominate force in the Big 12.  Jonathan was drafted in the 33rd Round of the 2014 MLB draft by the Detroit Tigers and was drafted in the 27th round of the 2015 draft by the Milwaukee Brewers.  Jonathan is currently playing minor league ball in Brewers system.
 

WHAT DO DIRT DANDIES ELITE SHOWCASE PARTICIPANTS RECIEVE:

• An opportunity to compete with and amongst top little league and high school baseball prospects in the KC metro area on a turf field
• An opportunity to compete for a chance to play at a professional stadium
• Exposure to over 1,000 colleges and scouts from all 30 Major League teams
• A Dirt Dandies Elite Workout Shirt

2012 HIGHLIGHT:

Dylan Brett, 2012 DDE Showcase starting pitcher, looks on as his mother Leslie Brett throws out the first pitch to his father MLB Hall of Famer, George Brett