Reds to host 15th annual HS Showcase featuring 49 games
The 15th annual Skyline Chili Reds Futures High School Showcase presented by PNC will feature 84 high school baseball and softball teams from Greater Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky, Southeast Indiana and Dayton playing 49 games from March 27 to May 16.
On Wednesday, during the annual kickoff luncheon held at the P&G MLB Cincinnati Reds Youth Academy, Reds Community Fund executive director Charley Frank welcomed baseball and softball coaches and administrators from many of the participating high schools. Also in attendance were guests from PNC, In-Game Sports president and event organizer Tom Gamble, Reds chief communications and community officer Karen Forgus-Bowman, and member of the 1990 World Series champion Reds, Billy Hatcher.
“This High School Showcase is something the Reds couldn't do on our own,” Frank said. “I'm sure just about everyone in this room has worked with Tom Gamble and his team at In-Game Sports. If you work and live in this area, you think, ‘They do a great job, there's probably something like In-Game Sports in most communities.’ Well I've lived and worked in a few other communities, and I can assure you that we are blessed in this community to have a group that does the work that they do to shine the spotlight the way that they do it, connecting with the media and connecting with the community to bring amateur sports to a level that isn't seen in other regions.”
While the Showcase has built equity in its 15 years of existence, it doesn’t just happen. All the aforementioned individuals and groups, along with so many more behind the scenes, allow for this great event to continue each year. And most importantly, the commitment from all the coaches who dedicate months to their kids and their teams each season.
“Coaches, you should pat yourself on the back because the time you spend with all these kids. It's tough to coach high school sports,” Hatcher said. “You're special people because you're not only trying to teach these men and women how to play the game of baseball, you're making a very, very big impact on their lives. Baseball and winning are just a small part of it. You're doing it because of the love of baseball, the love of kids and the dedication that you have within yourself that you try to install in your team. And that is amazing.”
This year’s Showcase features a special new wrinkle to freshen it up and add some extra competition: the River Cup series.
The River Cup series kicks off this year’s Showcase with five games on March 27-29 featuring some of the top teams from Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky facing off against one another at Sycamore High School. The state that tallies the most wins in the series will earn the traveling River Cup trophy.
Seeing a similar concept for Ohio vs. Kentucky football, Sycamore head coach Pete Mullencamp brought the idea to Gamble to incorporate in baseball, and the River Cup series was born.
Additional highlights of this year’s Showcase include a showdown between Mason and Moeller as one of three games played at the University of Cincinnati. Other local college -- Xavier University, Miami University and Wright State University -- will also host a handful of matchups. The annual Jackie Robinson Day is back on April 11 with six games taking place at the Reds Youth Academy. April 25 at Lebanon Junior High School will feature a slew of heavy hitters from 2025 in a softball tripleheader: the defending Division I state champion Lebanon Warriors, the Division I runner-up Centerville Elks and the undefeated Division IV state champion Kenton Ridge Cougars.
To cap off the 15th edition of the event, 12 teams will play in the annual “Big League Weekend” at Great American Ball Park on May 15 and 16.
Fifteen years later, Showcase tickets remain just $5 each and are available at the scheduled ballpark on game days (except Big League Weekend). With each ticket purchased, fans will receive a voucher for one free View Level ticket to a select 2025 Reds home game and a coupon for one free Skyline Chili Cheese Coney at participating restaurants, while supplies last.
Visit reds.com/HSShowcase for additional information and schedule updates.
Peanut Butter Jam Food Drive -- April 26
During the luncheon, Forgus-Bowman took a few minutes to speak about the return of the Peanut Butter Jam, which will coincide with this year’s High School Showcase March at the Majors.
Last September, the Reds and Hope Emergency Program teamed up for the inaugural “Peanut Butter Jam” food drive and will do so again this season on Sunday, April 26, at Great American Ball Park when the Reds takes on the Detroit Tigers. Fans who bring plastic jars of peanut butter (16 ounces) to donate will receive one free View Level ticket to an upcoming Reds game. Donation bins will be located outside the ballpark.
Peanut butter is one of the most requested items at many food pantries because it is a shelf-stable, protein-rich food that has a variety of uses and is popular with people of all ages.
The “Peanut Butter Jam” supports Realizing the Dream, a five-year community service initiative designed to inspire youth, educators, and communities to complete 100 million hours of service by 2029, honoring the 100th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birth.