Reds Futures High School Showcase announced

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- During a news conference at the Reds Hall of Fame in Cincinnati, the second annual Reds Futures High School Showcase was announced. The number of participating schools in the baseball tournament is 64, up from 50 in the first year.

There will be 32 high school teams from greater Cincinnati, northern Kentucky and southeastern Indiana playing at local fields from March 25-April 15. Three of the fields hosting games were remodeled in recent years with grants from the Reds Community Fund.

Former Reds players and 1990 World Series winners Ron Oester and Todd Benzinger will throw out ceremonial first pitches at games involving their alma maters. Oester is a 1974 graduate of Withrow High School. He will throw out the first pitch before the Withrow-Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy game on April 11 at Xavier University.

Benzinger, a 1981 graduate of New Richmond High School, will throw out the first pitch when New Richmond hosts Goshen on April 12. Benzinger's brother Brian is the varsity baseball coach at New Richmond.