The 12th annual Skyline Chili Reds Futures High School Showcase presented by Cincinnati Children’s Sports Medicine & Orthopaedics will feature 92 high school baseball and softball teams from 78 Greater Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky and Dayton schools playing 46 games from March 31 to May 13.

On March 14, the announcement was made at the P&G MLB Cincinnati Reds Youth Academy during the annual luncheon that kicks off the event.

Executive Director of the Reds Community Fund Charley Frank and In-Game Sports President and High School Showcase organizer Tom Gamble were on hand with Reds TV broadcaster Brian Giesenschlag and FOX19 sports reporter Joe Danneman emceeing the ceremony. Longtime WLWT Sports Director George Vogel, who is retiring soon after nearly 42 years of covering professional, collegiate, and high school sports across Greater Cincinnati and the Tri-State, was also in attendance.

“The Reds are honored to support the high school baseball and softball programs in Reds Country through this showcase,” said Karen Forgus, Reds senior vice president of business operations. “We thank these high school athletic directors, coaches and athletes for keeping baseball thriving in our communities. And we are very grateful to Tom Gamble and his In-Game Sports staff for producing such a large, impactful program for these teams.”

The Showcase begins with Opening Weekend at the Reds Youth Academy featuring three baseball games and one softball game on March 31 (Opening Night) and four baseball games on April 1. And on April 15, for the fourth consecutive year, the Showcase will celebrate Jackie Robinson Day by hosting teams from nine Cincinnati public schools playing at the Reds Youth Academy. Players will wear “42” jerseys in honor of Robinson, who broke baseball’s color barrier in 1947.

“The Skyline Chili Reds Futures High School Showcase continues to energize the entire high school baseball and softball community,” Frank said. “It’s an enormous presence, reaching close to 100 schools and lasting more than a month, and we’re thrilled to host the Opening Day games and Jackie Robinson weekend games at the Reds Youth Academy. It’s impossible to quantify how much the Showcase has meant to the Reds, the Reds Community Fund and the game in general.”

Sunday, April 16, will feature three softball games to commemorate the third annual Gabby Rodriguez Day, which honors a Western Hills High School softball student-athlete who passed away in 2018. The Showcase will also include games played at three regional collegiate fields: Wright State’s Nischwitz Stadium, Xavier’s Hayden Field and the University of Cincinnati’s UC Baseball Stadium. In addition, 10 teams are scheduled to play at Great American Ball Park during “Big League Weekend” on May 12 and 13.

“We have been in the High School Showcase since year one,” said Scott Schweitzer, Campbell County baseball coach. “And for the last two years we have been fortunate enough to play at Great American Ball Park for Big League Weekend. It’s awesome for the kids and coaches to live out their dreams to play on the same field as the Major Leaguers.”

As was the case when the program began a dozen years ago, Showcase tickets remain just $5 each and are available at the scheduled ballpark on game days. With each ticket purchased, fans will receive a voucher good for one free View Level ticket to a select 2023 Reds home game and a coupon good for one free Skyline Chili Cheese Coney at participating restaurants, while supplies last.

All participating Showcase teams will be invited to Great American Ball Park on Sunday, May 7, to participate in the “March at the Majors” pregame parade prior to the Reds vs. White Sox game. The Showcase’s Most Valuable Players will receive their commemorative bats, presented by MSA Sport, as part of that afternoon’s pregame ceremonies.

“We try to get some of the top programs to play in the High School Showcase each year, and we also look for new schools that have not been in it before,” Gamble said. “From the cool promotions, to playing on top-notch ballfields, to getting a chance to March at the Majors, we hope people will see what a great experience the Showcase is for the players and schools.”

Visit reds.com/HSShowcase for a schedule and additional information, including updates.