INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — The fifth annual Vero Beach Classic returns to Historic Dodgertown this weekend, with more than 200 teams traveling from Texas, New England and the Carolina’s, from northern and
southern Florida, and from as far as Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic to play six days of baseball here and throughout the Treasure Coast region.
Approximately 4,000 high school aged boys will showcase their baseball talents to more than 200 professional scouts and college coaches, with the hopes of earning a contract or scholarship. The players will compete in age divisions 14u, 15u, 16u and 18u.
The highlight of the Vero Beach Classic is the Topps Showcase skills competition, to be held at iconic Holman Stadium on June 10, beginning at 5 p.m. The Topps Showcase is a critical element for scouts and college coaches to evaluate talent. In fact, approximately 30 participants in last year’s Topps Showcase are expected to be taken in this year’s Major
League Baseball First-Year Draft, taking place June 9-11 in New Jersey and televised on MLB Network.
“This is an event players and their families look forward to every year, and we appreciate Historic Dodgertown being a good partner to us,” said Aaron Braithwaite, President of event organizer Prospect Select Baseball. “The Vero Beach Classic showcases the top prospects, and they come to this tournament with the hopes of furthering their baseball
careers and dreams. Historic Dodgertown provides the major league facilities suited for this purpose.”
Tournament games at Historic Dodgertown will be held Friday through Wednesday from 8 a.m. to approximately 10:30 p.m. Admission is $5 per person, per day. On-site concessions will be available throughout the tournament.
The Vero Beach Classic is organized by Prospect Select Baseball and hosted by the Treasure Coast Sports Commission.
Events such as the Vero Beach Classic bring players, families and friends to the region who shop and dine local, stay in hotel rooms, and enjoy all the amenities Vero Beach and Indian River County have to offer.
For more information about the tournament please visit http://ps-baseball.com/contact-us.
To learn more about Historic Dodgertown, please visit www.historicdodgertown.com.
Historic Dodgertown is a multi-sport, 80-acre complex located in Vero Beach on Florida’s Treasure Coast. It is managed by former Dodger owner Peter O’Malley in a partnership since 2012. O’Malley, whose family developed and expanded the site formerly known as “Dodgertown” for nearly 50 years, partnered with his sister Terry O’Malley Seidler and former Dodger star pitchers Chan Ho Park and Hideo Nomo.
The home of Dodger Spring Trainings from 1948-2008, it was the starting place for six World Championships and 14 N.L. Pennant-winning teams. Numerous Baseball Hall of Fame players trained on these hallowed grounds, as well as 20 visits from professional teams in Asia.
The all-inclusive facility, owned by Indian River County, gives teams of all ages the unique opportunity to train, play, dine and stay together in on-site villas. Participants utilize one of 10.5 playing fields (seven are Musco-lighted for night games), including a cloverleaf of youth baseball/softball fields with concessions area and multi-purpose field (110 by 130 yards) for football, soccer and lacrosse.
Other amenities include clubhouses, two full-sized weight rooms, dining room, Stadium Club lounge and a competition-size swimming pool. The home of 6,500-seat Holman Stadium, Historic Dodgertown provides an all-encompassing experience for guests and is the ideal setting to build a championship team. It’s the perfect location for tournaments, camps, schools, business conferences and retreats.
