By Bob Elliott
Canadian Baseball Network

The 20th annual Perfect Game World Showcase kicked off the 2017 season with 100 prospects at Terry Park in Fort Myers, Fla.

OF Rashad Collymore (Mississauga, Ont.) of the Ontario Blue Jays and 2B Cesar Valero (Calgary, Alta.) of the Okotoks Dawgs were ranked as the best prospects by the Perfect Game staff. Collymore is eligible for the 2017 draft and was the only Canadian list on the top 30 prospects, while Valero is a young ‘un at 2019.

Collymore showed amongst the leaders three when all the watches had been stopped, the gun readings had been read, the machines finished clicking and been compared. He ran the sixth fastest 60 at 6.62, was 19th when it came to outfield velocity at 87 MPH and was 20th with an exit velocity of 90 MPH.

1B Malik Williams (Toronto, Ont.) also of the Ontario Blue Jays showed once having the fourth highest velocity in the field at 95 MPH. 

Two more Ontario Blue Jays ranked with fastest: OF Kurt Dawkins (Ajax, Ont.) owned the seventh fastest time being clocked at 6.64, while SS Andres Gonzalez (Toronto, Ont.) was 16th with a 6.88 clocking. 

The other two Canadians ranked with the leaders were C Martin Vincelli-Simard (Boisbriand, Que.) of the Academy Baseball Canada, who had the 10th best pop time at 1.96 and OF Ricardo Alvarez De Lugo (Mississauga, Ont.) whose outfield velocity was 22nd at 86 MPH.

Collymore had a 1.56 split in the 60 and now on to the new-age numbers: his Zepp Bat Speed at Impact (BSI) was 89.319, his Zepp Hand Speed Max (HSM) was 26.126 and his Tim to Impact (TTI) was 0.112.

Williams ran a 1.67 on his way to a 7.21 60 and showed 71 MPH. He had a 92.459 BSI, a 35.237 HSM and a 0.122 TTI. 

Dawkins had a 1.59 split in the 60, as well as an 88.135 BSI, a 33.043 HSM and a 0.100 TTI.

Alvarez De Lugo had a 1.77 split on his way to a 7.16 60. He had an 85.493 BSI, a 31.296 HSM and a 0.110 TTI.

Gonzalez ran a 1.77 split and had 84 MPH velocity as well he had an 76.510 BSI, 26.160 HSM and an 0.106 TTI. 

Valero ran a 1.68 split on his way to a 7.15 60-yard dash and was clocked at 80 arm velocity. He had a 91.538 BSI, a 28.633 HSM and a 0.102 TTI.

C Kyle Bryan (Whitby, Ont.) of the Ontario Yankees had a 2.19 pop time and showed a velocity of 70 MPH. He ran a 7.43 60 and had a 1.66 split. He had an 86.938 BSI, a 25.805 HSM and a 0.112 TTI.
 
It was 20 years ago Jerry Ford drove 1,400 miles from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to Fort Myers for the first Perfect Game enabling high school-aged and draft eligible prospects the chance to work out before major league scouts.

Besides United States and Canada, players came from Puerto Rico, Venezuela, the Dominican Republic and Brazil.

2017 World Showcase
Top World Showcase Exit Velocities
By Justin Amidon

Name    Exit Velo    Grad    School    Hometown
1. Paul McIntosh    98    2017    Next Level Academy    Miami Gardens, FL
4. Malik Williams    95    2017    Satec @ WA Porter CI    Toronto, ON
20. Rashad Collymore    90    2017    Cawthra Park SS    Mississauga, ON

World Top 60YD Dash Times
By Kenny Gardner

Name    60    Grad    School    Hometown
1. Carlos Diaz 6.37 2017 Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy Caguas, PR
6. Rashad Collymore    6.62    2017    Cawthra Park SS    Mississauga, ON
7. Kurt Dawkins    6.64    2017    J. Clarke Richardson    Ajax, ON
16. Andres Gonzalez    6.88    2017    De La Salle College    Toronto, ON

World Top C Pops
By Kenny Gardner

Name    Pop    Grad    School    Hometown
1. Kevin Bermudez 1.83 2017    Inspiration Academy    Winter Park, FL
10. Martin Vincelli-Simard 1.96    2017    Saint-Gabriel, Boisbriand, Que.

World Top INF Velos
By Kenny Gardner

Name    IF    Grad    School    Hometown
1. Christopher De Guzman    92 2017 International Baseball Academy Fajardo, PR
11. Andres Gonzalez    84    2017    De La Salle College    Toronto, ON

World Top OF Velos
By Kenny Gardner

Name    OF    Grad    School    Hometown
1. Davis Tavarez    96    2017    Cenapec    Santo Domingo (DOM)
19. Rashad Collymore    87    2017    Cawthra Park SS    Mississauga, ON
22. Ricardo Alvarez De Lugo    86    2017    Our Lady of Mount Carmel    Mississauga, ON

Batting Practice Highlights
By David Rawnsley

Rashad Collymore (2017 OF, Mississauga, ON) is a very quick twitch athlete who also plays the game very aggressively.  He’s a switch hitter with an especially quick bat from the right side of the plate.

Cesar Valero (2019 2B, Calgary, AB) is a young Canadian who moved to that country from Venezuela as a youngster.  He has a projectable 6-1/172 build and a long and loose right handed swing with plenty of present bat speed and the potential for lots more.

Malik Williams (2017 1B, Toronto, ON) looks bigger than his already impressive 6-4/225 listing and is immensely strong.  His right handed swing is notable loose and whippy, though, which gives him huge raw power when he squares the ball up.

Scouting blogs
Gray vs. Maroon
Rashad Collymore (2017 OF, Mississauga, ON) is a switch-hitter who dug in from the left side in his second at-bat and spun on an inner half for a double to his pull side gap. 

Cesar Valero (2019 2B, Calgary, AB) continued to put together an impressive showcase, especially for a 2019 graduate as he went with an outer half curveball and barreled it into right-center field for a single.

2-Green vs 4-Purple
Martin Vincelli-Simard (2017 C, Boisbriand, QC) showed good bat speed and made loud contact with a very aggressive approach as he collected a single.

2017 Top Prospects
1. Davis Tavarez  - OF - 2017 - Santo Domingo, NC - DOM 
There’s a lot to like from the 6-2/190 Dominican Republic native, who we’re told is a current Free Agent. His arm strength is a standout tool with the top outfield throw of 96 mph with plus carry though is bat was just as loud hitting hard line drive home runs to the pull side with an easy and fluid swing. He also hit 90 mph on the mound. 

15. Rashad Collymore  - OF - 2017 - Mississauga, ON - CAN
Collymore is a quick twitch athlete who ran a 6.62 sixty and has run faster at other events he’s played at in the past, speed that plays up because of how hard he plays the game. Collymore is also a switch-hitter with good bat speed from both sides but especially right handed.

2019 Top Prospects
1. Cesar Valero  - 2B - 2019 - Calgary, AB - CAN
The youngest player from North America in attendance, Valero more than held his own and stood out both in drills and live action. Uncommitted, Valero showed nice defensive skills up the middle with soft hands, as well as a short, compact stroke from the right side with present bat speed.