Rawlings(R) and Perfect Game USA Announce Preseason All-American and All-Region Teams

ST. LOUIS, March 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Rawlings Sporting Goods® announced today its annual Rawlings Preseason All-American and All-Region Teams to recognize the top 400 high school baseball athletes in the U.S., while also showcasing their abilities to collegiate and professional scouts. In partnership with Perfect Game USA, the world's largest scouting report service, Rawlings is devoted to distinguishing "THE FINEST IN THE FIELD" with the these two prestigious awards.

Mike Thompson, Rawlings Senior Vice-President, Marketing, said, "These selected athletes are being recognized for their skill, athleticism, and dedication to their game which allows them to perform to the highest level of game play. With more than 240,000 high school athletes in the nation, these players represent the very best in their class."

The Rawlings Preseason All-Region 1st Team recognizes 400 players from eight regions around the U.S. Each of the regions will form a 50-man roster, complete with catchers, pitchers, infielders and outfielders.

In addition, the top 150 of the 400 athletes will be named to the Rawlings Preseason All-American Team. All 150 award recipients will be named to one of three teams, each including a 50-man roster.

"Rawlings and Perfect Game USA are synonymous with the game of baseball and these preseason awards allow us to reward these elite athletes for their hard work and contribution to the game," said Thompson.

"To receive the Rawlings Preseason All-American or All-Region Award is a tremendous achievement for these high school athletes," said Jerry Ford, President, Perfect Game USA. "We're proud to partner with Rawlings to recognize their talent as they prepare for their careers playing collegiate or professional baseball."

To view the complete list of winners, please visit www.perfectgame.org.

About Rawlings: Rawlings is a leading marketer and manufacturer of baseball equipment and other sporting goods in the United States. Rawlings is the Official Baseball and Helmet of Major League Baseball® and official ball of the NCAA® baseball championships. Rawlings is also the official basketball for the NAIA®, NJCAA®, AAU® and many other organizations as well as official football of the NAIA®. Rawlings is the official basketball, football, baseball, softball, volleyball and soccer ball of the National High School Federation®. For more information, please visit www.rawlings.com.

About Perfect Game USA: Perfect Game has become the world's largest scouting report service, reporting on thousands of young players each year. Perfect Game uses its resources to help others involved in amateur baseball. Whether it's helping USA Baseball scout the Junior Olympics in Arizona and Florida or sponsoring the famous Lions Tournament in San Diego, Perfect Game seeks to identify the top performance athletes. For more information, please visit www.perfectgame.org.

SOURCE Rawlings