For this second edition of the Regensburg Gateway Showcase Tournament in Germany, the following teams will face off: the U18 national teams of the Netherlands, Germany, the Czech Republic, and Italy. For other nationalities, an All-Star team has been assembled. The presence of the most important European MLB scouts has already been confirmed. It concludes today, Wednesday, August 10, 2022, after five days of competition.
A total of 5 matches in six days, plus a Pro Day for each player to showcase their talent, are part of the program. During each match, analyses and video feeds from 8 camera angles will be captured, data from dual radar systems will be recorded, demonstration tests will be conducted, and traditional scouting reports will be generated. From these results, player profiles will be created for each member of the All-Star team and delivered shortly after the event. We met the only French participant: Kenny Esposito
BTVF: Introduce yourself to our readers
K.E.: I am Kenny ESPOSITO, Franco-American, currently playing for Stade Toulousain Baseball. I was initiated and trained from 9U to 12U at the Meds de Marseille club; at 15U, I joined the Renards club in the Vallée du Gapeau (near Toulon), which allowed me to join the Montpellier hope pole (I played with the Barracudas until 2021) to finish at the France pole in Toulouse. I participated in the 18U European Championship in 2021 and the pre-qualifiers for the senior European Championship in Bulgaria. Next week, I am leaving for the United States to join a junior college in California near San Francisco, Los Medanos, which competes in NJCAAD1. I had the desire to play in the Californian championship, which is the most competitive in the USA.
BTVF: How are the players selected, and why are there so few French players?
K.E.: There are 4 national U18 teams present: Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and the Czech Republic, plus an « All-Star » team of which I am a part, composed of Europeans generally selected from the 2003 class. We were 2 French players invited, but the second could not come. We were present at the 2018 All-Star European Camp (with 3 others) always in Regensburg, which is perhaps the reason why we were contacted. Moreover, in my case, I have an MLB registration number, mandatory to eventually be drafted by a pro club.
BTVF: How is the stadium?
K.E.: The stadium is simply magnificent, in my opinion the most beautiful in Europe that I have seen. A perfectly maintained lawn, without flaw; numerous bleachers, a scoreboard where our photo appears when the announcer introduces us. The facilities are fantastic, there is everything.
BTVF: How do the matches go?
K.E.: The matches are exactly like the European Championship I participated in in 2021 in Italy: 7 innings
BTVF: How does the showcase go?
K.E.: The showcase is an important moment of this stay; the pitchers are examined in the game, on the other hand for the other positions there are different exercises set up under numerous cameras and the gaze of a dozen scouts present who communicate via the internet with other scouts in the USA. My main position is pitcher, but I also wanted to take the outfielder showcase to familiarize myself with this exercise.
BTVF: What are the means put in place?
K.E.: It’s extraordinary, we are treated like professionals! Nothing is missing, the food is very good and abundant. Everything is done to put us in the best conditions. On the first day, a minivan picks us up at Munich Airport. Near the field, there is a medical room with all the equipment. I had a comeback to the tibia (a ball hit came back hard on me), a doctor took care of me like the pros! Our hotel is not far from the field, but we are taken there in the morning and back in the evening. It’s a very enriching experience that I wish all French players.
Interview conducted by Didier Cannioux with the help of Michel Esposito
