Head baseball coach Phil Hannon is getting an early start in recruiting this year by bringing in high school select club teams for clinic-based showcases against his ‘Cats.

Since the first showcase last weekend, teams ranging from Missouri to Western Kansas will come to challenge Baker.

“It gives Hannon a chance to see the kids around the area,” senior Tim McConn said. “It shows the recruits our team and our facilities and our university and to see if they’re interested.”

Hannon said the games also allow the coaching staff to evaluate the ‘Cats and see how the younger players are developing.

“We get a chance to see what kind of teaching they’re taking and applying to their skills,” Hannon said. “It’s a little bit of competition because we’re not playing each other all the time.”

McConn said it helps iron out the wrinkles before the spring season begins.

“We’re wanting to win, but we use (the games) more for a building block,” McConn said. “If we do this now, we can get some of the kinks out of the way and work on smaller things before spring season. It’s almost like replacing the early scrimmages in the spring.”

Because they’re playing against teams much younger than theirs, McConn said it teaches the ‘Cats to always play at their own level, and not their opponent’s.

“It teaches us not to play our opponent’s level, but to treat every team as if it were Avila or a conference team,” McConn said. “It’s teaching us not to change the way we play depending on our opponent.”

Hannon said his team will be playing every weekend in order to continue evaluating the team.