Bay County's Colburn, Brown to compete in Under Armour tourney

TUCSON, Ariz. — Bay County baseball players Brady Colburn and Preston Brown will compete in the 2012 Under Armour Preseason All-America Tournament beginning on Friday.

The three-day event brings together more than 300 of the nation’s top junior and senior high school players. Athletes receive invitations based on strong performances at Baseball Factory showcases or from a professional scout referral. Baseball Factory staged a recent showcase in Pensacola in December attended by both Colburn of Rutherford and Brown of Bay.

Colburn hit .333 with two home runs and 24 RBIs for the Rams last season. He is a catcher and also plays in the outfield. Brown is an outfielder for the Tornadoes. He had a .295 average, two homers and 12 RBIs in 2011.

Both are entering their senior season.

Players were split into 20 regions for wood-bat game competition to be contested at the Arizona Diamondbacks’ spring training facility. They also will participate in workouts and instruction and be videotaped for future perusal by college and pro scouts.

Pro scouts from 23 of the 30 Major League Baseball teams have attended the Under Armour showcase during the past two years. Scouts will help conduct drills, and players in the event will receive national exposure with coverage by Baseball America and MLB.com.

Statistics reveal that nearly 90 percent of Division I baseball programs have had alumni of Baseball Factory showcases on their rosters. Baseball Factory has hosted the Under Armour Tournament since 1999.

Colburn and Brown also will receive consideration for the 2012 Under Armour All-American Game later this year. Last year’s game was played at Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs.