FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 31, 2025
July 31, 2025
ARKANSAS TWO-YEAR COLLEGES ANNOUNCE INAUGURAL NATURAL STATE BASEBALL SHOWCASE AT DICKEY-STEPHENS PARK FOR OCTOBER
North Little Rock, Ark. – Baseball talent from across the Natural State will take center stage this fall, as nine Arkansas two-year colleges unite for the inaugural Natural State Baseball Showcase, scheduled for October 10–11, 2025 at Dickey-Stephens Park at CHI St. Vincent Field.
“The Natural State Baseball Showcase is more than just a game—it’s a celebration of Arkansas’ rising talent and the strength of our two-year college baseball programs,” said Dr. Steve Rook, Arkansas State University Three Rivers Chancellor and organizer of the event. “The showcase will give student-athletes a chance to shine on a larger stage and open doors for future opportunities.”
The Natural State Baseball Showcase will feature athletes from nine two-year colleges across Arkansas. The baseball programs feature a combined 450 student-athletes from across the state. The participating colleges announced on Thursday include Arkansas State University Mid-South Greyhounds, coached by Jason Middleton; Arkansas State University-Mountain Home Trailblazers, coached by Landon Hay; Arkansas State University Three Rivers Eagles, coached by Tucker Hughes; National Park College Nighthawks, coached by Rich Thompson; North Arkansas College Pioneers, coached by Jon Herbig; South Arkansas College Stars, coached by Cannon Lester; Southeast Arkansas College Sharks, coached by Toby Cornejo; Southern Arkansas University Tech Rockets, coached by Nick Piraino; and the University of Arkansas Rich Mountain Bucks, coached by Peyton Taywick.
Sponsors for the event are Arkansas Division of Higher Education and Arkansas Scholarship Lottery.
The two-day October event is designed to offer exposure to four-year programs, professional scouts, and local baseball fans, while building connections among institutions that are helping shape the next generation of baseball talent.
About the Natural State Baseball Showcase
The Natural State Baseball Showcase is a new, statewide initiative created to spotlight the student-athletes competing at Arkansas’s two-year colleges. The event offers an opportunity for athletes to compete in front of scouts, recruiters, and the public—while celebrating the high level of baseball being played at the two-year college level in Arkansas.
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