Local coaches gear up for second annual Coachella Valley All-Star Baseball Classic

COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif, (KESQ) - The Coachella Valley All-Star Baseball Classic is back for its second year, celebrating top local athletes.

The Classic is a premier postseason event designed to showcase the region's top talent. However, it also gives them an opportunity to connect with college scouts and coaches, who get the chance to evaluate players in a new competitive setting.

This year, the head coaches for the two teams are David Shaw from Rancho Mirage High School and Alex Chavarria from Indio High School. Both were nominated to lead their respective teams, and each are excited for the opportunity.

"I was very honored," Shaw said. "Last year we were still playing in the state semis, so we didn't get a chance [to join the Classic]."

For Chavarria, this is his first year as head coach with Indio, making the nomination to coach the All-Star Baseball Classic even more special.

"I had an email from Brian from Fox Sports. He said, I've been nominated to leave this team, which is it was pretty exciting," Chavarria said. "It was a good morning for me."

Each coach was able to select the players from their schools to join their team, and from there they had a draft-like selection. Chavarria said it came with checking other players stats or even knowing of them from regular-season play.

As the All-Star Baseball Classic could be the final game for many of the athletes, the coaches want to ensure it's a competitive environment and fun for the athletes. Giving them the chance to showcase their talent and finish out high school baseball on a high note.

"I get six of my seniors," Shaw said. "I get to say, kind of, goodbye to [and] these other guys just watching them maybe play their last game or maybe a stepping stone to the next level. So, it's a lot of good energy, a lot of positive energy out there."

"Giving back to the kids, it's going to be a good time for the seniors," Chavarria said. We didn't have this growing up. And, and now that they have it...it's a new experience. Just going to have fun and soak it all up."

The Coachella Valley All-Star Baseball Classic is set for Monday, June 1 at Palm Springs Stadium. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing coverage.