Dakota Freese struck out five batters in two innings and flashed a 90 mph fastball, then Austin Christensen whiffed five hitters in two frames and displayed an 87 mph heater.

It appeared Sunday that the Metro area's two best high school pitchers are poised to have strong years this season.

Freese and Christensen performed in the Perfect Game showcase at Veterans Memorial Stadium on a chilly day and showed why they're considered two of the top players in the state.

Freese, a 6-foot-4 righthander from Cedar Rapids Washington, is ranked third among all seniors in Iowa by Perfect Game. Christensen, a 6-foot-4 lefthander, is ranked seventh in the state.

Freese can hit a little (.301 last year), but he's mostly a pitcher who went 6-3 with a 2.69 ERA in 2010. Christensen, on the other hand, is a pitcher/outfielder/first baseman who helped Kennedy win the Class 4A state title last season with his arm and his bat. He went 9-4 with a 1.94 ERA and hit a robust .492 with eight home runs and 44 RBIs.

There are other talented baseball players in the Metro area, but Christensen and Freese are the headliners as the 2011 prep season approaches in May.

Christensen has signed with the University of Nebraska and Freese has committed to LSU-Eunice, a junior college in Louisiana, but both of them will be keeping an eye on the major league draft this June.

Freese, who is ranked 396th in the country by Perfect Game, would love to turn pro this summer if he's drafted high enough and the offer is good enough.

"Yes, I'd definitely go," he said Sunday. "Going pro and the major leagues are my dream."

Christensen, ranked 500th, is probably headed to Nebraska, but he's curious to see what happens in the draft as well.

"I'm definitely leaving the possibility open," he said. "My whole life I've always wanted to be a professional baseball player. If I keep improving a lot this spring and I get a good offer, I'd definitely put a lot of thought into it."

That's why Freese and Christensen played in the Spring Top Prospect showcase this weekend. Both of them wanted to improve their profile on the Perfect Game website for pro scouts.

"I'm trying to get my ranking up," Freese said. "I want to let everybody know I'm still here and I'm getting better.

"I felt really good today," he said. "I had all my stuff working, and it all worked out."

Freese said he's been working on his cutter and changeup, which he throws with a fastball and curve. He also said he worked hard during the offseason on his strength and conditioning, adding 15 pounds of muscle to his lanky frame.

Freese said his velocity has improved since the end of the 2010 campaign.

"Lately I've been hitting 91, very consistently," he said. "Last year I'd hit 91 every once in a while, so this is a big step. I know I've hit 92 on days I've felt really good."

Christensen threw mostly in the low-80s and mid-80s last season, but improved in late July. "Toward the state tournament I started pushing to the upper-80s. I had some adrenaline going and everything," he said. "It's good to get that consistently now."

Christensen hit 87 Sunday on a chilly day in April, which means a 90 mph heater could be in the works this season.

"I really hope so," he said. "I hope once the weather gets good and my arm starts feeling a little stronger, I hope I can get up in the 90s. I'd feel really good about that.

"I've been working really hard, and I like where everything is leading me to right now," he said.

The Nebraska coaches have not told Christensen what position he'll play with the Cornhuskers.

"Not an official word yet," he said. "The head coach still likes me at pitcher, but some of the assistants have told me maybe some first base and outfield, too. I'm just going to go in and probably play all three and just see whatever they need me to do."

Chad Christensen, Austin's older brother, is the starting shortstop at Nebraska this season as a sophomore and they could be college teammates next year.

Kennedy won the state title last season with a fairly young club. The top six batters from the championship game lineup are back, along with many of the top pitchers as the Cougars aim for consecutive titles.

"I think it puts a lot of pressure on us," Christensen said. "A lot of people have been talking about our senior class for four or five years now.

"This is the year we were really supposed to make a run at it, so everybody is going to give us their 'A' game and we're going to have to really look forward to that," he said. "It will be fun, though."

Christensen struck out 86 batters in 75 2/3 innings last season, while Freese fanned 91 in 57 1/3. They'll probably get the ball on Opening Day in the Metro Tournament on May 23, but Kennedy and Washington don't meet in the first round.

The Cougars and Warriors will clash in single games on Thursday, June 23 at Kennedy and on Friday, June 24 at Washington, so they could face each other in a Mississippi Valley Conference game. Baseball fans might want to circle those dates on the calendar.