(Left to right) Harvard-Westlake's Jack Flaherty, Loganville's Clint Frazier and St. Joseph Regional's Rob Kaminsky lead the 2013 MaxPreps All-American Baseball Team.
Graphic by Ryan Escobar
The MaxPreps Baseball All-American Teams have always leaned toward the power baseball states of California, Florida and Texas, but the 2013 team has a definite Houston flavor.
Of the 60 players chosen this year — 30 on the first team and 30 on the second — eight hail from the greater Houston area. That shouldn't be too surprising since the Class 5A state champion is The Woodlands and the Class 4A champion is Tomball, both of whom placed one player each on the squad. Ryan Burnett made the team for The Woodlands and Nicholas Banks made it for Tomball.
Then there is the No. 1 overall high school player selected in the MLB Draft, Kohl Stewart, who is from St. Pius X in Houston. Add to the list two players from Class 5A state runner up Fort Bend Dulles — pitcher Dakota Mills and outfielder Darryn Sheppard — as well as the sons of former Houston Astros — Cavan Biggio of St. Thomas Catholic and Josh Pettitte of Deer Creek — and a player from one of the top programs in Texas, Cameron Miller of Bellaire, and you have a very impressive contingent for the nation's fourth-largest city. Altogether, the state of Texas has 10 All-Americans.
Jack Flaherty of Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.) tops the All-American team and heads a list of 15 players chosen from California. Richard LaBounty of Pensacola Catholic is the
MaxPreps Coach of the Year and his top player, Avery Geyer, is one of seven Florida players named to the team.
2013 MaxPreps Baseball All-American TeamPlayer of the Year - Jack Flaherty, Harvard-Westlake / Story
Coach of the Year - Richard LaBounty, Pensacola Catholic / StoryFirst TeamKohl Stewart, St. Pius X
Photo by Kenneth Toso
P – Kohl Stewart, St. Pius X (Houston), 6-3, 210, Senior
Gatorade State Player of the Year... TAPPS Class 5A All-State Team... All-Greater Houston First Team... Drafted No. 4 overall
Stats: 5-1 record, 0.18 ERA, 40 IP, 13 hits, 16 BB, 59 K; .384 AVG, 86 AB, 20 runs, 33 hits, 4 2B, 10 HR, 34 RBI
P – Ryan Burnett, The Woodlands (Texas), 6-2, 208, Senior
Texas Baseball Coaches Association All-State Team... All-Greater Houston Team
Stats: 14-1 record, 0.98 ERA, 100 IP, 40 hits, 16 BB, 142 K
P – Rob Kaminsky, St. Joseph Regional (Montvale, N.J.), 5-11, 190, Senior
New Jersey Live State Player of the Year... Gatorade State Player of the Year... Drafted No. 28 overall
Stats: 10-0 record, 0.10 ERA, 64 IP, 27 hits, 14 BB, 126 K
P – Connor Jones, Great Bridge (Chesapeake, Va.), 6-2, 200, Senior
Virginia Preps AAA Player of the Year... All-Tidewater Player of the Year... Gatorade State Player of the Year; Drafted No. 628 overall
Stats: 10-1 record, 0.55 ERA, 63.2 IP, 27 hits, 15 BB, 77 K
P – Ian Clarkin, Madison (San Diego), 6-4, 190, Senior
All-San Diego Section Player of the Year... Drafted No. 32 overall
Stats: 9-2 record, 0.95 ERA, 73 IP, 41 hits, 24 BB, 133 K
P – Tyler Danish, Durant (Plant City, Fla.), 6-2, 190, Senior
Florida Dairy Farmers Class 8A Player of the Year... Florida Dairy Farmers Mr. Baseball... Louisville Slugger Player of the Year... All-Hillsborough County Team... Drafted No. 55 overall
Stats: 15-1 record, 0.00 ERA, 94 IP, 32 hits, 16 BB, 156 K
P – Jack Flaherty, Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.), 6-4, 190, Junior
MaxPreps National Player of the Year... Cal-Hi Sports State Player of the Year... Los Angeles Times All-Area Player of the Year... Los Angeles Daily News All-Area Player of the Year... Southern Section Division I Player of the Year
Stats: .360 AVG, 86 AB, 31 runs, 31 hits, 4 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 13 RBI; 13-0 record, 0.63 ERA, 6 shutouts, 89 IP, 40 hits, 10 BB, 112 K
Phillip Bickford, Oaks Christian
Photo by Ted Aguirre
P – Phillip Bickford, Oaks Christian (Westlake Village, Calif.), 6-4, 200, Senior
Los Angeles Times All-Area Team... Los Angeles Daily News All-Area Team... Ventura County Star Player of the Year... Drafted No. 10 overall
Stats: 10-1 record, 0.69 ERA, 71 IP, 31 hits, 11 BB, 118 K
P – Dakota Mills, Fort Bend Dulles (Sugar Land, Texas), 6-2, 205, Senior
All-Greater Houston Pitcher of the Year... Texas Baseball Coaches Association Class 5A All-State Team
Stats: 14-0 record, no-hitter in regional finals, 1-hit shutout in state semifinals, 101.2 IP, 54 hits, 27 BB, 162 K, 0.62 ERA
P – Carlos Salazar, Kerman (Calif.), 6-0, 200, Senior
Cal-Hi Sports State Small Schools Player of the Year... Gatorade State Player of the Year... Drafted No. 102 overall
Stats: 9-2 record, 0.09 ERA, 74 IP, 22 hits, 26 BB, 147 K
C – Jon Denney, Yukon (Okla.), 6-2, 205, Senior
Oklahoma City Oklahoman State Player of the Year... All-Big City Player of the Year... Drafted No. 81 overall
Stats: .459 AVG, 111 AB, 17 runs, 51 hits, 14 2B, 6 3B, 11 HR, 46 RBI
C – Nick Ciuffo, Lexington (S.C.), 6-1, 205, Senior
South Carolina Coaches Association Class 4A Player of the Year... High School Sports Report Mr. Baseball... Gatorade State Player of the Year... Drafted No. 21 overall
Stats: .468 AVG, 94 AB, 10 runs, 44 hits, 7 2B, 1 3B, 5 HR, 33 RBI
C – Reese McGuire, Kentwood (Covington, Wash.), 6-1, 195, Senior
Washington Coaches Association Class 4A All-State Team... Gatorade State Player of the Year... Drafted No. 14 overall
Stats: .422 AVG, 83 AB, 31 runs, 35 hits, 13 2B, 3 3B, 4 HR, 20 RBI
1B – Ryan Tellez, Elk Grove (Calif.), 6-4, 220, Senior
Sacramento Bee All-Metro Player of the Year... Drafted No. 895 overall
Stats: .500, 94 AB, 41 runs, 47 hits, 16 2B, 1 3B, 9 HR, 46 RBI
1B – Austin O'Brien, Owasso (Okla.), 6-1, 210, Senior
Oklahoma City Oklahoman All-State Team... Tulsa World News Player of the Year... Gatorade State Player of the Year
Stats: .402 AVG, 107 AB, 38 runs, 43 hits, 5 2B, 1 3B, 10 HR, 36 RBI
IF – Riley Unroe, Desert Ridge (Mesa, Ariz.), 5-11, 180, Senior
Arizona Republic Big Schools Player of the Year... East Valley Tribune All-Area Player of the Year... Gatorade State Player of the Year... Drafted No. 60 overall
Stats: .553 AVG, 94 AB, 54 runs, 52 hits, 14 2B, 5 3B, 10 HR, 59 RBI, 25 SB
Gosuke Katoh, Rancho Bernardo
Photo by Steven Silva
IF – Gosuke Katoh, Rancho Bernardo (San Diego), 6-2, 180, Senior
All-San Diego Section Team... Drafted No. 66 overall
Stats: .429 AVG, 105 AB, 46 runs, 45 hits, 13 2B, 3 3B, 10 HR, 32 RBI
IF – J.P. Crawford, Lakewood (Calif.), 6-2, 180, Senior
Long Beach Press Telegram Player of the Year... Southern Section All-Division I team... Drafted No. 16 overall
Stats: .452 AVG, 93 AB, 39 runs, 42 hits, 10 2B, 3 3B, 2 HR, 14 RBI
IF – Ryan McMahon, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), 6-2, 185, Senior
Orange County Register All-County Player of the Year... Los Angeles Times All-Area Team... Southern Section All-Division I Team... Drafted No. 42 overall
Stats: .405 AVG, 84 AB, 26 runs, 34 hits, 9 2B, 3 3B, 4 HR, 32 RBI
IF – Christian Arroyo, Hernando (Brooksville, Fla.), 5-11, 185, Senior
Florida Dairy Farmers Class 5A Player of the Year... North Suncoast Player of the Year... World Championships Team USA 18U MVP... Drafted No. 25 overall
Stats: .524 AVG, 105 AB, 42 runs, 55 hits, 13 2B, 3 3B, 11 HR, 35 RBI
IF – Travis Demeritte, Winder-Barrow (Winder, Ga.), 6-0, 180, Senior
Banner Herald All-County Team... Drafted No. 30 overall
Stats: .404 AVG, 89 AB, 42 runs, 36 hits, 7 2B, 1 3B, 12 HR, 37 RBI; 8-1 record, 0.69 ERA, 50.2 IP, 21 hits, 24 BB, 94 K
OF – Austin Meadows, Grayson (Loganville, Ga.), 6-2, 195, Senior
Gwinnett Daily Post All-Area Player of the Year... Drafted No. 9 overall
Stats: .535 AVG, 71 AB, 29 runs, 38 hits, 14 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 28 RBI
OF – Dominic Smith, Serra (Gardena, Calif.), 6-0, 185, Senior
Torrance Daily Breeze All-Area Player of the Year... Southern Section Division III Player of the Year... Los Angeles Times All-Area Team... Drafted No. 11 overall
Stats: .493 AVG, 67 AB, 33 runs, 33 hits, 6 2B, 4 3B, 7 HR, 37 RBI
OF – Clint Frazier, Loganville (Ga.), 5-11, 185, Senior
Gatorade National Player of the Year... Drafted No. 5 overall
Stats: .485 AVG, 97 AB, 56 runs, 47 hits, 4 2B, 4 3B, 17 HR, 45 RBI, 22 SB
OF – Nick Banks, Tomball (Texas), 6-2, 192, Senior
All-Greater Houston Hitter of the Year... Texas Baseball Coaches Association Class 4A All-State Team
Stats: .514 AVG, 111 AB, 43 runs, 57 hits, 12 2B, 4 3B, 9 HR, 39 RBI
OF – Jake Bauers, Marina (Huntington Beach, Calif.), 6-1, 195, Senior
Southern
Section All-Division I Team... Orange County Register All-Area Team... Los
Angeles Times All-Area Team... Drafted No. 208 overall
Stats: .571 AVG, 84 AB, 37 runs, 48 hits, 7 2B, 1 3B, 10 HR, 26 RBI
Griffin Jax, Cherry Creek
Photo by Tim Visser
OF – Cody Thomas, Heritage (Colleyville, Texas), 6-5, 215, Senior
Dallas Morning News All-Area Team... Texas Baseball Coaches Association Class 5A All-State Team... Drafted No. 914 overall
Stats: .470 AVG, 117 AB, 48 runs, 55 hits, 15 2B, 3 3B, 15 HR, 54 RBI
UT – Trey Ball, New Castle (Ind.), 6-5, 175, Senior
Muncie Star Press Player of the Year... Gatorade State Player of the Year... Drafted No. 7 overall
Stats: 6-0 record, 0.76 ERA, 46 IP, 23 hits, 13 BB, 93 K; .330 AVG, 88 AB, 41 runs, 29 hits, 5 2B, 3 3B, 10 HR, 29 RBI
UT – Griffin Jax, Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village, Colo.), 6-1, 190, Senior
Denver Post All-Colorado Team... Gatorade State Player of the Year... Drafted No. 361 overall
Stats: .400 AVG, 65 AB, 19 runs, 26 hits, 8 2B, 2 3B, 6 HR, 27 RBI; 7-1 record, 1.74 ERA, 40.1 IP, 30 hits, 2 BB, 57 K
UT – Wil Crowe, Pigeon Forge (Tenn.), 6-3, 230, Senior
Knoxville News Sentinel All-Area Team... Gatorade State Player of the Year... Drafted No. 921 overall
Stats: 16-1 record, 0.64 ERA, 98 IP, 37 hits, 14 BB, 187 K