By Kevin Askeland
MaxPreps.com
2008 MaxPreps High School Baseball All-American Team
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Jake Odorizzi, Highland (Ill.), Senior, Pitcher
Jake Odorizzi started the 2008 season as the 70th best prospect in the country, according to Baseball America. He finished it as quite possibly the best player in the nation.
Odorizzi rapidly rose up the prospect list this year as he posted a dream season with some astounding numbers. In leading his Highland team to a state championship, Odorizzi did not allow an earned run until the playoffs and he finished with a ridiculous 0.08 ERA.
The 6-foot-2, 175-pounder posted a 14-0 record his senior year,and he hasn’t lost since his sophomore season. He went 11-0 as a junior, giving him 25 straight wins. He also finished with 146 strikeouts in 89.2 innings pitched and completed his final two years on the varsity with 250 strikeouts. His fastball also reached close to 97 miles per hour, prompting the Milwaukee Brewers to make him the No. 32 pick in the Major League Baseball draft. He was the third high school pitcher chosen. Odorizzi was also spectacular at the plate.
He batted .409 with 15 home runs and 41 runs batted in. He also was outstanding on the base paths, racking up 31 stolen bases. Besides being the Gatorade state player of the year for Illinois, Odorizzi was also the Metro player of the year by the St. Louis Dispatch and the state player of the year by the Prep Baseball Report. The University of Illinois recruit completes his senior year by being named the MaxPreps national player of the year.
FIRST TEAM
Tyler Stovall, Hokes Bluff (Ala.), Senior, Pitcher
Stokes holds a bundle of state records in Alabama after a pair of record-setting seasons that saw Hokes Bluff win its fifth and sixth straight state championships. Named the Alabama state player of the year, Stovall finished his career with a state record 54 wins including a record 18 as a junior and 14 in 2008 (14-1). He struck out 227 batters last year and has 683 strikeouts, both new state marks. He posted a 1.01 ERA and had 171 strikeouts in 91 innings in 2008 while walking just 21 batters. He was also proficient at the plate, batting .500 with seven home runs (34 in his career) and 33 RBI. He had 13 doubles and finished his career with a national record 95 according to the National Federation of State High School Associations’ record book. Blessed with a 94-mile-per-hour fastball and a 4.0 GPA, Stovall was the No. 64 pick overall in the Major League draft by the Atlanta Braves.
Ben Flora, Plano West (Texas), Senior, Pitcher
Flora came on strong during the Texas 5A state playoffs to lead Plano West to the championship and a No. 1 national ranking by MaxPreps. Flora was 5-0 in the postseason with a 0.37 ERA. He finished the season with a 13-0 record and a 0.91 ERA. He struck out 112 batters in 77 innings with an 88 mph fastball. He was named the Dallas area player of the year by the Morning News.
Taylor Jungman, Georgetown (Texas), Senior, Pitcher
After transferring from Rogers following his junior year, Jungman helped Georgetown reach the regional finals and even handed Plano West one of its two losses on the season. He finished 14-0 and was named the Central Texas player of the year by the Austin Statesman. Jungman struck out 146 batters in 83 innings and signed to play with the University of Texas. He was selected by the Los Angeles Angels with the 739th pick in the MLB draft.
Dan Hultzen, St. Albans (D.C.), Senior, Pitcher
Hultzen led St. Albans to the District of Columbia championship and was named the All-Met player of the year by the Washington Post. He went 13-0 and posted a 0.74 ERA while allowing just six runs all season. Hultzen struck out 140 batters in 73 innings and also batted .386 with eougth doubles, five triples and four home runs. Although he signed with Virginia, he was also picked No. 318 by the Diamondbacks in the MLB draft.
Gerrit Cole, Lutheran, Orange (Calif.), Senior, Pitcher
One of the most coveted pitchers in the country, Cole was second high school pitcher chosen in the Major League Baseball draft, chosen with the 28th pick by the New York Yankees. Possessing one of the best fastballs in the state that sometimes peaked in the 97-98 range, Cole struck out 121 batters in just 75.2 innings pitched while posting an 8-2 record. He threw three one-hitters during the season and gave up just five earned runs in posting a 0.463 ERA. A threat at the plate as well, Cole batted .310 with six home runs and 25 RBI. Cole was named to nearly every honor squad, including the All-County team by the Orange County Register and the All-Southland team by the Los Angeles Times.
Chris Matulis, Park Vista, Boynton Beach (Fla.), Senior, Pitcher
Matulis helped Park Vista post 30 straight wins before falling in the 6A state championship game to Lake Brantley. Matulis was named the South Florida Sun Sentinel’s player of the year after posting an 11-0 recird with 100 strikeouts in 67.2 innings pitched. He also gave up just four earned runs all season and also excelled at the plate with a .382 batting average with 21 RBI. He is headed to LSU, however he was also selected No. 1397 by the Tampa Rays.
Brett DeVall, Niceville (Fla.), Senior, Pitcher
One of the top left-handed pitchers in the country, DeVall was a workhorse for Niceville, pitching 100 innings and posting a 0.63 ERA. DeVall struck out 160 batters and posted a 13-2 record. He was the second high school lefthander selected in the Major League draft, going to the Atlanta Braves with the 40th pick.
Kyle Skipworth, Patriot, Riverside (Calif.), Senior, Catcher
There weren’t many honors Skipworth didn’t earn during his stellar senior season. He led Patriot, which was in its first year of fielding a varsity team, to a 27-3 record and a spot in the Southern Section Division 4 semifinals, where it eventually fell to Diamond Ranch. Along the way, Skipworth set a state record, according to Cal-Hi Sports, with 18 straight base hits. He also ranked among the state leaders with 13 home runs while batting .543 with 47 RBI. Skipworth was named the Gatorade National Player of the Year, the Riverside County Player of the Year and was also the third high school player selected in the Major League Baseball draft, going to the Florida Marlins.
Jean Carlos Rodriguez, George Washington, New York (N.Y.), Senior, Catcher
The All-City player of the year led the New York club to a 46-2 record while batting .549 and driving in 61 runs. Selected in the 10th round by the Phillies in the Major League draft, Rodriguez pounded 15 doubles, six triples and 12 home runs while also crossing the plate 53 times.
Rashun Dixon, Terry (Miss.), Senior, Catcher
One of the state’s top football players, Dixon earned Mississippi state player of the year honors by the Jackson Clarion Ledger while batting .511 with 14 home runs, 59 RBI and 56 runs scored for Terry. Dixon, who plays catcher in high school, was drafted as an outfielder by the Oakland A’s with the 304th pick in the Major League draft.
Eric Hosmer, American Heritage, Plantation (Fla.), Senior, First Base
Considered one of the top power-hitting high school players in the country, Hosmer was drafted with the No. 3 overall selection in the Major League draft by the Kansas City Royals. He led American Heritage to the Florida state 3A championship while batting .471 with 11 home runs and 31 RBI. He also scored 49 runs and stole 16 bases for the Patriots.
Jeff Malm, Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (Nev.), Junior, First Base
Malm could be one of the top players in the country for the top team in the country next year when he returns to Bishop Gorman. The Gatorade state player of the year for Nevada despite being just a junior, Malm was stellar on the mound and at the plate. He batted .564, scored 69 runs, bashed 28 doubles and drove in 73 runs in leading Bishop Gorman to the Nevada 4A championship. On the mound, Malm was 8-2 with a 2.76 ERA and 75 strikeouts in 50.2 innings pitched.
Austin Stadler, James River, Midlothian (Va.), Senior, First Base
Stadler earned Virginia player of the year honors for the second year in a row after leading James River to a dramatic run in the playoffs. Stadler was the winning pitcher in the quarterfinals, semifinals and final and also had a walkoff home run in extra innings in the semifinals. He batted .604 with six home runs and 26 RBI and also went 5-3 on the mound with a 3.42 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 43 innings. He was taken No. 1197 by the San Francisco Giants in the MLB draft but will likely play at Wake Forest next year.
Tim Beckham, Griffin (Ga.), Senior, Infield
The No. 1 overall pick in the Major League Baseball draft by the Tampa Rays, Beckham was considered the best fielding shortstop in the country. He was also pretty strong at the plate, batting .499 with 40 runs scored, nine doubles and five home runs to go with 36 RBI. He helped lead Griffin to the Georgia 4A state championship game.
Anthony Hewitt, Salisbury School , Salisbury (Conn.), Senior, Infield
Hewitt helped the Salisbury School finish undefeated this year while batting .493 with nine home runs, nine doubles and six triples. He was chosen in the first round of the MLB draft by the Phillies with the No. 24 pick. He was the second high school shortstop chosen behind Beckham.
Casey Kelly, Sarasota (Fla.), Senior, Infield
A two-sport star at Sarasota, Kelly had signed a scholarship to play quarterback at Tennessee next year. He was drafted with the 30th pick in the first round by the Boston Red Sox and will have to choose between playing professional baseball and football for the Volunteers. At Sarasota, Kelly batted .373 with 13 doubles, five home runs and 31 RBI. He also pitched and went 8-1 with a 1.16 ERA and 77 strikeouts in 66 innings pitched while earning the state player of the year award by the Florida Dairy Farmers.
Destin Hood, St. Paul’s Episcopal, Mobile (Ala.), Senior, Infield
One of the best two-sport athletes in the country, Hood has signed to play wide receiver for the Crimson Tide of Alabama next year, but he was also the No. 55 pick in the MLB draft by the Washington Nationals. Hood earned Alabama 5A state player of the year honors after batting .485 with eight home runs, 32 RBI and 17 stolen bases. He also led St. Paul’s to the 5A state semifinals.
Steve Proscia, Don Bosco Prep, Ramsey (N.J.), Senior, Infield
Proscia was a big reason Don Bosco Prep was able to finish the season undefeated at 33-0 and win the New Jersey Non-Public A championship. He batted .545 with 55 hits, 56 runs scored, 45 RBI and nine home runs. He was named the Newark Star-Ledger’s state player of the year and is committed to play at Virginia. He was drafted in the 39th round by the Minnesota Twins.
Dalton Hicks, Lake Brantley, Altamonte Springs (Fla.), Senior, Infield
Hicks helped lead Lake Brantley to the Florida 6A state championship and the No. 3 overall final national ranking by MaxPreps. He defeated Goleman in the semifinals with a six-inning shutout on the mound and a three-run homer at the plate. He finished the year with a .480 average, 13 home runs, 42 RBI and a 6-0 record with 61 strikeouts. He was chosen by the San Francisco Giants in the MLB draft with the 1,455th pick.
Aaron Hicks, Wilson, Long Beach (Calif.), Senior, Outfield
Hicks was a threat at the plate, on the basepaths and on the mound, helping Wilson reach the Southern Section Division 1 championship game before falling to Simi Valley. Possessing a 95 mph fastball, Hicks was one of the top pitchers in the state while posting an 8-2 record with 112 strikeouts in just 72.1 innings pitched. He also stole 37 bases while batting .473 with 50 runs scored, 12 doubles and four home runs. The Minnesota Twins chose him with the 14th pick in the MLB draft. He was named to the All-Southland team by the LA Times and the All-District 8 team by the Baseball Coaches of America. Hicks was also the Southern Section Division 1 player of the year.
Daniel Meeley, Midwest City (Okla.), Senior, Outfield
Meeley tied for the national lead in home runs with 19. He batted .556 and knocked in 76 runs for the Bombers while earning all-state honors. Signed with Oklahoma, Meeley also excelled on the mound where he was 8-3 with a 1.91 ERA and 75 strikeouts in 69.7 innings pitched.
Jaff Decker, Sunrise Mountain, Peoria (Ariz.), Senior, Outfield
Decker earned Arizona player of the year honors after leading Sunrise Mountain to the 5A championship game. He batted .575 with 53 runs scored, 18 doubles, 16 home runs and 50- RBI. He was also one of the state’s top pitchers, boasting a 9-1 mark with a 1.02 ERA that included 122 strikeouts in 68.1 innings pitched. He was chosen in the second round of the Major League draft by the San Diego Padres.
Xavier Avery, Cedar Grove, Ellenwood (Ga.), Senior, Outfield
A football standout headed to Georgia on scholarship, Avery was also a highly-coveted outfielder after batting .561 with 42 runs scored, 37 stolen bases, seven doubles and eight home runs. He was selected in the second round with the 50th pick by the Baltimore Orioles.
LJ Hoes, St. John’s (D.C.), Senior, Outfield
Hoes earned All-Met honors three years in a row while playing for one of the top programs in the country. He batted .524 with nine doubles and eight home runs. He also stole 32 bases and scored 44 runs with 29 RBI. Selected with the 81st pick in the MLB draft by the Baltimore Orioles, Hoes has also signed with North Carolina.
Joey Belviso, American Heritage, Plantation (Fla.), Senior, Outfield
Selected as the 3A state player of the year by the Florida Dairy Farmers, Belviso was the top power hitter for the state champion American Heritage Patriots. He rapped 15 home runs and 11 doubles while knocking in 37 runs with a .494 average. Belviso was named to the 6A all-state team and was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels with the 1,501st pick in the Major League draft.
Ethan Martin, Stephens County, Toccoa (Ga.), Senior, Utility
Martin started out the season as a power-hitting infielder and ended it as a pitcher selected with the 15th pick in the first round of the MLB draft by the Dodgers. Martin came up huge at the plate and on the mound for Stephens County in leading the Indians to the state championship game. He batted .509 with 55 hits and also blasted 18 home runs with 39 RBI. On the hill, Martin was 11-1 with a 1.50 ERA and 162 strikeouts in 84 innings.
Matt Hobgood, Norco (Calif.), Junior, Utility
Possibly the top junior prospect in the state, Hobgood won Southland player of the year honors by the LA Times over both Skipworth and Hicks after batting .489 with 45 RBI and a school record 15 home runs. He also was 10-0 with a 1.34 ERA and 100 strikeouts and earned a spot in the North-South Junior State All-Star Series, where he was named the series MVP. He has already said that he will attend Cal State Fullerton once he graduates.
BJ Hermsen, West Delaware, Manchester (Iowa), Senior, Utility
Hermsen’s selection poses a dilemma since his season at West Delaware isn’t technically complete. Iowa plays baseball in the summer and the state finals aren’t complete until the end of July. However Hermsen belted 18 home runs last summer and is on a torrid pace again this year with 11 while leading West Delaware to the state’s No. 1 ranking with a 28-2 record as of July 1. A standout pitcher, the 6-foot-6 Hermsen has also thrown two no-hitters this year. Chosen in the sixth round of the MLB draft by the Twins, Hermsen has signed a scholarship to play at Oregon State.
Zach Cox, Pleasure Ridge Park, Louisville (Ky.), Senior, Utility
Cox guided Pleasure Ridge Park to the state championship in Kentucky and earned state player of the year honors. He batted. .428 with 11 doubles, seven home runs and 46 RBI. He also excelled on the mound, posting a 10-0 record with 108 strikeouts in 67 innings pitched and a 0.97 ERA. The Los Angeles Dodgers drafted Cox in the 20th round, but Cox has signed to play at Arkansas.
COACH OF THE YEAR: Kendall Clark, Plano West, 40-2, Ranked No. 1 by MaxPreps
The Texas 5A playoffs are quite possibly the toughest postseason tournament in the country. The 2008 postseason began on May 2 and didn’t end until June 7. In between, a team must go through seven rounds and win at least 12 games in order to win a state title. Only the best teams can go through that type of schedule and come out champions, but the Plano West Wolves did just that and posted some impressive numbers along the way.
Coach Kendall Clark’s team won 35 games in a row to start the season including a sweep of South Garland, Longview and Rockwall in the first three rounds of the playoffs. The Wolves did lose the second game of a doubleheader to Caroll on March 8, but Plano West was given a forfeit win after it was determined Carroll had used an ineligible player.
The Wolves finally lost their first game to Cedar Park in the regional semifinals, but they bounced back to take the series. The Wolves then lost to Georgetown in the regional finals, but never lost again. Plano West won two straight from Georgetown, dumped United of Laredo in the first round of the state championship tournament and then edged Carroll 10-8 for the title. Clark, who is the 2008 MaxPreps national coach of the year, guided the Wolves to the No. 1 national ranking as well. The state and national titles are the first in school history for the Wolves.
SECOND TEAM
Ryan Doiron, Barbe, Lake Charles (La.), Senior, Pitcher
Doiron was the state 5A player of the year after leading Barbe to the state championship. He posted an 11-1 record with a 1.17 ERA. He struck out 95 batters in 71.2 innings and was drafted with the 1,114th pick in the MLB draft by the Oakland A’s.
Brian Flynn, Owasso (Okla.), Senior, Pitcher
The Oklahoma state player of the year helped Owasso finish the season as the 6A state champions and the No. 5 team in the MaxPreps national rankings. He had 9-1 record with a 0.79 ERA. He struck out 126 batters in 70.2 innings. The 6-foot-8 lefthander was selected with the No. 562 pick in the MLB draft by the Boston Red Sox.
Kevin Brady, Gaithersberg (Md.), Senior, Pitcher
Brady was the top player in Maryland after striking out 98 batters in just 48.1 innings while posting a 7-0 record. A two-time All-Met pick by the Washington Post, Brady batted .396 with seven doubles and four home runs. Signed with Clemson, Brady was drafted by the Orioles with the 1316th pick in the MLB draft.
Charles Lowell, Winfield (Mo.), Senior, Pitcher
Lowell was named the pitcher of the year in the St. Louis area, after allowing just one earned run during the season and striking out 129 batters and walking only 11 in 58 innings. He had an 8-1 record and opponents batted just .084 against him according to the Post Dispatch. He also batted .517 and is headed to Wichita State. He was drafted with the No. 813 pick by the Rangers.
Jason McEachern, Saint Stephens, Hickory (N.C.), Senior, Pitcher
McEachern came on strong at the end of the season and posted an 11-0 record for St. Stephens with a 0.97 ERA and 140 strikeouts in only 79 innings pitched. He was named the pitcher of the year by Impact.com, which covers the Carolinas and Virginia. He was drafted by the Tampa Rays with the No. 383 pick in the MLB draft.
Trevor May, Kelso (Wash.), Senior, Pitcher
May led Kelso to the state championship and was named the top state’s top player in the 3A division. He went 11-1 on the season and had a 1.02 ERA while striking out 128 batters in 68 innings. May was the first player chosen from Washington, going to the Phillies with the No. 136 pick in the MLB draft.
Brad Hand, Chaska (Minn.), Senior, Pitcher
Hand was named the state player of the year in Minnesota after going 8-2 with a 0.60 ERA and 105 strikeouts in 68 innings pitched at Chaska. He was chosen in the second round of the MLB draft by the Florida Marlins.
Phillip Byrd, East Central, Moss Point (Miss.), Senior, Pitcher
Byrd was the top pitcher in Mississippi, going undefeated with a 14-0 record that included a 0.97 ERA and 164 strikeouts in 94 innings pitched. He will play at South Alabama next year on scholarship.
Jordan Jankowski, Peters Township, McMurray (Pa.), Senior, Catcher
Named the player of the year in the Pittsburgh area, Jankowski is considered one of the top hitters in WPIAL history, according to the Post-Gazette. He hit 36 home runs in his career with 132 RBI. His senior season he batted .540 with eight doubles, nine home runs and 35 RBI. He also excelled on the mound with a 6-1 record and 73 strikeouts in 49 innings. Headed to Miami (Ohio), Jankowski was also selected in the 34th round by the Houston Astros.
Mauricio Matos, DeWit Clinton, New York (N.Y.), Senior, Catcher
The fourth high school catcher chosen in the MLB draft, Matos batted .612 for DeWit Clinton and drove in 27 runs. He helped lead his team to the PSAL semifinals. Picked in the 10th round by the Kansas City Royals.
Max Stassi, Yuba City (Calif.), Junior, Catcher
The Yuba City standout has already had a legendary career for the Honkers and he still has his senior season left to play. Stassi was named the All-Metro player of the year by the Sacramento Bee after racking up a .471 batting average and 15 home runs, which ranked fourth best in the state. He also had 45 RBI and has driven in 124 runs in his career. He also has a .506 career batting average with 29 home runs. He is a two-time member of the gold medal USA Youth National team and was recently named as an Under-Armour All-American. He enters his senior season as one of the top two catchers in the country, according to Perfect Game.
Adam Westmoreland, Brookland Cayce, Cayce (S.C.), Senior, First Base
Westmoreland was the 3A player of the year in South Carolina after leading Brookland Cayce to the state championship. He went 9-1 on the mound with a 0.85 ERA and 132 strikeouts. He was also stellar at the plate with a .396 batting average, 10 home runs and 41 RBI. He was drafted the by Dodgers with the No. 1,057 pick in the MLB draft.
Taylor Shaddy, Fayetteville (Ark.), Senior, First Base
Earning tournament MVP awards two years in a row, Shaddy led the Purple Dogs to two straight state 7A titles. A force on the mound with a 9-0 record in 2008, Shaddy has a career record of 22-3 in three seasons on the Fayetteville varsity. He also batted .467 with 38 RBI, four home runs and nine doubles. He will play at Arkansas-Fort Smith next year.
Derrick Gibson, Seaford (Del.), Senior, Infield
The Seaford shortstop was the state player of the year after racking up some impressive offensive numbers. He batted .652 with 40 runs scored, seven doubles, five triples and six home runs. He also drove in 27 runs and stole 14 bases. He was the fourth high school shortstop chosen in the MLB draft, going to the Red Sox in the second round.
Andy Burns, Rocky Mountain, Fort Collins (Colo.), Senior, Infield
Burns earned player of the year honors in Colorado after leading Rocky Mountain to a state championship and a No. 9 finish in the MaxPreps national rankings. Burns batted .463 with 45 runs scored, 10 home runs and 36 RBI. He was chosen by the Kansas City Royals with the No. 767 pick in the MLB draft.
Matt Cerda, Oceanside (Calif.), Senior, Infield
Cerda earned San Diego Section player of the year honors by the Union-Tribune after leading Oceanside to the Division 2 championship game. Although the Pirates lost to Grossmont in the finals, Cerda was clearly the top player in the section after hitting .542 with a section-best 58 hits and 16 home runs. He also had nine doubles and scored a section-best 53 runs while earning All-District 8 honors by the Baseball Coaches of America. The senior shortstop went to the Chicago Cubs with the 131st pick in the Major League Baseball draft.
Austin Nola, Catholic, Baton Rouge (La.), Senior, Infield
Earning the state player of the year in the 4A division in Louisiana, Nola was also selected by the Rockies in the MLB draft with the 1445th pick. He batted .447 with 48 runs scored, 10 doubles and 13 home runs. He also drove in 45 runs and stole 10 bases. He will play baseball at LSU next year.
Cameron Perkins, Southport (Ind.), Junior, Infield
With quite possibly the top batting average in the country, Perkins batted .723 (60 for 83) in earning Indiana state player of the year honors by the Indy Star. The 6-foot-5 junior third baseman also ripped 20 doubles and nine home runs while driving in 56 runs and stealing 19 bases.
Rolando Gomez, Flanagan, Pembroke Pines (Fla.), Senior, Infield
Gomez earned player of the year honors from the South Florida Sun Sentinel after batting .474 with 27 RBI and eight home runs for Flanagan. He helped lead his team to the regional finals before falling to Park Vista. Gomez was drafted No. 349 by the Los Angeles Angels in the MLB draft.
Curt Powell, Farragut, Knoxville (Tenn.), Junior, Infield
Powell led Farragut to the 3A state championship and earned player of the year honors by the Knoxville News. He batted .493 with eight home runs, 56 RBI, 59 runs scored, nine doubles and five triples.
Ryan Westmoreland, Portsmouth (R.I.), Senior, Outfield
Westmoreland was the player of the year in Rhode Island and was selected by the Red Sox with the 172nd pick in the MLB draft. He batted .478 with four home runs and 33 runs scored. He was also solid on the mound with a 6-0 record that included a 0.35 ERA. He struck out 89 of the 129 batters he faced during the season.
Jay Austin, North Atlanta (Ga.), Senior, Outfield
Considered for player of the year honors in the Atlanta area, Austin was selected in the second round of the Major League baseball draft by the Houston Astros. He batted .515 with nine doubles, six triples and 15 home runs for North Atlanta. He also drove in 46 runs and stole 34 bases.
Brett Marshall, Sterling, Baytown (Texas), Senior, Outfield
Selected with the 200th pick in the MLB draft by the New York Yankees as a pitcher, Marshall was also an outstanding outfielder. He batted .440 with 10 home runs and 49 RBI while earning player of the year honors by the Houston Chronicle. He also went 10-2 on the mound with a 2.27 ERA and 116 strikeouts.
Chris Smith, Centennial, Compton (Calif.), Senior, Outfield
Oddly enough, Smith was not selected to any All-Southern Section team, but his statistics and talent cannot be denied. Smith was second in the state, according to MaxPreps, with a .708 batting average (51-for-72). He drove in 43 runs and had seven doubles, two triples and 12 home runs. He also struck out just three times during the season and stole 24 bases. He made the All-District 8 team by the Baseball Coaches of America and was on the USA Today All-American second team. The New York Yankees made him the 170th pick in the Major League Baseball draft.
Chase Pickering, Nitro (W.Va.), Senior, Outfield
Pickering earned player of the year honors in West Virginia after leading Nitro to the 3A championship. He batted .448 with 12 doubles, 10 home runs, 48 RBI and 34 stolen bases. He also had a strong senior season on the mound, posting an 11-1 record. He has a career mark of 22-6 with 400 strikeouts in 222 innings. He was selected in the 43rd round by the Twins, but he has also signed to play at West Virginia University.
Zach Collier, Chino Hills (Calif.), Senior, Outfield
Collier proved to be one of the rising stars in California baseball this year, going from a solid prospect to a first-round selection by the Philadelphia Phillies (34th pick). Collier had heart surgery as a sophomore to replace a faulty coronary artery, and recovered well enough to land player of the year honors by the Inland Valley Register after batting .450 with seven home runs and 24 RBI. He led Chino Hills to the Sierra League championship and one of his home runs was a shot off of fellow all-state player Aaron Hicks of Long Beach Wilson.
Tyler Chatwood, Redlands East Valley (Calif.), Senior, Outfield
The Wildcats advanced to the Southern Section Division 2 championship game and Chatwood was a major reason why. He led Redlands East Valley in hitting with a .521 average that included 13 doubles and six triples. On the mound, he was 9-1 with the lone loss coming against the Chargers. He also threw a 14-strikeout no-hitter against Redondo in the opening round of the playoffs and finished with 95 strikeouts in 51.2 innings pitched with a .813 ERA. He was the San Bernardino County player of the year by both the San Benardino Sun and the Riverside Press Enterprise. He also made the LA Times All-Southland team and the All-District 8 team by the Baseball Coaches of America. He was selected by the Los Angeles Angels with the 74th pick in the Major League Baseball draft.
Danny Coulombe, Chaparral, Scottsdale (Ariz.), Senior, Utility
Headed to Southern California on a scholarship, Coulombe mowed down batters at a high rate this year, striking out 138 while posting a 9-0 record with a 0.75 ERA. He struck out 20 batters in one game and helped lead Chaparral to the state championship. He was taken with the 517th pick by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the MLB draft.
Mark Ginther, Jenks (Okla.), Senior, Utility
A two-sport standout at Jenks, Ginther played quarterback and shortstop for the Trojans. In baseball, Ginther batted .430 with 19 doubles and eight home runs to go with 44 runs scored and 50 RBI. He also pitched and posted a 9-1 record with a 0.99 ERA. Drafted with the 1444th pick in the MLB draft by the Philadelphia Phillies, Ginther has a baseball scholarship to Oklahoma State.
Logan Verrett, Calallen, Corpus Christi (Texas), Senior, Utility
In earning player of the year honors in South Texas, Verrett posted a national best 18-0 record with 167 strikeouts and a 0.67 ERA. He had 12 complete games and four shutouts in leading Calallen to the 4A state championship in Texas. He also performed well at the plate, batting .455 with 33 RBI, 46 runs scored and seven home runs. He will play for Baylor next year.
