MaxPreps 2014 California Large Schools All-State Baseball Team

For the second straight season, the MaxPreps National Player of the Year is also the California State Player of the Year.

Jack Flaherty of Harvard-Westlake has earned the honor for the second year in a row after posting numbers nearly equal to his junior season.

While Flaherty's win total was down by three (13 as a junior compared to 10 this year), his ERA was exactly the same at 0.63 and his strikeouts were up from 112 last year to 125 this season. Flaherty also earned state player of the year honors from Gatorade and was a first-round draft pick by the St. Louis Cardinals.

Flaherty edged out Brady Aiken of Cathedral Catholic (San Diego) and Alex Jackson of Rancho Bernardo (San Diego) for the honor.

Clovis coach James Patrick has been selected as the California Coach of the Year after finishing 33-5 and winning the Central Section Division 1 championship. Patrick's Cougars were the top-ranked California school in the MaxPreps Xcellent 50, finishing the year at No. 4 overall.

Flaherty and Patrick head the MaxPreps Large Schools All-State Team, which consists of 60 players on a first and second team. The players chosen are from schools that play in state enrollment divisions with generally more than 2,000 students.

Patrick's squad had three players named to the team, including McCarthy Tatum and Jacob Gatewood on the first team and Preston Mott on the second team.


P – Jack Flaherty, Harvard-Westlake (Studio City), 6-4, 210, Senior
Honors: Baseball Coaches Association All-Region Team; Gatorade State Player of the Year; Baseball America First Team All-American; USA Today Second Team All-American; Louisville Slugger All-American First Team; 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: 10-0 record, 0.63 ERA, 125 strikeouts, 78 innings pitched, 12 walks.

P – Brady Aiken, Cathedral Catholic (San Diego), 6-4, 205, Senior
Honors: Baseball Coaches Association All-Region Team; BCA Region 8 Player of the Year; Baseball America Third Team All-American; USA Today Player of the Year; Louisville Slugger All-American First Team; Cal-Hi Sports State Player of the Year; San Diego Section Player of the Year.
Stats: 7-0 record, 111strikeouts, 15 walks, 1.06 ERA, 59.2 innings pitched.

P – Scott Schultz, Fountain Valley, 5-11, 160, Senior
Honors: All-Southern Section Division 1 Team; Orange County Register All-County Team.
Stats: 14-1 pitching record, 1.33 ERA, 62 strikeouts, 79 innings pitched.

P – Griffin Canning, Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita), 6-2, 175, Senior
Honors: All-Southern Section Division 1 Team; Orange County Register All-County Pitcher of the Year; Los Angeles Times All-Area Team.
Stats: 10-3 pitching record, 1.27 ERA, 123 strikeouts, 88 innings pitched.

P – Grant Hockin, Damien (La Verne), 6-1, 192, Senior
Honors: All-Southern Section Division 2 Team; San Gabriel Valley Tribune All-Area Team; Inland Daily Bulletin All-Inland Valley Player of the Year.
Stats: 9-3 pitching record, 1.49 ERA, 99 strikeouts, 80 innings pitched, .379 batting average, 15 RBI, 2 home runs.

P – Brandon Koch, Temecula Valley (Temecula), 6-4, 215, Senior
Honors: All-Southern Section Division 2 Team; Riverside Press-Enterprise All-Area Player of the Year.
Stats: 9-1 pitching record, 0.88 ERA, 52 strikeouts, 63.2 innings pitched.

P – McCarthy Tatum, Clovis, 6-4, 185, Senior
Honors: Fresno Bee All-Area Player of the Year.
Stats: 11-1 pitching record, 1.79 ERA, .296 batting average, 25 runs.

P – John Gavin, St. Francis (Mountain View), 6-5, 240, Senior
Honors: San Jose Mercury News All-Area Team.
Stats: 8-1 pitching record, 100 strikeouts, 0.71 ERA, 78.2 innings pitched.

P – Jayson Rose, Granite Hills (El Cajon), 5-10, 170, Senior
Honors: All-San Diego Section Team; East County Sports All-Area Player of the Year.
Stats: 8-0 pitching record, 1.07 ERA, 103 strikeouts, 85 innings pitched, .346 batting average, 27 RBI, 11 doubles, 3 home runs.

P – Matt Trask, Davis, 6-3, 210, Senior
Honors: Sacramento Bee All-Metro Player of the Year.
Stats: 6-1 pitching record, 1.46 ERA, 50 strikeouts, 62.1 innings pitched, .352 batting average, 27 RBI, 11 doubles, 1 triple.

C – Alex Jackson, Rancho Bernardo (San Diego), 6-2, 215, Senior
Honors: Baseball Coaches Association All-Region Team; Baseball America Player of the Year; USA Today First Team All-American; Louisville Slugger All-American First Team; San Diego All-Section Team.
Stats: .400 average (40-for-100), 45 runs, 31 RBIs, 7 doubles, 4 triples, 11 home runs.

C – Albee Weiss, Agoura, 6-1, 220, Senior
Honors: All-Southern Section Division 1 Team; Los Angeles Daily News All-Area Team; Ventura County Star All-Area Player of the Year.
Stats: .330 batting average, 29 RBI, 11 doubles, 9 home runs, 20 runs.

C – Chris Hudgins, Valhalla (El Cajon), 6-1, 190, Senior
Honors: All-San Diego Section Team.
Stats: .405 batting average, 23 runs, 40 RBI, 8 doubles, 12 home runs.

1B – Parker Joe Robinson, JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano), 6-4, 220, Senior
Honors: Orange County Press-Register All-County Player of the Year.
Stats: .378 batting average, 28 RBI, 6 home runs, 4-2 pitching record, 47 strikeouts, 41.2 innings pitched.

1B – Luke Rasmussen, Archbishop Mitty (San Jose), 6-1, 215, Senior
Honors: San Jose Mercury News All-Area Team; West Catholic Athletic League Player of the Year.
Stats: .425 batting average, 26 runs, 30 RBI, 7 doubles, 1 triple, 7 home runs.

IF – Jacob Gatewood, Clovis, 6-5, 200, Senior
Honors: Baseball Coaches Association All-Region Team; USA Today Second Team All-American; Louisville Slugger All-American First Team; Fresno Bee All-Area Team; Tri-River Athletic Conference Silver Slugger Award.
Stats: .389 batting average (44-for-113), 30 runs, 9 doubles, 5 home runs, 28 RBIs.

IF – Brian Schales, Edison (Huntington Beach), 6-2, 190, Senior
Honors: All-Southern Section Division 1 Team; Orange County Register All-County Team; Los Angeles Times All-Area Team.
Stats: .397 batting average, 11 doubles, 7 home runs, 22 RBI.

IF – Cole Young, Norco, 6-3, 225, Senior
Honors: All-Southern Section Division 1 Team; Riverside Press-Enterprise All-Area First Team; Los Angeles Times All-Area Team.
Stats: .402 batting average, 11 home runs, 35 RBI, 34 runs, 10 doubles.

IF – Keston Hiura, Valencia, 6-0, 185, Senior
Honors: All-Southern Section Division 1 Team; Los Angeles Times All-Area Team; Los Angeles Daily News All-Area Team; Santa Clarita Valley Player of the Year.
Stats: .500 batting average, 43 runs, 30 RBI, 12 doubles, 1 triple, 14 home runs.

IF – Kyle Plantier, Temecula Valley (Temecula), 6-2, 200, Senior
Honors: Southern Section Division 2 Player of the Year; Riverside Press-Enterprise Player of the Year.
Stats: .412 batting average, 8 doubles, 1 triple, 3 home runs, 20 runs, 31 RBI.

IF – Tristan Hildebrandt, Esperanza (Anaheim), 5-8, 165, Senior
Honors: All-Southern Section Division 1 Team; Orange County Press-Register All-County First Team.
Stats: .481 batting average, 24 runs, 23 RBI, 12 doubles, 3 triples, 4 home runs.

OF – Derek Hill, Elk Grove, 6-1, 185, Senior
Honors: Baseball Coaches Association All-Region Team; Baseball America First Team All-American; USA Today Second Team All-American; Louisville Slugger All-American First Team; Sacramento Bee All-Metro Team.
Stats: .500 batting average (47-for-94), 11 doubles, 7 triples, 21 stolen bases, 30 RBIs.

OF – Brady Shockey, JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano), 6-0, 190, Sophomore
Honors: All-Southern Section Division 1 Team; Orange County Register All-County First Team; Los Angeles Times All-Area Team.
Stats: .352 batting average, 14 RBI, 19 runs, 3 doubles.

OF – Coltin Gerhart, Vista Murrieta (Murrieta), 6-0, 210, Senior
Honors: All-Southern Section Division 2 Team; Riverside Press-Enterprise All-Area First Team.
Stats: .359 batting average, 5 home runs, 26 RBI, 10 doubles, 5 triples, 20 runs.

OF – DJ Peters, Glendora, 6-6, 225, Senior
Honors: Los Angeles Times All-Area Team; San Gabriel Valley Tribune All-Area Team.
Stats: .359 batting average, 20 RBI, 11 doubles, 4 home runs.

OF – Cody Covington, Norco, 6-2, 170, Senior
Honors: Riverside Press-Enterprise All-Area First Team.
Stats: .522, 15 doubles, 29 runs, 34 RBI.

OF – Trenton Kemp, Buchanan (Clovis), 6-2, 190, Senior
Honors: Fresno Bee All-Area Team.
Stats: .313 batting average, 30 runs, 4 doubles, 4 triples, 4 home runs.

OF – Casey Soltis, Granada (Livermore), 6-1, 195, Senior
Honors: Contra Costa Times All-East Bay First Team.
Stats: .353 batting average, 27 runs, 16 RBI, 2 doubles, 9 triples, 4 home runs.

UT – Hudson Hughes, Foothill (Santa Ana), 6-1, 180, Senior
Honors: All-Southern Section Division 1 Team; Orange County Register All-County First Team; Los Angeles Times All-Area Team.
Stats: .356 batting average, 16 runs, 26 RBI, 8 doubles, 2 triples, 4 home runs, 8-1 pitching record, 65 strikeouts, 1.75 ERA, 68 innings pitched.

UT – Jack Labosky, Clovis North (Fresno), 6-3, 215, Senior
Honors: Fresno Bee All-Area Pitcher of the Year.
Stats: .366 batting average, 23 runs, 26 RBI, 8 doubles, 1 home runs, 10-2 pitching record, 63 strikeouts, 77 innings pitched, 1.45 ERA.

UT – Josh Nashed, Leland (San Jose), 6-1, 180, Senior
Honors: San Jose Mercury News Player of the Year.
Stats: .471 batting average, 25 runs, 28 RBI, 14 doubles, 3 triples, 2 home runs, 2-0 pitching record, 19 strikeouts, 16 innings pitched, 0.44 ERA.