Harvard-Westlake: No. 7 in 2014 Xcellent 25 Preseason National Baseball Rankings

Harvard-Westlake has become a program known for its quality pitching staff and things won't be any different in 2014.

In 2011, the Wolverines produced the nation's No. 1 prospect in Lucas Giolito before an arm injury sidelined him for his senior season. In 2012, Max Fried helped lead the Wolverines to a second-place finish at the National High School Invitational. He was eventually drafted No. 7 overall in the MLB Draft.

In 2013, junior Jack Flaherty posted a 13-0 record and led the Wolverines to a Southern Section Division I championship. Flaherty is back for his senior season, and with a stronger defense and offensive attack this year, the Wolverines begin the season ranked No. 7 in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 Preseason Rankings.

MaxPreps is counting down the top 10 teams in its preseason rankings this week with the Top 100 to be posted on Feb. 21. See the Top 10 teams landing page here

Having Flaherty take the mound a dozen times during the season will be a big plus for Harvard-Westlake, but coach Matt LaCour feels his team is improved on offense and in the field.

"We should be strong at the plate and on defense," said LaCour, who is in his eight year with the Wolverines.

Flaherty earned MaxPreps National Player of the Year honors as a junior not only for his outstanding pitching but for his hitting and play in the infield. Going 13-0 on the mound with 112 strikeouts, Flaherty also batted .371 and is regarded as a possible draft pick as a fielder.

Flaherty is just part of a talented infield that also includes returning starters Brian Ginsberg and junior Ezra Steinberg. Ginsberg will be the shortstop after showing marked improvement at the plate as a junior. He batted .337 last year and has committed to play at Brown.

Steinberg started at second base as a sophomore and posted a .376 batting average. He is regarded as one of the top juniors in Sourhern California.

The Wolverines also return Tyler Urbach, a Fordham commit, to the infield. Besides backing up in the middle of the infield, he can also play in the outfield.

Filling in the third base spot is newcomer Cameron Deere, a junior who will join with senior Michael Vokulich and Flaherty to form the pitching staff.

The Wolverines will have to find a replacement for catcher Arden Pabst, an All-American who graduated last year after playing backstop the past three seasons. The Wolverines likely have a capable replacement in senior Matt Karo, who has already committed to Columbia.

Harvard-Westlake's schedule makes it a potential candidate for a No. 1 national ranking. Although it won't be playing in the National High School Invitational, where it has played the past two seasons, the Wolverines still have a tough schedule that includes the Big League Dugout National Classic in Arizona as well as a dozen games in the Mission League, one of the more competitive leagues in California. If the Wolverines survive that gauntlet, they still have to maneuver through the Southern Section Division I playoffs, which rank as one of the toughest playoff brackets in the nation.

Of course the Wolverines managed to do just that last year, and with Flaherty back on the mound, the pieces are in place to make another run.

View a gallery of Harvard-Westlake preseason photo shoot