In many ways, Chase Vallot of St. Thomas More (Lafayette, La.) had a dream season. His team won a state championship, he was named the state's most valuable player and he was chosen on the first day of the Major League Baseball Draft. Not a bad way to end a high school career.
Chase Vallot, St. Thomas More
Photo courtesy of Brad Topham
Following his selection by the Kansas City Royals with the No. 40 overall pick, Vallot showed similar emotion.
"Playing professional baseball has been my dream since I was a little
kid and now that it has come true," Vallot told the Lafayette Advertiser. "I'm just so excited to see where we
go from here."
Now Vallot has been chosen as the MaxPreps Medium Schools Player of the Year. He has been chosen from a list of candidates that includes Tyler Kolek of Shepherd (Texas), Gavin Lavalley of Carl Albert (Midwest City, Okla.) and Cody Reed of Ardmore (Ala.).
Vallot was easily one of the top hitters in the nation this year as he batted .545 with 15 doubles, 13 home runs and 62 RBIs. He was also a leader on a team that reached the state finals three straight years with a state championship in 2014.
The MaxPreps Medium Schools All-American Team consists of 60 players who played on teams that competed in state enrollment divisions generally between 1,000 and 2,000 students.
Coach of the Year - Rich Van Gilst, Westminster Christian (St. Louis)
Rich Van Gilst, Westminster Christian
File photo by Jason Clifton
The son of former MLB pitcher Andy Benes, Shane Benes was tabbed by MaxPreps as the top player in the state of Missouri heading into the 2014 season, but a knee injury wiped out his senior year.
It didn't matter for Van Gilst and the Wildcats. They posted a 31-5 record and defeated Pembroke Hill 5-0 for the state championship. In the final MaxPreps Computer Rankings, the Wildcats finished sixth in the state and 163rd in the nation.
No other school in Missouri history has won four straight state championships in baseball, a monumental achievement, especially in such a large state.
For his efforts, Van Gilst has been chosen as the MaxPreps Medium Schools National Coach of the Year.
MaxPreps
2014 Medium Schools All-American Baseball Team
First Team
P - Cody Reed, Ardmore (Ala.), 6-3, 250,
Senior
Honors: Gatorade
State Player of the Year; Baseball America First Team All-American; Louisville
Slugger All-American Pitcher of the Year; Alabama Sports Writers Association
All-Super State Mr. Baseball.
Tyler Kolek, Shepherd
Photo by John Godwin
No. 54 overall by Diamondbacks.
Stats: 10-2 pitching record, 0.46 ERA, 226 strikeouts, 17 walks in 92
innings pitched, .494 batting average, 33 RBIs, 40 runs, 10 doubles, 6 home
runs.
P - Tyler Kolek, Shepherd (Texas), 6-5, 230,
Senior
Honors: National Baseball Coaches Association Second Team All-American; Baseball
Coaches Association All-Region Team; Gatorade State Player of the Year; Baseball
America First Team All-American; USA Today First Team All-American; Louisville
Slugger All-American First Team; Texas High School Baseball Coaches Class 3A
All-State First Team; Houston Chronicle All-Greater Houston Team.
Draft: No. 2 overall by Marlins.
Stats: 5-2 record, 0.52 ERA, 126 strikeouts, 8 walks, 60.3 innings pitched.
P - Brian Gonzalez, Archbishop McCarthy (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), 6-3, 235, Senior
Honors: Louisville
Slugger All-American First Team; Florida Dairy Farmers State Player of the
Year; Sun Sentinel Broward County Small Schools Player of the Year; Miami
Herald All-Broward County Team.
Draft: No. 90 overall by Orioles.
Stats: 10-1 record, 0.50 ERA, 129 strikeouts, two no-hitters, 69.1
innings pitched, .342 batting average, 3 home runs, 18 RBIs.
P - Jesse McCord, Spanish Fort (Ala.), 6-0,
175, Senior
Honors: Louisville
Slugger All-American First Team; Alabama Sports Writers Association All-Super
State Team; Coastal Alabama All-Region Player of the Year.
Draft: Undrafted.
Stats: 12-1 record, 0.73 ERA, 122 strikeouts, 86 innings pitched, 24
walks.
P - Jake Latz, Lemont (Ill.), 6-2, 190,
Senior
Honors: Illinois
Baseball Coaches Association Class 3A All-State Team; Southtown Star All-Area
Team; Chicago Sun Times All-Area Team; My Suburban Life All-Area Player of the
Year.
Draft: No. 324 overall by Blue Jays.
Stats: 10-0 record, 0.22 ERA, 114 strikeouts, 12 walks, 62.1 innings
pitched.
P - Joe DeMers, College Park (Pleasant Hill, Calif.), 6-2, 215, Junior
Honors: Contra
Costa Times All-East Bay Player of the Year; Louisville Slugger First Team
All-American.
Stats: 12-2 pitching record, 94 strikeouts, 0.65 ERA, 86 innings pitched, .373
batting average, 32 RBI, 7 doubles, 3 home runs.
P - Derek Casey, Hanover (Mechanicsville, Va.), 6-1, 185, Senior
Honors: Richmond
Times Dispatch All-Metro Player of the Year; Virginia All-Group 4A Team
Draft: No. 675 overall by Cardinals.
Stats: 10-0 record (27-0 in career), 0.51 ERA, 98 strikeouts, 55 innings
pitched.
P - Trey Supak, La Grange (Texas), 6-5, 220, Senior
Honors: Texas
Coaches Association Class 3A All-State Team; District 26-3A MVP.
Draft: No. 73 overall by Pirates.
Stats: 9-1 pitching record, 0.42 ERA, 66 innings pitched, 125 strikeouts, 25
walks, .381 batting average, 14 RBI, 6 doubles, 1 triple, 1 home run.
P - Spencer Adams, White County (Cleveland, Ga.), 6-5, 205, Senior
Honors: Louisville
Slugger First Team All-American.
Drew Gooch, Argyle
File photo by Kyle Dantzler
No. 44 overall by White Sox.
Stats: 4-2 pitching record, 90 strikeouts, 0.72 ERA, 58.1 innings pitched.
P - Drew Gooch, Argyle (Texas), 5-9, 185, Senior
Honors: Texas
Coaches Association Class 3A All-State Team; Dallas Morning News All-Area
Pitcher of the Year.
Draft: Undrafted.
Stats: 10-0 pitching record, 77 strikeouts, 0.65 ERA.
C - Chase Vallot St. Thomas More (Lafayette, La.),
6-0, 205, Senior
Honors: Baseball
Coaches Association All-Region Team; BCA Region 6 Player of the Year; National Baseball Coaches Association All-American Team; Gatorade
State Player of the Year; Baseball America First Team All-American; USA Today
First Team All-American; Louisville Slugger All-American Hitter of the Year;
Louisiana Sports Writers Association Class 4A State Player of the Year.
Draft: No. 40 overall by Royals.
Stats: .545 batting average (54-for-99), 15 doubles, 1 triple, 13 home
runs, 62 RBIs.
C - Blake Anderson, West Lauderdale (Collinsville, Miss.),
6-4, 200, Senior
Honors: National Baseball Coaches Association Second Team All-American; Baseball
Coaches Association All-Region Team; Louisville Slugger All-American First Team;
Jackson Clarion Ledger All-State Team; Mississippi Coaches Association Class 4A
State Player of the Year.
Draft: No. 36 overall by Marlins.
Stats: .438 batting average (46-for-105), 26 runs, 14 doubles, 8 home
runs, 40 RBIs.
C - Bryce Carter, Cascia Hall (Tulsa, Okla.), 6-1, 190, Senior
Honors: Oklahoma
City Oklahoman All-State Team; Tulsa World News All-Metro Player of the Year;
Louisville Slugger First Team All-American.
Draft: No. 1,197 overall by Padres.
Stats: .400 batting average (40-for-100), 28 runs, 30 RBI, 11 doubles, 3
triples, 4 home runs.
1B - Dash Winningham, Trinity Catholic (Ocala, Fla.), 6-2, 230, Senior
Honors: Ocala Star
Banner All-Area Player of the Year; FACA Class 4A All-State Team.
Draft: No. 235 overall by Mets.
Stats: .410 batting average, 36 RBI, 17 doubles, 4 home runs.
1B - Cameron Warren, Carl Albert (Midwest City, Okla.), 6-2, 205, Senior
Honors: Oklahoma
City Oklahoman All-State Team; Oklahoma City All-Big City Team; Louisville
Slugger Second Team All-American.
Draft: No. 1,172 overall by Yankees.
Stats: .420 batting average, 52 RBI, 11 home runs, 8-0 pitching record, 1.82
ERA.
IF - Ti'Quan Forbes, Columbia (Miss.), 6-4, 175,
Senior
Honors: Baseball
Coaches Association All-Region Team; USA Today Second Team All-American;
Louisville Slugger All-American First Team; Jackson Clarion Ledger All-State
Mr. Baseball; Hattiesburg American All-Area First Team; Mississippi Coaches
Association All-State Team.
Draft: No. 59 overall by Rangers.
Stats: .427 batting average (47-for-110), 49 runs, 12 doubles, 2
triples, 3 home runs, 32 RBIs, 13 stolen bases.
IF - Gavin Lavalley, Carl Albert (Midwest City, Okla.),
6-3, 235, Senior
Honors: National Baseball Coaches Association All-American Team; Baseball
Coaches Association All-Region Team; Gatorade State Player of the Year;
Baseball America First Team All-American; USA Today First Team All-American;
Louisville Slugger All-American First Team; Oklahoma City Oklahoman All-State
Player of the Year; Oklahoma City Oklahoman All-Big City Player of the Year.
Draft: No. 125 overall by Reds.
Stats: .554 batting average (63-for-112), 11 doubles, 1 triple, 19 home
runs, 75 RBIs.
IF - JJ Matijevic, Norwin (North Huntingdon, Pa.),
6-2, 200, Senior
Honors: Baseball
America First Team All-American; Louisville Slugger All-American First Team;
Pennsylvania High School Baseball Coaches Association Class 3A State Player of
the Year; Pittsburg Post-Gazette All-Area Team; Greensburg Tribune-Review
All-Area Player of the Year.
Draft: Undrafted.
Stats: .607 batting average, 29 runs, 9 doubles, 10 home runs, 37 RBIs.
IF - Milton Ramos, American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.), 6-2, 165, Senior
Honors: Baseball Coaches Association All-Region Team; Sun
Sentinel All-Broward County Team; Miami Herald All-Broward County Team; FACA
Class 5A All-State Team.
Draft: No. 84 overall by Mets.
Stats: .424 batting average (28-for-66), 19 runs, 21 RBI, 2 doubles, 3 triples,
4 home runs.
IF - Madison Stokes, Flora (Columbia, S.C.), 6-3, 195, Senior
Honors: High School
Sports Report Class 3A State Player of the Year; South Carolina Coaches
Association Class 3A State Player of the Year.
Draft: No. 1,202 overall by Yankees.
Stats: .463 batting average, 38 runs, 21 RBI.
IF - Blake Wiggins, Pulaski Academy (Little Rock, Ark.), 6-1, 195, Senior
Honors: Democrat-Gazette
All-Arkansas Preps Team; Baseball Coaches Association All-Region Team; Class 5A All-State Team.
Alex Destino, North Buncombe
Photo by Alyson Boyer Rode
No. 1,072 overall by Phillies.
Stats: .477 batting average (42-for-88), 41 runs, 39 RBI, 10 doubles, 7 triples,
11 home runs.
OF - Alex Destino, North Buncombe (Weaverville, N.C.)
6-2, 208, Senior
Honors: Baseball
America Third Team All-American; Louisville Slugger All-American First Team;
Asheville Citizen Times All-Western North Carolina Player of the Year.
Draft: Undrafted.
Stats: .529 batting average, 43 runs, 14 doubles, 15 home runs, 43 RBIs,
10-1 record, 1.43 ERA, 116 strikeouts, 73 innings pitched.
OF - Scott Hurst, Bishop Amat (La Puente, Calif.), 6-0, 175, Senior
Honors: Southern
Section Division 3 Player of the Year; Los Angeles Times All-Area Team; San
Gabriel Valley Tribune Player of the Year.
Draft: Undrafted.
Stats: .419 batting average (36-for-86), 19 runs, 25 RBI, 9 doubles, 6 triples.
OF - Ryan Johnson, College Station (Texas), 6-3, 205, Junior
Honors: Texas
Baseball Coaches Association Class 3A All-State Team; All-Brazos Valley Team.
Stats: .379 batting average, 7 doubles, 5 triples, 6 home runs, 50 RBI.
OF - Zacrey Law, Robinson (Texas), 5-8, 170, Senior
Honors: Texas
Baseball Coaches Association Class 3A All-State Team; All-Super CenTex Player
of the Year.
Draft: No. 697 overall by Rays.
Stats: .495 batting average, 15 doubles, 40 RBI, 54 runs, 7 home runs, 29
stolen bases.
OF - Alex Verdugo, Sahuaro (Tucson, Ariz.),
6-1, 200, Senior
Honors: USA Today
First Team All-American; Louisville Slugger All-American First Team; Arizona
Republic All-Arizona Team; Arizona Republic All-Division I Team.
Draft: No. 62 overall by Dodgers.
Stats: .532 batting average, 32 RBIs, 3 home runs, 4-3 pitching record,
2.26 ERA, 93 strikeouts, 52.2 innings pitched.
OF - Tyler Frost, Greenway (Phoenix) 5-10,
160, Senior
Honors: National Baseball Coaches Association All-American Team; Baseball
Coaches Association All-Region Team; BCA Region 7 Player of the Year; Gatorade
State Player of the Year; Louisville Slugger All-American First Team; Arizona
Republic Large Schools State Player of the Year; Arizona Republic All-Division
II Team; Arizona Baseball Coaches Association Division II Player of the Year.
Draft: Undrafted.
Stats: .406 batting average (43-for-106), 34 runs, 9 doubles, 4 triples, 7
home runs, 42 RBIs, 12-1 pitching record, 80 innings pitched, 92 strikeouts,
0.26 ERA, 12 walks.
UT - Jordan Smith, Westminster Christian (St. Louis), 6-0, 175, Senior
Honors: St. Louis
Post Dispatch All-Metro Team Pitcher of the Year; Missouri Baseball Coaches
Association 4A All-State Team.
Draft: Undrafted.
Stats: 10-0 record, 1.53 ERA, 59.2 innings pitched, 71 strikeouts, .440 batting
average, 6 doubles, 1 triple, 29 RBI, 22 stolen bases.
UT - Jack Piekos, Bayport-Blue Point (Bayport, N.Y.), 6-0, 180, Senior
Honors: MSG Varsity
Pitcher of the Year; Newsday Gibson Award Winner.
Brendan McKay, Blackhawk
Photo courtesy of Kim McKay
Undrafted.
Stats: 10-1 record, 0.47 ERA, 122 strikeouts, 74.1 innings pitched, .365
batting average, 21 RBI.
UT - Brendan McKay, Blackhawk (Beaver Falls, Pa.),
6-2, 215, Senior
Honors: National Baseball Coaches Association All-American Team; Baseball
Coaches Association All-Region Team; BCA Region 2 Player of the Year; Gatorade
State Player of the Year; Baseball America Second Team All-American; Louisville
Slugger All-American First Team; Pennsylvania High School Baseball Coaches Association
All-Class AAA Team; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette All-Area Player of the Year;
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review All-Area Player of the Year.
Draft: No. 1,017 overall by Padres.
Stats: 7-0 pitching record, 0.00 ERA, 101 strikeouts, 7 walks, 45
innings pitched.
