Yuba City coach Jim Stassi will never forget the first time he realized that his son Max had what it takes to play at the next level.
In a fall ball scrimmage against players from Davis High School, Max turned on a pitch and drove it deep to centerfield. The Blue Devil centerfielder hauled in the long fly ball at the base of the wall for an out, but the big blast was a signal to the elder Stassi that good things were in store for Max.
Max Stassi rounds the bases after a home run.
File photo by Anthony Brunsman
Afterall, he was only in seventh grade at the time.
“Ever since he was a little kid he threw the ball harder and farther, hit with power, and ran really well,” said coach Stassi. “He has practiced with my teams since he was a little kid and when he hit one to center that was caught right at the base of the wall, we knew then that he might be able to play at this level.”
Max says that the regular trips to baseball practice with this father have helped him become the player he is today.
“Playing at those levels was something that I had always dreamed about. I knew around the age of 11 that I could play with anyone in the country. As an 11-year-old I would go to practice with my dad at the high school and be put into scrimmages and live situations and outperform some of the 17-18 year olds. I would always hang out with the guys and learn from them.”
Over the past four seasons, Stassi’s rise to the top of the group of catchers in the class of 2009 has been impressive. He was the Sacramento Bee’s Metro Player of the Year as a junior, a MaxPreps All-American and an All-State pick as well. He also has been a regular member of Team USA, an experience Stassi says he will always remember.
“Playing for Team USA is something that I will never forget,” said Stassi. “Wearing the USA across my chest was a true honor.”
The summer of 2008 was filled with honors for Stassi, who helped lead the Yuba City Honkers to their second straight Sac Joaquin Section crown. Besides competing for Team USA, Stassi also played in the Under Armour All-American Game in Chicago and the Aflac All-American Game in Los Angeles.
“Those were also very memorable and extremely fun, just like playing with Team USA,” he said. “Being able to compete and play with the top players my age gave me a lot of confidence coming into the 2009 season.
So far the 2009 season has been a pretty good one for Stassi and the Honkers. Yuba City is 14-2 as of April 9 and dropped just its second game of the season in falling to Del Campo 6-2 at the Granite Bay Easter Tournament this week. The Honkers had won 12 straight games prior to the loss.
Stassi has been a big part of those 14 wins. Besides hitting a team-best .622, he leads the squad with 24 RBI and eight home runs, including one in his first at-bat of the season.
For his career, Stassi ranks among the all-time state leaders in several categories. He is 150 of 278 for a career batting average of .539. He has 150 runs and 148 RBI along with 39 doubles and 37 home runs. During his four years on the varsity, the Honkers are 94-14, 73-6 over the past three seasons.
Stassi notes that the Honkers will be a tough team to beat once the section tournament begins in May.
“I expect us to make it to the section championship game again for the third consecutive season,” Stassi said. “We are tough to beat because of our depth not only on the mound, but our hitting. The entire lineup does not have a weak hitter. Most of all our team chemistry is unbelievable. We have total trust in one another.”
The 2008 Sac-Joaquin Section Div. 3 Champion Yuba City Honkers.
File photo by Gary Jones
The Honkers are indeed loaded again this year. Besides having one of the nation’s top backstops behind the plate, the Honkers have Stassi’s brother, Jake (5-0, 53 K, 1.06 ERA), on the mound. The Honkers also have a talented outfield, led by James Haymore (.325) and Kevin Noall (.545, 10 doubles). Michael Lowden (5-0, 49, 1.68) gives Yuba City a second strong arm on the mound.
Stassi knows that a road to a third section title won’t be easy. He points to Sacramento area power Granite Bay as a possible stumbling block. Although the Honkers won’t face the Grizzlies in the playoffs, Granite Bay handed Yuba City one of its two losses this season, 6-5, early in the year. Unlike many of Yuba City’s opponents, the Grizzlies like to challenge the All-American.
“The Grizzlies are extremely well coached and they are not scared to come after me,” said Stassi. “This season I have faced teams that will not give me anything to hit. I respect the way they are coached and how they would pitch to me.”
Knowing that he may not see many good pitches this year only makes Stassi work harder.
Max Stassi behind the plate.
Photo by Anthony Brunsman
“His work ethic in the off-season is tremendous,” said his father. “He works very hard in the weight room and on arm strength. We emphasize game speed in all practices so all of our players are expected to practice hard.”
Stassi’s usual non-gameday routine finds him at the gym at 6:15 a.m. for cardio and a light workout. He also lifts several times a week with the team.
Aside from the work ethic, Stassi has an impressive pedigree. Great-great uncle Myril Hoag played alongside Babe Ruth in the 1920s and his great grandfather also played professionally. His grandfather played with the San Francisco Seals in the Pacific Coast League and Max’s father played for the San Francisco Giants organization.
Max’s older brother Brock is currently the top hitter and pitcher at the University of Nevada Reno and younger brother Jake, who is a junior, is receiving attention from a number of Division 1 colleges.
Without a doubt, however, Stassi says his father has been the main influence on his baseball career.
“I have learned everything on how to conduct myself on and off the field from him,” said Stassi. “He played at some of the highest levels in baseball and has told me what it takes to get to that level.”
Despite the many awards and honors Stassi has accumulated over the years, he remains grounded and humble when it comes to his achievements.
“I struck out my first at-bat with the bases loaded so it just goes to show that baseball is a game of failure,” he said. “But you never give up. If you strike out 7 out of 10 times, but add in three hits you will become a hall of famer.”
Coach Stassi says that personal conduct is something he has always stressed with his children and his team.
Max's father, and coach, Jim Stassi.
File photo by Gary Jones
“Since Max not only plays in my program, but also is my son, my wife and I have always taught all three of our boys to always be humble in their accomplishments,” he said. “He is not arrogant or cocky with all that he has accomplished so far in his career. We also feel that he is a polite and considerate person who respects others, a quality that we are really proud of.”
Because of his success since his freshman season, Stassi has become one of the more recognizable names in Northern California baseball. He hopes to one day join another familiar Northern California athlete, Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia, in the Major Leagues some day.
“I try to emulate Dustin Pedroia with is all-out mentality,” Stassi said about the Woodland native who was the American League MVP last year. “My all-out mentality is my biggest strength. I am going to give it 100 percent every time I step onto the diamond and I am going to do what is best for my team.”
Stassi is expected to be a high draft pick in the Major League draft in June, however he is committed to play at UCLA. Although he committed to the Bruins during his sophomore year and signed last fall, that hasn’t stopped Major League scouts from making a regular pilgrimage to his games.
“It is a huge honor and I am very fortunate to be in that situation,” Stassi said regarding the scouts’ presence at his games. “It does not affect my performance because with all the summer events I am used to seeing them in the stands.”
For now, Stassi and his teammates are working toward that third section crown. Having the town of Yuba City behind him and the Honkers has certainly helped push the team closer to that goal.
“Winning two back to back section championships was a great experience. It feels a lot better than going 3-for-3 with three homers. It was a goal that I have wanted to achieve because our baseball team had never accomplished those before our first section championship team,” he said. “Yuba City has a small town atmosphere and everyone supports Yuba City baseball. It is a really fun atmosphere on a Friday night at home. Everyone in our town wants our baseball program to succeed.”
This article is the first in a series of articles featuring some of the players from the MaxPreps Top 100 Baseball Players list, which will soon be available on MaxPreps.
