2014 Year in Review: MLB Draft | PG Events | College
The 2014 high school class was loaded with power arms, but there were fewer truly dominant teams than in previous seasons. As was the case in 2013, pitching tended to overshadow offensive production. The combination of the BBCOR bat era and the depth of power arms in 2014 saw continued (relatively) low scoring environments and ensuing parity. The offensive outbursts and dominant teams that did shine in 2014 were all the more impressive when viewed within the context of the national landscape.
With the incredibly broad scope of high school baseball, there were numerous storylines that couldn't fit into the Year in Review. Thus the ten that did make the cut were all of huge significance in their local level of competition. The list is by no means comprehensive, but rather a highlight of the biggest and most interesting storylines to emerge from the 2014 season.
Below is a look at the top 10 storylines along with Players of the Year and Team of the Year selections for the 2014 High School Baseball season.
10. Huntington Beach (Calif.) continues building towards bright future
In the 2013 Year in Review recap, Huntington Beach was one of the top 10 storylines of the year for knocking off then national No. 1 ranked Mater Dei (Calif.) in the first round of the CIF Southern Section tournament. The writeup concluded that they "...look to have a bright future over the next couple of seasons as their young team grows together."
It is now looking like they have a chance to become a mainstay in this space during the current era. Not only did the Oilers young squad take a significant step forward in 2014, but they enjoyed a talent infusion with the addition of one of the best freshmen in the country in righthanded pitcher and catcher Hagen Danner.
While 2014 saw them lose in the second round of the Division I tournament again, it was a 1-0 loss to the eventual runners-up Foothill (Calif.) after a convincing 10-1 victory in the opener. The cruel fate of a single elimination baseball tournament that visited Mater Dei in 2013 at the hands of Huntington Beach returned the favor in 2014. But despite the surprising early exit, which the tournament has become known for, the Oilers put together a highly impressive regular season and will again return a large chunk of their roster next season.
The Oilers finished the season at 22-5 and ranked No. 18 in the country. Their most significant loss to graduation will be Stanford bound shortstop Jess Kuet, but they not only have three more years of service time remaining from Danner, but they also feature a strong senior battery in righthander Noah Davis and catcher Tyler Murray. Center fielder Daniel Amaral and slugging two-way standout Logan Poulesen round out a loaded nucleus of returning talent that should make them the team to beat in SoCal for 2015.
9. Frost dominates in desert
The Greenway (Ariz.) Demons ruled Arizona's Division II with an iron fist, going undefeated against fellow DII competition. They lost a 1-0 game for the ages against eventual Division I champion Hamilton (Ariz.), who went on to finish the year as the No. 6 ranked team in the nation, and finished the season 29-4 with three losses to quality out of state opponents.
They featured solid depth, but despite having several highly talented teammates, there was one player who clearly stood tall; Tyler Frost.
While he wasn't viewed by the scouting community as a significant draft prospect in large part due to his 5-foot-9 frame, he was one of the most impactful players in the nation in terms of value to his high school team in 2014. Frost not only posted an eye-popping 92-to-8 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 80 innings, but he also hit .406/.500/.764 with seven home runs and seven stolen bases while playing a strong center field during the innings when he wasn't on the mound.
Despite going undrafted, the Gonzaga recruit received National Player of the Year consideration for his all-around contributions to Greenway's state championship season and No. 9 national ranking.
8. Sarasota takes home Showdown crown, brings Metcalf to 801
In what has become an illustrious career, Coach Clyde Metcalf of Sarasota High School was able to accomplish another milestone in his 32nd year on the job. Taking his Sailors into the 2014 PG High School Showdown that featured a handful of national ranked teams and numerous Division I talents, some of whom went on to be drafted last June, Metcalf and his team went about it like any other game and got the job done.
After dropping their first game 1-0 to Allatoona High School out of Georgia, the Sailors went on to win their next three games, the third of which handed Sarasota the crown. Picking up his 799th victory in a quarterfinal win, Metcalf would get his 800th career victory in a dramatic 6-5 win over heavily talented IMG Academy, using three different arms to get the job done.
The job wasn’t done yet though as the championship game featured a matchup with DeSoto Central, a nationally ranked team and loaded with players committed to play in the SEC. With his team controlling their destination, Coach Metcalf was able to hold back ace pitcher Jordan Gubelman for the championship game and the junior did just what he was expected to. Taking the ball, Gubelman threw a gutsy, complete game performance, scattering two runs over the course of seven innings. The Sailors’ bats stayed hot throughout the tournament, especially that of Brandon Chapman who paced the offense, delivering another championship to Sarasota High School and the 801st victory to Coach Clyde Metcalf.
7. Young Lambert team takes care of business
In a baseball state rich of talent like Georgia, it’s usually a team with a senior-laden roster that makes a deep run into the postseason. The Lambert Longhorns however begged to differ. Don’t be mistaken, Lambert had senior talent on their roster, but it was the young core nucleus that helped take the Longhorns on a magical run through the spring.
A couple weeks into the season, Lambert broke Perfect Game’s top 50 high school teams, debuting at No. 30, and never looked back. Led by sophomore Seth Beer, who contributed mightily with his lefthanded swing (.589 with 10 home runs), Lambert nearly ran the gauntlet going 36-2 with both losses coming in separate best-of-three playoff series.
Lambert’s run to the 6A championship – Georgia’s highest classification – wasn’t an easy trek, facing nationally ranked opponents Parkview and Milton, but like any championship team the Longhorns prevailed in the end. After Coach Jamie Corr and his team broke into the rankings and continued to amass victories, their national ranking also continued to climb, rising all the way up to No. 2 with a state championship in hand.
6. Westminster Christian (Mo.) overcomes huge preseason loss to capture fourth straight title
Hopes were high for the three-time defending Class 4 champions at this time last year. Their outlook for 2014 changed dramatically when two-way standout Shane Benes suffered a torn ACL injury suffered while playing for the school's basketball team, and the biggest bat in their lineup and staff ace was lost for the year before the first pitch was thrown.
That kind of loss would be a crippling blow to most teams, as they were not only losing one of the best players in the state, but his legitimate two-way ability meant they were essentially losing two of the best players in the state.
Becoming the first team in the history of Missouri to win four consecutive state championships, and doing so while playing at the state's highest classification, was already an extremely impressive accomplishment. But to pull it off without Benes was remarkable.
5. DeCarr paces Salisbury’s run
A boys preparatory school settled in Connecticut, Coach John Toffey assembled a team chalk full of Division I talent at Salisbury School that reigned over the Western New England Baseball League en route to a league championship. With a team that featured 11 Division I commits scattered between the offense and on the mound, Salisbury went down South and participated in the Perfect Game High School Showdown-Academies tournament, going 3-1 with their lone loss of the season coming to the Faith Baptist Eagles.
While down in Florida, team ace righthander Austin DeCarr began his ascent on MLB draft boards and was ultimately selected in the third round by the New York Yankees. Earning the co-MV Pitcher honors at the Showdown, DeCarr showed a nice increase in fastball velocity from the summer, topping at 95 mph with reports of higher throughout the spring. The Foxboro, Mass. native continued to impress upon his return North and was handed the ball in the big games for Coach Toffey.
Aside from the one loss in Florida, Salisbury had a flawless 2014 campaign and received strong performances on both sides of the ball. DeCarr was joined by fellow Clemson commit Paul Campbell and University of Connecticut commit Will Montgomerie on the mound, both of whom featured fastballs into the low-90s.
The bats were potent, dangerous, and most importantly consistent throughout the spring, led by Vanderbilt University commit and shortstop Will Toffey, another player selected by the Yankees in the 2014 draft. Senior catcher Kyle Adams, a University of Richmond commit, had a strong showing at the Showdown as well, winning MVP honors for what he did with the bat. Along with the senior talent, Coach Toffey received big contributions from his underclassmen, led by junior third baseman George Hewitt, a University of Michigan commit, and sophomore catcher/outfielder Ryan January, a Louisiana State commit.
Upon returning home, Salisbury went on a 19-game winning streak, captured their third consecutive championship, and continued to rise in the Perfect Game rankings until they settled at No. 8 in the country.
4. Aiken ascent
At this time a year ago PG All-American lefthander Brady Aiken was expected to be one of the most dominant arms in San Diego county and make Cathedral Catholic a force to be reckoned with yet again. But the development that he showed, not only in terms of stuff but also consistency, between his junior and senior seasons vaulted him all the way up to the first overall pick in the 2014 MLB Draft.
Aiken went from working in the 88-92 mph range as a junior in 2013 to generally working at 91-95 as a senior in 2014. But more importantly to Cathedral Catholic, he cut his walk rate dramatically. As a result of the improved command (and stuff) Aiken managed to improve off of his already impressive 80-to-25 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 53 1/3 innings pitched as a junior, posting a National Player of the Year candidate caliber 111-to-15 ratio over 59 2/3 innings this year.
The Dons couldn't capture the San Diego Section Open Division championship, as they lost twice in the double elimination tournament to eventual champion Granite Hills (and in all three 2014 meetings), but through no fault of Aiken's own.
The lefty ace took the ball twice against Granite Hills, earning a no decision both times despite striking out 25 batters over 10 innings, due to being stuck with five unearned runs in those two contests. Cathedral Catholic had a strong team that made a deep run, but ultimately they were one piece short of a championship, despite having the first overall pick of the draft as their ace.
3. Farragut dedicates season, wins state championship
Located in Knoxville, Tenn., the Farragut baseball program has built up a reputation of being a baseball powerhouse and finds themselves in the national rankings more often than not. Over the last 12 years, the Admirals have won eight state championships, the most recent coming in 2014. Last years championship holds a place closer to the heart than the others though as the Admirals went on a magical run with the season dedicated to assistant coach and long-time Perfect Game friend Scott Dean, who passed away in late January prior to the season beginning.
After beginning the season 10-9, Coach Matt Buckner and his team rallied together, and with “SD” stitched on the backs of their hats, the Admirals went on a run. Over their next 27 games Farragut went 23-4, securing a District 4-AAA and a R2AAA championship before advancing to the state championship. With a roster that boasted several Division I commits, the Admiral bats began to heat up and stayed hot throughout the playoffs. And the arms did what they needed to, throwing nine shutouts throughout the season, four of which came in the playoffs.
Facing the top seeded Houston High School in the 3-A state championship, Buckner gave the ball to his ace and Vanderbilt University commit Patrick Raby who knew just what to do on the mound. Taking the ball, Raby spun a masterful three hit, complete game shutout while picking up six strikeouts. Senior Chase Chambers and sophomore Duncan Pence led the way offensively with three hits apiece and received RBI knocks from Chase Fullington, John Painter, and Roy Mutta. With the ball leaving Raby’s hand for the final out of the game, the Admirals were state champions, winning 4-0 and picking up the biggest of their 34 wins during the season.
On April 18 after their 10-2 victory, Farragut retired Dean’s No. 5 and renamed their recently built field house in his honor, “Dean Field House.” After that game, the Admirals finished out the season going 16-3 and finished the season at No. 27 on the Perfect Game National Rankings.
2. Sands brothers lead NFC on championship journey
It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish a season. Coach Mike Posey and his North Florida Christian squad know that. After four early season losses, three of which were by one run and the other by two runs, the Eagles turned the page and never looked back. With a roster filled with Division I talent and led by the Sands brothers –- senior Carson and junior Cole -- NFC went on to win 19 straight games, culminating in a Florida 3A State Championship. The regular season win streak of 14 games is nothing to snarl at either, defeating The First Academy of Orlando, Fla., and Whitewater of Fayetteville, Ga., both of whom were nationally ranked at one point during the spring.
With high expectations out of the Sands, senior outfielder Matthew Raley, and fellow Florida State commit Cole Ragans, it’s safe to say they delivered on them with a strong run into the playoffs. Cole Sands and Railey paced the offense with Sands hitting .410 and Railey .407 en route to becoming a third-round selection by the Arizona Diamondbacks. Senior Jared Barnes, an South Alabama commit, added power throughout the year, blasting a team high nine home runs.
On the mound the oldest Sands, Carson, put together a dazzling senior season going 11-1 with a 0.58 ERA with 100 strikeouts in 60 innings. Of those 60 innings thrown by the eventual fourth-round pick of the Chicago Cubs, it was his last seven that may have been the most brilliant. Facing a nationally ranked Coral Springs Christian team in the state quarterfinals, Sands threw a complete game seven-inning shutout while limiting a loud offense. Cole Sands and Cole Ragans combined for 10 additional wins and combined for over 100 strikeouts.
Advancing to the state championship with momentum on their side, North Florida Christian went on to win 6-3 and vaulted all the way up to No. 4 in the Perfect Game rankings.
1. Puyallup (Wash.) perfect in 2014
The Vikings captured the 2014 Washington 4A state championship. But that is only part of the story. The fact that it was the first state championship in school history adds a bit of intrigue but still doesn't encapsulate why their 2014 season was so remarkable.
It was Puyallup's perfect season in a year when no other team that finished in the top 100 of Perfect Game's final high school team rankings went undefeated that was so striking. In fact, they became the first team in Washington state to complete a perfect season since future big leaguer Travis Snider led Jackson to a 26-0 season in 2006. Puyallup became just the third team in the past 18 years to pull off an undefeated season in Washington's highest classification.
Puyallup's stranglehold on Washington state was so strong that they not only opened the season ranked in the PG preseason top 50 poll, they were the only team from the state to appear in the top 50 during any point of the regular season. The Vikings finally had some in-state company when the final poll expanded to 100 at the end of the season and Class 3A champion O'Dea joined them at No. 84. Puyallup would finish the year No. 3 in the country and had a case for the National Championship.
Team of Year: Barbe, Lake Charles (La.)
It’s not easy for a team to debut in the top 20 and continue to continuously climb throughout the spring, especially in a baseball-rich state like Louisiana, but that’s exactly what the Barbe Buccaneers did. They may have lost two games earlier in the year, but Barbe plays as many games as any team in the country and finished with an unheralded record of 39-2 en route to the Louisiana 5A State Championship and the illustrious National High School Championship.
With their two losses occurring early in the season, Coach Glenn Cecchini and his team saw no reason to fret knowing that they had at least 21 games left in the regular season and seven potential playoff games to take the title. What they did over that stretch was astonishing as they peeled off 28 straight victories, outscored their opponents 268-64, and held onto the top spot of the Perfect Game top 50 rankings for the final 10 weeks of the season.
With any type of run there is obvious talent involved and such is true with Cecchini’s team from last spring. Senior Bryce Jordan led the Barbe offense, batting .481, while twin brother Beau Jordan belted a team leading 12 home runs. Along with that high batting average, Bryce Jordan set a national record for hit by pitches, getting plunked 35 times last spring. Their pitching was equally impressive, led by senior Gunner Leger (11-0, 1.94 ERA) and freshman Adam Goree (11-0, 1.54 ERA) who threw a complete game, three-hitter for Barbe in the championship game.
Player of the Year (Pitcher): Jack Flaherty, RHP, Harvard-Westlake (Calif.)
While Cathedral Catholic lefty Brady Aiken went on to become the first overall pick of the draft, it's fellow SoCal product and 2013 PG All-American Jack Flaherty who takes home the honors on the merits of his exceptional command. His 12 walks yielded over 78 innings are impressive enough to warrant consideration, but when copuled with the fact that Flaherty lived on the corners frequently and piled up 125 strikeouts while allowing just 32 hits against one of the toughest strengths of schedule in the country puts him over the top.
Player of the Year (Position): Chase Vallot, C, St. Thomas More (La.)
To say that the Perfect Game All-American lived up the hype his senior season may be an understatement as he not only put up big offensive numbers but helped lead his team to a Louisiana 4A State Championship. Though young for the class, Vallot’s age didn’t prevent any offensive output as he clubbed 13 home runs and drove in 62 while playing solid defense behind the plate. A consistent bat throughout the spring, Vallot went on to slash .545/.652/1.111, walking more than twice the amount of times he struck out, and even more impressive is that of his 54 base hits last spring, 29 were of the extra base variety.