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High School  | General | 2/11/2016

Regional HS Preview: Pacific

David Rawnsley
Photo: Perfect Game




For all of Perfect Game's regional previews as part of the 2016 high school baseball preview content, the Dream Team is available for free. The region top tools can be viewed with an Insider subscription. To learn more about Perfect Game's subscription packages and to sign up today please visit this link.




2016 Perfect Game High School Preview Index

Pacific Region: California, Hawaii

California has fallen a bit short of its own lofty standards of high-level talent the past few years.  But that natural ebb and flow has turned the other direction.

In addition to having the nation's top ranked high school team in the Huntington Beach Oilers, the state's 2016 class also features 10 Perfect Game All-Americans, including six who are ranked among the top 14 players in the class by Perfect Game and will surely get first round consideration at some point this spring leading up to the June draft.

Those six are outfielder Blake Rutherford (ranked 2nd nationally), righthanded pitcher Matt Manning (6th), outfielder Mickey Moniak (7th), righthanded pitcher Reggie Lawson (9th), righthanded pitcher Kevin Gowdy (11th) and outfielder Avery Tuck (14th).

And, if anything, California's 2017 class is even stronger than the 2016 class.  Four juniors made this elite team, including infielders Nick Allen and Jayson Gonzalez, utility standout Hagan Danner and righthanded pitcher Hans Crouse. Overall, eight California high school players are ranked in the top 20 nationally in the 2017 class and 15 are among the top 50.

Hawaii is also part of Pacific region but did not have a player make the list.  The top players on the island are 2016 outfielder Kingsley Ballao from Maui High School, a Fresno State signee, and 2017 righthanded pitcher Markus Ramos from James Campbell High School, an Oregon commit.


Pacific Region High School Dream Team

C – Nicholas Kahle, Sr., Chaminade Prep        
Kahle has been a consistent high-level performer offensively and defensively for both Chaminade Prep and the No. 1 ranked 17u travel team in the country, CBA Marucci.  He's a polished receiver behind the plate with a strong arm and high-level leadership skills and has nice righthanded gap power at the plate.  Kahle hit .421-2-23 last year in high school and teams with outfielder Blake Rutherford to give Chaminade two first team All-Pacific players. He has committed to Washington.

1B – Andrew Daschbach, Sr. Sacred Heart Prep
 Except for his arm strength, which limits him to first base, Daschbach would probably be at home all over the field.  He's a very strong 6-foot-3, 210-pound athlete who runs a 6.5 in the 60-yard dash and is a four-sport athlete who especially excels as a wide receiver in football.  A rare Northern California prospect on the team, Daschbach is a righthanded hitter with outstanding bat speed and big pull power potential. He is signed with nearby Stanford.

MIF – Will Proctor, Sr., Mira Costa
Proctor was one of the most improved players nationally on the showcase/tournament circuit last summer and is geared up for a big senior season.  He's played all over the infield at various times but his mature actions and strong arm profile him best at shortstop in the future.  The big improvement in Proctor's game since his last high school season is much better raw bat speed from the right side, especially when pulling the ball, which has resulted in a big boost in his overall power and his ability to create runs.   He has signed to go across the country to attend Georgia.

MIF – Nick Allen, Jr., Francis Parker
There are many junior middle infielders in this region worthy of mention but Allen has been a nationally known player since he was in eighth grade and may be the best defensive middle infielder in the country. Listed at a generous 5-foot-9, 150-pounds, Allen has solid tools on both sides of the ball that are elevated by his quick-twitch athleticism and his outstanding instincts for the game.  A starter since the beginning of his freshman year, Allen has a .361 career average and has stolen 52 bases in 63 high school games.  He has a verbal commitment to Southern California.

3B – Jayson Gonzalez, Jr., Bishop Amat
Gonzalez is one of the strongest players in the 2017 class and was a dominant hitter at Perfect Game tournaments throughout last summer.  At 6-foot-2, 205-pounds, the righthanded hitter has a balanced middle-of-the-field approach but sometimes simply overpowers the ball and can leave the yard to all fields.  He hit .415-2-17 as a sophomore at Bishop Amat, a power total that is sure to go up this spring.  Gonzalez is a 6.9 runner with good athleticism and arm strength in the field defensively. He has a verbal commitment to Vanderbilt.

OF – Mickey Moniak, Sr., La Costa Canyon
The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Moniak still has plenty of growing to do and but he's already an accomplished lefthanded hitter who has hit .461-2-27 and .426-0-28 the past two years for La Costa Canyon High School. He's a prototype center field/leadoff type of player who has the 6.5 speed to both steal bases and to show plus range in the outfield. Moniak is committed to UCLA.

OF – Blake Rutherford, Sr., Chaminade Prep
Rutherford has been a well known player and prospect since he entered high school but really blossomed over the course of last summer and fall and saw his stock rise to the point where he is now considered the top position prospect in the 2016 class.  He has a smooth and easy lefthanded swing that produces loud contact and big middle-of-the-field power and is a polished hitter who sees the ball well and rarely takes a bad swing. A 6.6 runner in the 60-yard dash who may be able to stay in center field as he physically matures, Rutherford hit .435-4-14 as a junior with 25 walks and only seven strikeouts. He's signed with UCLA.

OF – Avery Tuck, Sr., Steele Canyon
Tuck hit only .286-3-11 as a high school junior last spring but exploded on the national scene last summer with his tools and tremendous projection and capped his summer with a spot in the Perfect Game All-American Classic.  Tuck is a 6-foot-5, 195-pound lefthanded hitter with a smooth and easy swing that packs big leverage and power.  He also runs a 6.8 60-yard dash and throws 93 mph from the outfield, giving him a very high ceiling collection of tools. Tuck is signed with San Diego State.

UT – Hagen Danner, Jr., Huntington Beach
Danner and Mater Dei High School first baseman/lefthanded pitcher Nick Pratto, the other top consideration for this Utility spot, were teammates on the Huntington Beach Little League team that won the 2011 Little League World Series.  Danner's future likely lies on the mound, where his fastball can reach the mid-90s and his upper-70s curveball is a second potential plus pitch.  But Danner is also a strong righthanded hitter who catches and plays the corner infield spots. He has a verbal commitment to UCLA.

P – Matt Manning, Sr. Sheldon  
The 6-foot-6, 190-pound Manning is a two-sport star who is better known at present for his basketball ability, where he averages close to 20 points and six rebounds per game and is the son of former NBA player Rich Manning.  However, the younger Manning has a much higher athletic ceiling on the mound and went from being a virtual unknown to national scouts at the beginning of last summer to a potential first round draft choice this June.  Manning features a still very projectable low- to mid-90s fastball as his best pitch and was dominant against high level hitters all summer and fall. He is signed with Loyola Marymount.

P – Reggie Lawson, Sr., Victor Valley
Lawson is a long-armed and very athletic 6-foot-4, 190-pound righthander with outstanding present stuff and plenty of physical projection remaining. He throw his fastball in the 91-93 mph range and will occasionally touch higher and also throws a big-breaking mid-70s curveball and a developing changeup.  Lawson is a very good athlete as he hit .461-4-26 along with going 6-4, 2.25 on the mound last year, and his smooth delivery gives him outstanding control of his pitches. He is signed with Arizona State.

P – Kevin Gowdy, Sr., Santa Barbara
Of all the pitchers on this All-Region Dream Team, the 6-foot-4, 175-pound Gowdy might be the most projectable.  He is very young physically and facially but already pitches at a very high level. Gowdy works generally in the 88-90 mph range with his fastball but will bump it up into the low-90s at times and works down in the strike zone with the pitch extremely well. His fastball is arguably his third-best pitch, though, as his slider and changeup are both outstanding offerings.  Gowdy went 3-0 with a 0.27 ERA in 26 innings as a junior and was a key starter for the USA 18u National Team during the summer and fall.

P – Hans Crouse, Jr., Dana Hills
Crouse would likely be at or near the top of the list for least comfortable at-bats for any hitter in the country. The 6-foot-4, 170-pound junior's delivery is very deceptive with lots of long arms and legs coming at you, and his stuff is equally nasty, with a fastball that will reach 95 mph and a very sharp breaking slider that makes hitters flinch and bail. Crouse only walked 22 hitters in 50 innings as a sophomore while going 6-1 with a 1.80 ERA, so his command is already pretty solid.  Crouse's older brother, Marrick, was the Toronto Blue Jays 11th round pick in 2015 and will play at Southern California this spring. Crouse also has a verbal commitment to Southern California.

P – Nick Lodolo, Sr., Damian
A very loose and projectable 6-foot-6, 180-pound athlete, Lodolo bumped his velocity up from the low-80's as a sophomore to 88-92 mph as a junior and became a top prospect pitcher in addition to a Perfect Game All-American.  His build and funky delivery from a somewhat lower slot will likely cause scouts to make comparisons to the White Sox’ Chris Sale, although Lodolo's velocity and feel for pitching at the same age are better than Sale's were.  He is signed with Texas Christian.


Pacific Region Top Tools

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