Stassi catches on outside YC

He's achieved every accolade a high school baseball player can notch on his athletic belt, and still, Max Stassi is doing everything he possibly can to get serious consideration as a first-round pick in the 2009 MLB draft.

The Yuba City High catcher has earned two gold medals as a member of the USA Youth National Team and has been named to every first-team list in the country. He's also a two-time AFLAC All-American, and most recently, was selected as an Under-Armour All-American.

And, of course, he was an obvious choice as the Tri-County Conference Player of the Year.

But that alone isn't why he is 2008 Appeal-Democrat Baseball Player of the Year.

Stassi led Yuba City to consecutive Division-III Sac-Joaquin Section titles by being a constant threat around the plate, whether he was behind it or in the batter's box.

The junior broke the all-time home run record at Yuba City, hammering 15 this season (29 total), and in between being hit by pitches or walking 33 times, he still managed to knock in 45 RBIs in 87 at-bats.

From behind the plate, only a few dare to challenge his arm. He committed just four errors in 224 chances.

While his teammates begin the rumblings of a three-peat possibility in 2009, Stassi begins a long summer of traveling.

The summer already began with a trip to the Perfect Game USA National Showcase, which brings together 100 of the nation's top high school players to the Metrodome in Minneapolis this week.

"This is where a lot of scouts put you on their list to watch next year and for the '09 draft. So I just want to show all those guys what I got," said Stassi, who, while is verbally committed to playing at UCLA following high school graduation, is not ruling out the possibility of working his way up the minors, if drafted.

"If I'm drafted high enough and it's the right amount of money, I'd definitely consider it," Stassi said. "It's a win-win situation. I could sit around the minors for awhile and try to work my way up or I could go down to L.A."

Stassi will go from Minnesota to USA Baseball's Tournament of Stars, where he'll be one of 160 players looking to land a spot on the 40-member USA Under-18 National Team trials squad that will compete July 10-17 in Phoenix, Ariz. The Tournament of Stars will run until June 23 at the National Training Complex in Cary, Ga.

At the trials, a 20-man team will be selected to compete for the United States in the International Baseball Federation's World AAA Junior Championships from July 24-Aug. 3 in Edmonton, Alberta.

"It's awesome just representing the country. You're one of the few kids to sport USA on your chest," Stassi said. "Everyone looks to you as a model American. It's really remarkable. I can't even explain it."

Although selections won't be announced until June 30, Stassi is also believed to be among the 36 players who will be invited to play in the AFLAC All-America Baseball Classic in mid-August at Dodger Stadium. He will also play in the Under Armour All-America Baseball Game on Aug. 17 at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

Even with all of those outstanding achievements and possibilities on the table, believe it or not, he didn't fall far from the tree. His father and coach, Jim Stassi, was named Appeal-Democrat's 2008 Coach of the Year.

"We always talk about dreaming big, and he has big dreams. His dream is to play pro ball and make a living playing the game, but he can only do the best job he can and then he has to see what happens from there. We've had some people tell us he's going to be a high draft pick, but that's out of our control," Jim Stassi said. "The one thing he does as an individual, is that he makes everyone around him better, just by his leadership and the way he goes about his business. He has a business-like attitude."

The Honkers finished the season 29-3 and defeated Benicia, 3-2, in the Section final, after clawing back down a game in a best-of-three series with Vanden.

"Every day it was somebody else, that's what separated this group from last year's group," Jim Stassi said. "This group had to battle adversity. They did it the hard way and that was really rewarding."

Stassi also spoke of the team's practices as reason for the success.

"I really believe that the competitive level that we had in practice is what made this team go," Jim Stassi said. "I keep going back to the kids pushing each other, but in a couple of spots we had three kids and they pushed each other at such a high level."

It's no secret that the Honkers are already talking about raising another banner.

"Next year's seniors are really talented, but it (repeating as champs) depends on a number of things," Stassi said. "It depends how hard they work and how much they buy into the program. I don't expect anything different; if they work hard, and buy into the process, the wins will take care of themselves."

Named to the Appeal-Democrat All-Area Team are:

PITCHERS

• Michael Lowden, junior, Yuba City: He finished with a 9-0 record and a 1.25 ERA in 56 innings pitched this season. He was also named Co-TCC Pitcher of the Year.

• Brandon Pope, senior, Yuba City: He finished with a 7-1 record, a 1.03 ERA and 65 strikeouts, but more importantly, pitched his best during the Honkers' Section title run, where he won three games, including the final.

• Matt Vedo, senior, Colusa: He finished 10-2 with a 1.99 ERA with 102 strikeouts. He was also named league MVP and put up huge offensive numbers: .460 batting average, 35 RBIs and 24 runs.

CATCHER

• Cody Miller, junior, River Valley: He was named first-team all-TCC after leading River Valley in every offensive category. He finished with a batting average of .433 with 15 RBIs.

INFIELDERS

• Mitchell Barsotti, senior, Maxwell: He was an offensive monster for Maxwell, finishing with a .538 batting average, 46 RBIs, four home runs, 41 runs and a .788 slugging percentage.

• Josh Birmingham, senior Sutter: He posted a .427 batting average, 21 RBIs and 18 stolen bases.

• John Kukuruda, sophomore, East Nicolaus: He boasted a .484 batting average with 26 RBIs, five home runs and a .806 slugging percentage.

• Justin Lamb, senior, Yuba City: He finished the season with a .430 batting average and 24 RBIs with a .667 slugging percentage.

OUTFIELDERS

• Jeremy Birmingham, senior, Sutter: He was an offensive standout, batting .511 with 28 RBIs and 22 stolen bases.

• Aaron Crouch, senior, Yuba City: He was a defensive standout in center field, while finishing with a .326 batting average, three home runs and 19 RBIs.

• James Haymore, junior, Yuba City: He was key down the stretch and finished batting .455 with 18 RBIs and a .527 slugging percentage.

UTILITY PLAYERS

• Richard Anderson, senior, Marysville: Played three positions and finished the season with a .517 batting average with three home runs and 13 doubles.

• Derek Carothers, senior, Sutter: He was Sutter's ace going 8-0 with a 2.65 ERA and 57 strikeouts. He also batted .512 with 27 RBIs, two home runs and had a .690 slugging percentage.

• Joe Kukuruda, junior, East Nicolaus: He played three positions and batted .372 with 19 RBIs and a .500 slugging percentage.

• Steven Perry, freshman, Maxwell: Played three positions for Maxwell and batted .489 with 43 RBIs, scored 39 and stole nine bases. He also went 5-1 with 58 strikeouts and a 0.77 ERA on the hill.

• Gustavo Rangel, senior, Maxwell: He went 8-1 with an 1.46 ERA and 82 strikeouts from the mound. When not pitching, Rangel played catcher and hit 23 RBIs, scored 28 runs, hit two home runs and batted .429.

• Andrew Rubalcava, junior, East Nicolaus: Went 5-3 with a 2.65 ERA and 72 strikeouts as a pitcher and hit .475 with 26 RBIs and posted a slugging percentage of .763.

• Jake Stassi, sophomore, Yuba City: On the mound, Stassi went 6-2 with a 2.20 ERA and 53 strikeouts. He also batted .446 with 18 RBIs, 30 runs and a .563 slugging percentage.

Contact sports reporter Bryan DeMain at bdemain@appeal-democrat.com or at 749-4796.