Chris Andritsos of The Woodlands is the MaxPreps 2014 National Junior Baseball Player of the Year.
Photo by Alyson Boyer Rode
After winning a state championship in 2013, The Woodlands was supposed to be in a rebuilding mode in 2014. However, the play of Chris Andritsos, the MaxPreps Junior Player of the Year, is one reason why the Highlanders were in contention for a Class 5A championship for a second-straight season.
Seth Beer, Lambert
Photo by Steve Hampton
Andritsos is honored on the MaxPreps Underclass All-American Teams along with Sophomore Player of the Year Seth Beer of Lambert and Freshman Player of the Year Owen Lovell of Cullman.
Andritsos, the MaxPreps Sophomore of the Year in 2013, was a force on the mound and at the plate. He was 10-0 as a pitcher with 107 strikeouts while also belting 11 home runs. He helped The Woodlands win a district title and stay at the top of the national rankings for much of the season before falling in the Class 5A playoffs.
Beer helped Lambert win a Class 6A state championship in Georgia and finish No. 2 in the
MaxPreps Xcellent 50 Rankings. He batted .589 for the season with 10 home runs, 21 doubles and 56 RBIs.
Lovell was one of the top hitters in the country despite being just a freshman. Named the Alabama Class 5A Hitter of the Year, Lovell hit 14 home runs and what is believed to be a national-best 29 doubles.
The MaxPreps Underclass All-American Teams include 30 members on the junior, sophomore and freshman teams. Selection to the team is based more on performance rather than potential.
MaxPreps 2014 Underclass All-American Baseball Teams
Juniors
P – Preston Mott, Clovis (Calif.), 6-2, 155
Honors: Fresno Bee All-Area Team.
Stats: 8-1 record, 1.07 ERA.
P – Joe DeMers, College Park (Pleasant Hill, Calif.), 6-2, 215
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 – Gentry Fortuno, Flanagan (Pembroke Pines, Fla.), 6-3, 210
Honors: Miami Herald All-Broward County; Sun Sentinel Broward County Large School Player of the Year; FACA Class 8A All-State Team; High School Baseball Network All-County Pitcher of the Year.
Stats: 10-1 pitching record, 67.1 innings pitched, 76 strikeouts, 1.04 ERA.
P – Austin Smith, Park Vista (Lake Worth, Fla.), 6-4, 215
Juan Hillman, Olympia
Photo by Mike Janes
Honors: Sun Sentinel Palm Beach County Large Schools Player of the Year; Palm Beach Post Large Schools Player of the Year; FACA Class 8A All-State Team.
Stats: 12-1 pitching record, 96 strikeouts, 0.36 ERA, 77.2 innings pitched, .425 batting average, 20 RBI.
P – Juan Hillman, Olympia (Orlando, Fla.), 6-1, 165
Honors: Orlando Sentinel All-Area Team.
Stats: 9-1 pitching record, 0.72 ERA, 79 strikeouts, 57 innings pitched.
P - Denny Brady, Buena (N.J.), 6-0, 180
Honors: Star Ledger State Pitcher of the Year; Daily Journal Player of the Year.
Stats: 10-0 pitching record, 0.46 ERA, 106 strikeouts, 61 innings pitched, .395 batting average, 24 RBI, 3 home runs.
P – Luke Heimlich, Puyallup (Wash.), 6-1, 175
Honors: Baseball Coaches Association All-Region Team; Gatorade State Player of the Year; Louisville Slugger All-American First Team; Washington Baseball Coaches Association Class 4A State Player of the Year; Seattle Times All-Area Team.
Stats: 11-0 record, 0.65 ERA, 106 strikeouts, 13 walks, 75 innings pitched.
P – Ashe Russell, Indianapolis Cathedral, 6-4, 195
Honors: Indiana Baseball Coaches Association All-State Team; Baseball Coaches Association All-Region Team.
Stats: 8-1 pitching record, 101 strikeouts, 1.23 ERA, 80 innings pitched, .371 batting average, 3 home runs, 8 doubles, 25 RBI.
P – Ben Leeper, Carroll (Southlake, Texas), 6-0, 170
Honors: Dallas Morning News All-Area Team.
Stats: 11-1 pitching record, 0.90 ERA, 106 strikeouts.
P – Layne Looney, Highland Park (Dallas), 5-11, 190
Honors: Dallas Morning News All-Area Team.
Stats: 12-0 record, 119 strikeouts, 0.88 ERA.
C – Chase Smartt, Charles Henderson (Troy, Ala.), 5-10, 180
Honors: Alabama Sports Writers Association Class 4A Hitter of the Year; All-Montgomery Region Team.
Stats: .414 batting average, 54 RBI, 51 runs, 18 doubles, 4 home runs.
C – Nick Fortes, DeLand (Fla.), 6-0, 200
Honors: Orlando Sentinel All-Area Team.
Stats: .512 batting average, 28 RBI, 6 home runs.
C - Baylor Rowlett, College Station (Texas), 6-1, 180, Junior
Honors: Texas Coaches Association All-State Team; All-Brazos Valley Team.
Stats: .445 batting average, 8 home runs, 51 RBI.
1B – Chris Andritsos, The Woodlands (Texas), 6-3, 220
Jason Heinrich, River Ridge
Photo by Marc Estrada
Honors: Louisville Slugger All-American First Team; Houston Chronicle All-Greater Houston Hitter of the Year; Houston 5A Baseball Player of the Year.
Stats: .453 batting average, 11 home runs, 35 RBIs, 10-0 pitching record, 1.50 ERA, 107 strikeouts.
1B - Jason Heinrich, River Ridge (New Port Richey, Fla.), 6-1, 200
Honors: All-North SunCoast Hitter of the Year; Tampa Times All-Tampa Bay Area Team.
Stats: .534 batting average, 33 RBI, 13 doubles, 7 home runs.
IF – Nick Madrigal, Elk Grove (Calif.), 5-7, 145
Honors: Sacramento Bee All-Metro Team.
Stats: .421 batting average (45-for-107), 42 runs, 15 RBI, 7 doubles, 2 triples.
IF – Ryan Mountcastle, Hagerty (Oviedo, Fla.), 6-3, 180
Honors: Orlando Sentinel All-Area Team.
Stats: .420 batting average, 20 doubles.
IF – Brendan Rodgers, Lake Mary (Fla.), 6-1, 190
Honors: Orlando Sentinel All-Area Team; FACA Class 8A All-State Team.
Stats: .397 batting average, 19 runs, 5 doubles, 8 home runs, 18 RBI.
IF – Cadyn Grenier, Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), 5-11, 180
Honors: Nevada All-State Team.
Stats: .491 batting average, 8 doubles, 6 triples, 4 home runs, 31 RBI, 49 runs, 16 stolen bases.
IF – Wesley Rodriguez, Washington (New York), 6-0, 205
Honors: MSG Varsity All-New York Metro Team.
Stats: .561 batting average, 31 RBI, 28 runs, 32 runs, 15 steals.
IF – Kyler Murray, Allen (Texas), 5-11, 175
Honors: Dallas Morning News All-Area Team.
Stats: .404 batting average, 35 RBI, 35 runs, 9 home runs, 25 steals.
OF – Darius Hill, Dallas Jesuit, 6-0, 185
Honors: Louisville Slugger All-American First Team; Dallas Morning News All-Area Hitter of the Year; Texas Baseball Coaches Association All-State First Team.
Stats: .534 batting average (63-for-118), 45 runs, 45 RBIs, 18 doubles, 11 triples, 5 home runs.
OF - Blake Perkins, Verrado (Buckeye, Ariz.), 6-1, 180
Honors: Arizona Republic All-Arizona Team; Division II All-State Team.
Stats: .551 batting average (49-for-89), 10 home runs, 60 runs, 9 doubles, 3 triples.
OF – Griffin Conine, Pine Crest (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), 6-1, 195
Kyle Tucker, Plant
Photo by Del Mecum
Honors: High School Baseball Sports Network Broward County Hitter of the Year; Sun Sentinel All-Broward County Small Schools Team; Miami Herald All-County.
Stats: .468 batting average, 34 runs, 33 RBI, 8 home runs.
OF – Kyle Tucker, Plant (Tampa, Fla.) 6-4, 190
Honors: Baseball America Second Team All-American; Tampa Times All-Area Player of the Year.
Stats: .415 batting average, 34 runs, 7 doubles, 3 triples, 9 home runs, 35 RBIs.
OF - Jahmai Jones, Wesleyan (Norcross, Ga.), 6-0, 205
Honors: Gwinnett Daily Post All-County Team.
Stats: .467 batting average, 10 home runs, 24 RBI, 32 runs.
OF – Dazmon Cameron, Eagle's Landing Christian Academy (McDonough, Ga.), 5-9, 175
Honors: All-Henry County Team.
Stats: .390 batting average (32-for-82), 37 runs, 26 RBI, 7 doubles, 6 home runs.
UT – Austin Riley, DeSoto Central (Southaven, Miss.), 6-3, 225
Honors: Clarion Ledger All-State Team; Baseball Coaches Association All-Region Team.
Stats: .486 batting average, 10 doubles, 1 triple, 9 home runs, 35 RBI.
UT – Nick Dalesandro, Joliet Catholic Academy (Ill.), 6-2, 185
Honors: Chicago Sun Times All-Area Team; Illinois Coaches Association Class 3A All-State Team; Herald News All-Area Team.
Stats: 7-1 pitching record, 1.39 ERA, 74 strikeouts, 55 innings pitched, .409 batting average, 7 doubles, 4 triples, 3 home runs, 28 RBI, 25 runs.
UT - Cody Morris, Reservoir (Fulton, Md.), 6-4, 205
Honors: Baseball Coaches Association All-Region Team; Gatorade State Player of the Year; Baltimore Sun All-Metro Team; Louisville Slugger First Team All-American.
Stats: 8-1 pitching record, 90 strikeouts, 15 walks, 0.80 ERA.