The Register’s All-County baseball team for 2014.
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FIRST TEAM
PARKER JOE ROBINSON
JSerra, First base, Sr.
The Register’s player of the year.
GRIFFIN CANNING
Santa Margarita, Pitcher, Sr.
The Register’s pitcher of the year.
NOAH DAVIS
Huntington Beach, Pitcher, Sr.
Davis was the top pitcher on one of the county’s top teams. He was 11-1 with a 1.27 ERA. He struck out 41 with 19 walks for the Oilers, who finished as Sunset League co-champions with Fountain Valley. Opponents’ batting average against Davis, who signed with UC Santa Barbara, was .199. He was named All-Sunset League first team. One of his better outings was in the Division 1 playoffs. Davis gave up only three hits in five innings in a victory over Santiago of Corona. He was named All CIF Division 1 second team.
KYLE MOLNAR
Aliso Niguel, Pitcher, Jr.
Molnar went into the 2014 season with perhaps higher expectations than any county player. He lived up to them. Molnar was 10-2 with a 1.81 ERA. He had 81 strikeouts in 81 innings, with 14 walks. He pitched seven complete games and three shutouts. Molnar also batted .320 with three home runs and 17 RBIs. He was named All-Sea View League first team for the Wolverines, who won the league championship and advanced to the CIF-Southern Section Division 2 championship game. Molnar committed to UCLA and was selected to play in the Under Armour All-American Game.
SCOTT SCHULTZ
Fountain Valley, Pitcher, Sr.
The preseason question for the Barons was how good their pitching would be. Schultz provided a positive answer. Named Sunset League pitcher of the year, Schultz was 14-1 with a 1.33 ERA. His WHIP – walks and hits allowed per inning – was 0.96. Schultz struck out 62 with 14 walks in 79 innings. He had three saves for the league-champion Barons. Schultz was starting quarterback for the school’s football team.
NATHAN RODRIGUEZ
El Dorado, Catcher, Sr.
Rodriguez was an outstanding defensive catcher and hitter for the Golden Hawks. He threw out 11 runners on 21 attempted steals and helped guide the El Dorado pitching staff to a 2.09 ERA. Rodriguez batted .383 with 31 hits and three doubles. He started in the Orange County all-star baseball game. Rodriguez, who signed with Arkansas, was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 39th round.
TRISTAN HILDEBRANDT
Esperanza, Infield, Sr.
He was named the Century League’s outstanding offensive player. His statistics show why: a .481 batting average, 39 hits, four home runs, 12 doubles, three triples, 12 stolen bases, a .613 on-base percentage and 23 RBIs. Hildebrandt signed with Cal State Fullerton. He also was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 16th round. Hildebrandt played in the county all-star game.
JOSH MORGAN
Orange Lutheran, Infield, Sr.
Morgan was the first county player taken in the MLB draft. The Texas Rangers selected him in the third round. Morgan had signed with UCLA, but opted to go pro and has signed with the Rangers. Morgan was All-Trinity League first team. He batted .316 and led Lutheran in hits (25) and doubles (nine). One of those doubles drove in a run for the Lancers in their loss to Trabuco Hills in the Division 1 quarterfinals. A slick shortstop, Morgan had 73 assists and participated in 13 double plays. He was selected to play in the county all-star game.
DANIEL PATZLAFF
Fountain Valley, Infield, Sr.
He batted .434 with 10 doubles, 20 RBIs and 30 runs scored for the Barons. Patzlaff’s on-base percentage was .586 and his OPS – on-base percentage plus slugging percentage – was 1.260. He made only four errors. Among Patzlaff’s many highlights was a grand slam in a Sunset League win over Huntington Beach. He was all-league first team for the second year in a row and was a starter in the Orange County all-star game. Patzlaff signed with Oregon.
WILLIE AGUILAR
Fountain Valley, Outfield, Jr.
Aguilar drove in 30 runs for the Barons, who shared the Sunset League championship with Huntington Beach. He hit three home runs and 10 doubles, and his OPS was 1.073. Aguilar was a county player of the week in early April when he went 7 for 11 with two homers and six RBIs in league wins over Edison and Marina. He was named All-Sunset League first team.
LOUIS RAYMOND
Dana Hills, Outfield, Sr.
Raymond was Sea View League player of the year. He batted .321 with 26 hits and 23 RBIs. Raymond also was valuable to the league champion Dolphins as a pitcher. He was 10-4 with a 2.07 ERA. He pitched four complete games, including a four-hitter when Dana Hills beat San Clemente to clinch the league title. Raymond threw two shutouts and allowed only 14 walks in 84 innings. Raymond signed with University of San Francisco. He played in the Orange County all-star game.
BRADY SHOCKEY
JSerra, Outfield, So.
It’s not often that a sophomore is a player of the year in a Division 1 league like the Trinity League. But Shockey was awarded that honor, which he shared with teammate Parker Joe Robinson. Shockey batted .352 with 14 RBIs. He struck out only six times in 107 plate appearances. Shockey has committed to USC.
BRIAN SCHALES
Edison, Designated hitter, Sr.
League players of the year usually are on the league champion team or on the second-place team. Edison finished third in the Sunset League, but Schales was the league player of the year. He batted .397 with seven home runs, 11 doubles and 22 RBIs. Schales was the second Orange County player picked in the MLB draft. The Miami Marlins selected Schales, an outstanding shortstop, in the fourth round. He already had signed with Long Beach State.
HUDSON HUGHES
Foothill, Utility, Sr.
Hughes was a major contributor to Foothill’s success that included the Century League championship and a berth in the CIF-Southern Section Division 1 championship game. He batted .356 with four home runs, 31 hits, eight doubles and 26 RBIs. On the mound Hughes was 8-1 with a 1.75 ERA. The loss was to Santa Margarita in the Division 1 final in which Hughes struck out nine with two walks in seven innings.
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The Register’s All-County teams were selected using a combination of reporter observations and coaches’ input.
Contact the writer: sfryer@ocregister.com
