Reigning CIF Division 1 player of the year Jack Flaherty ’14 played in the 2013 New Balance Area Code Baseball Games from Aug. 5 to Aug. 10, followed by the Perfect Game All-American Classic on Aug. 11.
The five day long Area Code Games event in Long Beach is a showcase of eight regional teams from throughout the United States competing against each other. The tournament is considered the beginning of a nine month process that finishes with the Major League Baseball draft in early June, according to the tournament website. Max Fried ’12 and Lucas Giolito ’12, now members of the San Diego Padres and Washington Nationals franchises respectively, along with Arden Pabst ’13 participated in the Area Code Games in 2011. Throughout the week, the games are being featured on ESPN3, ESPN’s online live streaming website.
Flaherty started at third base for the Milwaukee Brewers, which is made up of top players from Southern California.
“It’s a great experience,” Flaherty said. “I feel blessed to have been able to play in this tournament for two years now. I just look at it as another opportunity to go out and play baseball.”
Flaherty only played two games before leaving for San Diego to take part in the Perfect Game All-American Classic, in which Flaherty started at third base for the West team, managed by Wolverines head coach Matt LaCour. While Flaherty only had one official at-bat, he scored twice to help the West defeat the East, 8-6.
The All-American Classic, which also features baseball prospects from throughout the United States, took place at Petco Park, home of the MLB’s San Diego Padres, and was televised on the MLB Network.
“I’m just looking forward to having fun with all these guys and I’ve grown to become friends with a lot of them,” Flaherty said before the All-American Classic. “I’m looking forward to having a good time with them but I am also looking forward to visiting the Children’s Hospital [in San Diego]. That will be a very humbling experience for me.”
The rising senior pitcher/infielder was a finalist for the Jackie Robinson award, which is given to the player selected as the Perfect Game National Player of the Year. Nick Gordon of Windermere, Fla. was announced as the award winner on Aug. 10
