YC's golden boy

In the world of sports, athletes can be broken down into two separate categories. The first are born blessed with an abundance of natural ability and have to work little to excel at their given sport.

The second group of players are born with marginal athletic talent, yet through hard work and dedication, have molded themselves into a top-notch athlete.

Yuba City High senior catcher Max Stassi is a hybrid.

Born in a family with a rich tradition of baseball excellence, the Honkers' senior just completed one the most remarkable playing careers ever witnessed in the Mid-Valley area through sheer sweat and diligence, and for it was named the 2009 Appeal-Democrat All-Area Player of the Year.

From blasting a home run in his first at-bat of the year — his first swing no less — to catching Michael Lowden's gem in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division III championship, Stassi showed why most baseball observers considered him the best high school catcher in the nation.

Stassi batted .536 with 11 home runs, 11 doubles, a triple and 38 RBIs in 30 games during his senior season. He also walked 23 times and was hit by five pitches for a ridiculous on-base percentage of .645, all while slugging at a 1.113 clip.

Slated to be a first-round pick in the First-Year Major League Baseball Draft earlier this month, Stassi slipped to the fourth round and was nabbed by the Oakland A's. However, his slide out of the first round was based more on signability issues rather than his talent on the diamond.

Already the school's single-season record holder for average (.580), hits (51), home runs (15), runs (56) and RBIs (45), Stassi tallied 107 hits during his four-year varsity career at Yuba City to finish with a .513 batting average. He also clubbed 40 home runs, drove in 162 runs and scored 176 of his own in 121 games wearing the brown and gold of Yuba City.

Making his statistics even more impressive was the fact that he did it with the pressure of performing in front of MLB scouts, who were at each Honkers game with pen and stop watch in hand.

"My goal was to be consistent in all aspects of the game," Stassi said. "I tried not to get too down and tried to keep a level head. I just went out there and played my best because that's the only thing I can control."

But while his offensive prowess earned him recognition as one of the top prep players in the nation, Stassi's work behind the plate is just as extraordinary. Blessed with a rocket for a right arm, Stassi was an expert at framing pitches and demonstrated sound technique in blocking tough balls in the dirt. Stassi allowed just one passed ball all year.

"I like to separate the two, but I take pride in my defense," said Stassi, who was also named the Sacramento Bee's All-Metro Player of the Year for the second straight season while becoming the first player ever to be named to the All-Metro team four times.

Already a leader by example, Stassi also emerged as a vocal team leader this season after playing with Team USA and other All-America teams during the summer.

"With Team USA, we talked about being a team leader and I like taking charge out there," said Stassi, who is currently playing for the Yuba-Sutter Gold Sox while trying to work out a contract with the A's.

Four years ago, then-freshman Stassi said his only goal was to put a Sac-Joaquin Section championship banner in the rafters at Yuba City's gym. Three championships later, it's fair to say he accomplished his goal.

"When we first went down to Division III, we were a little bitter," said Stassi, recalling the days when the Honkers played against Division I powers, such as Elk Grove and Jesuit. "It's always been the number one goal of mine and winning three is awesome.

"We had real good team chemistry and that's an important aspect to winning," he said. "Everyone was on the same page."

Earning Coach of the Year honors is Yuba City coach Jim Stassi, who guided the Honkers to a third consecutive section title and a 28-3 record. Over the past three years, the Honkers have gone 87-7.