Related:  2008

Commitments & Signings List  |  2009

The inaugural VirginiaPreps.com All-State

Triple A Baseball Team! Our baseball correspondents from around the state have

gathered and come up with the following selections for the site's all state

team.  

While picking the individual first team

selections proved to be a difficult task, selecting the state's player of the

year was an easy one.  The performance of James River's Austin Stadler made

him the clear cut choice as the AAA Player of the Year.   

Player of the Year:

Austin Stadler,

James River. "He is literally one of the best players I've ever seen," said

James River head coach Pete Schumacher. "It's a pretty rare thing to

hit .500 in high school. For him to hit .600, I've never really seen that

before. He's unbelievably consistent. He just does all the little things right.

He's just a battler. He has the natural ability, but he also works at

everything. He can hit all pitches, and he hits the ball to all fields."

Stadler's 2008 stats are impressive: 44-73 (.603) with 10

home runs and 13 doubles included, over half his hits were for extra bases. Slugging

percentage of 1.192, on base percentage of .684 including 4 HBP's and 17 walks,

an on-base plus slugging percentage of 1.876.  On the mound Stadler was 10-3, 2.61 (finished his 4-year varsity career at 28-8),

with 87 strikeouts in 69.2 innings pitched.

Stadler proved his 'clutch ability' over and

over again all season, but was never more apparent than in the state

playoffs.  He was the Rapids winning pitching the state quarter final, semi

final and championship games.  In the state semi final game Stadler had the

game winning hit, a walk-off homer in extra innings. He is headed to Wake Forest

where he will continue to play with long time teammate Daniel Marrs. MORE: As

a  junior Stadler batted .464 with seven home runs and 30 RBIs as a

junior... is considered one of the nation's top two-way prospects...ranks in the

top ten percent of his class and has been on the distinguished honor roll at

James River in every year of attendance there. 

Catcher: Jake Lowery, SR, Cosby; One of the better defensive catchers

to come out of the Central Region (ever).  First Team All-District, All-Region,

and All-Metro. He threw out 81% of would-be base-stealers.  He also picked off

six other would be base stealers with snap throws.  Batted well over .400

for the season with seven homers, 26 runs batted in, while walking 11 times.

Designated Hitter: Justin Bagbey, SR, Halifax:

Bagbey finished the season with a .557 batting average. He slugged 13 home runs and nine doubles, while collecting 50 RBIs - all team highs - for the Comets varsity baseball team(16-6), which won both the Western Valley District regular season and tournament titles for the first time since 2001, advancing to the first round of the Northwest Region Tournament.

Base: Matt Snyder, SR, Westfield:

Snyder set school records with 15 home runs, 40 RBIs and a 1.197 slugging

percentage for a Westfield team (14-9) that reached the Northern Region

quarterfinals. Was named first team All-District and the Northern Region Player

of the Year. Will play with twin brother Mike at the University of Mississippi

next spring.

Base: Matt Mitchell, SR, Hampton:

Mitchell was part of the Peninsula Districts best double-play combination, and

he carried a big stick too. The four-year starter finished his senior year with

35 RBI and a .483 average to lead Hampton to their first District Championship

in almost 20 years.

Shortstop: Kizuku Scott, SR, Bethel; Led

the Bruins to their first ever appearance in the state semi-finals. Scott was

voted the Eastern Region Player of the Year and he stepped his game up even more

in the playoffs with two home runs and nine RBI to compliment a .462 batting

average. Scott, who signed with Liberty University, covered a lot of ground at

shortstop and made several unassisted double-plays. Impressive stat line: .522,

6 HR, 39 RBI, 15 SB.

Base: Jake Myer, SR, Woodbridge:

Myer overcame a complete tear of his MCL, partial tear of MCL and cartilage in

December of 2006, and posted a tremendous year in 2008.  He batted over

.440 with 32 runs batted in, nine homers, a slugging percentage of over .900 and

his on base percentage was over .700 as well. A dual threat prospect, Myer was

6-1 on the mound with two saves. 

Outfield: Austin Stadler, SR, James River: The two-time Central Region

player of the year saved his most dramatic plays for this year's state

tournament, winning the quarterfinal, semifinal and final as a pitcher, and

hitting a walk-off home run to win the semifinal game in extra innings.  He

is headed to Wake Forest along with teammate Daniel Marrs (second team all state

pitcher). Stadler is more of a first baseman than an outfielder, but was moved

to this position for our all-state team in order that it could include two other

region players of the year (Snyder and Bagbey). 

Outfield: Johnny Bladel, JR, Stone Bridge:

Liberty

Co-Player of the Year and First team All Region. One of the hottest class of '09

hitting prospects in the Region, he hit .448 with 3 dingers. Also showed great

patience at the plate, drawing 15 walks.  Only a junior, Bladel will be one

of the top prospects in the 

Outfield:1st Team: Jackie Bradley, SR, Prince George:

Bradley batted over .400 for the season with five homers.  Bradley was an

early commitment to South Carolina. Known for highlight reel catches in centerfield, Bradley displayed the offensive versatility that will likely make him a top outfielder in the SEC. He homered, bunted for base hits and consistently produced in RBI situations

Pitcher: Tyler Basso, SR, Stone Bridge:

Pitcher of the Year for the