Local preps impress at Area Code Games

Last week’s Area Code Games showcase tournament at Blair Field in Long Beach featured approximately 150 of the top incoming seniors in the nation. Of the 21 high school players selected in the first round of the 2018 MLB First-Year Player Draft, 13 of them played in last year’s Area Code Games, with others such as Serra’s Cameron Barstad — a sixth-round pick by the Miami Marlins — being drafted in the early rounds.

Fleischli, a right-handed pitcher out of Sacred Heart Prep, made two appearances during the A’s five-game slate. King, a two-way player out of Woodside, saw time as a pitcher and a catcher, including one inning behind the plate while Fleischli was on the mound last Wednesday against the Area Code Reds.

“I’ve caught Fleischli a couple times since we both made the team … so we know each other,” King said. “It clicked pretty easily. He pitched pretty well. He had a good showing.”

It was Fleischli’s cleanest inning throughout his strong week. In two outings, he yielded one run on four hits over three innings of work. In his debut appearance, the right-hander retired the side in order, recording a groundout, a strikeout and a pop-out while riding a fastball that touched 91 mph.

“On Wednesday, I was totally stoked,” Fleischli said. “It’s a confidence-boosting feeling when you’re able to go out and record three outs pretty quickly.”

Fleischli returned to the hill two days later, working two innings against the Area Code Rangers. He allowed a single in his first inning of work, but bounced back by inducing a 4-6-3 double play. In his final inning, he got touched for three straight singles before escaping the jam with a fly-out to right.

“In a situation in an Area Code Games, when you’re playing against the top guys from every region, unless you’re really dominating, you’re going to give up a few singles,” Fleischli said. “That’s the mentality test.”

Fleischli said he wasn’t surprised he lost a tick on his fastball, which he estimated sat around 89 mph Friday, working on just one day’s rest. He said he felt his stuff was still crisp though, and even used the extended outing to showcase his curveball, a pitch he did not throw in the previous game.

“Coming off the mound Friday, it wasn’t the best outing I had, but it is confidence inspiring to have all your teammates pick you up when you come off the field,” Fleischli said.

For King, this marked his second appearance in the Area Code Games. Last season, he played in the Underclass Area Code Games, a separate tournament of incoming high school junior held concurrently at the MLB Youth Academy in Compton.

This year, King enjoyed a banner summer. His summer travel team, Nor Cal 2019-Pleasonton, wrapped up a Perfect Game World Series title July 23 in Peoria, Arizona; Fleischli’s team, Trosky National Team 17U, took third place in the tourney.

King was Nor Cal’s starting pitcher in the championship game, though he didn’t make it out of the first inning. In fact, he didn’t record a single out. But Nor Cal rallied back for a 12-4 win over USA Prime Elite 17U.

“I was basically out of gas,” King said. “I didn’t come out throwing low 90s like I usually do. I was throwing balls and wasn’t pitching very well. … [The team] just picked me up right there.”

King bounced back in one pitching appearance last week in Long Beach. In Monday’s opener against the Area Code White Sox, the right-hander worked two innings, allowing out run on two hits while striking out five.

In three games behind the plate, King went 2 for 5 with a pair of doubles.

“Overall, I think I did just fine hitting against those guys,” King said. “I mean, I would have loved to go 5 for 5 with five HRs … but those guys are hardcore.”

With the 2018 summer showcase circuit at a close, many incoming senior athletes have made college commitments.

Last fall, King verbally committed to play baseball at Washington State on a partial athletic scholarship. A two-sport athlete through his first three years at Woodside, King said he will not play football this season to focus on getting ready for his senior baseball season.

Fleischli has yet to commit, but said he is in the process of weighing several offers. In 2018, SHP graduated two pitchers who are moving on to Division I baseball programs — Angelo Tonas to Georgetown, and Dominic Cacchione to Arizona State.

“I’ve had offers throughout the summer,” Fleischli said. “I’m not really in a position to be pressured to find a school. For me, it was more like, I have an opportunity to play at the [Area Code Games] and play against the best players. … So now I want to make the best decision going forward from there. … I’m in a pretty good spot now. I just want to find a place where I want to play at.”