All-American Game, 18U National Team Highlight "Baseball summer" for SRV's Hochstatter

In a little over a week, John Hochstatter will join his classmates to begin his senior year at San Ramon Valley High.

Chances are, there will be a classroom situation where students are required to recall their best memories or stories from the summer.

For Hochstatter, there will be a lot to choose from.

The talented left-handed pitcher has been playing baseball on a whirlwind tour which has taken him from Florida to North Carolina to Washington D.C. to New York to Minnesota to Canada, back to Danville then to Southern California and finally Chicago, where he'll play in the Under Armour All-America baseball game game at Wrigley Field today.

"It's been a baseball summer, but a ton of fun," he said. "I love baseball and I'm glad that I'm blessed with enough talent to do this."

After an appearances in the Bay Area World Series in Stockton and the Perfect Game showcase in Tampa, Florida. Hochstatter travelled to Cary, North Carolina, for the Tournament of Stars at the USA Baseball National Training Complex. 

"It was a really cool experience," Hochstatter said. "There were 128 players and we all lived with host families. It was nice not having to live out of a hotel for awhile."

The tournament also served as the first step for USA Baseball to whittle down the country's baseball talent to select the Under-18 National team. When the tournament concluded, all 128 players gathered in the outfield where the names were read for those who'd been selected to participate in the week-long National Team Trials.

Hochstatter, who was a member of the Under-16 National Team last year, heard his name.

"The coaches told us they had 36 guys they'd like to invite back to the trials," Hochstatter said. "After I heard my name I got excited, but you have to keep your cool because you're with a bunch of guys you've been battling with. After I found out I was staying (in Cary for trials), I went back to get my stuff from the host family and checked in to the Embassy Suites for the next week."

While the Tournament of Stars was all games, trials was a week of practice in the morning and games at night.

"It's the first time you start wearing the USA logo," Hochstatter said. "That's pretty exciting. It's an adrenaline rush to represent your country."

After pitching lights out in the Tournament of Stars, Hochstatter continued to impress at trials to earn one of 20 spots on the 18U National team.

"You exchange numbers and say goodbye to all the guys going home that you've bonded with over the previous two weeks," he said. "Then they give us our gear. They walked us into a room at the Embassy Suites and it was like Christmas. There was gear from the floor to ceiling.  You basically just send all your stuff home and use all new stuff from there on out."

The team played 14 exhibitions games — losing once, to Canada — in New York and Minnesota to tune up for the Junior World Championship in Thunder Bay, Canada. 

More winning followed in Canada, but after winning its first five games and securing the top seed in its group, the United States team lost 3-2 to Cuba despite receiving 13 strikeouts from starting pitcher A.J. Vanegas of Alameda.

"The whole crowd was cheering for Cuba," said Hochstatter, who pitched in wins against Australia, Korea and Venezuela. "I wasn't expecting that from the Canadian crowd."

His travels kept him away from home for over a month, but he wouldn't have it any other way.

"I understand how special the opportunity was," he said. "I'm just really, really blessed."

At 6-4 and 210 pounds, the southpaw is everything scouts dream about in a pitcher. He's been complimented for his outstanding command and presence that accompanies his mid-to-high 80's fastball, curve and change up.

"He's a kid that can get you out a lot of ways," San Ramon Valley coach Chris deClerq said. "The thing that makes him so dangerous is that he can throw three pitches for a strike at any time."

DeClerq said it was pretty obvious that when he first watched Hochstatter pitch as a freshman he was destined for great things.

"He's always had that polished look," deClerq said. "And he's a really good kid. What he's gone through could be overwhelming for a kid, but he has great parents who really support him and make him understand that there is stuff more important than baseball."

After today's game, Hochstatter will return to Danville to cram as much pool and friend time as he can in the remaining days of summer.

"I'll probably lock away my baseball stuff for a little while," he said. "I don't want to burn myself out. I love playing so it won't be too long a break, but I have to make up the summer in two weeks."

Over the next few months, he'll also try to figure out which of several college suitors is the best fit for him to continue his baseball career.

"I've basically narrowed it down Oregon, Oregon State, UCLA and Stanford," he said. "When I get home from Chicago, I'm going to go visit some schools. I'm going to wait until I take my official visits and then decide. I'm really open to anything."

There's also the potential he could be a sought-after professional prospect next year as well.

"He has basically set himself up to do whatever he wants," deClerq said.