Reese McGuire, a senior catcher for the Kentwood High baseball team, was named the 2012-13 Gatorade Washington Baseball Player of the Year Tuesday by the Gatorade Co., which hands out the annual award in partnership with USA TODAY High School Sports.

McGuire is the first Gatorade Washington Baseball Player of the Year chosen from Kentwood.

This award recognizes outstanding athletic excellence and high standards of academic achievement as well as exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field.

The honor distinguishes McGuire as Washington state’s best high school baseball player.

With this, McGuire is now a finalist for the Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year award.

The 6-foot, 195-pound senior catcher led the Conquerors to a 21-5 record and the Class 4A semifinals. At the time of his selection, McGuire was batting .417 with three home runs, 29 runs scored, 16 RBI, nine stolen bases and a .778 slugging percentage.

A 2012 First Team All-State selection, he is ranked No. 7 in the nation by both Perfect Game USA and MaxPreps.com.

McGuire has maintained a 3.17 GPA in the classroom. He has volunteered locally on behalf of a children’s hospital, as a youth baseball instructor and umpire and as part of multiple community service initiatives in association with his church youth group.

McGuire has signed a National Letter of Intent to play baseball on an athletic scholarship at the University of San Diego this fall but is projected as an early round selection in Major League Baseball’s First-Year Player Draft which starts June 6.

For more on the Gatorade Player of the Year program visit www.gatorade.com/poy.