The 10 toughest high school baseball tournaments of 2015

When it comes to putting on the toughest tournament in the country, Team USA Baseball invites the top programs from all across the country to participate in the National High School Invitational.

But sometimes the best teams in the country are right in your own backyard, as shown by the teams that have graced the brackets for the Boras Classic South Division the past few years.

Both methods produce top-notch tournaments. The NHSI is the unofficial national championship tournament, while the Boras Classic tournament unofficially determines the top team in Southern California.

But which tournament is the toughest in the country?


1. National High School Invitational - Clary, N.C.
March 26-29

The NHSI is in its fourth season and it annually pits the top baseball programs in the country. This year is no different as several state champions will participate.

Notable Teams
Lambert (Suwanee, Ga.)
Farragut (Knoxville, Tenn.)
College Station (Texas), Puyallup (Wash.)
Loyalsock Township. (Williamsport, Pa.)
JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.)
San Clemente (Calif.)
Huntington Beach (Calif.)
College Park (Pleasant Hill, Calif.)
Mosley (Lynn Haven, Fla.)
Trinity Prep (Winter Park, Fla.)
St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
DeSoto Central (Southaven, Miss.)
Horizon (Scottsdale, Ariz.)
Whitewater (Fayetteville, Ga.)
Leesville Road (Raleigh, N.C.)

2. Boras Classic South Division - Santa Ana and San Juan Capistrano, Calif.
April 7-10

Held at JSerra Catholic and Mater Dei high schools, the Boras Classic South Division fields the top teams in the Southern Section and San Diego. All of them figure to be in the hunt for a section championship this year.

Notable Teams
Aliso Niguel (Aliso Viejo, Calif.)
San Clemente (Calif.)
Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)
Great Oak (Temecula, Calif.)
JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.)
Huntington Beach (Calif.)
Vista Murrieta (Murrieta, Calif.)
Damien (La Verne, Calif.)
Chaminade (West Hills, Calif.)
Alemany (Mission Hills, Calif.)
Woodrow Wilson (Long Beach, Calif.)
Granite Hills (El Cajon, Calif.)

3. Perfect Game Showdown - Emerson, Ga.
March 12-14

In its third season, the Perfect Game Showdown pits some of the top teams in the Southeastern United States.

Notable Teams
DeSoto Central (Southaven, Miss.)
Kennesaw Mountain (Kennesaw, Ga.)
Parkview (Lilburn, Ga.)
Venice (Fla.)
Concordia Lutheran (Tomball, Texas)
IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)
Sarasota (Fla.)
Magnolia Heights (Senatobia, Miss.).

4. Coach Bob National - Phoenix
March 16-20

Over 60 teams compete in the Coach Bob Invitational, however it's the National Division bracket which appears most competitive.

Notable Teams
Tualatin (Ore.)
Key West (Fla.)
Piedra Vista (Farmington, N.M.)
Bentonville (Ark.)
Westview (Portland, Ore.)
O'Connor (Phoenix).

5. Mound Showdown - Flower Mound, Texas
March 5-7

This is a case of quality over quantity. There are four potential state championship teams here, including two defending champions.

Notable Teams
Flower Mound (Texas)
College Station (Texas)
Marcus (Flower Mound, Texas)
Rockwall-Heath (Rockwall, Texas)

6. Hard Nine Classic - Fullerton, Calif.
April 4-9

Most of the teams are from Southern California, but teams from Northern California, Florida, Tennessee and Utah will also be in attendance.

Notable Teams
IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)
Christian Brothers (Memphis, Tenn.)
Spanish Fork (Utah)
De La Salle (Concord, Calif.)
Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.)
Cypress (Calif.)

7. La Grange Invitational - LaGrange, Ga.
March 5-7

The tournament boast such alumni as Buster Posey and Jason Heyward.

Notable Teams
DeSoto Central (Southaven, Miss.)
North Florida Christian (Tallahassee, Fla.)
Sparkman (Harvest, Ala.)
Vestavia Hills (Ala.)
Buford (Ga.)

8. Boras Classic North Division - Elk Grove, Calif.
March 30-April 2

The Northern portion of the Boras Classic pits the top teams from Bakersfield north.

Notable Teams
Elk Grove (Calif.)
Davis (Calif.)
Serra (San Mateo, Calif.)
Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.)
Saint Francis (Mountain View, Calif.)
Clovis West (Fresno, Calif.)
Liberty (Bakersfield, Calif.)
Bellarmine College Prep (San Jose, Calif.)

9. San Diego Lions - San Diego
March 30-April 1

Possibly the largest tournament in the nation, the San Diego Lions tournament has 116 teams total with nine different divisions.

Notable Teams
Rancho Bernardo (San Diego)
Granite Hills (El Cajon, Calif.)
La Costa Canyon (Carlsbad, Calif.)

10. Anaheim Lions - Anaheim, Calif.
Late March

Featuring close to 60 teams, the Anaheim Lions Tournament features some of the best teams in Southern California.

Notable Teams
Aliso Niguel (Aliso Viejo, Calif.)
Dana Hills (Dana Point, Calif.)
El Toro (Lake Forest, Calif.).