Video: Preseason Baseball - Top 25 Early Contenders
Check out the teams we've picked as the top five.
The 2017 high school baseball season is slowly getting underway and MaxPreps kicks off its annual rankings with a look at the Top 5 Early Contenders as well as the Xcellent 25.
This year, the Early Contenders can be found stretching from east to west across the southern part of the United States, starting with one team in Florida, one in Louisiana, one in Arizona and two in California.
MaxPreps will have individual previews on the top five teams over the next week and conclude with the release of our Top 100 teams in the nation to start the 2017 season.
Check back here as each preview is published.
1. Archbishop McCarthy (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) - Preview
The Mavericks' roster is loaded with nearly a dozen Division 1 players.
2. Barbe (Lake Charles, La.) - Preview
The Buccaneers could win a fourth-straight state championship.
3. Buchanan (Clovis, Calif.) - Preview
The defending national champions are looking to repeat.
4. Orange Lutheran (Calif.) - Preview
The Lancers are loaded with returning talent.
5. Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.) - Preview
The Huskies have one of the nation's top players in
Nick Brueser.
6. Walton (Marietta, Ga.)
The Defending Class AAAAAA state champions have a potential MLB Draft pick in
Jason Rooks.
7. Steinbrenner (Lutz, Fla.)
All-American pitcher
CJ Van Eyk returns for the Class 8A state champions.
8. South Hills (West Covina, Calif.)
Southern Section Division 2 champion has one of the state's best young players in junior Brandon Dieter.
9. Dallas Jesuit
The Class 6A state champions lose MaxPreps Player of the Year Kyle Muller, but return All-American pitcher
Jacob Palisch.
10. Cullman (Ala.)
The Bearcats were the Class 6A state runner-up last season and have a pair of likely MLB Draft picks in Alabama Mr. Baseball
Owen Lovell and pitcher
Jacob Heatherly.
11. JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.)
Shortstop
Royce Lewis could be chosen among the first 10 picks in the MLB Draft in June.
12. Stoneman Douglas (Parkland, Fla.)
The defending Class 9A state champions have All-State pitcher
Brandon Kaminer back on the mound.
13. Johnson (San Antonio)
Five starters return for a team that reached the Texas Class 6A state championship game.
14. Huntington Beach (Calif.)
The Oilers have two of the top players in Southern California in pitchers
Hagen Danner and
Nick Pratto.
15. Rancho Bernardo (San Diego)
One of the nation's top outfield prospects,
Calvin Mitchell, plays for coach Sammy Blalock's team.
16. Shawnee (Okla.)
The back-to-back Class 5A state champions return seven starters and two pitchers from last year's squad.
17. Basic (Henderson, Nev.)
The defending state champions in Nevada return six starters, including All-State first baseman
Jack Wold.
18. North Davidson (Lexington, N.C.)
The North Carolina powerhouse has one of the nation's best outfielders in
Austin Beck.
19. Deer Park (Texas)
Undefeated for most of last season, Deer Park returns two of its top pitchers.
20. Fort Bend Travis (Richmond, Texas)
Outfielder
Cole Turney could be the best player in Texas in 2017.
21. Brother Rice (Chicago)
The Chicago team set a school record for wins and had a 30-game winning streak last year.
22. Blessed Trinity (Roswell, Ga.)
The pitching staff of the state runner-up team includes
Peyton Glavine, son of Hall of Famer Tom Glavine.
23. Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)
The Gaels are always one of the nation's top programs and they return five starters from last year.
24. St. Joseph Regional (Montvale, N.J.)
Two of New Jersey's top players,
Devin Ortiz and
Justyn-Henry Malloy, play for St. Joseph Regional.
25. Oxford (Miss.)
The two-time defending Class 5A state champions return six starters from last year, including brothers
Ben Bianco and
Drew Bianco.