St. Xavier aims for second-straight championship in the commonwealth. Also watch out for Pleasure Ridge Park, Tates Creek, South Laurel and Simon Kenton.
Simon Kenton had fun last season and should be a contender this season as well in Kentucky.
Photo by Jason Lemmond
MaxPreps 2015 Kentucky Baseball Fab 5 presented by the Army National Guard
1. St. Xavier (Louisville)2014 finish: 30-10
Head coach: Andy Porta
The defending state champions won the sixth title in school history, and all four pitchers who won at the state tournament return, along with 15 other lettermen. Pitchers include
Cameron Revelette (8-1),
JD Mundt (4-2),
Josh Finerty (2-0) and
Scott Spurlock (3-2). St. Xavier has won the 7th region for four straight seasons.
View last season's Kentucky baseball rankings, presented by the Army National Guard2. Pleasure Ridge Park (Louisville)2014 finish: 26-10
Head coach: Bill Miller
Pleasure Ridge Park has such a rich baseball history that not only has the head coach, Bill Miller, been inducted into the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame (2014), but so has his assistant Sherm Blacszyczk (2015). Miller has a state-best 1,041 wins (just 274 losses) and five state championships, the latest in 2013.
Alex Miller (SS),
Steven Husband (2B) and
Jared Wilson (P), all of whom earned all-region honors, return in 2015.
View last season's Kentucky baseball playoff brackets3. Tates Creek (Lexington)2014 finish: 33-7-1
Head coach: Dom Fucci
The Commodores were the favorites entering last year's state tournament, but they fell to Johnson Central in the first round. Winners of three state titles, Tates Creek is 9-5 in the postseason in eight state appearances. Two of the team's top pitchers return in
Tanner McCoy (5-1) and
Parker Yeary (4-1). Three other starters return with
Max Sweet (.292) at catcher,
Jordan Fucci (.361) in the infield and
Jaren Shelby (.298) in the outfield.
View last season's Kentucky baseball stat leaders4. South Laurel (London)2014 finish: 29-9
Head coach: Winston Harris
The Cardinals return all but three players from last year's roster. South Laurel advanced past the first round of the tournament for the first time in four state tournament appearances, capturing a pair of wins before falling to Simon Kenton.
Daniel Neal (.487),
Braden Miller (.304),
Zach Allen (.387),
Joe Gaines (.321),
Trey Martin (.390) and
Taylor Morris (.368) all return in the infield for the Cardinals.
View the MaxPreps Kentucky baseball pro photo galleries5. Simon Kenton (Independence)2014 finish: 25-17
Head coach: Troy Roberts
The Pioneers made their first trip to the state tournament a good one as they advanced to the state finals before falling to St. Xavier. A total of 12 players return from that team, including top pitcher
Sean Lawrence, who posted an 8-1 record last season. Also back is infielder
Price Burge, who batted .363.
