MaxPreps 2016 Michigan preseason high school baseball Fab 5, presented by the Army National Guard

1. Saline
Head coach: Scott Theisen
2015 record: 34-3

Saline was one of the top teams in the state for most of the season before falling to Kennedy in the second round of the Division I playoffs. The Hornets return five everyday starters, including most of the infield, as well as two pitchers. John Holt posted a 7-0 record last year with a 0.67 ERA. Two-sport standout Zach Owings returns at second base while Thomas Miller is back at shortstop.

See last season's Michigan baseball computer rankings

2. Brother Rice (Bloomfield Hills)
Head coach: Bob Riker
2015 record: 31-12



The Warriors lost in the regional semifinals last year, falling 2-1 to Utica Eisenhower. Brother Rice will miss outfielder Nick Plummer, who was chosen in the first round of the MLB Draft, but returns one of the nation's top pitchers in Karl Kauffmann, who was a member of the Division I Dream Team last year.

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3. Portage Northern
Head coach: Chris Andrews
2015 record: 30-8-1

The Huskies reached the Division I championship game and just missed out on winning the first state title in school history, losing to Hartland, 2-1. A member of the Michigan Baseball Coaches Association Dream Team, Tommy Henry returns after going 9-1 on the mound with 127 strikeouts.

See last season's Michigan baseball playoff brackets

4. Hartland
Head coach: Brian Morrison
2015 record: 28-16-1



The Eagles captured the first state championship in school history last year with a 2-1, 10-inning win over Portage Northern in the Division I title game. Dream Team pitcher John Baker returns after a 10-2 season. Shortstop Alex Vydick is also back. He led the team in hits last year with 51.

See last season's Michigan baseball stat leaders

5. Gull Lake (Richland)
Head coach: Bill Blakely
2015 record: 26-12

The Blue Devils did not reach the state tournament, as they were eliminated by Portage Northern in the district semifinals. However, Gull Lake returns one of the state's top players in catcher Drew Blakely, who was the Kalamazoo Gazette All-Area Player of the Year as a sophomore in 2014. Last year, he batted .448 with 42 RBIs.