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

1. Bryant
Head coach: Kirk Bock
2015 record: 20-4-1

Two years removed from winning the Class 7A state championship, Bryant could be the favorite again. The Hornets have four key returning players, led by left-handed pitcher Evan Lee, who went 5-0 with a 1.79 ERA as a junior, and pitcher Zach Jackson, an Arkansas commit who is coming off Tommy John surgery. Catcher Dylan Hurt (.288) also returns along with centerfielder Logan Allen (.375).

See last season's Arkansas baseball computer rankings

2. Bentonville
Head coach: Todd Abbott
2015 record: 22-8



The Tigers roared through the playoffs and captured the Class 7A state title with a win over Conway. Bentonville returns, perhaps, the state's best player in Kasey Ford, who was the state championship MVP. Ford was 8-0 last year and is set to play at Kansas State. Bentonville also returns pitcher Drew Young (7-1) and pitcher Carter Brown (3-1), along with catcher Matt Bratspies.

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3. Fayetteville
Head coach: Vance Arnold
2015 record: 27-4

The Purple Bulldogs lost a ton of talent from last year's team that lost in the semifinals to Conway, but Fayetteville has one of the strongest baseball traditions in the state. Joey Savin is the top returning pitcher after going 6-0 last year with a 1.64 ERA. Thomas Broyles, a senior outfielder, ranks as the top outfield prospect in the state according to Perfect Game. He batted .299 with 20 RBIs last year.

See last season's Arkansas baseball playoff brackets

4. Conway
Head coach: Noel Boucher
2015 record: 24-5



The Wampus Cats knocked off favored Fayetteville in the semifinals of the Class 7A playoffs before falling to Bentonville in the championship game. Conway has one of the state's top junior infielders in third baseman Cade Tucker. He made the all-state team as a sophomore and was also on the all-tournament team along with senior pitcher Matt Strickland.

See last season's Arkansas baseball stat leaders

5. Catholic (Little Rock)
Head coach: Dustin Strube
2015 record: 20-10

The Rockets return two of the state's top players in pitcher Dylan Thompson (ranked No. 4 in the state by Perfect Game) and shortstop Joe Myers (ranked No. 12). Catholic also has one of the state's top junior pitchers in righthander Noah Fowler. Catholic lost to Har Ber in the first round of last year's Class 7A state playoffs.