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

1. West Fargo
Head coach: Brett Peterson
2015 record: 31-5

The Packers lost in the second round of the state tournament to eventual champion Mandan, but bounced back to beat Red River 11-1 for third place. West Fargo returns two players who made the all-conference team last year, including shortstop Michael Glanville and second baseman Tyler Fritz. Glanville was also one of just two juniors to earn all-state honors last year.

See last season's North Dakota baseball computer rankings

2. Mandan
Head coach: Dewitt Mack
2015 record: 24-9-1

The Braves won their second Class A championship last year with an 8-4 win over Fargo Davies. Mandan lost all-state selections Parker Harm and Trever Leingang to graduation, but 12 lettermen return from last year's squad.

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3. Fargo Davies
Head coach: Hans Anderson
2015 record: 26-10

Fargo Davies finished second in the Eastern Dakota Conference, but advanced to the state championship game before falling to Mandan. The Eagles only return five lettermen from last year's club, but one of them is all-conference pitcher/infielder Carter Sanden.



See last season's North Dakota baseball playoff brackets

4. Bismarck
Head coach: Jim Patton
2015 record: 21-11

The Demons did not reach the state playoffs last year, but they are just two years removed from winning a Class A state championship. Bismarck has one of the state's top athletes in Jaxon Ford, a pitcher/outfielder who earned all-state status last year.

See last season's North Dakota baseball stat leaders

5. Red River (Grand Forks)
Head coach: Mark Varriano
2015 record: 24-6

The Roughriders knocked off Minot in the first round of the Class A playoffs last year and then lost to Fargo Davies in the semifinals and West Fargo in the third-place game. Red River returns eight lettermen from last year's third-place team in the EDC including all-conference infielder/pitcher Ben Carolin.