Lone Peak aims to return to state final while Lehi and Davis will also contend in Class 5A; Timpanogos and Salem Hills are top Class 4A teams as the season heats up in the Utah baseball #MaxPrepsFab5.
Video: Lone Peak vs. Lehi highlightsSee Lone Peak and Lehi competing in 2011
2017 Utah Preseason Baseball Fab 5, presented by the Army National Guard
1. Lone Peak (Highland)
Head coach: Matt Bezzant
2016 record: 21-8
The Class 5A runner-up returns five starters from last year's group, including four All-State selections.
Seth Corry is back at pitcher after earning first team honors. He's joined by fellow first team selections
Payton Freeman at pitcher and
Payton Barney at shortstop.
Eli Norman, a second team All-State pick, returns at first base.
See last season's Utah baseball computer rankings presented by the Army National Guard2. Lehi
Head coach: Jason Ingersoll
2016 record: 20-10
The Pioneers finished the season as one of the top four teams in Class 5A and four of the team's top offensive players return from that squad.
Devin Smith led the team in home runs with four while batting .370 with 28 RBIs.
Drew Zimmerman also returns after batting .396 with 26 runs scored. The pitching staff returns 17 wins, led by Zimmerman with six and Smith with a 5-1 record.
See the MaxPreps Utah baseball pro photo galleries3. Timpanogos (Orem)
Head coach: Kim Nelson
2016 record: 28-4
The defending Class 4A state champions return three pitchers who contributed most of the innings on last year's team. Leading the way is Class 4A State MVP
Tyler Cornish, who went 9-2 with a 2.06 ERA. All-State pitcher
Cal Beardsley also returns after posting a 6-1 record and a 1.75 ERA.
Derik Eaquinto also earned All-State honors after posting an 8-1 record with a 1.32 ERA.
See last season's MaxPreps Utah baseball playoff brackets4. Davis (Kaysville)
Head coach: Dave Leo
2016 record: 21-7-2
Dom Fuller of Davis
File photo by Tim Haslam
Davis went deep into the Class 5A playoffs last year before falling to Lehi in the consolation bracket. Five starters return from that group, led by pitcher/infielder
Dom Fuller, who batted .409 with 36 RBIs, nine doubles and five home runs. He also went 7-0 on the mound with a 2.60 ERA. Pitcher/infielder
Jaxon Knight also returns after batting .340 and five pitching wins.
Ben Rigby returns with a 7-2 record and a team-high 91 strikeouts.
See last season's MaxPreps Utah baseball stat leaders5. Salem Hills (Salem)
Head coach: Scott Haney
2016 record: 27-4
The Skyhawks have won at least 20 games each of the past four seasons since winning the Class 4A title in 2013. Salem Hills was eliminated from the Class 4A playoffs by eventual champion Timpanogos last year. Salem Hills has one of the state's top players in
Kaden Stewart. As a junior, Stewart went 11-0 with a 1.25 ERA and 59 strikeouts.
Caleb Centeno returns to play first base. He batted .273 with 15 RBIs last year.
