Field named for 2016 National High School Invitational Baseball Tournament

Video: Hagen Danner baseball highlights
The top prospect will return to the NHSI this season with his Huntington Beach team.

USA Baseball has announced the field for the 2016 National High School Baseball Invitational, which is set for March 23-26 in Cary, N.C.

One of the most prestigious baseball tournaments in the country, the NHSI annually pits some of the top baseball programs from across the country. This year, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) and The First Academy (Orlando, Fla.) return to compete in the 16-team field. Mater Dei won the inaugural event in 2012 and repeated in 2013. The First Academy won the championship in 2014.

Mater Dei is one of three California teams in the event. Chaminade (West Hills, Calif.), one of the top programs in the Southern Section, will make the trip to North Carolina, as will Huntington Beach (Calif.), the defending Southern Section Division I champion.

Florida will field four teams in the event. Besides The First Academy, perennial powerhouse Flanagan (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) will compete, as will Class 3A powerhouse Trinity Christian Academy (Jacksonville, Fla.) and North Broward Prep (Coconut Creek, Fla.).



Liberty Christian (Lynchburg, Va.), the VISAA DIvision I state champion last year, is making its first trip to the NHSI, as are Allatoona (Acworth, Ga.), Houston (Germantown, Tenn.), Florence (Ala.), Poly Prep Country Day (Brooklyn, N.Y.), Rocky Mountain (Fort Collins, Colo.) and Walton (Marietta, Ga.).

Bingham (South Jordan, Utah), a past participant like Mater Dei, The First Academy and Huntington Beach, is also scheduled to compete.

Topsail (Hampstead, N.C.), the North Carolina Class 3A state champion in 2014, will host the event.