MaxPreps Preseason Northern California Top 25 high school baseball rankings

Spring is here, if you can see it amid the clouds and rain.

If last season was any indicator as to how good baseball could be, we're in for another wild ride. And the debate continues: Which section has the best teams, the best talents?

The Central Coast Section? The North Coast Section? The Sac-Joaquin Section? Some of the best teams in each section face off early, or in league play, so we're certain to find out.


1. St. Francis (Mountain View) (30-4 last season)
The defending Central Coast Section Division I champions head the always brutal West Catholic Athletic League race. The ace is John Gavin, who went 11-1 last season with a 1.28 ERA. Richard Boe, headed to Arizona State, is another key arm, and catcher Tim Susnara is off to Oregon. The Lancers play a national schedule that includes No. 3 Elk Grove.

2. Valley Christian (San Jose) (18-12)
The bulk of the lineup returns for a team that also targets a West Catholic Athletic League title and a championship run in the Central Coast Section with rival and No. 1 St. Francis. The ace is Theron Kay, a Baylor commit who had a 0.98 ERA. Brothers Keenan and Bryson Brigman are off to Pacific and San Diego, respectively. The early schedule includes No. 3 Elk Grove.

3. Elk Grove (30-5)
The defending Sac-Joaquin Section Division I champions have another big-time prospect in centerfielder Derek Hill, who batted .417 with 27 RBIs last season and had some amazing catches. The infield is anchored by a preseason prep All-American in Nick Madrigal, whose twin brother Ty Madrigal is the new ace after going 5-0. The other top infielder is Carlos Moseley. The early schedule includes No. 1 St. Francis, No. 2 Valley Christian and No. 10 Oak Ridge. Elk Grove is The Sacramento Bee No. 1 team, having won six section titles since 1997.

4. Pleasant Grove (Elk Grove) (24-8)
The Eagles of the Delta River League have been a power under coach Rob Rinaldi since their inception 10 years ago. But a Sac-Joaquin Section D-I title eludes them. This could be the year with a wealth of pitchers returning, including Matt Stafford (8-1 last season, 6-1 as a sophomore) and Brett Elgin. Catcher Nicco Toni and infielder Bronson Grubbs are also back for a team ranked second by The Sacramento Bee.

5. Serra (San Mateo) (27-6)
The Central Coast Section D-I powers are yet another traditional, formidable crew out of the West Catholic Athletic League. The lineup includes college-bound stars in Matt Blais (UC Davis), Sean Watkins (Loyola Marymount) and Neil Sterling (Utah).

6. College Park (Pleasant Hill) (22-6)
The North Coast Section emerging power returns an ace in Washington-commit Joe DeMerss, who went 10-0 with a 1.00 ERA. He is just a junior. Trevor Larnach hit .524 with 24 RBIs and is headed to Oregon State. Nick Oar (Stanford) batted .432 and Willie MacIver (Washington) hit .381.

7. Davis (22-8)
The Blue Devils edged NorCal No. 3 Elk Grove in the Delta Valley Conference last season behind conference Player of the Year Matt Trask, the UCLA-bound ace and slugger who returns. Trask went 7-2 with a 1.52 ERA and batted .413. Shortstop Ryan Kreidler made some sensational plays as a freshman last season and is a year better and wiser. Outfielder John Ariola is the son of longtime Davis coach Dan Ariola, and infielder Brett Bloomfield is the son of Cosumnes River College coach Tony Bloomfield (Kansas), who coached his program to the 2012 state JC championship.

8. De La Salle (Concord) (18-7)
The Spartans reached the North Coast Section D-I finals for the third successive season last year and seem poised for a return. The ace is Justin Hooper, who is flanked by Austin Dondanville (Cal Poly) and Zack Wallace (UC San Diego). Early games include No. 1 St. Francis, No. 5 Serra and No. 9 Jesuit.

9. Jesuit (Carmichael) (21-8)
The Marauders placed third in the Delta River League last season to No. 4 Pleasant Grove and No. 10 Oak Ridge, and all three expect to be going neck-and-neck-and-neck again this season. Chris Loeb is the ace after going 7-0 last season, and he's just a junior. Andy Snow is headed to Arizona State and Anthony Geremia to Santa Clara for veteran coach Joe Potulny, whose early schedule includes No. 8 De La Salle and No. 7 Davis.

10. Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills) (19-9)
The Trojans tied No. 4 Pleasant Grove for the Delta River League title last season and are aiming for the title again, not to mention a Sac-Joaquin Section D-I crown. The ace is Austin Root, headed to Sacramento State, and he's joined in the rotation by Ryan Sullivan. The hitters for veteran coach Todd Melton include Tanner Ales and Mickey Meinhoferr.

11.Campolindo (Moraga) (19-6-1)
The Cougars are four-time defending North Coast Section D-II champions, and there's plenty back for another run despite a lot of graduated losses. Cal signees include ace Matt Ladrech and infielder Denis Karas. The early schedule includes top-ranked St. Francis and No. 5 Serra.

12. Clayton Valley Charter (Concord) (22-4)
Can't beat the mascot of Ugly Eagles, who will battle No. 6 College Prep in the Diablo Valley Athletic League standings. Ace Austin Cannedy was 9-0 last season with a 0.73 ERA. Outfielder Grant Meylan is headed to Santa Clara and Garrett Nelson is off to Long Beach State.

13. Granite Bay (17-10)
The Grizzlies aim to win the Sierra Foothill League and jump back into the Sac-Joaquin Section D-I playoffs after a quick exit to No. 7 Pleasant Grove last season. Mitch Hart, the USC-bound ace, leads the staff. Other standouts include Vinny Esposito, a Sacramento State commit and the son of the veteran Grizzlies coach Pat Esposito, and Devin Lehman, also headed to Sac State. The early season includes games against Central Section powers Clovis West, Bullard and Clovis North.

14. Franklin (Elk Grove) (18-15)
The Wildcats battled No. 3 Elk Grove and No. 4 Davis for the Delta Valley Conference title last season and will again this season. Franklin reached the Sac-Joaquin Section D-I North finals against Elk Grove before falling, a year after winning it. Hank LoForte, headed to Fullerton, anchors the infield as one of the state's top shortstops. The ace is Cameron Keup. The early schedule includes No. 4 Pleasant Grove and No. 13 Granite Bay.

15. San Benito (Hollister) (23-7)
Powers in the Central Coast Section, the Haybalers have an ace in Jacob Trujillo (6-0) to go with Hunter Haworth. Josh George, headed to Cal Poly, hit .402 last season.

16. St. Mary's (Stockton) (20-12)
Longtime coach Pete Pijl resigned abruptly earlier this winter after a run-in with a fan, though he told the Stockton Record that he had been thinking of stepping down. Pijl elevated the Rams into a Sac-Joaquin Section power, including four trips to the finals and three successive titles. Rob Selna takes over as coach. The leader is Cal commit Ripken Reyes. The early schedule includes No. 3 Elk Grove, No. 2 Valley Christian and state powerhouse Mater Dei, a team St. Mary's beat last season 1-0.

17. Vista del Lago (Folsom) (25-6)
The Eagles and coach Scott Seffens anticipate another run through the Sierra Valley Conference and a title run in the Sac-Joaquin Section D-II field. Returners include hitters Michael Majeski (.400), Tyler Kaim (.318) and football stars coming off injuries in Josh Pfeffer (.357) and Matt Jimison. Majeski went 8-0 last season on the mound.

18. Woodcreek (Roseville) (20-7)
The Timberwolves of the Sierra Foothill League graduated all-time program great in ace Stephen Nogosek, now at Oregon, but they still expect to push Granite Bay for the league title and chase after a Sac-Joaquin Section D-I title. The staff includes Cy Hynes, Dylan Spezia and Josh Cooper.

19. Willow Glen (San Jose) (21-10)
The Rams beat St. Ignatius to win the Central Coast Section title last season and return arms in Jack Hutchings, Joe Hutchings, Phillip Fry and Jimmy Riley. San Jose produces some of the top baseball talent in the state.

20. St. Ignatius (San Francisco) (18-14)
The West Catholic Athletic League already boasts top-ranked St. Francis, No. 2 Valley Christian and No. 5 Serra, and here's one more. Outfielder Logan Steinberg is off to St. Mary's, and the ace could be Jonathan Hernandez. SI won the Central Coast Section D-II title in 2012 and reached the finals last season.

21. Bellarmine (San Jose) (25-7)
Room for one more heavy from the West Catholic Athletic League? Sure. The Bells are led by UCLA-commit Scotty Jarvis, Corby Punian and Jack Thoreson. Survivors of the WCAL are playoff ready.

22. Amador Valley (Pleasanton) (18-10)
The Dons ended last season on a high note, topping De La Salle 3-1 to win the North Coast Section D-I title. Graduation gutted the staff, but programs rebuild in a hurry. Bradley Pluschkell is among the leading hitters back.

23. Logan (Union City) (20-8)
The Colts of the Mission Valley League showed well in the North Coast Section D-I playoffs last season before falling to rival De La Salle under veteran coach John Goulding.

24. California (San Ramon) (19-8)
The Grizzlies seek another East Bay Athletic League thrill ride with rivals such as De La Salle, and to make amends for a frustrating exit in the North Coast Section playoffs.

25. (TIE) Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland) (17-10)
The Dragons fell to Logan in the North Coast Section playoffs and seek a return trip with returning arms Leo Nierenberg, Shane Farley, Nate Myers and Channing Nesbitt.

25. (TIE) San Ramon Valley (Danville) (10-14)
Battling De La Salle and California in the East Bay Athletic League are the Wolves, led by ace Alex Barden, headed to Santa Clara. Leading hitter Matt Winaker is off to Stanford. An early game is No. 5 Serra.

See the Sacramento Bee's Top 20 preseason baseball rankings, along with area players of note

Joe Davidson has covered high school sports for The Sacramento Bee since 1988. Follow him on Twitter @SacBee_JoeD and on www.sacbee.com/preps.