Top 10 high school baseball teams for 2017

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The Archbishop McCarthy Mavericks have had a stellar run the past decade under coach Rich Bielski, but the 2017 season is stacking up to be one of the greatest in school history.

The Mavericks have won six state titles in Florida over the past seven seasons, including last year's Class 6A championship. Archbishop McCarthy went 29-2 on the season and finished ranked No. 3 in the final Xcellent 50 National High School Baseball Rankings presented by the Army National Guard.

With only four starters gone from the 2016 team, Archbishop McCarthy has the potential to field its best team ever.


Archbishop McCarthy (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), 29-2 last season

The Mavericks return one of the top seniors in the nation in MaxPreps medium schools and junior all-American Alex Toral. He is considered one of the top power hitters in the country in the Class of 2017 and is ranked No. 2 in his class by Perfect Game.

However, Toral is just one of many outstanding returning starters for the Mavericks. Third baseman Joe Perez, outfielder Adan Fernandez, outfielder AJ Hendricks and pitcher Yordani Carmona all earned first team all-county honors by High School Baseball Network while Ubaldo Lopez earned second team honors.

Look for the Mavericks to add their seventh state championship in 2017 and likely begin the year ranked No. 1.

Barbe (Lake Charles, La.), 35-6

If Archbishop McCarthy isn't the No. 1 team in the nation to start the 2017 season, then Barbe might be the one. The Buccaneers have won three straight Louisiana Class 5A state championships and they were ranked No. 1 in the nation to finish the 2014 season. Barbe finished the 2016 season ranked No. 9 in the Xcellent 50.

Barbe has one of the nation's top coaches in Glenn Cecchini, who led Team USA to the gold medal in the World Cup last summer. He returns a pair of all-state players in pitcher Adam Goree and infielder Antonio Gauthier. A total of 22 juniors and sophomores return from a team that had just two seniors in 2016.

Buchanan (Clovis, Calif.), 30-1

The Bears ended 2016 as the No. 1 team in the Xcellent 50. While coach Tom Donald loses all-American Grant Gambrell, he returns three of the team's top players. Fresno Bee All-Area Hitter of the Year Quentin Selma (.443) is back in 2017 along with all-area catcher Zach Presno and all-area pitcher Hunter Reinke. Orange Lutheran (Calif.), 22-9

The Lancers compete in the Trinity League, one of the nation's toughest conferences, and finished the season ranked No. 29 in the MaxPreps National Computer Rankings presented by the Army National Guard. While the pitching staff loses the bulk of its workers, seven of the team's top offensive players return. They include outfielder Garrett Mitchell, infielder Zachary Lew and outfielder Jasiah Dixon.

Dallas Jesuit, 36-8-2

The Rangers lose MaxPreps National Player of the Year Kyle Muller to professional baseball, but they have a number of key starters returning from a team that won the Texas Class 6A state championship. MaxPreps junior all-American Jacob Palisch (11-0) returns to lead the pitching staff while all-district players J.T. Mix, J.J. Montenegro and Will Guzman also return.

Cullman (Ala.), 41-14

The Bearcats fell short of winning the Alabama Class 6A state title, losing to Hillcrest (Tuscaloosa) in the championship. However coach Brent Patterson returns one of the nation's top players in Alabama Super State Player of the Year Owen Lovell, who was one of the national leaders in home runs (14) and RBIs (64). Cullman also returns its top five pitchers from 2016, including all-state sophomore Will Morrison.

Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.), 27-7

The Huskies have been one of the top programs in Arizona under coach Mike Woods, winning their fifth state championship in 2016. Hamilton returns MaxPreps National Junior Player of the Year Nick Brueser, who hit .442 with nine home runs as a junior. Hamilton, which finished the season ranked No. 18 in the Xcellent 50, also returns all-division infielder Drew Swift (.404) and pitcher Cole Bellinger (6-1 record).

Rancho Bernardo (San Diego), 24-10

The Broncos had a very young team in 2016 with just a couple of seniors in the starting lineup. Legendary coach Sammy Blalock, who went over 900 career wins this past season, returns three potential all-Americans in outfielders Calvin Mitchell (12 home runs) and Tora Otsuka (.404) and pitcher Joey Magrisi (8-2). Rancho Bernardo reached the semifinals of the Open Division tournament in the San Diego Section.

Johnson (San Antonio), 32-6

The Jaguars have improved their record each of the past four seasons, reaching the Texas Class 6A state championship game in 2016. While Johnson lost to Dallas Jesuit in the final, it might be the favorite in Class 6A entering the 2017 season.

Johnson returns three all-district players from 2016, including third baseman Derrick Martinez, all-state pitcher Richard Gilbert and shortstop Dalton Shuffield.

American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.), 19-5

While Archbishop McCarthy might be the No. 1 team to start the 2017 season, American Heritage might be right behind - and they play in the same district. In fact, American Heritage defeated Archbishop McCarthy in the district tournament, but fell to the Mavericks in bi-district play.

The Patriots return all but three pitching wins from 2016 and they return four of their top hitters, including rising sophomore Tristan Casas. Perfect Game has Casas ranked as the No. 1 player in the nation for the Class of 2019.