MaxPreps Northern California Top 25 high school baseball rankings

Video: Justin Hooper high school baseball highlights
De La Salle pitcher will likely be taken in the first round of the MLB Draft.

The playoffs are in full force throughout Northern California with championships to be decided this weekend.

There are no NorCal playoffs, but there are rankings. Strength of schedule and leagues are all factors in these rankings.

See the MaxPreps California Computer Rankings and Playoff Brackets.


1. Saint Francis (Mountain View) (Last week 1) 27-5
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Update: The Lancers entered the week with an 11-game winning streak that included winning the prestigious Boras Baseball Classic, the defacto state championship since there is none otherwise. Johnny Mendoza and Jeremy Ydens have played well, with Ydens just one hit away from a perfect game in beating Leigh (San Jose) 5-0.

2. College Park (Pleasant Hill) (3) 23-4
Section: North Coast
League: Diablo Valley
Update: The Falcons expect another NCS title, this time in D-I. They won the DVAL playoff title by beating Clayton Valley (Concord) 3-0 as Joe DeMers allowed one hit in continuing his masterful season.

3. Los Gatos (4) 29-5
Section: Central Coast
League: Santa Clara Valley
Update: The Wildcats could meet top-ranked St. Francis for the CCS Open Division title if the momentum for both continues. Jake Holton and three RBIs in a 3-1 playoff win over Branham (San Jose).

4. De La Salle (Concord) (2) 17-8
Section: North Coast
League: East Bay
Update: The Spartans are major factors in the NCS playoffs with some big early wins, including No. 5 Elk Grove and No. 2 College Park. Justin Hooper is a super ace.

5. Elk Grove (7) 22-10
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Update: The Thundering Herd beat Granite Bay twice to win the SJS D-I North title, the program's eighth since 2002 under coach Jeff Carlson, whose son Dylan Carlson has played big at first base, at the plate and on the mound (five strikeouts in two innings to earn the save in locking down the title). The D-I title best-of-three against St. Mary's (Stockton) starts Friday.

6. Monte Vista (Danville) (12) 17-8
Section: North Coast
League: East Bay
Update: The Mustangs tied rival De La Salle for the EBAL title and head into the NCS playoffs seeking a title. Noah Cort has pitched well.

7. Heritage (Brentwood) (14) 20-4
Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley
Update: The Patriots went unbeaten in league play and bound into the NCS playoffs as a serious title contender behind aces Kevin Milam and Austin Manning.

8. St. Mary's (Stockton) (16) 21-12
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Tri-City Athletic
Update: The Rams claimed their seventh consecutive SJS D-I South title by beating Tracy 3-2 as Evan Fagundes drove in two and also pitched. Next is rival Elk Grove for the overall title, starting Friday.

9. Granite Bay (NR) 19-12
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Update: The Grizzlies were the upstarts of the SJS D-I North field, beating Pleasant Grove (Elk Grove), Jesuit (Carmichael), Elk Grove and Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills), before falling to Elk Grove in two games in the finals.

10. Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills) (8) 25-6
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Update: The Trojans started strong in the SJS D-I North playoffs before losing to Granite Bay 6-0 and Elk Grove 8-3. Stars such as Tyson Solis and Ryan Sullivan had big seasons.

11. Soquel (NR) 24-6
Section: Central Coast
League: Santa Cruz Coast
Update: The Knights beat Valley Christian (San Jose) 1-0 and San Benito 2-1 in the playoffs and now take on top-ranked Saint Francis on Wednesday.

12. Valley Christian (San Jose) (5) 22-8
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Update: The Warriors lost to Soquel in the CCS playoffs 1-0 to end an otherwise terrific season.

13. Wilcox (Santa Clara) (NR) 22-12
Section: Central Coast
League: De Anza
Update: The Chargers return to the rankings for good reason. They tied Los Gatos for the league title then beat No. 14 Serra in CCS Open play 5-2 before falling to top-ranked Saint Francis 2-0.

14. Serra (San Mateo) (6) 18-10
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Update: The Padres lost to No. 13 Wilcox in the first round of CCS Open play after a strong season otherwise.

15. Vintage (Napa) (NR) 23-7
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Monticello Empire
Update: The Crushers won the MEL and beat No. 16 Franklin in the SJS playoffs before losing to Oak Ridge 7-2 and Elk Grove 7-0.

16. Franklin (Elk Grove) (10) 22-7
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Update: The Wildcats tied Elk Grove and Jesuit for league-title honors, opened the D-I playoffs with a 9-0 victory over Napa and then lost to Vintage 5-3, capping a standout career for four-year starting shortstop/leadoff hitter Hank LoForte, headed to Fullerton.

17. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) (11) 20-11
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Update: The Monarchs fell to St. Francis (Watsonville) in CCS play, closing out the career of coach Bill Hutton.

18. San Benito (Hollister) (NR) 21-8
Section: Central Coast
League: Monterey Bay
Update: The Haybalers finish the season back in these rankings after beating Monte Vista Christian (Watsonville) 8-7 in 11 innings in CCS playoff action, then beating Bellarmine Prep (San Jose) 13-3 before falling to Soquel 2-1.

19. Casa Grande (Petaluma) (19) 21-6
Section: North Coast
League: North Bay
Update: The Gauchos beat Cardinal Newman twice in league play then lost 2-0 to their rivals, snapping a 15-game winning streak. Chris Joaquim tossed a 4-hitter to beat Campolindo (Moraga) in NCS playoff action.

20. Jesuit (Carmichael) (9) 19-9
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Update: The Marauders lost to Granite Bay 5-4 in the SJS D-I North playoffs, ending the career of Tanner Dodson, a slugger and pitcher headed to Cal.

21. San Ramon Valley (Danville) (21) 17-9
Section: North Coast
League: East Bay
Update: The Wolves beat Freedom (Oakley) in NCS D-I playoff action 3-0 as Joey Matulovich struck out 11.

22. Redwood (Larkspur) (25) 24-3
Section: North Coast
League: Marin County
Update: The Giants beat Branson (Ross) 2-1 and Marin Catholic (Kentfield) 4-3 in league playoff action and then beat Northgate (Walnut Creek) 1-0 in NCS D-II play. Next is Arroyo (San Lorenzo).

23. Roseville (NR) 20-12
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Capital Valley
Update: The Tigers won a competitive league race and then went 4-1 in the D-II playoffs, capped by a 1-0 victory over Vanden in the finals as Adam Erickson tossed a gem.

24. Vanden (Fairfield) (18) 22-9
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Solano County Athletic
Update: The Vikings won a league title and reached the SJS D-II finals, falling to No. 23 Roseville 1-0 in a pitching gem for both sides.

25. Sutter (NR) 28-6
Section: Northern
League: Butte View
Update: The Huskies won the North Section D-III title with a 6-4 win over Lassen (Susanville), capping a 4-0 playoff showing. Brendon Nelson went 10-1 and Tyler Minton and Brett Ahlers each went 7-2.

The Bee Preps Show with baseball playoff action and the firing of a legendary NorCal baseball coach

The Sacramento Bee on how Elk Grove won the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I North title

The Sacramento Bee on section title big moments

Joe Davidson has covered high school sports for The Sacramento Bee since 1988. He co-hosts with Mike Finnerty the weekly Bee Preps Show that airs on ComcastSportsNet California and can be found on sacbee.com. Follow him on Twitter: @SacBee_JoeD and through facebook.com/sacbeepreps.