Bay Area Baseball Rankings
Sophomore Zach Chalmers is one of the many talented returning players for Cal. Photo by Chris Jackson
By Chris Jackson Tuesday March 10, 2015
1. College Park (1-0)
Led by seven Division One commits, including potential first rounder Joe DeMers, the Falcons are loaded and primed to finish as one of the best teams in Bay Area history. DeMers hit .372 last year with 32 RBI's and also had a 0.65 ERA, showing why he's rated so high and committed to Washington. The other commits include outfielders Trevor Larnach (Oregon State), Jeffrey Mitchell (Cal), Nick Oar (Stanford); pitcher Chris Brown (UC Davis) and catcher Willie MacIver (Washington). Larnach also added 14 doubles and 30 RBI's in last years NCS title run.
2. De La Salle (1-0)
UCLA commit and definite first round pitcher Justin Hooper is ready to take the Spartans to the promised land, but they will need to likely get past College Park first. Behind three RBI's and a home run from Blake Ogburn, they already started off with a huge 1-0 victory over St. Francis. Among the commits, the list includes pitchers Tyler Lonestar (St. Mary's), Connor Redmond (Cal Poly), Nick Sparks (St. Mary's; outfielder Michael McAdoo (UC Santa Barbara) and third baseman Michael Reuling (UC Santa Barbara).
3. Valley Christian-San Jose (5-0)
Highlighted by a monster 7-1 victory over Mitty, it is already 5-0 and has outscored opponents 25-2. Pacific commit Keenan Brigman is hitting .308 with a double and an RBI, following a 15 RBI season in 2014.
4. Mitty (3-1)
With the lone loss coming to Valley Christian-San Jose, 7-1, the Monarchs are ready to compete for WCAL and CCS crowns. Stanford pitcher commit Kris Bubich leads the way and is high on many MLB teams draft boards. As a junior, Bubich went 8-2 with a 0.89 ERA alongside hitting .342 and 15 RBI's. Other notable returnees include Joe Cahn and Tommy Hudson, who combined for 30 RBI's last year.
5. St. Francis-Mountain View (1-1)
Despite a loss to De La Salle, the Lancers are prepared to be among Northern California's elite once again. A trio of infielders are committed to Division One schools, including Andrew Martinez (Washington), Conor Thane (St. Mary's) and Jeremy Ydens (UCLA).
6. Bellarmine (2-0)
The Bells already own a 4-3 victory over a loaded St. Mary's-Stockton squad. Third baseman Nick Bellafronto returns as the teams top candidate and is already committed to Stanford. He hit .324 with a pair of home runs last year. They were the CCS Open Division runner-up last season, falling to Leland in the championship.
7. San Benito (4-1)
With its only loss coming to Valley Christian-San Jose, San Benito continues to assert itself against high-caliber competition. The offense recorded eight runs and 15 hits in an 8-5 victory over Serra.
8. Serra (3-1)
Sitting at 3-1, its lone loss came to the hands of San Benito in 8-5 fashion. Junior Angelo Bortolin already has four RBI's and has a .467 average. Catcher James Outman is the top returnee, however, as he's hitting .308 and is committed to Sacramento State. A big 5-3 win over San Ramon Valley is already on its resume and two more tough nonleague contests await against St. Mary's-Stockton and De La Salle.
9. San Ramon Valley (1-1)
The NCS Division One runner-up a year ago, the Wolves have the tools offensively, but the lack of varsity experience in the starting rotation might cost them a little bit. Alex Barden, Conner Loar and Connor Neumann provided one of the toughest pitching staffs in the region and will be tough to replace. However, the offense is destined for success, led by infielders Nick Moroney, Nick Poirier (UC Santa Barbara) and Ryan Weisenberg (Georgetown).
10. Campolindo (1-1)
Infielder Ben Skinner, a Harvard commit, leads the way for another promising Campolindo squad. It has won four NCS titles in five years and is looking to avenge last years first round exit. Despite an opening day loss to Vacaville, it bounced back with a 5-2 victory over Pittsburg.
11. Heritage (4-0)
A star studded junior class has carried the Patriots to a fast 4-0 start, highlighted by a 4-3 victory over Casa Grande. St. Mary's commit Kevin Milam is 2-0 and has struckout 18 batters, allowing zero earned runs. Jake Cruce is hitting .412 with five RBI's and three doubles. Outfielder Alex Robinson also has five RBI's and adds to a loaded 2016 class.
12. California (2-0)
After being ranked #2 in the Bay Area at one point, the Grizzlies struggled in the latter part of last season and exited in the first round of NCS. However, lots of talent returns and should provide for an exciting campaign. Sophomore pitcher Zach Chalmers is coming off an impressive freshman season and is attested by senior Mike Podany in the rotation. Trent Kravitz headlines the offense, totaling 16 RBI's and hitting .342 last year. Quinn Cambra and Fresno State bound catcher Jake Ackerman are also notable returnees. A bout with #1 College Park on the 19th will be a tough early test.
13. Amador Valley (2-0)
Finishing as the co-champion of EBAL last season, the Dons are poised to repeat under stellar head coach Lou Cesario. However, the health of star pitcher Andreas Papageorge will go a long way in determine the teams success, but the caliber of the pitching staff remains high. AJ Curtis and Jake McIntosh headline the offense, and Curtis already has four RBI's and a home run, triple and double.
14. Casa Grande (2-1)
Sophomore Spencer Torlekson is turned heads in his freshman season and is on pace to become one of the most prized prospects in the 2017 class. As a freshman, Torklekson hit .429 with 10 RBI's and 8 stolen bases. Pitcher Eric Parnow adds to a strong pitching staff and they're destined for an inordinate amount of success this season, especially with College Park moving up to division one. A 4-3 loss to a talented Heritage squad doesn't affect it's early ranking.
15. Leland (2-1)
A 2-1 record is highlighted by a big victory over Menlo-Atherton, but two of the next three contests feature WCAL powers Mitty and Valley Christian-San Jose. San Jose State bound catcher Brendt Citta leads the way, especially after posting a .446 average with 26 RBI's and 13 extra-base hits last season.
16. Vintage (5-0)
Cal commits Aaron Shortridge and Jared Horn have been tearing through opponents thus far. Shortridge has recorded 22 strikeouts in just 11 innings. Horn, only a junior, is already hitting .438 with a pair of home runs and seven RBI's. They have outscored opponents 45-6.
17. Los Gatos (5-0)
The offense is averaging just under 10 runs per game and is led by seven RBI's and three triple from junior Hunter Bigge. Doug Neubauer, also a junior, is hitting .308 and leads the team with two home runs. Los Gatos already owns an impressive 8-4 victory over Washington-Fremont.
18. Washington-Fremont (2-1)
Despite an 8-4 loss to undefeated Los Gatos, it has the makings for another impressive season. Oregon State bound outfielder Steven Kwan has a .400 average and is aided by junior Nick Lawrence, who leads the team in RBI's (5) and triples (1). A matchup at #9 San Ramon Valley awaits on Thursday.
19. Redwood (4-1)
Its only loss came in nine innings at Casa Grande and all of the results have proven why this team is one of the most underrated in the region. Big wins over Cardinal Newman, Northgate and Petaluma already stand on its resume and it'll look for more heading into league play.
20. Livermore (3-1)
The talent isn't lacking as the Cowboys are already off to another quick 3-1 start. Junior shortstop Dominic Foscalina continues to showcase his future MLB talents, already compiling a .429 average, a triple and two home runs. His brother, Jake, is a newcomer and is off to a terrific start as he leads the team in triples (3) and RBI's (5). A stellar pitching rotation also helps, led by Cal Poly commit Thomas Triantos and junior Brian Martinez.
21. Foothill (3-0)
Through three games, the pitching staff has allowed just five runs, featuring a no-hitter from Joey Lea in his first career varsity start-a 5-0 victory over West (Tracy) last Wednesday. Star shortstop Ruben Mercado is hitting .300 with a pair of RBI's and is complemented by Ryan Probst, who has a .50@ average with three RBI's.
22. Bishop O'Dowd (1-1)
Leo Nierenberg was the sophomore of the year in 2014 as he recorded an astounding 0.28 ERA and 100 strikeouts, compared to just 15 walks. The Dragons own a 13-7 victory at James Logan but fell to Foothill on Friday, 6-2.
23. Clayton Valley Charter (3-1)
With its lone loss coming to Amador Valley, the Ugly Eagles are proving they're still among the best despite losing a talented 2014 class. Six players are hitting above .500 (minimum of six at-bats) and are paced by Joh Allen, who leads the way with a .583 average and seven RBI's.
24. Maria Carrillo (2-1)
An early loss to Vintage won't do much to its ranking, especially after posting wins over Marin Catholic and Napa. Tough nonleague matchup a include Liberty, Palo Alto, Petaluma and a trip to the Boras Classic.
25. Palo Alto (4-1)
The teams only loss came in extra innings and following a 16-15 season, much talent returns for what looks to be a stellar season.
Led by seven Division One commits, including potential first rounder Joe DeMers, the Falcons are loaded and primed to finish as one of the best teams in Bay Area history. DeMers hit .372 last year with 32 RBI's and also had a 0.65 ERA, showing why he's rated so high and committed to Washington. The other commits include outfielders Trevor Larnach (Oregon State), Jeffrey Mitchell (Cal), Nick Oar (Stanford); pitcher Chris Brown (UC Davis) and catcher Willie MacIver (Washington). Larnach also added 14 doubles and 30 RBI's in last years NCS title run.
2. De La Salle (1-0)
UCLA commit and definite first round pitcher Justin Hooper is ready to take the Spartans to the promised land, but they will need to likely get past College Park first. Behind three RBI's and a home run from Blake Ogburn, they already started off with a huge 1-0 victory over St. Francis. Among the commits, the list includes pitchers Tyler Lonestar (St. Mary's), Connor Redmond (Cal Poly), Nick Sparks (St. Mary's; outfielder Michael McAdoo (UC Santa Barbara) and third baseman Michael Reuling (UC Santa Barbara).
3. Valley Christian-San Jose (5-0)
Highlighted by a monster 7-1 victory over Mitty, it is already 5-0 and has outscored opponents 25-2. Pacific commit Keenan Brigman is hitting .308 with a double and an RBI, following a 15 RBI season in 2014.
4. Mitty (3-1)
With the lone loss coming to Valley Christian-San Jose, 7-1, the Monarchs are ready to compete for WCAL and CCS crowns. Stanford pitcher commit Kris Bubich leads the way and is high on many MLB teams draft boards. As a junior, Bubich went 8-2 with a 0.89 ERA alongside hitting .342 and 15 RBI's. Other notable returnees include Joe Cahn and Tommy Hudson, who combined for 30 RBI's last year.
5. St. Francis-Mountain View (1-1)
Despite a loss to De La Salle, the Lancers are prepared to be among Northern California's elite once again. A trio of infielders are committed to Division One schools, including Andrew Martinez (Washington), Conor Thane (St. Mary's) and Jeremy Ydens (UCLA).
6. Bellarmine (2-0)
The Bells already own a 4-3 victory over a loaded St. Mary's-Stockton squad. Third baseman Nick Bellafronto returns as the teams top candidate and is already committed to Stanford. He hit .324 with a pair of home runs last year. They were the CCS Open Division runner-up last season, falling to Leland in the championship.
7. San Benito (4-1)
With its only loss coming to Valley Christian-San Jose, San Benito continues to assert itself against high-caliber competition. The offense recorded eight runs and 15 hits in an 8-5 victory over Serra.
8. Serra (3-1)
Sitting at 3-1, its lone loss came to the hands of San Benito in 8-5 fashion. Junior Angelo Bortolin already has four RBI's and has a .467 average. Catcher James Outman is the top returnee, however, as he's hitting .308 and is committed to Sacramento State. A big 5-3 win over San Ramon Valley is already on its resume and two more tough nonleague contests await against St. Mary's-Stockton and De La Salle.
9. San Ramon Valley (1-1)
The NCS Division One runner-up a year ago, the Wolves have the tools offensively, but the lack of varsity experience in the starting rotation might cost them a little bit. Alex Barden, Conner Loar and Connor Neumann provided one of the toughest pitching staffs in the region and will be tough to replace. However, the offense is destined for success, led by infielders Nick Moroney, Nick Poirier (UC Santa Barbara) and Ryan Weisenberg (Georgetown).
10. Campolindo (1-1)
Infielder Ben Skinner, a Harvard commit, leads the way for another promising Campolindo squad. It has won four NCS titles in five years and is looking to avenge last years first round exit. Despite an opening day loss to Vacaville, it bounced back with a 5-2 victory over Pittsburg.
11. Heritage (4-0)
A star studded junior class has carried the Patriots to a fast 4-0 start, highlighted by a 4-3 victory over Casa Grande. St. Mary's commit Kevin Milam is 2-0 and has struckout 18 batters, allowing zero earned runs. Jake Cruce is hitting .412 with five RBI's and three doubles. Outfielder Alex Robinson also has five RBI's and adds to a loaded 2016 class.
12. California (2-0)
After being ranked #2 in the Bay Area at one point, the Grizzlies struggled in the latter part of last season and exited in the first round of NCS. However, lots of talent returns and should provide for an exciting campaign. Sophomore pitcher Zach Chalmers is coming off an impressive freshman season and is attested by senior Mike Podany in the rotation. Trent Kravitz headlines the offense, totaling 16 RBI's and hitting .342 last year. Quinn Cambra and Fresno State bound catcher Jake Ackerman are also notable returnees. A bout with #1 College Park on the 19th will be a tough early test.
13. Amador Valley (2-0)
Finishing as the co-champion of EBAL last season, the Dons are poised to repeat under stellar head coach Lou Cesario. However, the health of star pitcher Andreas Papageorge will go a long way in determine the teams success, but the caliber of the pitching staff remains high. AJ Curtis and Jake McIntosh headline the offense, and Curtis already has four RBI's and a home run, triple and double.
14. Casa Grande (2-1)
Sophomore Spencer Torlekson is turned heads in his freshman season and is on pace to become one of the most prized prospects in the 2017 class. As a freshman, Torklekson hit .429 with 10 RBI's and 8 stolen bases. Pitcher Eric Parnow adds to a strong pitching staff and they're destined for an inordinate amount of success this season, especially with College Park moving up to division one. A 4-3 loss to a talented Heritage squad doesn't affect it's early ranking.
15. Leland (2-1)
A 2-1 record is highlighted by a big victory over Menlo-Atherton, but two of the next three contests feature WCAL powers Mitty and Valley Christian-San Jose. San Jose State bound catcher Brendt Citta leads the way, especially after posting a .446 average with 26 RBI's and 13 extra-base hits last season.
16. Vintage (5-0)
Cal commits Aaron Shortridge and Jared Horn have been tearing through opponents thus far. Shortridge has recorded 22 strikeouts in just 11 innings. Horn, only a junior, is already hitting .438 with a pair of home runs and seven RBI's. They have outscored opponents 45-6.
17. Los Gatos (5-0)
The offense is averaging just under 10 runs per game and is led by seven RBI's and three triple from junior Hunter Bigge. Doug Neubauer, also a junior, is hitting .308 and leads the team with two home runs. Los Gatos already owns an impressive 8-4 victory over Washington-Fremont.
18. Washington-Fremont (2-1)
Despite an 8-4 loss to undefeated Los Gatos, it has the makings for another impressive season. Oregon State bound outfielder Steven Kwan has a .400 average and is aided by junior Nick Lawrence, who leads the team in RBI's (5) and triples (1). A matchup at #9 San Ramon Valley awaits on Thursday.
19. Redwood (4-1)
Its only loss came in nine innings at Casa Grande and all of the results have proven why this team is one of the most underrated in the region. Big wins over Cardinal Newman, Northgate and Petaluma already stand on its resume and it'll look for more heading into league play.
20. Livermore (3-1)
The talent isn't lacking as the Cowboys are already off to another quick 3-1 start. Junior shortstop Dominic Foscalina continues to showcase his future MLB talents, already compiling a .429 average, a triple and two home runs. His brother, Jake, is a newcomer and is off to a terrific start as he leads the team in triples (3) and RBI's (5). A stellar pitching rotation also helps, led by Cal Poly commit Thomas Triantos and junior Brian Martinez.
21. Foothill (3-0)
Through three games, the pitching staff has allowed just five runs, featuring a no-hitter from Joey Lea in his first career varsity start-a 5-0 victory over West (Tracy) last Wednesday. Star shortstop Ruben Mercado is hitting .300 with a pair of RBI's and is complemented by Ryan Probst, who has a .50@ average with three RBI's.
22. Bishop O'Dowd (1-1)
Leo Nierenberg was the sophomore of the year in 2014 as he recorded an astounding 0.28 ERA and 100 strikeouts, compared to just 15 walks. The Dragons own a 13-7 victory at James Logan but fell to Foothill on Friday, 6-2.
23. Clayton Valley Charter (3-1)
With its lone loss coming to Amador Valley, the Ugly Eagles are proving they're still among the best despite losing a talented 2014 class. Six players are hitting above .500 (minimum of six at-bats) and are paced by Joh Allen, who leads the way with a .583 average and seven RBI's.
24. Maria Carrillo (2-1)
An early loss to Vintage won't do much to its ranking, especially after posting wins over Marin Catholic and Napa. Tough nonleague matchup a include Liberty, Palo Alto, Petaluma and a trip to the Boras Classic.
25. Palo Alto (4-1)
The teams only loss came in extra innings and following a 16-15 season, much talent returns for what looks to be a stellar season.